PERFECT DAYS - West Maui

Coastline, Beaches & Watersports

Olowalu – Launiupoko

In Perfect Day #9 the main activity is an excursion to Coral Gardens and Olowalu Beach for excellent snorkeling almost anywhere, especially next to MM14 and around Olowalu Landing. One of the main advantages of Olowalu for snorkeling is that extensive reefs reach a mile out to sea and offer year-round protection from the surf. Although experienced snorkelers can swim out to Olowalu Outer Reef, we recommend using excursion boats to take you there directly. Just below the surface you’ll find healthy coral populated by butterfly fish, parrotfish, raccoon butterfly fish, cornetfish, boxfish, turtles and other sea life. Picnickers can relax as their children splash around in the calm shoreline water. Parking is no problem.

As an alternative to Olowalu, spend the morning at Launiupoko State Wayside Park (MM18), just two miles south of Lahaina, a snorkeling spot especially popular with families for picnics under palms and banyans. If the tide is right, rocks at the shoreline form a little play pool for children. Launiupoko provides good surfing in summer. Park amenities include showers, restrooms, picnic tables and BBQ grills.

Lahaina Area

South and North Lahaina have more snorkeling opportunities than you might guess and more beaches than most visitors discover especially since most visitors are not looking for beaches in Lahaina. A great many locals snorkel and surf at their favorite spots from Puamana Beach to Mala Wharf.

Puamana Beach County Park
Located on the southern edge of Lahaina, Puamana Beach County Park provides picnic tables, ironwoods for shade and a pleasant beach for swimming. Along with nearby Puamana Resort’s one-mile strand, the beach disappears in winter but snorkeling and surfing are good year-round, especially during the summer. 

Lahaina Beach
Lahaina Beach is protected by an offshore reef that allows safe swimming, especially good for kids, and provides almost a mile of sand edged by shade trees. Shoreline access (#203) in the 400 block of Front St. takes you to the beach on which you can walk to Lahaina Harbor.

Mala Wharf and Pu’unoa Beach

Mala Wharf (next to the Jodo Mission in north Lahaina, down Ala Moana St., not far from Lahaina Cannery Mall) has good snorkeling, parking near the Jodo Mission and sandy Pu’unoa Beach to the south provides calm snorkeling around the offshore reef. You may see baby sharks around the pier and turtles around the offshore reef. The Mala Wharf area is popular with local surfers.

Ka’anapali to Honokeana

Canoe Beach

In Perfect Days, one way to enter the Ka’anapali Resort is from Hanakao’o (that locals call Canoe Beach) at MM23 where parking usually is ample and the Ka’anapali Ocean Walk is only steps away. In addition to a full range of park facilities, Canoe Beach has excellent swimming, boogie boarding, body surfing, jet skiing, diving, snorkeling and kayaking right off the beach. (Canoe Beach is home to three local canoe clubs.) Local Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (some of them huge) have gotten used to snorkelers and divers at Canoe Beach.

Ka’anapali Beach
A marvelous 3-mile long beach for swimming, boogie-boarding and snorkeling, especially at Black Rock, one of the most enjoyable activities on the West Coast is walking day or night along the path fronting on Ka’anapali Resort, its luxury hotels and condos, and Whalers Village. The section of Ka’anapali Beach that fronts on Whalers Village unofficially is called “Dig Me” beach (especially among Maui’s teens). It is the place to see, be seen and also leave for various cruise excursions.

Kahekili Beach (Old Airport Beach)
The south end of Kahekili Beach, the “other half” of Ka’anapali Beach is separated by Black Rock (Keka’a Point) and accessed from Kai Ala Drive. Kahekili has a sandy bottom and is popular for swimming, snorkeling for beginners and diving (easy entry).

Honokowai Beach Park
Ample parking, grassy areas and shade, picnic tables, shallow water and tide pools make Honokowai Beach especially nice for families with children. A protective reef helps to provide fair snorkeling.

Kahana Beach

Although Kahana does not have much of a beach, it does provide ocean views and excellent values for vacation rentals that put you within minutes of Ka’anapali and Kahekili to the south and Honokeana Bay, Napili Bay and Kapalua Bay to the north. As you research vacation rentals, first try to find a suitable vacation rental around Napili Bay while you’re looking at oceanfront condo unit options in Kahana, especially in Hololani, Hoyochi Nikko, Kahana Village, Lokelani, Noelani, and Nohonani.

