Have you ever wondered what beautiful tropical island is considered the most beautiful and tropical of them all? Well, according to the over 25,000 readers of The Conde Nast Traveler who recently cast ballots, Maui wins the distinction for the 16^th consecutive year. On top of that, it was also named the best pacific island for the 20^th year in a row.

Road to Hana Eco Adventure Deluxe

If you have ever been to Maui it’s easy to see why readers have continually ranked the “Magic Isle” as the world’s best island. The scenic natural beauty and absolutely perfect climate are truly unmatched. Living next-door on the number nine ranked island of Oahu, I am grateful to have had an opportunity to see Maui for myself. The Road To Hana Eco Adventure tour I took a few months ago with Discover Hawaii Tours was all I need to agree with the readers of the The Conde Nast Traveler on this one. Each stop we made was more amazing than the next. From the white sands of Ho’okipa Beach Park to the cascading waters of the Wailua falls, it’s easy to see why Maui has topped this list for sixteen years straight. It was a good choice going with Discover Hawaii Tours since it turns out they offer tours of the entire island. Many of the other tour providers I researched only went half-way and I can’t imagine having not had a chance to see some of the last few stops.

After reading the article I am going to have to make some time to take advantage of Hawaii’s other top ranked attractions. The Big Island of Hawaii came in as the number eight ranked island in the world, followed by the Pineapple Island of Lanai at fourteen. Honolulu was ranked as the number six city in the world on the same survey. The readers of The Conde Nast Traveler continued to praise Hawaii by ranking Hawaiian Airlines the number three airline in North America. Having flown with Hawaiian on that Maui tour I mentioned, I can agree that their service is top notch.

It seems the moral to this story suggests that if you are lucky enough to find yourself in Hawaii take advantage of the many world class locations and see as much as you can.

Read more: 2010 Conde Nast Traveler Readers Poll Continues High Ranks For Hawaii

Maui is one of the most lush and picturesque islands in Hawaii, thus it is know as either the “Magic Isle” or the “Valley Isle”.

Maui Road to Hana Tour

The famous Road to Hana, also known as “The World’s Most Beautiful Drive” is the main road that winds along the northern/windward coasts of Maui. Along the Road to Hana you can see stunning waterfalls, black sand beaches, volcano formations, and towns. Here is a list of the top 10 places to see on Maui when traveling the Road to Hana: 1. Paia Town Paia is a small town on Maui’s north shore. There are no big resorts and a number of great beaches known for huge waves and wind, especially in the Winter. Paia was originally a etablished as place for sugarcane field workers to live, but is now mostly inhabitated by surfers. Overall, Paia has a very different look and feel than the resort towns in other parts of Maui or Oahu. 2. Hookipa Beach Windsurfers A little further along the Road to Hana you will see Hookipa Beach, which is a World famous destination for windsurfers.

North shore Maui Hookipa Beach Windsurfing

3. Puahokamoa Falls The Puahokamoa Falls are just off Hana Highway, but will put you in a different world once you step away from the roadside. Puahokamoa Falls is actually a series of different falls, the further upstream you travel the less crowded and the higher the falls will get. If you walk about 10 minutes upstream you will see the Lower Puahokamoa Falls, which cascades over 200 feet.

Maui Puahokamoa falls road to hana

4. Keanae Peninsula A little further along the Road to Hana you will see a nice lookout over the Pacific Ocean, this is called Keanae Peninsula. Be sure to have your camera ready, as the Keanae Peninsula is a great place to snap some pictures.

Keanae Peninsula on the Road to Hana

5. Waikani Falls Waikani Falls is a one of Maui’s finest waterfalls at 70 feet, with swimming pools at the bottom if the flow is not too high.

Lower half of Wailua falls Road to Hana Maui

6. Puaa Kaa State Park The Puaa Kaa State Park is a good picnic area right in the tropical rain-forest with small waterfalls and pools.

Puaa Kaa State Park

7. Waianapanapa State Park Waianapanapa State Park is carved out of a black sand beach, and also features sea caves, stone arches, hiking trails, and even some remains of the first road built on Maui. The black sand comes from the volcanic rock being smashed by the powerful waves.

Waianapanapa State Park

8. Hana Bay As you reach the end of the Road to Hana you will come to Hana Bay, a spectacular lookout.

Hana Bay Maui

9. Hana Town Hana Town is the destination of the famous road to Hana tour and is the most isolated town in all of Hawaii, which gives the town a true old Hawaii look and feel. 10. Wailua Falls and 7 Sacred Pools Wailua Falls is an 80 foot tiered waterfall, one of the best waterfalls on Maui and a must see to believe.

Upper Wailua Falls just beyond Hana, Maui

After Wailua Falls you should also see the 7 Sacred Pools: If you have any special pictures or memories of the Road to Hana please feel free to add them to our comments section below. Aloha! Alex

Read more: Maui Tours – Top 10 Places to see on Maui