Secret Beach – AKA Makena Cove

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Chris Murray

Secret Beach as seen from the west

About a 20 minute drive south from Maui Vista is a small (and not very secret) beach that is a popular site for weddings. While small, it’s never crowded. There are usually lots of turtles off the rocks to the right and left of the beach. Not a great place to swim, but wonderful for relaxing in a beautiful spot. A word to the wise: there are no facilities at Secret Beach (no water, no showers, not even a porta-potty).

To get there, drive south through Wailea and past the two entrances to Big Beach at Makena State Park. A low lava rock wall starts near the east end of Big Beach. The wall quickly grows in height so you can’t see over it to the presumably lavish residences on the other side. When you see a small break in the wall (see picture below), you have arrived.

Entrance to Secret Beach

When is the best time of year to come to Maui?

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Chris Murray

There is no best time of year to come to Maui, but different times of year have different opportunities, costs, and somewhat different weather. Let your preferences be your guide.

One of the great attractions on Maui is whale watching. The whales start arriving in late October and November and are present in their thousands sometime in December. The most spectacular displays are usually in January, February and March. You can see impressive sights from shore, and even more amazing views on a whale watching cruise.

The HIGH season runs from a few days before Christmas until spring vacations for schools and universities. Most accommodations, including ours, are more expensive during high season. An even higher premium is charged for the days around Christmas.

The spring and fall tend to be quieter times. There is more room on the beaches, in restaurants, and at tourist destinations. There are more families with children in the summer.

The average high and low temperatures near sea level vary by less than 10 degrees over the course of the year, but the extremes in summer are hotter than those in winter. You’ll see local school kids waiting at the bus stop bundled up for the “winter” weather when morning temperatures are in the 60s. Water temperatures change even less: the average low water temperature is in February and March at 74 degrees Fahrenheit; the average high (in August/September/October) is 79/80 degrees.

Rainfall is a different matter – both by time of year and location. Every month the average number of days of rainfall is less on the south coast of Maui (Kihei, Wailea, Makena) than in the northwest by Kaanapali and Kapalua.

South Kihei Beach Walk

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Chris Murray

South Kihei has some great beaches where you can walk for miles. This 90 minute walk starts and ends at Charley Young Beach, across the street from our condo at Maui Vista. The round trip is about 3 miles – so the pace is leisurely.

Most of the walk is on sand but there are a few places where you’ll want sandals.

Don’t forget the sunscreen and be sure to carry water.

Charley Young Beach

Start at the north end of Charley Young Beach near these rocks.

About halfway down the beach, Charley Young becomes Kamaole Beach Park I.

Note that all three Kamaole parks have lifeguards, restrooms and showers.

Kamaole Beach II

Take the sandy path at the south end of the beach and use the short public access pathway on the makai (water) side of the Royal Mauian Condos to get to Kamaole Beach II.

Check the water as you pass the Royal Mauian. You can often see turtles swimming and feeding off the point.

Kamaole Beach III

You may want your sandals at the south end of Kamaole II as you climb the short slope to the large grassy park of Kamaole III.

On the weekends, this park is a favorite place for local families to host children’s birthday parties.

You can walk through the park on the grass or return to the beach.

Kihei Boat Ramp

The south end of Kamaole III is about a mile from the start of this walk. You can turn around here or put on your sandals for an entirely different experience.

If you continue on, stay on the paths that crisscross this natural area – it’s a nesting habitat for the Wedge-tailed Shearwater. You’ll soon see the jetty at the Kihei Boat Ramp.

Path from the boat ramp to the Kihei Surfside

Walk under the shade trees on the makai side of the boat ramp parking lot. Cross the boat ramp and look for the path just to the right of the paved driveway with the “Do Not Enter” sign.

As you round the corner of this short delightful path you’ll come to the grounds of the Kihei Surfside resort. The public access pathway is next to the water.

Keawakapu Beach

Continue on the boardwalk past the tall Mana Kai Maui Resort and the 5 Palms Restaurant to the north end of Keawakapu Beach.

Turn around here or, if you’re really ambitious, stroll down Keawakapu Beach. It’s another mile to Ulua Beach – just past the last bit of sandy beach in the distance.

