Debbie Rasar

My feet first touched Maui soil in June 1999.  Fresh out of college (Go Cougs!), I was invited to Maui by my uncle, Monte Fitts —a trip that would change the course of my life.

After hours jetting across the vast Pacific and leaving the bustle of Honolulu behind, we boarded a small prop plane bound for Maui. As we crossed the channel, waterfalls cascaded down the sea cliffs of Molokaʻi, and the island unfolded beneath us. We floated above pineapple fields and waving sugarcane before touching down at Kapalua Airport.

My skin met the warm island air as my uncle placed a tuberose lei around my neck. To this day, the smell of tuberose transports me back to that very moment —the beginning of my Maui story.

After college, I built a life in San Francisco, living and working at The Presidio, another place that captured my heart. But when the opportunity arose to move to Maui in 2003, I didn't hesitate. It remains one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Over the past two decades, my appreciation for this island has only deepened. Through countless adventures, meaningful friendships, and the privilege of working alongside some of the finest people in Hawaiʻi, Maui has become far more than a place I live—it has become part of who I am.

Today, I love helping others discover the Maui that I know and cherish. Maui is more than leis, shave ice, and mai tais. Those experiences are wonderful, but the island's true magic lies deeper—in its people, culture, history, landscapes, and spirit of aloha.

When you slow down, explore beyond the obvious, and immerse yourself in all that Maui has to offer, you'll create memories that stay with you long after you've returned home.

Because once Maui finds its way into your heart, it never really leaves.

There's no place like Maui.