Whale Watching (Seasonal)
Yes... you really can see humpback whales from your Maui Kai lanai between November and May but to get an even closer look, get out on a whale watch tour by boat and be really amazed. We have always liked the watch watches with Ultimate Whale Watch We particularly enjoyed these tour as they use rigid hull inflatable rafts that are capable of speeds up to 50 miles an hour. You are so close to the water that you can put your feet or hands in the ocean. You can't get whale encounters any closer than that! You can also call 808-667-5678.
One year we decided to try an early season whale watch with Pacific Whale Foundation and had a really good time and some great sightings for early December including a couple whales going directly under our catamaran!
A couple years ago, we also went on a whale watch tour with Trilogy Ocean Adventures and had some great whale encounters. Trilogy also offers snorkel, sail and scuba tours. We also highly recommend them!
Sunset Sail
One of our November 2015 highlights was a sunset sail run by SailingMaui.com We were particularly excited as we regularly see their luxury 65 foot catamaran Hula Girl sail past the Maui Kai. Owners Peter and Inca run a top notch professional operation that is focused on true sailing on a very well maintained yacht with professional chefs (a foodies delight) and top shelf bar choices. The sunset was also amazing and we even spotted two early season whales! You can reserve directly through their web site or by calling (808) 665-0344
Sightseeing and Hiking
Kapalua trails - a short drive north, free hiking along an old golf course and into the mountains. Great scenic views. For more information see Kapalua.com Kapalua also has other adventures such as a zip line park, golf and a pineapple tour.
Iao Valley State Park - Located at the end of 'Iao Valley Road (Highway 32), Wailuku - Free walking trails with water falls, very lovely.
Haleakala Volcano National Park: www.nps.gov/hale - If you have a rental car, you can drive yourself to the peak. Haleakala is a national park with an entrance fee of $25 per car to get in (valid for multiple visits during a 3 day period). Because of the winding roads, it will take you about 2 1/2 hours from Kaanapali to reach the peak. Go on a clear day. There are great maps in the drive guides. There is nothing quite like driving above the clouds and seeing the blue of the ocean below you. The air is very thin, hiking may be difficult, although there are number of fairly easy trails available. Bring a small picnic and water as there is no food for sale (but there are restrooms). Bring warmer clothes, you are 10,000 feet up and it can get very cold and windy. All the tourist pamphlets will have info and maps up to Haleakala gate where more information is available. If you are planning a Sunrise visit, you must first make reservations with the park.
On the way up to (or down from) the Haleakala crater, you can stop for a break at a lavender farm in the Kula area.
Be careful trying to see the sites (and whales) while driving. Often tourists will suddenly stop because they think they see something, and you could drive right into them.
About 12 miles north of the Maui Kai you can visit Nakalele Point and its blowhole. During high surf and tides, the jets can approch 50 feet high. It is an enjoyable drive along the north shore to reach the blowhole, which will take about half an hour. Please be very cautious, the hike down can be precarious and of course, wet rocks and cliffs are always dangerous. Personally, we recommend watching from the top for some great photos and views.
Snorkeling and Beaches
It is always best to have your own snorkel gear. Stores like Walmart sell snorkel kits that will pay for themselves in less than a week, but if you need snorkeling equipment and don't own your own gear, check out Boss Frogs for rentals. The tour books you picked up at the airport also often suggest snorkeling locations and many other companies that rent snorkel gear.
A great way to snorkel Maui is through a snorkel cruise. We recently went out with Maui Snorkeling and had an amazing time on their morning snorkel cruise. This 5 hour snorkel cruise started with a continental breakfast and then a stop at the world famous Molokini Crater. In addition to some whale watching on the way (during which we had some up-close pod sightings), we then snorkeled a second location with a "turtle wash" and had several giant sea turtle sightings. Lunch and drinks were also included so it was a perfect package and locations we could never snorkel on our own. Mauisnorkeling.com also offers an afternoon snorkel with whale watch.
There is decent snorkeling directly in front of the Maui Kai, but you have to swim about 100 feet over the shallow reef until it gets deeper for more interesting reef. You can also go north (right) of the Maui Kai (near the pink hotel next door) as we have spotted giant sea turtles in that reef. World famous Maui Black Rock is just south of us and although crowded at times, is also great for snorkeling.
