Maui Hi! - Kihei

maui hi logo

exploring
Planning Your Trip
Free & Affordable Things To Do
OGG, the airport
Iao Valley, the spiritual center
Wailuku, old Maui
Kahului, the shopping center
Paia, windsurfing capitol
Hana, the last Hawaiian place

Lahaina, sin city 1860
Maalaea, ocean center
Kihei, condos, malls, beaches
Wailea, big hotels
Haleakala Crater
Upcountry. cowboys, shopping

Kihei

Captain George Vancouver discovered Kihei in 1778. Just a few grass shacks on this dry, dusty coast. Not much different when we first moved to Maui 25 years ago. There's a totem polo opposite the Maui Lu Resort to mark the spot he landed. He went on to find and found Vancouver. Kihei became a developer's dream in the 70's and is now it is a string of beautiful beaches separated from miles of condos and strip malls by the moving parking lot that is South Kihei Road. For some folks this is a Paradise, they return to year after year.

Maui Ocean Center

Maui Ocean Center

This fountain at the entrance to the Whale Discovery Center makes one of us want to play with the dolphins. Inside are marvels to be explored.

whale

Feel the spines of a bright orange slate pencil urchin in the Touch Pool.

Not to be missed. The Maui Ocean Center is a state-of-the-art aquarium that puts you nose to nose with many of the amazing creatures that inhabit the waters around Maui. Our grandson Tam wants to go here first when he visits.

You can watch a diver in a cage feed sharks bigger than she is. Makes you glad to be on the outside looking in.

• Maui Ocean Center

Hard to believe the beauty of giant jellyfish pulsing within inches of your face. Or the strangeness of garden eels, the frog fish and shy octopus.

octopus

Then stroll right through the bottom of a 750,000 gallon tank in an acrylic tunnel, Awesome! There's also the Ma'alaea Restaurant serving tasty Pacific Rim cuisine and The Gift and Bookstore where you can find a treasured souvenir.

Also not to be missed:

The Shark Cage Experience

Sea Turtle Feeding

Reef Shark Feeding

Sting Ray Feeding

Hawaiian Storytelling

shark

shark feeding

jellyfish

ray

Touch a spotted ray as it glides past.

Kealia Pond

This is a 500 acre National Wildlife wetland preserve where endangered Hawaiian stilts, coots and ducks lead their quiet lives. There is a self-guided tour along a boardwalk with interpretive signs and shade shelters that winds through the sand dunes and around the ponds.

Maui Research and Technology Center

For a little islsnd in the middle of the Pacific, Maui has high-tech ambitions. The Maui Research and Technology Center houses software developers, Internet service providers ana a business incubator.
• Maui Research and Technology Center

Maui High Performance Computer Center

We also have one of the biggest, fastest computers anywhere which processes information from the telescopes on Haleakala as well as from projects around the world.

Wailea, big hotels

In contrast to Kihei, Wailea is a carefully planned and developed community of luxury resort hotels and homes. Walk through the Kea Lani Hotel and follow the coastal nature trail along the sea to the Aston Wailea Resort. We helped plant this trail many years ago and it's a favorite stroll. Lovely vistas of ocean and islands backed up by a few billion dollars worth of resorts.

Makena

When you hit wilderness after the manicured lawns of Wailea, you're in Makena. Cattle were once driven to Makena Landing from the upcountry ranches, then swam out to boats for a trip to market. Now kayaks launch here for trips to Laperouse Bay and the Ahini-Kinau Preserve. And, you can launch yourself off one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Don't be surprised to see a wedding party at the landing or the church. Imagine getting married here at sunset.

Keawali Congregational Church

Its Sunday Hawaiian language service attracts a crowd to this coral block church built in 1831. Stop for a few quiet moments and enjoy the cove with its gold sand beach.

Makena Bay

Makena Bay is famous for snorkeling and as a perfect spot for a wedding. There's a little park with restrooms and showers. Good spot for a picnic and snorkelwatching.

Maluaka Beach

Maluaka Beach is right behind the Maui Prince hotel. There's plenty of room to share the sun, sand and snorkeling with the hotel guests.

Oneuli Beach

Makena Little Beach

Oneuli Beach
A bumpy dirt road, ight before the Makena Beach turn outs, will end you up on this red sand beach. Kayakers launch here and you can pretty much have the place to yourself.

Makena Little Beach
Climb over the bluffs at the northern end of Makena Big Beach and you're here. Little Beach is famous for nude sun and sea bathing. It's illegal but that doesn't seem to bother anybody. Occasionally some embarassed heavies from the Department of Land & Natural Resources will bust somone.

Oneloa Beach
Makena Big Beach

Makena Beach is a jewel of place. Years ago our whole neighborhood made a tent city out here over the Christmas holidays and partied. No more, but it's still a spectacluar place to swim and sun. Two thirds of a mile of sand fronted by surf.

Makena

Those little dots are people. You can usually find a spot that gives you a feeling of privacy. Go down by the old concrete bunker that protected us from invasion during WWII.

Ahihi Bay

Ahihi Bay is part of the Ahihi Kina'u Natural Area Reserve. Please DO NOT GO HERE!
The reefs are being destroyed by overuse. Enjoy the view, stay out of the water. Tell other people.

Laperouse Bay

Maybe it's the contrast between the emerald sea and the black lava that make this place so stunning. Wear hiking shoes, take plenty of water and walk the shoreline trail to tiny white sand pocket beaches where you can pretend you're Robinson Crusoe.

La Perouse Monument

The French explorer Admiral Compte de la Perouse was the first Westerner to discover Maui in 1786. He landed here, describing the place as having a "burning climate," then sailed off to be eaten by cannibals in the New Hebrides, or so they say. This (recent) pile of lava rocks marks his visit.

La Perouse Monument