Hidden gem I didn't expect to find! I got lost and stumbled into a super sweet and helpful…read morecanoe/kayak club employee! She assured me I was allowed to be there (the many private property signs made me nervous for a sec) and showed me the way to the mini beach. It actually felt like my own private beach front property! Even had a bathroom and foot wash area to use before heading back to my cruise ship! It was. Nice way to spend a couple hours on a free ship day!

While this is a public park, it may not seem like it on the façade due to two permanent structures…read moreoccupying the land and inventory of canoes laying all over the place. I'm not sure how or why a canoe club ended up here but it is what it is! THE PARK: Hoaloha Park is about two acres in size, with a sandy beach and very protected waters as it sits in a bay shielded by Kahului Harbor and a manmade peninsula. Grassy areas are expansive and stretch from the Maui Seaside Hotel border on the west end to the former Chart House and Hideaway Restaurant (still vacant building) to the east. While there are facilities such as restrooms, it's not available to the public as they're inside of the canoe club's buildings. Being literally next to Kahului Harbor, I wouldn't suggest swimming here as the amount of ship traffic simply pollutes the waters. Come canoe season, they sometimes hold regatta races here and the area gets infested with people and cars. There are however, some positives to this beach especially on the west end near the hotels where you can perch with a great view of the cruise ships coming in and out of port on certain days. And, because the beach isn't "beach-worthy" especially in the eyes of tourists, it's always empty! There aren't any sunset or neighbor island views, but that's the trade-off. I've been known to crack open a few and participate in the ship-watching activity myself, lol. It's a quiet place too as the highways are set back a nice distance. While there are nicer beaches on Maui, how often can you have one all to yourself? OVERALL: You're not missing out on much. Find another park. LOL.

Relaxed self paced viewing of bird reserve. Easy parking. Nice covered cabana…read more Great views.

When we have a few extra minutes in Kahului, we like to stop off at Kanaha Pond to enjoy the birds…read more There were mostly ducks and stilts today but we have seen Nenes, or Hawaiian Geese (the state bird). One time, there was a family with several little goslings. We stopped on the path to the shelter and let them decide if they wanted to pass us in the other direction. The male gave me a stink eye as they walked by and started hissing at me after they got a little ways past. It was funny that he became more macho after getting a little distance. Anyway, I always enjoy the Ae'o, or Hawaiian Stilt. They wade through the shallow water with such long legs, in search of food. Their chirps warn others of our presence. There are benches in the small shelter, where you can sit in the shade and watch the birds do their bird things. There also is a gate on the back side of the pond, near the water treatment plant, that lets you in to the dirt roads that were used to access a series of WW2 storage bunkers. There are other ponds back there, too. It's a nice area to walk through.

Meh. something to kill a few hours. Less of a "hike" and more of a nature walk in a little roadside…read morepark. The guide will point out various flowers and seeds, such. No wildlife to be seen. Pretty flowers here and there. Our guide (Grayson) was excellen, as he was knowledgeable and fun. Another guide (tall guy) from another group-same company jump my ass for looking at his group's "supplies." $140 per person to get snapped at? Yeah...sure. I'd pass on this in the futur. D. Tauber,

The trip to Twin Falls was exactly what we'd hoped for. It was a nice balance of physical…read moreactivity, learning and fun! Mick created a relaxed atmosphere forging some bonds and fun between other people in our group!! He provided general information on Hawaiian history, tips about local towns we passed through, specific info on animals & plant species encountered during our hike including a chance to safely try some fruits & flowers, and safely navigate the rain forest inclusive of some cliff jumps!! Mick took the time and care to learn everyone's names and show interest in each family. I would highly recommend this trip with Hike Maui. It is a top experience to compliment the beach scene! They also offer a custom pickup at your hotel which is a nice touch. And be sure to ask for Mick!!

Awesome playground. Proof we can still have nice things to include swings for kids. The playground…read moreis next to Kahului Beach Rd of the park. Great for any age. They had a fenced small toddler area and a large playground for the older kids that also had a ramp to the slide. Not a whole lot of cover from the sun so bring sun screen and water. Tons of kids. Very family friendly.