Honokeana

One of our favorite “hidden” snorkeling spots, Honokeana Bay doesn’t have a beach but makes up for it with sheltered waters, lots of turtles and colorful fish. Honokeana Cove, a very appealing small condo with a horseshoe shape right next to Napili fronts on the water and has some excellent vacation rental deals.

Napili – Northwest Coast

Napili Bay
Just south of smaller Kapalua Bay, Napili Bay is surrounded by condos but has a wonderful white crescent beach with a sandy bottom, protected from winds, that provides excellent swimming and good snorkeling. A scenic coastal walk extends from Napili Bay to Kapalua Bay. Parking is very limited so arrive early and use access #219.

As the start of a Perfect Day, have breakfast at the Gazebo at Napili Shores, as early as 7:30am in order to claim a parking spot. Dinner at the Sea House next to the beach at the Napili Kai Beach Resort comes with great sunset views. Smart travelers will avoid parking problems at both Napili Bay and Kapalua and make their touring base a vacation rental at the Hale Napili, Mauian on Napili Bay, Napili Kai Beach Resort or Napili Village.

Kapalua Beach
Unsurpassed on Maui for swimming, Kapalua Bay is one of the best snorkeling sites on the island. When it’s calm enough, a strong swimmer can snorkel around the point to Napili Bay and then walk back to Kapalua. Public Beach access #218 and the Kapalua parking lot (access #219) make access to Kapalua Beach fairly easy. The Villas at Kapalua include a surprising number of very good vacation rental values.

Namalu Bay
Just north of the Kapalua Bay Hotel, Namalu Bay has no beach but snorkeling is good and you can swim around the point to Kapalua Bay.

Oneloa Bay (Ironwoods)
Northward from Namalu Bay and around Hawea Point, Oneloa Bay can be excellent for swimming, snorkeling and boogie boarding, but only when the wind and surf are low, and especially in the early mornings.

D.T. Fleming Beach
Partly fronting on the Ritz Carlton, this long, wide beach equipped with picnic tables, BBQs, restrooms and showers, and lifeguards is popular with locals and good for swimming early on calm days (but often dangerous for snorkeling). From the beach it’s only a short walk up hill through the grounds of the Ritz Carlton to several of the hotel’s excellent restaurants.

“Slaughterhouse” (Mokule’ia Bay)
Part of the Honolua-Mokuleia Marine Life Conservation District, Mokule’ia has a sandy beach, excellent surfing off the point on the north side, good bodysurfing and boogie-boarding in the morning during the summer and a fine place to picnic (but save your snorkeling for Honolua Bay).

Honolua Bay

The other part of the Honolua-Mokuleia Marine Life Conservation District, Honolua Bay has no beach but, if the water is clear, this marine life reserve provides great snorkeling and diving off-shore and especially on the right side of the Bay. Surfers are attracted to an outstanding right surf break on the north side of the Bay. Winter can bring in big surf and perfectly formed waves. A Perfectly Heavenly Day for beginning and advanced snorkelers takes them to Honolua Bay to see huge tangs, parrotfish, scrawled filefish, rectangular triggerfish, many kinds of wrasses, turtles and eels.

Windmill (Punalau Beach)
A popular local picnic spot with lovely views and plenty of parking, Windmill is good for swimming and snorkeling, but only in calm waters.

Honokohau Bay
A small, beautiful, lush valley provides a lovely backdrop for a picnic at beautiful Honokohau. Park right along side of the pebble beach, swim and enjoy good snorkeling.

Nakalele Point
Hopefully you’ll see water gushing out of the blowhole but at the very least you’ll have spectacular views of rugged cliffs and coastline. Explore tidepools but leave the ocean to advanced snorkelers.

Perfect Days With Kids – Lahaina & West Maui

Daytime nothing can compete with the ocean activities in Perfect Days #12 & #13. Take your pick and consult with www.barefoot.com about what would work best for your children depending on their ages and interests. You can take any child on the Lana’i Expedition ferry from Lahaina to Manele Bay. In winter and spring this trip will double as a whale-watching excursion. Pack a lunch and snorkel gear. (See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/lanai.html) Just walk from the marina to Hulopoe Bay Beach Park to find picnic tables, tide pools, wonderful swimming and snorkeling. Book a Trilogy cruise and lunch is provided plus the option of a jeep tour of the island that kids should love. (See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/trilogy_lanai.html) On your own with kids, around mid-day take a shuttle bus from the Manele Bay Hotel to Lana’i City or the Lodge at Koele for lunch, shopping or sightseeing. Return to Manele Bay in the mid-afternoon to catch the return ferry.

