Maui Nō Ka ʻOi, Again: #1 Island in World and US

ʻĀlau island located off of the picturesque Hāna shoreline in East Maui. File photo by Wendy Osher.

Maui is Nō Ka ʻOi once again.  The island of Maui was just ranked the Top Island in the World and the Top Island in the US by the travel planning and booking website TripAdvisor.

As the top island in the world, the publication notes that Maui has a nightly rate of all hotels bookable on TripAdvisor of $330.  Average seasonal rates for hotels on Maui were listed at: $346 for the Spring, $339 for the Summer, $315 for the Fall and $412 during the Winter.  There is also an average shoulder season savings during the Fall of 24%, according to the site.

As the top island in the US, TripAdvisor boats Maui as a “destination for sun worshippers and nature lovers alike.”  The island features “golden beaches,” “breathtaking views of the island at the top of the Haleakalā Crater,” and notes that the upcoming Maui Film Festival in Wailea from June 15-19, 2016, is a “reason to book now.”

The site today announced the winners of its Travelers’ Choice™ awards for Islands. According to the site, award winners were determined “using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions on islands worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period, as well as traveler booking interest on TripAdvisor.”

The TripAdvisor 2016 list of Top Islands in the World include: (1) Maui, Hawaiʻi; (2) Santorini, Greece; (3) Jamaica, Caribbean; (4) Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; (5) Bali, Indonesia; (6) Majorca, Spain; (7) Mauritius, Africa; (8) Phuket, Thailand; (9) Bora Bora, French Polynesia; and (10) Fernando de Noronha, Brazil.

The TripAdvisor 2016 list of Top Islands in the US include: (1) Maui, Hawaiʻi; (2) Key West, Florida; (3) Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi; (4) Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi; (5) Mount Desert Island, Maine; (6) Hilton Head, South Carolina; (7) Amelia Island, Florida; (8) Marco Island, Florida; (9) Chincoteague Island, Virginia; and (10) Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor said in a press release announcement, “With common traits like breathtaking beaches, exciting activities and popular hotels and restaurants, the Travelers’ Choice Islands are favorites of the TripAdvisor community.  While most of these islands have year-round appeal, TripAdvisor hotel booking data shows that bargain-hunters can save nearly 30 percent per night on average when staying at the top US islands during the shoulder season rather than the peak.