If you want to drive, a good beginner's snorkeling area is located at mile marker 14. You can pull off the road and park directly in front of the beach (you will usually see other cars there). The water is shallow, clean and warm, but the most interesting snorkeling and coral begins a couple hundred feet off shore. Be VERY CAREFUL pulling off and back onto the highway! Another local favorite of ours just 5 minute drive away is Kapalua Bay. Parking is limited so you may have to wait a few minutes to find a spot for your car.
My personally favorite snorkeling areas for 2020 were:
1 - Honolua Bay
2 - Kapalua Bay
3 - Airport Beach (Kahekili Beach Park)
4 - in front of Maui Kai
5 - Black Rock
6 - Mile Marker 14 (Olowalu)
7 - south Maui Kama'ole beach areas
1 - Honolua Bay
2 - Kapalua Bay
3 - Airport Beach (Kahekili Beach Park)
4 - in front of Maui Kai
5 - Black Rock
6 - Mile Marker 14 (Olowalu)
7 - south Maui Kama'ole beach areas
Always have a snorkel buddy and remember snorkeling conditions and visibility can vary greatly as ocean conditions change... even hour to hour.
For additional snorkeling areas, ask for a snorkel map when renting your gear or pick one up at a local dive shop. Also check out the daily snorkel report at The Snokel Store web page.
Speaking of diving, are you interested in trying some scuba diving in some of the best dive spots in the world? Maui Dive Shops is one of the many great organizations that offers courses as well as organizes dives.
For a change of scenery, visit Maui's southern beaches such as:
Kamaole Beach parks in Kihei - There are tidal pools in late afternoon, make sure you wear appropriate beach footwear to prevent cutting your feet on the sharp volcanic rock! Big Beach /Little Beach - So Big Beach... as it is described, is very big and sandy. Little Beach is an unofficial NUDE beach ... just saying.
Kamaole Beach parks in Kihei - There are tidal pools in late afternoon, make sure you wear appropriate beach footwear to prevent cutting your feet on the sharp volcanic rock! Big Beach /Little Beach - So Big Beach... as it is described, is very big and sandy. Little Beach is an unofficial NUDE beach ... just saying.
If you want to venture to the east shore, just south of Kahului, check out the beaches near Paia, such as Baldwin Beach. This area is very popular for wind surfing. This area is also home to some of the world's biggest waves and Jaws.
We may be biased, but the beaches in the Kaanapali area, including the beaches within walking distance of the Maui Kai, are rated as some of the best in Maui. The world famous Kaanapali Beach hotel strip is a pleasant 15 to 20 minute walk south along the beach directly from the Maui Kai. Airport Beach (Kahekili Beach Park) is only a 10 minute walk or two minute drive and not only has amazing beach (picture above) but also has recent history as an airport. Added bonus is showers, public washrooms and a shaded cabana area... plus lots of free parking.
>>> Link to MORE beach info <<<
>>> Link to MORE beach info <<<
To get to the Boardwalk use the access gate across from the front of our Maui Kai parking lot entrance and the boardwalk starts just south of the beach parking. Bring some cat treats and you may even get to meet our west Maui feral cat colony!
Adventure
One of the most thrilling adventures we've ever tried on Maui is ziplining with Piiholo Ranch Zipline . Our 5 line tour was over 6,455 ft. of side by side zipping over trees and valleys, including a tandem line over half a mile long and at times, 600 feet high! Located upcountry on the slopes of Haleakala (just above the paniolo town of Makawao, with all its shops and galleries), Piiholo Ranch Zipline has several other tours including "tree to tree" canopy tours and extreme tours that feature climbing challenges. Call them at 1-800-374-7050 to book your adventure or check out Piiholo Ranch Zipline for more details.