This is a convenient park right here in Central Maui. I've met so many nice families here. We like…read morethe keiki playground because they have a little kids ages 2-5 playground separated from the bigger kids playground. It's also fenced in but still be aware of your surroundings. It gets pretty hot and crowded too so if you have little, little ones, mornings are the best especially since you're probably up already lol. Check it out!

Sunday, May 31, 2020 was too gorgeous of a day to stay inside. I felt like taking a stroll on a…read morebeach but wanted to stay on "my side" of the island, which is how my spouse and I ended up here. THE BEACH: Unless you searched the area on Google maps or golfed at the Waiehu Municipal Course, you'd never knew this place existed. Located within the Leisure Estates subdivision of Waiehu, it's a sliver of a beach separated into two sections by a natural formation of eroded coastline. The south end is a mix of sand, river rocks and driftwood. Hop over the jetty to the north side and you'll find all soft sand that abuts to the Waiehu Golf Course property. A few deteriorated cement support columns can be found here making me think there used to be a pier or dock here. Shade is almost non-existent so bring an umbrella. The ocean was calm and swimmable on this particular day but can be rough and choppy especially when north swells roll in. Views of Maui's north shore, Mount Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains behind you can't be beat! As far as facilities go, there was one picnic table that I saw and nothing else. PARKING: The tiny lot at the south end can fit maybe 3 cars but there's lots of shoulder parking on both sides of Lower Waiehu Beach Road along with a much larger parking lot at the north end. TIP: The combination of being located at a dead end road, along with a big parking lot can turn the place shady especially at night, so be careful. Thankfully no homeless folks were in the area during the day. OVERALL: No sunsets, no restrooms, no tourists, all beach.

Waiehu beach is a small, unassuming beach hidden off to the side of a residential area. If it…read moreweren't for GPS, we would have driven right by the entrance without realizing there was beach access there. Unlike the beautiful and pristine beaches of Charley Young and Palauea, this beach is full of rocks, dead coral, various pieces of driftwood, and the odd pieces of trash either left behind (shame on litter bugs!) or washed up on shore. This beach is also fairly deserted, apparently being more of a local spot for surfers than for actual tourists looking to get a tan. Free street parking is available right on the side of the road next to the beach access. Overall a nice place if you wanted to just enjoy the sea breeze without a crowd. However being that this is Maui, there are much nicer beaches available either a short drive north or south.

