Looking Back at Lahaina Before the Flames (Videos)

The chain of islands which make up Hawaii are 2,471 miles from California, taking an average of 5 hours by plane or 5 days by cruise ship to reach. 

For some viewers, the recent terrible fires on Maui has presented through the Internet and standard news outlets the very first images of Maui ever seen by individuals living on the mainland and around the globe. So much destruction and loss of both lives and property. But before the tragedy, the area was a beautiful island paradise enjoyed by citizens and tourist alike.

The following are a few videos which show the town of Lahaina, separated from the seaside by Front Street, and the various shops and restaurants frequented by the island natives and the tourists, all gone now. The included drone footage shows the tree lined Front Street, the busy town of Lahaina on one side and the boats tied up on the other side, warm water lapping against the shore.

The first video contains footage of Lahaina from a few years before the August fires. It opens with a traditional art form, the hula which portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form.   

https://youtu.be/JoEmpq1AMbI

“As a resident of Hawaii who has enjoyed many visits to Lahaina, our most beautiful town, I am devastated by this loss, as are all people of the world, a colossal tragedy. We can only pray for the survivors and hope Lahaina will be rebuilt as it was, in the near future.” From the video creator…  

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This second video was done by a Hawaii travel channel to show to the world the heart of Lahaina and all that has been lost.

https://youtu.be/OnWtLE0euhg

“We’ve all seen the devastation caused by the wildfires in Lahaina. The footage we captured over the last few years highlights the architecture, the historical places, the banyan tree, the local restaurants and a little of the local community. A lot of Front Street is shown as we always try to avoid filming people and homes. We have been visiting Lahaina since we were kids and our family got the chance to live there for three years. We wish we had more videos, but we are happy to at least have this footage to share.”

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This video was filmed on 11 February 2023 and is a narrated walking tour down Front Street in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. The video is from a travel channel, the Nomadic Monkey, and is filled with the tourists who visit Maui daily.

“Come on a narrated walking tour of Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii. Once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, today Lahaina is a popular tourist destination located in West Maui. It has a population of about 12,700 people. Lahaina features a dozen art galleries, unique gift shops and restaurants. The water channel off the coast of Lahaina is one of the best spots in the world to see humpback whales during the winter months.”

https://youtu.be/S_OVCtnTIRU