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Maalaea is the departure point for many fishing charters, sunset cruises, and snorkel trips. There are a couple
of restaurants in the harbor area, but we recommend you get directions to the The Waterfront Restaurant
and eat there instead. It's a bit out of the way, but lightyears better than the ones you can see from the harbor parking lot.
Kihei is just south of Maalaea, and has a number of inexpensive hotels and condos directly across the street from the beach.
The beach is wonderful for all ages and is broken into three stretches, named Kamaole One, Kamaole Two and Kamaole Three.
Back from the water a few blocks is the core of the town, which tends more towards being functional than touristy, with
large grocery stores, gas stations, etc. At the south end of Kihei is the Kihei Boat Ramp, where many of the scuba boats depart
from (we highly recommend Ed Robinson's Diving...very small groups
and tremendously knowledgable guides). Kihei's a great place to be if you want to explore the whole island, as it's relatively central
so none of your drives will be too exhausting.
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Here's a romantic tip for you: there's a fabulous restaurant between Kihei and Wailea
called Sarento's on the Beach.
It's hidden back
off the road a bit, but the food is spectacular, and the restaurant is open on the ocean side, with an unbelievable view at
sunset. Big Day co-founder Michael proposed to his fiancée Melinda here :-)
At left is the view from the dinner table.
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Wailea is just south of Kihei, with some of the finest 5-star hotels in Maui, plus a number of terrific golf courses.
Several of the hotels have very well-known restaurants within them, the spas are world-renowned, and there's a high-end
shopping center there too. If you're looking for the ultimate in luxury, pampering, and world-class golf, this is a great area
to stay in. Here's a tip: on the hill overlooking Wailea is a terrific Italian restaurant
called Capische. There are only 9 tables, all on deck looking west over
Wailea and the water, and on some nights there's a piano player as well.
The Sea Watch is another don't-miss restaurant,
with stunning views of the islands of Molokini and Kahoolawe and spectacular food.
Hotels in the Wailea area we recommend include:
Fairmont Kea Lani,
the Four Seasons,
the Grand Wailea,
and the Wailea Marriott.
Makena is almost a southern extension of Wailea, with a few more luxury resorts and world-class golf. The Makena
Landing is a popular departure point for sea kayaking trips to the uncrowded bays further south, where you'll see
Hawaiian green sea turtles (occasionally the rarer hawksbill turtles too)
and an incredible number of fish. We're big fans of South Pacific Kayaks,
with their small groups, extremely knowledgeable guides and first-rate equipment.
In the Makena area, we recommend the Maui Prince--although
note that Makena and Wailea are so close you should really consider
those in Wailea as well.
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