As part of a commitment to promoting responsible travel, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is encouraging guests to take a trip that gives back – to Maui and themselves – through the resort’s new “Malama Hawaii” volunteer experience, which allows guests to discover Maui’s past through hands-on processing of historic artifacts and documents at a local foundation.
The reward for participation at the Lahaina Restoration Foundation is a US$250 resort credit to be applied to their stay at the five-star resort on Maui’s Wailea Coast and a gift certificate for a one-night luxury accommodation in an ocean-view room for a future stay.
“Malama means ‘to care for,’ and this program is perfect for guests that are not only interested in leaving Maui a better place than when they arrived but also finding a deep meaningful connection to this very special place we call home,” says Four Seasons Resort cultural ambassador “Aunty Wendy” Tuivaioge.
Lahaina Restoration Foundation is a non-profit organization with the mission to restore, preserve and protect the physical, historical, and cultural legacies of Maui, and honour the era of the Hawaiian monarchy. Guests embark on a three-hour discovery of Maui’s history through measuring, describing and/or transcribing historic artifacts and documents from all eras of Maui’s past, including Kingdom of Hawaii, Missionary, Whaling and Sugar periods. The experience includes a brief training session, work with historic objects, and a tour of a historic site or museum customized for the guest’s interest.
Lahaina Restoration Foundation Deputy Executive Director Kimberly Flook says, “We are excited to offer a chance for guests to connect with Lahaina Restoration Foundation and to assist in the important work of museum collections care. By volunteering through the Resort’s Malama Hawaii program, we will be able to further open the door to the past and bring more of Maui’s unique stories to a broader audience.”
The resort originally launched the initiative upon reopening its doors in November 2020, in collaboration with Pacific Whale Foundation, as part of the state’s Malama Hawaii program. Guests who volunteer for shoreline debris monitoring and clean-up work receive the same reward of a resort credit and future one-night accommodation.
Over the duration of the program’s first six months, thousands of pieces of debris have been documented and discarded by the Resort’s guest volunteers. “Four Seasons Maui has helped to bring engaged visitors to the island that are providing valuable community science work,” says Pacific Whale Foundation Conservation Advocate Shelby Serra. “Guests are both removing the immediate threat of marine debris from our shorelines, while contributing valuable data that helps Pacific Whale Foundation mitigate the threat to whales, dolphins and all marine life.”
To participate in the Malama Hawaii program, contact the concierge via email at Concierge.Maui@fourseasons.com for more information.