Perfect Day #5 — Little Beach to ‘Ahihi Bay

This Perfect Day is dedicated primarily to divers and snorkelers. It includes some of the best snorkeling on Maui and exploration of marvelous ‘Ahihi coastline and reef landscape. You’ll probably see more varieties of reef fish than anywhere else on Maui thanks to the ‘Ahihi Natural reserve. Bring along a picnic lunch, plenty of water and snacks, booties or plastic shoes and your sunblock.

Beautiful Little Beach is best known for nudity but it offers one of the best beach-access snorkeling and scuba diving spots on the island. (Most of the underwater viewing can be done with snorkel gear.) After parking at Big Beach and walking over the hill beneath Pu’u Ola’i (a bit of a haul with scuba equipment), walk to the north end of the beach and scuba a couple of hundreds yards around Pu’u Ola’i. (As a much easier alternative, drive down the dirt road to Oneuli Beach/Black Sand Beach, park, carry your scuba gear only a very short way to the beach entry point and scuba or snorkel south.)

Next door, Big Beach/Oneloa Beach indeed is a BIG beach, ¾-mile long and very wide. Years ago called a “hidden beach,” today it’s one of the most popular on the island but still outstanding for surfing and body boarding.

Snorkelers should continue on Makena Rd. until you see the first sign for “’Ahihi Kina’u Reserve,” drive another 1/10 mile and park on the side of the road at ‘Ahihi Cove or, if that’s full look for a dirt parking lot a little further south.

Enter on the north side of the Cove (on your right as you face the water) and snorkel counterclockwise around the cove following the coral reef. Although we can provide no guarantees, you’re likely to see a fantastic variety of reef fishes: Akule, Argus Grouper, Blue Lined Snapper, Butterfly Fish, Damsel Fish, Manini, Palani, Parrot Fish, Rudder Fish, Wrasse and more. ‘Ahihi Cove has no sand. “Hidden” behind a public beach access south of 6900 Makena Rd is a tiny, white sand beach, Kanahena, ringed by palms and bougainvillea, that is a beautiful place for a picnic and relaxation after a morning of snorkeling at ‘Ahihi Cove.

It may be difficult to tear yourself away from Ahihi Cove and hidden Kanahena Beach but another half mile down the road (south) on your right is a parking area and a rocky path that leads to ‘Ahihi Bay where both divers and snorkelers can see another colorful underwater reef and reef creatures. Snorkel to the right along the shore as far as ‘Ahihi Cove if you want to and can do it (but you probably will have to walk back to your car and will need booties or plastic shoes).

Visitors who have to leave Wailea or Kihei to return to their lodgings should bring a change of clothing, use the public showers beachside at the Maui Prince Hotel, and dine at the fantastic Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Stella Blues Café or one of the casual eateries in Kalama Village like BadaBing! that also provides a jazz/pop combo for evening entertainment.