Oh Maui, how I miss you!…read more A lot of the destruction from the Lahaina wildfires of 2023 is still present. It is so saddening and heartbreaking to see but we can also clearly see how strong the people of Maui are. They have cleared most of the debris and are on the way to rebuild. A lot of new foundation can be seen. If you're considering a trip to Maui, do it! There is so much beauty still to see and activities to do. You would also be helping Maui and its resilient people, as their economics heavily rely on tourism. Before Maui, the only other Hawaiian Island I have ever visited was Oahu. I loved Oahu, but I stayed in a super tourist-y hot spot and I felt as though I brought the concrete jungle with me. It was also enjoyable and usually the type of vacation I book. I expected this of Maui but boy, was I wrong. Maui introduced me to a slower pace, as cliché as it may sound, to really take the time to stop and smell the flowers, Hibiscus to be exact. Maui gives off small country town vibes, no high rises, no traffic and everyone just moves at a more lax speed. In fact, it is known for residential homes to be built "no higher than a palm tree" and hotels/non-residential buildings have height regulations. This is done to preserve the small town feel and scenic view planes. Talking about scenic, it begins as soon as you're off the plane. I got emotional many a times because of how gorgeous Maui is. My thoughts were in between disbelief of how unreal the nature around me was and how grateful I was to be standing there as a witness. I suggest getting out to walk at sunrise at least once, and watch the sunsets every evening. They are the most amazing I have EVER seen. Be prepared to see chickens and sea turtles EVERYWHERE. Every local that I interacted with? the most friendly, helpful and Hawaii proud. Always eager to share culture and stories. I love them. Notable Mentions: Nohonani Condos: Oceanfront condos with ocean facing lanais. A quiet pool area and private beach. Super easy parking. Favorite Beach: Baby Beach - Lahaina, soft waves and shallow waters.I stopped here 4 out if the 6 days I had in Maui. Favorite Poké: Foodland Grocery, grab poké of choice from the poké counter and a bag of Have'A Corn chips. A meal for champions. Favorite Restaurant: Hula Grill at Whalers Village, I still dream of the Crab Topped Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi and the Hula Pie. Favorite Tour: Road to Hana with Aloha Eco Adventures, If you get Shelly as your tour guide, JACKPOT. I did dock a star because unfortunately, the food scene in Maui is a little lack thereof. It is a whole lot of barbecue, and fusion, I was experiencing the same tastes quite a bit. There's a chance I need to explore more, but I didn't find a meal that wowed me until my last 24 hours, Foodland and Hula Grill! Slight downfall here, but everything else makes up for it, I promise. Maui pretty much shuts off at 10pm, the bars are literally done at 10pm. There is no night life, which forced me into rest. I didn't realize it but it was exactly what I needed. I came back rested, recharged and refreshed. If you're in need of a vacation that involves quiet time, R&R and a mental break, the answer is Maui. On day two of my trip, I knew in my heart that I would be coming back to Maui in the future. I never understood the people that would travel to the same place year after year, I do now. Completely. I would do Maui over and over again. Until then, I'll be listening to Josh Tatofi's version of "Have you ever seen the rain" and daydream. Maui is truly the best - "Maui nō ka 'oi".

Maui has 160,000 full-time residents, and 2-3 million visitors per year. Weather is temperate at…read morearound 80F of sunshine year round. Yet, there are microclimates to visit where it can be hot and sunny virtually everyday in Lahaina, as low as 45F at night in Haleakala Crater, or a sprinkling of "ulalena" rain every morning in Waianapanapa. North Tradewinds bring breezes similarly to natural air conditioning from Alaska. Ecologies and vistas greatly vary between a Central Valley isthmus straddling dormant volcanic ranges of verdant 6000ft West Maui Mountains and an arid 10000ft Haleakala National Park. It's a very fragile island and long time kama'aina raised here and kapuna elders are rightfully protective of this space. Several Polynesian and Asian cultures co-exist and prosper with all. We welcome and recognize visitors to share their stories as well. Those who feel a magnetic transition to stay only need to be aware of the appreciation to existing Hawaiian cultures, customs and respect of the land. If you can find a living space, sacrifice Trader Joe's, Dim Sum and In & Out Burger or tolerate 5 hour flights to the mainland, you just might make it to raise a kid, walk a dog and enjoy a sunset at the beach.

We had the BEST experience with Demian. We visited Maui for our honeymoon and had about 8 hours to…read moreexplore as much as we could, and Demian created the perfect itinerary for us to see the most beautiful sites. Just tell him what you're interested in, and he will know exactly what to do! It can be super adventurous or very laid back with zero hiking yet beautiful sites. I highly highly recommend Demian.

Damian was an excellent guide on our two day Road to Hana tour. He was very knowledgable and…read morehelpful in making recommendations. His customer service was impeccable as he was accommodating to our needs. He answered all of our questions. We would never have seen so many beautiful places without his guidance. Damian shared knowledge of cultural significance, flora and fauna, and modern information as well. His attention to detail in pointing out small otherwise missed gems was amazing. He knew and shared many hidden gems. This tour was reasonably priced for all of the personal attention we received. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tour!

It's Amazing hike there's 1 campground with a little water then the another one has no waterread more

Worth it for the views of the sunrise. Very very cold up on the mountain but definitely like a once…read morein a lifetime experience. Would highly recommend for adults without kids and young able bodied people. There are a few parts that require some strength.