Continuing my experiences from last week on snorkeling and beach locations in Maui, Hawaii. Starting with...
Kehei Boat Ramp:

Just south of the Kamaole Parks is the Kehei Boat Ramp. Again, due to the boat traffic, this is not a good place to be in the water but good to know it's there since it is a common launch or meeting point for many of the boat tours to Molokini.

Mana Kai Hotel:

At the south end of South Kihei Road you will see a big white and blue sign on the right side of the road for the Mana Kai Hotel. When you go down the access road, you will see two high-rise type hotels (Kihei Sands and the Mana Kai) with general parking and public beach access to the left in a dirt parking lot. Park here and follow the path to the left of the second high rise to a pretty white sand beach. The rocky outcrop in front of the Mana Kai is great for tide pool exploring at low tide. The snorkeling in front of this rocky outcrop is pretty good as well.

Ulua Beach / Mokapu Beach:

Traveling south on South Kihei Road just past the turn off to the Mana Kai, the road Y's. Stay to the left and go up the hill. At the four way intersection, go right, I think this puts you on Wailea Alanui road. You are now getting into the high zoot area of south Maui. There is a public access road on the right just past the sign for the Renaissance Wailea Hotel. At the bottom of the hill you will find a nice, paved parking lot with restrooms and fresh water showers. I have seen a lot of the local dive shops take off from here for beginner diving lessons in the mornings. There is a lave finger here and I have found the snorkeling to the left to be the best. Lots of the smaller marine life with an occasional moray eel to be seen. The beaches here are great for swimming and boogie-boarding as well. A very nice place to spend the day.

Makena Landing:

Continuing south on Wailea Alanui road, you will pass a nice shopping center on the right complete with all of the high end shops. A little bit of Rodeo Drive on Maui. Continue down this road and turn right onto “Old Makena Road” just past the Makena Surf Condo. It's a little further than you might think so don't give up. You'll wind around a bit and about ½ mile into it at the bottom of a hill, you'll find Makena Landing on the right. There is a small sandy beach to the left which is a good launching spot for kayaks, etc. and to the right is a paved parking lot. This parking lot is frequently full which leaves you to park in the sand along the road side (don't get stuck). There are decent amenities here with restrooms and showers. Good snorkeling to the left of the sandy beach. To the right side of the bay, much further out is the popular dive area which carries a lot of names such as “Five Caves” or “Turtle Town”. This is a much more challenging area so not good for the novice. Entry here involves a walk along a lava finger and there is a historical grave site here (Five Graves) to the right which is not available for exploration. The coral reef along here contains a lots of caves hence the name Five Caves. This area is home to a large population of green Hawaiian sea turtles. I am not an experienced diver and more of a swimmer/snorkeler so this beach was a bit advanced for my tastes.

Maui Prince Hotel:

Continue south from Makena Landing and you will see the Maui Prince Hotel on your right. Just past the hotel, you can find an access road on your right. There is limited parking at the end of this road. To the left of the parking lot is a golf course but if you go straight, you end up on a beautiful white sand beach with solid amenities, a nice swell for swimming in and decent snorkeling on the left side of the beach along the lave finger.

Makena Beach:

Popular with the locals, also called “Big Beach”. After you pass the Maui Prince Hotel, instead of taking the access road to the right, follow the road to the left. Your point of reference is a very prominent, large red hill called “Pu'u O Lai” dead ahead. Just past this hill, you will find a paved parking lot on the right. Makena Beach extends for a mile and is a white sand beach perfect for taking pictures. I've seen a lot of whale activity off the beach here in the winter. This beach is wonderful for hanging out, playing Frisbee or just working on your tan. You can usually find a private stretch to call your own. However, the tides can be strong and the wave break can also be treacherous. Not a great place to go if you want to go snorkeling, diving or boogie-boarding.

Safety:

Being a visitor, it's tough to know the surf conditions or the particulars of each beach. It's always best to check the current conditions prior to plunging in. With this in mind, a couple of good resources are:

Beach safety tips: www.co.maui.hi.us/youth/maui/aquatics/beach.htm - from the County of Maui.

The lifeguards, such as those found at Kamaole Beach Parks I, II, and III are excellent sources for current conditions. They will also post signs when conditions change so watch for those.

More safety tips can be on the net from the lifeguards of Oahu at: www.aloha.com/~lifeguards

The National Weather Service offers daily info at:

General: (808)877-5111

Marine: (808)877-3477

Snorkeling and swimming are usually better in the mornings on Maui particularly in the winter. The trade winds like to kick up as the day progresses and create higher waves which makes swimming more difficult and disturbs the ocean floor making visibility underwater more difficult.

Mahalo and enjoy safe swimming!

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