Where to go to in West Maui?
June 18, 2012 3:44 AM Subscribe
Maui beaches! Where to go? I'm overwhelmed with the choices. Staying in Nohonani condo next week (Lahaina) and with or without car, looking for nicest beaches to hit.
Don't really want to drive all around, but the internet and books are giving me too many choices! Advice for best swimming/snorkeling beaches? And cheap lunch and dinner advice is always appreciated!
Don't really want to drive all around, but the internet and books are giving me too many choices! Advice for best swimming/snorkeling beaches? And cheap lunch and dinner advice is always appreciated!
Response by poster: Thanks...I have Maui Revealed but they recommend no less than 10 beaches (and 4 with icons), so I was hoping people could have more specific help.
posted by kinetic at 11:20 AM on June 18, 2012
posted by kinetic at 11:20 AM on June 18, 2012
Head north about a half an hour to Napili. There's a great beach at Napili Bay.
If you walk south along the coast for about five mins, around the point that juts out, you'll find Honokeana Bay, which is primo snorkeling. There's about a dozen sea turtles who live there -- if you head out towards the center of the bay, you can't miss them.
There's also the Gazebo restaurant there on the point between the beach and the bay -- you usually have to wait in a line, but it's decent food at a good price.
If you walk to the north end of the beach at Napili Bay, you'll find a paved walkway that heads north along the coast, past Kapalua beach, through the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton, through a rocky peninsula, and past the dramatic Oneloa Bay. It's a very pleasant hike.
And I know you say you don't want to drive much, but IMHO, no trip to Maui is complete without a ride down the road to Hana.
Have fun, and... take me with you?
posted by mikeand1 at 12:08 PM on June 18, 2012
If you walk south along the coast for about five mins, around the point that juts out, you'll find Honokeana Bay, which is primo snorkeling. There's about a dozen sea turtles who live there -- if you head out towards the center of the bay, you can't miss them.
There's also the Gazebo restaurant there on the point between the beach and the bay -- you usually have to wait in a line, but it's decent food at a good price.
If you walk to the north end of the beach at Napili Bay, you'll find a paved walkway that heads north along the coast, past Kapalua beach, through the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton, through a rocky peninsula, and past the dramatic Oneloa Bay. It's a very pleasant hike.
And I know you say you don't want to drive much, but IMHO, no trip to Maui is complete without a ride down the road to Hana.
Have fun, and... take me with you?
posted by mikeand1 at 12:08 PM on June 18, 2012
I like Napili Bay as well (check out Napili Sunset's webcam. I don't snorkel, but my husband saw lots of fish and at least one octopus there. The swimming's also good too.
The other place we usually go is Kaanapali Beach/Black Rock, which can be a bit hit or miss, but when it's on, it's on.
We usually just get poke or stuff for sandwiches at the grocery stores. Be sure to get any rewards cards you can.
I want to go too! Maui no ka oi.
posted by mogget at 2:46 PM on June 18, 2012
The other place we usually go is Kaanapali Beach/Black Rock, which can be a bit hit or miss, but when it's on, it's on.
We usually just get poke or stuff for sandwiches at the grocery stores. Be sure to get any rewards cards you can.
I want to go too! Maui no ka oi.
posted by mogget at 2:46 PM on June 18, 2012
We went to Maui in December and hit a lot of the beaches. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the beaches noted in Maui Revealed (we tried a lot of them). We also loved Napili, although we didn't see much when snorkeling. We had much better luck at Black Rock. DT Flemming was pleasant.
However, our best beach day was when we drove down south. We went snorkeling at Makena Bay and saw sea turtles! The Big Beach was also great. Kamole I was nice, but maybe not worth driving for on its own.
Driving on Maui is really not a big deal. I mean, you can drive the whole perimeter of the island, stopping to hike and swim and take photos, in an easy day trip. It took about 40 minutes to drive from our hotel at Kaanapali down to Makena. It's not like you'll be spending the whole vacation in the car if you decide to venture out.
But at least take a trip to the Iao Needle... if you're really opposed to driving, you could make a detour on your way back to the airport :).
We ate pretty cheaply. Our hotel room had a fridge, so we bought milk, OJ, and cereal and had breakfast in (we did have one nice breakfast at CJ's Deli & Diner on Honoapiilani Highway). Lunches, we usually grabbed a sub or a hot dog somewhere. Dinners, nothing too memorable, other than our splurge at the Old Lahaina Luau.
posted by Kriesa at 10:34 AM on June 19, 2012
However, our best beach day was when we drove down south. We went snorkeling at Makena Bay and saw sea turtles! The Big Beach was also great. Kamole I was nice, but maybe not worth driving for on its own.
Driving on Maui is really not a big deal. I mean, you can drive the whole perimeter of the island, stopping to hike and swim and take photos, in an easy day trip. It took about 40 minutes to drive from our hotel at Kaanapali down to Makena. It's not like you'll be spending the whole vacation in the car if you decide to venture out.
But at least take a trip to the Iao Needle... if you're really opposed to driving, you could make a detour on your way back to the airport :).
We ate pretty cheaply. Our hotel room had a fridge, so we bought milk, OJ, and cereal and had breakfast in (we did have one nice breakfast at CJ's Deli & Diner on Honoapiilani Highway). Lunches, we usually grabbed a sub or a hot dog somewhere. Dinners, nothing too memorable, other than our splurge at the Old Lahaina Luau.
posted by Kriesa at 10:34 AM on June 19, 2012
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Some great cheap meals are breakfast at Kihei Caffe (Kihei), lunch at Eskimo Candy (Kihei), or lunch at Local Food (Lahaina). Also do a search on Chowhound.
posted by kathryn at 10:33 AM on June 18, 2012