One of the other exhilarating activities we tried on Maui recently was the Kahoma Ranch ATV tour. The pick-up point is just minutes away from the Maui Kai in Lahaina from where we were shuttled to our starting point near the Kahoma Valley. We were given our gear and off on the mountain trails before we even knew it. In addition to all the fun driving the winding, dusty and muddy trails, our two and a half hour tour included a stop at "The Garden" where we ate fresh pineapple and passion fruit and got to see a spectacular cliff view. Our second stop had breathtaking vistas of the Kaanapali coastline from 1,800 feet up and the down hill trails were as much fun as going up! If you take the afternoon off-road / waterslide adventure, you can cool off with a refreshing dip in Kahoma Ranch fresh water reservoir and enjoy their waterslides! You can get a discount when booking directly on-line at Kahoma Ranch ATV and Waterslides.
Another great activity we finally tried was the Kayak Olowalu guided Kayak tour. Great for beginners and experts alike, the tour starts just south of Lahaina at Maui's Olowalu Reef with full instruction and all equipment provided. You can see an abundance of tropical fish, sea turtles and even Monk seals. If you go December to April, whale encounters are not uncommon (I personally saw one pass us just 40 feet away). The tour is guided from start to finish so you'll also learn lots of interesting facts. No prior experience is required! You can get a discount when booking directly on-line at Kayak Olowalu (brought to you by the same folks as Kohoma Ranch ATV and Waterslides).
Explore
The Road to Hana is a popular full-day trip that involves a winding drive along Maui's east coast, which is a rain-forest type of climate that takes you to Hana. There are many places to picnic and hike along the way.
Honolua Bay is located about 15 minutes north of the Maui Kai, this area is a local favorite spot for experienced surfers. The bluffs above the bay offer a great viewing point at a safe distance.
Island Hop
Interested in a visit to another island? There are lots of small travel and activity agents on Maui that can help put together a day trip to another island or if you want to book your flight directly try http://www.hawaiianair.com/
If you want to fly inter-island without going back to the Kahului airport (OGG), you can also fly out of the Kapalua airport (JHM) on the west side of Maui, which is less than 10 minutes away from the Maui Kai.
Golfing
I'm not a golfer but I do know two world class resorts are within 5 minutes of the Maui Kai. Kapalua Golf and Tennis, known for the Sentry Tournament of Champions is just north of us and Kaanapali Golf Courses is just south of the Maui Kai.
Something Different
Maui Ocean Center is where we discovered that you can see hundreds of species of marine life without even getting wet! A very impressive display including our favorites: sharks, sting rays and turtles. This three-acre marine park has the largest tropical reef aquarium in the Western Hemisphere and was named the top attraction in Hawaii by the ZAGAT Survey US Family Travel Guide. Our favorite part of the day was walking through an acrylic tunnel with a 240-degree view of nearly 2,000 fishes, sharks and underwater creatures in a 750,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. For a free Maui Ocean Center souvenir coupon e-mail us before you go!
We also decided to try to get a different perspective of Maui's ocean reefs on a submarine shaped glass bottom boat called Reefdancer In addition to some great reef viewing, including exotic sea life, the crew actually puts on an underwater dive show. Ideal for kids and adults alike!
This is nowhere near a complete list. There are many other great things to do such as helicopter tours, horseback riding, numerous water sports and much much more!
A Visit to a Spa
Need some pampering? Why not try a visit to Zensations Spa They are located just a 10 minute walk or 3 minute drive from the Maui Kai. Their services are endless and include massage, body treatments, facials and waxing. They can even help out with sunburn relief! You can also call Sabrina at 808-669-0100 for an appointment and more information.
A Personal Guide to Maui
Rob "BobbyHonu" Lucas from "Let Me Show You Maui" can be your personal concierge. From arranging couples massage to private sails and island tours. Paddle board rentals, lessons or kayaks delivered right to the Maui Kai... he can arrange it all. You can contact him at (808) 359-4438 or check out letmeshowyoumaui.com
Weddings and Professional Photography
And what's more romantic than Maui? Getting MARRIED in Maui! Two wedding planners who have worked with our Maui Kai guests before are A Dream Wedding Maui Style and Dolphin Dream Weddings, although there are many more great planners on Maui!
If you are interested in getting some professional portrait photography for family, couples, anniversary, engagement or other event, check out Bryan Theiss at Pacific Island Imaging. Tell him Art and Sophie from the Maui Kai referred you and ask about our package rate which includes 50 edited photos and same day delivery. You can also contact Bryan at (808) 298-0660.