From brilliant pearl white, to stark volcanic black, the sands of Maui beaches are as varied as the people who come from around the world to enjoy them. And here you will definitely find a beach that suits you perfectly. Some beaches are so small and tucked away you’ll need an experienced guide to help you find them, while others — like famous Kaanapali or Wailea — are ranked among the best beaches in the country. And when you’ve had enough fun in the sand, a world of water activities awaits you. Snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, surfing, windsurfing, boogie boarding, skim boarding, jet-skiing, catamaran cruises, deep sea fishing and charters of every kind can be found on Maui.

On Maui, you’ll find a year-round schedule of cultural events and traditional celebrations, including a thrilling line up of performances at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului. Visit the Hui Noeau Visual Arts Center in Makawao and the Schaefer International Gallery in Kahului for some impressive Visual Arts exhibits and displays. Choral concerts, classical performances, jazz pianists, comedy shows and Polynesian drumming competitions are just a mere sampling of Maui’s diverse art scene.

Maui offers spectacular adventure rides through rugged ranch lands, into tropical forests, and to remote swimming holes. One of our favorites is Piiholo Ranch, in Makawao (tel. 866/572-5544 or 808/357-5544; www.piiholo.com). A working cattle ranch, owned by the kamaaina (longtime resident) Baldwin family, this is a horseback-riding adventure with a variety of different rides to suit your ability, from the morning picnic ride, a 3 1/2-hour ride on the ranch, with a picnic lunch, for $160 per person, to private rides, including working with the cowboys to round up the cattle, at $190 per person per hour.

If you're out in Hana, don't pass up the Maui Stables in Kipahulu (a mile past Oheo Gulch; tel. 808/248-7799; www.mauistables.com). Not only do they offer two rides daily (9:30am and 1pm) through the mountains above Kipahulu Valley, but you also get a fantastic historical and cultural tour through the unspoiled landscape. It is an experience you will not forget. Both rides are $150.

For those horse lovers who are looking for the ultimate equine experience, check out Frank Levinson's "Maui Horse Whisperer Experience" (tel. 808/572-6211; www.mauihorses.com), which includes a seminar on the language of the horse. It costs $200 for half-day and $300 for full-day workshops.

Plunging 100 feet below the surface of the sea in a state-of-the-art, high-tech submarine is a great way to experience Maui's magnificent underwater world, especially if you're not a swimmer. Atlantis Submarines, 658 Front St., Lahaina (tel. 800/548-6262 or 808/667-2224; www.goatlantis.com), offers trips out of Lahaina Harbor every hour on the hour from 9am to 2pm at a cost of $80 for adults and $40 for children under 12 (children must be at least 3 ft. tall). Allow 2 hours for this underwater adventure.

The best beaches in Maui

Kapalua Beach: On an island of many great beaches, this one takes the prize. A golden crescent with swaying palms protected from strong winds and currents by two outstretched lava-rock promontories, Kapalua has calm waters that are perfect for snorkeling, swimming, and kayaking. Even though it borders the Kapalua Bay hotel, the beach is long enough for everyone to enjoy. Facilities include showers, restrooms, and lifeguards.

Kaanapali Beach: Four-mile-long Kaanapali stands out as one of Maui's best beaches, with grainy gold sand as far as the eye can see. Most of the beach parallels the sea channel, and a paved beach walk links hotels and condos, open-air restaurants, and the Whalers Village shopping center. Summertime swimming is excellent. The best snorkeling is around Black Rock, in front of the Sheraton; the water is clear, calm, and populated with brilliant tropical fish.

Wailea Beach: This is the best gold-sand, crescent-shaped beach on Maui's sunbaked southwestern coast. One of five beaches within Wailea Resort, Wailea is big, wide, and protected on both sides by black-lava points. It serves as the front yard for the Four Seasons Wailea, Maui's most elegant hotel, and the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, it’s most outrageous. From the beach, the view out to sea is magnificent, framed by neighboring Kahoolawe and Lanai and the tiny crescent of Molokini. The clear waters tumble to shore in waves just the right size for gentle riding, with or without a board. While all the beaches on the west and south coasts are great for spotting whales and watching sunsets, Wailea, with its fairly flat sandy beach that gently slopes down to the ocean, provides exceptionally good whale-watching from shore in season (Dec-Apr), as well as unreal sunsets nightly.

Maluaka Beach (Makena Beach): On the southern end of Maui's resort coast, development falls off dramatically, leaving a wild, dry countryside punctuated by green kiawe trees. The wide, palm-fringed crescent of golden sand is set between two black-lava points and bounded by big sand dunes topped by a grassy knoll. Makena can be perfect for swimming when it's flat and placid, but it can also offer excellent bodysurfing when the waves come rolling in. Vistas of Molokini Crater and Kahoolawe can be seen off in the distance.

Waianapanapa State Park: In east Maui, a few miles from Hana, the 120 acres of this state park offer 12 cabins, a caretaker's residence, a picnic area, a shoreline hiking trail, and, best of all, a black-sand beach (actually small black pebbles). Swimming is generally unsafe, though, due to strong waves breaking offshore, which roll into the beach unchecked, and strong rip currents. But it's a great spot for picnicking, hiking along the shore, and simply sitting and relaxing.

Hamoa Beach: This half-moon-shaped, gray-sand beach (a mix of coral and lava) in a truly tropical setting is a favorite among sunbathers, snorkelers, and bodysurfers in Hana. The 100-foot-wide beach is three football fields long and sits below 30-foot black-lava sea cliffs. An unprotected beach open to the ocean, Hamoa is often swept by powerful rip currents. Surf breaks offshore and rolls ashore, making it a popular surfing and bodysurfing area. The calm left side is best for snorkeling in the summer.

Hulopoe Beach (Lanai): This golden, palm-fringed beach off the south coast of Lanai gently slopes down to the azure waters of a Marine Life Conservation District, where clouds of tropical fish flourish and spinner dolphins come to play. A tide pool in the lava rocks defines one side of the bay, while the other is lorded over by the Manele Bay Hotel, which sits prominently on the hill above. Offshore, you'll find good swimming, snorkeling, and diving; onshore, there's a full complement of beach facilities, from restrooms to camping areas.