WEST MAUI SIGHTS

Everyone who coImage by supercake via Flickrmes to Maui tries the drive around the top of West Maui over towards the little village of Kahakuloa to the other side where the highway ends in Wailuku. I have put together a few places to stop along the way.... please drive very carefully as the highway is very, very narrow in some places with no gaurd rails and high up on the cliffs. Still one of the best places to get banana bread served warm, with a napkin and a knife as well as homemade coconut candy.


SLAUGHTERHOUSE BEACH
Just after mile marker #32

Stone steps down lead you to a private beach area perfect for lying in the sun and building sand castles.


HONOLUA BAY
Just after mile marker #33
Terrific for snorkeling in the summer and outrageous waves in the winter, perfect for advanced surfers.







PUNALAU BEACH
7/10's of a mile past mile marker #34
This is the last sand beach on the West side of the island.... very nice for laying out and collecting shells and building sandcastles.

NAKALELE BLOWHOLE
1/2 mile past the #38 milemarker
About 1200 feet from the road and 205 feet down towards the ocean. BE CAREFUL. Do not stand to close to the hole as there are no railings keeping you back.. and the water comes up fiercely. Best if you watch from afar.

**Just after mile marker #42 the road changes from state to county so the mile markers will begin again at mile marker #16. From this point on the road becomes narrow with pullouts along the side so you can get out of the way of traffic coming towards you. There is not alot of traffic but enough so that you may have to back up to a pull out at least once. But before you turn around make sure you continue on to the Olivine Pools where the road is still fine.

OLIVINE POOLS
Just before mile marker #16


Hike down towards the ocean to natural lava swimming pools on the edge of a lava shelf. Wear comfortable hiking shoes down to the pools as parts of the walk down can be rocky and steep.

Maui is diverse and its natural beauty is stunning. But, nature also has a dangerous side to it - especially for the uninitiated. Before going to the beach and swimming in the ocean, make sure you do a few things (that you might not normally plan on doing before say, going to a public beach in Florida...) The Pacific Ocean is much more dynamic than the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, the Hawaiian Islands are one of the most isolated land masses on earth, more than 3,000 miles from the closest large body of land. These islands are subject to the powerful Trade Winds and because of the rapid drop-offs, shallow reefs, and irregular shorelines, can host large waves and strong currents.

Check the weather and ocean report for the day you plan on going to the beach. Pay particular attention to the winds, surface conditions, and any weather advisories or warnings (such as small-craft advisories, large ocean swells, or storms.) Once arriving at the beach, scan the area and check for potential hazards.

KAHAKULOA VILLAGE
Between mile marker #15 and #14 (narrow road)
In this village you will find Panini Pua Kea Fruit Stand that has handmade coconut candy. You will also find the "best" banana bread at Julie's, a small bright green stand on the left side on your way out of the village, just as the road starts to ascend up out of the valley. Be sure to view the active Taro Fields that come down underneath and along side of her stand. It is very interesting and a food source for the community. As you head away from this darling little village you will continue on a still winding and narrow road all the way around to Wailuku. From there another stop at the Iao valley might be fun, but that is for another day.

Snorkeling in Maui

• The funnest and safest way to swim with the fishes

Snorkeling is an excellent vacation activity both on and around Maui. Things that affect how much you enjoy snorkeling are the fit of the mask and fins, the quality of the snorkel, and the tranquility and visibility of the water. The mask fits well if you can hold it up to your face, inhale through your nose, and get the mask to stick. Fins made of soft rubber tend to rub less against the skin. Good snorkels have a reservoir at the bottom of the tube below your mouth (where it makes the U shape) to catch water that goes in. Some snorkels come with a wave guard which can prevent salt water intake as well. Generally, if there are white-caps on the water it won't be good for snorkeling. There are lots of great places on and around Maui to snorkel.

MOLOKINI is a crescent-shaped island off the coast of Maui that can be reached by boat or kayak. Molokini is a wildlife preserve and is a protected area, so people are not allowed on shore. The reef here is a unique ecosystem and a very popular snorkel destination. Reef sharks, which are very small, are often seen here as well.

LANA'I is a destination island with a few very high-end resorts and beautiful beaches. Snorkeling trips from Maui often frequent popular Lanai'i snorkel sites, some of which have large coral formations with beautiful swimmable channels.

OLUWALU is very shallow and calm and a great place to teach kids to snorkel, however the reef offshore has been largely destroyed. The better snorkeling at Oluwalu is when it is approached by boat.
Image by Rtoodetoo via Flickr
TURTLE REEF is often included in snorkel sails but can be reached from the shore by the Maui Prince Hotel in Makena. The snorkeling here is great but you must be a good swimmer because the reef is a ways off shore. There are lots of turtles here, like the name suggests

ULUA is a good beach with great snorkeling offshore to the right side, Turtles are very commonly seen here also. Reef-safe sunscreen is provided free at the information desk.

HONOLUA BAY has great snorkeling with huge coral formations, eels, reef sharks, sting rays, turtles at the point off to the right hand side, and an amazing quantity of fish. There are rocks instead of sand here and water shoes would be a good idea, although it's not terrible without them.

AHIHI has good snorkeling but it only starts getting good pretty far off shore so again you should be a strong swimmer. Turtles are commonly seen here, and the red and black sea urchins make the coral landscape spectacular.

AIRPORT BEACH has plentiful coral and a very diverse selection of fish. This beach is located in Kaanapali by the new Westin Ocean Villas. If you go to the public beach park the best snorkeling is to the right. Turtles are common here too.

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Snorkeling at Ulua beach

A great time to sit at the beach a look out and watch the whales. They are so active at this time of year. I was at Ulua beach in Wailea today. Ulua beach is a beautiful crescent shaped white sand beach. This beach is great for snorkeling off the shore and the dive shops do introductory dives here as well. I really enjoy snorkeling on my days off. During times of high surf or strong currents, it can be a little “murky” or “stirred up” but it is still fun. I like Ulua beach because there is also a big tree that hangs over the beach and provides shade if you want it. The best time to go to the beach on Maui is in the morning. Usually the wind is calm in the morning and tends to pick up more in the afternoon. The north end of Ulua beach is the good end for snorkeling, but if conditions are right the middle and south end are great for boogie boarding. Always be careful at the beach on Maui as the waves can be unpredictable and can knock you down. “Never turn you back on the Ocean” is a good rule of thumb.