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Wailea Beach on Maui is one of several local beaches making Travel + Leisure’s list for Best Beaches on Earth
Maui is Hawaii’s best island according to the annual Travel + Leisure World’s Best list.
Among the world’s 10 best islands, Maui was ranked No. 7, followed by Kauai, but all Hawaiian islands were bested by the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, which topped the list and were followed by Bali Indonesia at No. 2 and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
The annual list names the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea as Hawaii’s top resort overall, and for families, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Oahu, is again Hawaii’s best resort or hotel.
Four Seasons Maui at Wailea is Hawaii’s highest-ranking hotel, at No. 83 on the list of top 100 hotels in the world, while its sister property, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, on Hawaii island, is ranked at No. 89 and has been on the list for at least 10 years.
Aulani scored 100 points and is a repeat visitor at the top of the T+L list of top family resorts in Hawaii. It is followed by the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, with just under 96 points, and Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, with slightly more than 95 points.
Virgin America was named the best domestic airline, with JetBlue ranked second and Hawaiian Airlines, on the list for at least 20 years, ranked third.
The list was compiled from reader answers to a questionnaire developed by the magazine’s editors, and eliminated responses from identified travel industry professionals.
Results appear in the August issue of Travel + Leisure, to be available on newsstands July 17, though the T+L World’s Best list for family travel appears online only.
