Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [310]
BUS
Maui Bus ( 871-4838) serves Kihei with two routes. One connects Kihei with Wailea and Ma′alaea; stops include Kama′ole Beach III and the Pi′ilani Village shopping center. From Ma′alaea you can connect with buses bound for Lahaina and Kahului. The other route primarily serves the northern half of Kihei, with a half-dozen stops along S Kihei Rd. Both routes operate hourly from around 5:30am to 7:30pm and cost $1.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
A family-owned operation, Kihei Rent A Car (Map; 879-7257, 800-251-5288; www.kiheirentacar.com; 96 Kio Loop; per day/week from $36/175) rents cars and jeeps to those aged over 21, accepts cash deposits and includes unlimited mileage.
Hula Hogs (Map; 875-7433, 877-464-7433; www.hulahogs.com; 1279 S Kihei Rd; per day $140) are the folks to see if you want to pack your saddlebags and tour Maui on a Harley Road King.
WAILEA
pop 5400
Wailea breathes money. As you drive up the hill from Kihei it’s like entering another world. Everything is green, manicured and precise. Don’t even bother looking for a gas station or fast-food joint. Wailea is all about swank beachfront resorts, low-rise condo villas, emerald golf courses and a tennis club so chic it’s dubbed ‘Wimbledon West.’
One look at Wailea’s beaches and it’s easy to see why it’s become such hot real estate. The golden-sand jewels sparkling along the Wailea coast are postcard material offering some of Maui’s finest swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.
Orientation & Information
Heading into Wailea it’s best to take the Pi′ilani Hwy (Hwy 31) and not S Kihei Rd, which can be a slow drive through congested traffic. Wailea’s main road is Wailea Alanui Dr, which turns into Makena Alanui Dr after Polo Beach and continues south to Makena.
If you are looking for an ATM, you’ll find one at the Shops at Wailea (3750 Wailea Alanui Dr; 9:30am-9pm). Many hotels also have them.
Sights
Wailea’s gorgeous beaches begin with the southern end of Keawakapu Beach in Kihei and continue south toward Makena. All of the beaches that are backed by resorts have public access, with free parking, showers and rest rooms.
ULUA & MOKAPU BEACHES
You’ll have to get up early to secure a parking space but it’s worth it. Ulua Beach offers Wailea’s best easy-access snorkeling. Not only is it teeming with brilliant tropical fish but it’s one of the best spots for hearing humpbacks sing as they pass offshore. Snorkelers should head straight for the coral at the rocky outcrop on the right side of Ulua Beach, which separates it from its twin to the north, Mokapu Beach. Snorkeling is best in the morning before the winds pick up and the crowds arrive. When the surf’s up, forget snorkeling – go bodysurfing instead. Beach access is just north of the Wailea Marriott Resort.
WAILEA BEACH
Fronting a pair of resort hotels, this wide sparkling strand is where the lion’s share of Wailea’s vacationers get their tans. It offers a full menu of water activities from standup paddleboarding to windsurfing. The beach slopes gradually, making it a good swimming spot. When it’s calm, there’s decent snorkeling around the rocky point on the south end. Most afternoons there’s a gentle shorebreak suitable for bodysurfing. Divers entering the water at Wailea Beach can follow an offshore reef that runs down to Polo Beach. The beach access road runs between the Grand Wailea and Four Seasons resorts.
POLO BEACH
At the quieter south end of Wailea, Polo Beach is seldom crowded. When there’s wave action, bodyboarders and bodysurfers usually find good shorebreaks here. When calm, the rocks at the northern end of the beach provide good snorkeling. At low tide, check out the lava outcropping at the southern end for tide pools harboring spiny sea urchins and small fish. To get to Polo Beach, turn down Kaukahi St after the Fairmont Kea Lani and keep an eye out for the beach parking lot on the right.
PALAUEA BEACH
This untouristed