Kahului Airport: Approximate driving time is 45 minutes.

Driving directions from Kahului Airport: Turn left into Kuihelani Highway 380 towards Lahaina. Turn left onto Honoapiilani Hwy. 30 to Kaanapali-Lahaina. The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach is located 4 miles north of Lahaina in Kaanapali, next door to the Whalers Village.

Hula Grill and Barefoot Bar - Fueled by kiawe wood, an oven and grill here produce aromatic grilled local fish, burgers, pizza, and calzones at lunch and dinner. A selection of pupus and dim sum begin meals or make for light eating. Thatched umbrellas provide shade, and there's music in the evening.

Leilani's On the Beach - Wood tables under canvas umbrellas and a koa-wood bar highlight the beach-level bar's casual decor. Tropical drinks and light fare are served. Upstairs overlooking the beach, the dinner restaurant features grilled local fish and meats.

Rusty Harpoon Restaurant and Tavern - Serving the only complete breakfast in the village, this place makes the most of it, with a long menu including corned beef hash, a Belgian Waffle Bar, six Eggs Benedict variants, and a locally renowned, from-scratch Bloody Mary. Extensive lunch and dinner menus include burgers and local fish. A late-night menu offers extensive pupu selections.

Amenity highlights: The large lawn-and-garden area between The Whaler's two 12-floor wings reinforces the property's tranquility. Trees flanking the outside walls ensure privacy. For shopping, dining, and social life, the pretty, low-rise Whalers Village mall is just a two-minute walk away.

Insider tip: For security, outsiders cannot enter The Whaler's two wings, which require electronic room keys to open the entry doors.

The Whaler also features a tour/travel services desk and services for the hearing impaired, in addition to the room amenities listed below.

From the beach, catamarans offer whale-watching trips during the winter, and snorkeling and scuba excursions as well as dinner cruises year-round. Two public, tournament-grade golf courses lie across the street from the hotel, and there are three other courses at Kapalua 7 miles north. Public tennis centers are located at the Royal Lahaina Resort, the Maui Marriott Hotel, and the Sheraton Maui Hotel.

The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach and its surrounding vicinity also offers deep-sea fishing, skydiving, parasailing, helicopter/airplane sightseeing, nature/wildlife tours, mountain biking, and submarine excursions, in addition to the recreational possibilities listed below.