Kaulanapueo Church in Huelo, Maui, Hawaii

Along the winding Hana Highway is a community known as Huelo, which is really a part of Haiku, Maui.  A well known landmark is the Door of Faith Road, which brings you to the Kaulanapueo Church in Huelo.  This historic Protestant church was established in 1853 and is still used for worship, with services in the Hawaiian language.  The church walls are made of stone, creating a cool interior for a comfortable experience while attending services. 

Haiku is on Maui's north shore, where the tradewinds bring refreshing rains to nourish lush growth.  Coconuts palms, banana plants, and tropical flowers are plentiful in this rich environment.  Garden enthusiasts enjoy planting and growing crops all year round, and you'll find a lot of organic farms here.

This community has seen a lot of changes over the decades, when this area transitioned from a sugar and pineapple growing region, then to cattle farming, up to the present day.  Nowadays there a many smaller farms as well as homes which range from humble shacks to multi-million dollar oceanfront estates.  For the most part, residents here enjoy a more natural lifestyle than you will find in the resort towns... natural beauty is everywhere you look, and people are very laid back. 

Some find the deeply spiritual atmosphere much to their liking, and would not choose to live anywhere else.  Here in Huelo, it seems you are a little more connected to the a'ina (the land), the water, the plants, and the history of Hawaii.

If you're driving the Hana Highway, be sure to take this detour if you're interested in something unique and historical on Maui.