Former capital city of the kingdom of Hawaii, Lahaina stretches to the north-west of the island of Maui. Sheltered from the wind, at the foot of the mountains, the city enjoys a generous climate. It was when he visited Lahaina, a famous trading post for whalers in the 19th century, that Herman Melville decided to write Moby Dick. The city has kept its former charm, in its many historical buildings.