Meals

Breakfast and lunch usually are provided onboard sailing, snorkeling and whalewatching cruises, but kids get really hungry on these ocean ventures. When you return to Lahaina, take the kids to lunch and dinner at:

• Aloha Mixed Plate on the ocean-front can’t be beat for kids who are open to eating coconut prawns, kalua pork, shoyu chicken, teriyaki beef and the like (across from Lahaina Cannery Mall)
• BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria (730 Front St.)
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. where kids can order Dumb Luck Coconut Shrimp, peel ‘n eat shrimp, and baby back ribs (889 Front St.)
• Cheeseburger in Paradise (811 Front St., check out live images of the restaurant 7x24 and the menu at http://cheeseburgermaui.com/)
• Compadres Bar & Grill (Lahaina Cannery Mall)
• Hard Rock Café  if you can stand the loud music (Lahaina Center)
• Kimo’s for good burgers and Hula Pie (845 Front St.)
• Lahaina Coolers for burgers, sandwiches, pasta or plate lunches (180 Dickenson St.)

Entertainment

Besides ocean activities, entertainment as the sun goes down and after dark in Lahaina is the best activity you can offer kids, especially shows and lu’au that tell the stories of Hawaiian mythology. ‘Ulalena (Maui Myth & Magic Theatre, 878 Front St., Lahaina, 661-9913, $25 per child) should be one of the highlights of your children’s trip to Maui. This multimedia show includes fantastic stage and lighting effects, music, acrobatics, dance, chant and a wonderful cast.

You have a choice of two of the best lu’au in Hawaii and both are well worth the price for children and adults. Tickets for children 12 and under cost $49 at the Old Lahaina Lu’au (oceanside of Lahaina Cannery). The Feast at Lele is pricey ($67.46 with tax for children 2-12) but the singing, drumming, dancing and colors of the show are terrific and memorable for both kids and adults – and the delicious Polynesian food should be a hit. (See http://www.tombarefoot.com/maui/luau_maui.html)

For snorkeling, bypass Lahaina and take the kids snorkeling at Black Rock or near Canoe Beach in Ka’anapali. Boogie boarding may be even better at Canoe Beach. Depending on the age of your children, snorkeling around Black Rock can keep them busy all day. Otherwise, drive a little further than Black Rock to the parking lot for Kahekili Beach Park that has showers, restrooms and picnic facilities. The kids will really enjoy the sandy bottom and lovely water for swimming and snorkeling at the south end of Kahekili, especially good in the early morning.

Meals

In Ka’anapali look for tasty, inexpensive meals for kids at Pizza Paradiso in the Whalers Village food court or at Jonny’s Burger Joint “hidden” in a basement (below Giovanni’s Ristorante) where you can choose from Mexican, burgers, salads and fried items. Besides Jonny’s juicy original burgers (plus loads of paper towels), tasty fried chicken wings and fries (hold the garlic for junior), kids will find pool and video games. Grownups should try Jonny’s burger salad. Otherwise lots of kids (and their parents) also are happy with the menu at Hula Grill and Leilani’s Beachside.

Napili Bay and the even more protected swimming at Kapalua Beach are perfect for kids. Pick up a picnic lunch at Honokowai Okazuya & Deli, Mama’s Ribs & Rotisserie or Honolua Store on the way to Napili or Kapalua since kid-friendly restaurants are scarce in Napili-Kapalua except for burgers, sandwiches and salads at the Gazebo in Napili Shore Resort where you can expect a long wait for one of the few tables at this small restaurant.

Around the Northwest Coast

If you can tear them away from Kapalua, take your kids (in winter months) to see huge waves at Slaughterhouse and Honolua Bay and (in summer) for incredible snorkeling at Honolua. Afterwards drive out Hwy. 30 to see the 50’ geyser coming out of Nakalele blowhole. Drive further on to big lava pools along the coast for a swim while the surf pounds all around.

And now for the scary part. Gutsy dad or mom drive on an awesome, narrow, curvy road down a mountainside to a little Hawaiian village (Kahakuloa). Wow! When you drive into the village (hopefully) a little blue wagon is waiting with some really good shave ice. Just when the kids thought they we’re heading back to Kapalua, mom or dad continue driving up another narrow, curvy road between two really high hills (Kahakuloa Head and Pu’u Kahuli’anapa). The views are fantastic. No doubt the kids (and even mom and dad) have had enough adventure for one day. If your lodgings are in South Maui, continue driving to Wailuku, have dinner at one of the funky little restaurants and return to your lodgings from there.