Perfect Days  #7 - #8 – Kihei & Ocean Activities

Kayaking

In this Perfect Day kayaking and other half-day and full-day self-guided and guided marine excursions are launched from Kihei. Located south of Kama’ole Beach Park III, across from the Maui Kama’ole condominiums on S. Kihei Rd., the Kihei Boat Ramp is very easy to find.  From the north, take Route 310 to Route 31 and follow it to MM9, turn right on Keonekai Rd. to the stop-sign, then left on S. Kihei Rd. for 2/10 mile to a well-marked sign. From the south and Shops at Wailea, continue north to the stop sign at Okalani, turn left, drive to S. Kihei Rd. and turn right past the Mana Kai Maui to the parking lot on your left for the Kihei Boat Ramp.

• Several reliable kayak outfitters in Kihei provide stable, safe and comfortable single and double kayaks and guide you to the best kayaking and snorkeling areas:
• Maui Eco-tours offers a variety of kayak-snorkeling, whale-watching and other tours and also rents kayaks (1993 S. Kihei Rd., 866-891-2223, see http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/maui_eco_tours.html)
• Maui Kayaks, a small company that provides great service offers trips along the south shore (See: http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/maui_kayaks.html)
• South Pacific Kayaksprovides rentals and kayak tours along the south shore that include Makena Bay (see http://www.southpacifickayaks.com/, 875-4848).

Whalewatching

During whale-watching season, you can see the humpbacks from your kayak, windsurfing board and also through a telescope (9am-3pm, Mon.-Fri.) at the Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary National Education Center in North Kihei (726 S. Kihei Rd.) Scientists estimate that two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population (2000-3000) migrates to Hawaiian waters to breed, calve and nurse. The waters between Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kaho’olawe and Kauai are protected under the National Marine SanctuaryAct.

Ocean Tours & Scuba Diving

Ocean tours usually depart rain or shine. Poor weather conditions tend to be temporary on this part of Maui. (Trip cancellations are very uncommon.)

• Board the ProDiver or Makena Kai at 7 am for a 1- or 2-tank dive trip to Molokini or along the Makena Coast and, if you’re a beginner, join the fun and learn how.
• Certified divers (bring your “C” card) can join Scuba Shack for 1- or 2-tank dives, evening dives, beach refresher dives and certification training or Mike Severnsfor 2- or 3-tank dives including the famous wall at the backside of Molokini for an evening dive on Wednesdays
• Board the Sea Fire for a 3-hour morning snorkel excursion to Molokini, Turtle Town, and 5 Graves or a 2-hour afternoon snorkeling trip only to Molokini
• Leaving from Kihei Boat Ramp, Blue Water Rafting provides a Perfect Day of adventurous exploration of the sea caves and lava arches along the Kanaio coast of South Maui. Blue Water Rafting has two 27’ and 30’ rigid-hulled (V-shaped hull surrounded by a rubber pontoon), inflatable, fast (40 knots!) and unsinkable RAIV boats and two smaller rafts powered by 60HP Evinrudes.  You’ll cruise and snorkel on the La Pérouse Bay and Molokini trip for almost 6 hours, with breakfast and lunch served. Bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket.

(See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/snorkeling_maui.html,
 http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/diving_maui.html and
http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/whales_maui.html)

Windsurfing

Besides the North Shore from Kanaha to Ho’okipa, Kihei is your best choice on Maui for a Perfect Day of windsurfing. Towards noon, when it gets really windy, you’ll see windsurfers gather around Sugar Beach and the Sailing Green Pavilion in North Kihei just to the south at Ohukai Street. (At nearby Kalepolepo Park is Ko’ie’ie Lok o I’a, the most important royal fishpond restoration project on Maui. This fishpond dates from as early as 200 A.D.)

At Sugar Beach and Kalama Park in South Kihei, the number of windsurfers grows with Kona surf in summer months. Before or after windsurfing, get some lunch north or south of Lipoa St. and then drive a short way on S. Kihei Rd. into North Kihei. Want to rent windsurfing equipment? Contact Maui Windsurfari (800-736-Maui, http://windsurfari.com) that rents surfboards (long, short and hybrid) and kiteboards (and also offers a large selection of beachfront vacation rentals on the north and south shores).

Learn to Snorkel
Kihei offers vacationers plenty of sun, sandy beaches, beach walks and jogging, and good swimming most of the year. Kihei’s beaches, however, are not the best places in South Maui to snorkel. In front of the Royal Mauian Hotel, off the point separating Kam l and II and near Kihei Boat Ramp are good spots to learn snorkeling and see some pretty fish when it’s calm and maybe even some turtles.

Meals

Many of Kihei’s restaurants and eateries are in small shopping centers on and around S. Kihei Rd. that conveniently runs parallel to the beaches. The lowest numbers on S. Kihei Rd. are on the north end of this long thoroughfare. A cluster of shopping centers – Azeka Place Shopping Center, Long’s Center and Azeka Place II Shopping Center – start north of Lipoa St.; Kikui Mall is further south next to Kalama Park; and Dolphin Shopping Village, Rainbow Mall, and Kamaole Shopping Center are between Kamaole Beach I and Kam II. Here some our recommendations for lunch and dinner in Kihei during Perfect Days #6, #7, #8 and #9:

• Antonio’s (1215 S. Kihei Rd.) and Marco’s Southside Grill (1445 S. Kihei Rd.) - delicious Italian cuisine
• Bada Bing! (1945 S. Kihei Rd.) and DeanO Maui Pizza Café (2439 S. Kihei rd.) - tasty pizzas
• Da Kitchen (Rainbow Mall) - big Hawaiian plate lunches and chicken katsu
• Horhito’s Mexican Cantina (Lipoa St., next to Hapa’s) - really good Mexican food, Maui Taco (Kama’ole Beach Center) - healthy Maui-Mex, and Life’s a Beach (1913 S. Kihei) - burritos to prime rib
• Pita Paradise (Kalama Village)- gyros and Mediterranean-style food, and the Greek Bistro (Kai Nani Village, 2511 S. Kihei Rd.) - Greek and continental dinners
• Sausage Shack (1913 S. Kihei Rd.) - sausages, burgers, veggies, and mai tais