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding at Kalama Park

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Chris Murray

Paddle boarding is easy (even standing up)

In addition to surfboard rentals and surfing lessons, you can rent stand-up paddle boards and take lessons at the south end of Kalama Park, just a few blocks from our Maui Vista condo. Go in the morning when the wave action and wind are down. There are several trucks from which you can rent equipment, or you rent from Maui Wave Riders located across the street. Maui Wave Riders also provides lessons.

Lots of turtles off Kalama Park

I’m not sure if it’s really necessary to take a lesson to learn to paddle board. I did and didn’t regret it, but it cost $65 for the board rental plus a “lesson” that lasted all of five minutes. On the other hand, the instructor was always with us and he took us to a great spot over turtle reef. Lots of turtles there. They’ll surface right next to you and swim under your board.

Maui Vista Building 2 gets a new coat of paint

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Chris Murray

Painting Building 2 – Spring 2013

Friends and guests who have enjoyed our Maui Vista condo will be pleased to know that Building 2 is getting a new coat of paint. Yes, that’s our unit (Maui Vista 2418) with the painter at the top of the tall ladder.

Remember how there’s no helmet law for motorcycles in Hawaii and how people ride around in the back of pickup trucks sitting on lawn chairs? Well, apparently, there’s no safety enforcement for people working on tall ladders either. Most of the time, the painters get from one unit to another by climbing over the railing, straddling the wall between lanais, and climbing over the railing in the adjacent unit – no safety harness required.

Last year Building 1 was repainted. Next year it’s Building 3’s turn. Everything is looking fresh.

Dale Zarrella discovers mermaid in tree trunk

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Chris Murray

Maui artist and Maui Vista neighbor, Dale Zarrella, finished his Damien sculpture last winter. (Click here to learn more about Zarrella’s life-size koa wood sculpture of Father/Saint Damien.)

After carving a green sea turtle out of a koa remnant from the Damien statue, Zarella decided to turn his hand to something a little larger…

This five thousand pound stump from an old monkey pod tree sat in his outdoor studio at the north end of Charley Young Beach when we arrived in early April.

The outline emerges

By the middle of the month, the outlines of Zarrella’s latest work began to emerge. This is the chainsaw and power tool stage. Progressively finer carving tools – and ultimately – 2000 grit sandpaper are used later.

By the end of April the mermaid’s form was readily apparent. In addition, large sea turtles began to appear below her body and tail.

This large sculpture is the latest in a series of Mermaids Zarrella has carved. Two of his life-sized mermaids can be seen in the lobby of the Makena Golf and Beach Resort. Click here to learn about Zarrella’s artist tour that takes place every Wednesday evening at the resort.

Notice the void in the stump above the mermaid’s left arm and hand. The three rocks holding down papers on the scaffold were lodged in the crevice and the tree grew around them. They must have been placed there a long time ago!

Stay tuned for more.

Maui Brewing Has BIG plans for Kihei

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Chris Murray

Entrance to the Research and Technology Park

The new brewery and pub will be here – at the Research and Technology Park mauka (uphill from) the Piilani Highway at Lipoa.

Maui Brewing, whose brew pub is located in Kahana, several miles north of Kaanapali, has announced plans to build a new and much larger brewery and brew pub at the Kihei Research and Technology park off the Piilani Highway. Located on a five acre site, the brewery will be about 33,000 square feet and the brew pub another 8,000 square feet. It’s staff is expected to eventually double in size to about 130. Once the new brewery is finished, Maui Brewing will vacate their current leased space in Lahaina and do all their brewing in Kihei. Don’t worry – the Kahana brew pub will continue to quench the thirst of west Maui locals and tourists.

We, at Maui Vista 2418, are pretty darn excited about having Maui Brewing in Kihei. Unfortunately, with the site about 2.5 miles from Maui Vista, it’s probably too far to walk for lunch. Also, since new construction takes time, it will be well into 2014 before the new pub is open. So, in the meantime, I guess we’ll keep driving to Kahana because they truly have the best beers, ciders and root beer on Maui.

For more on Maui Brewing, click here.

Rowena’s Farmers Market is No Ka Oi (The best!)

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Chris Murray

Rowena is located about a 12 minute walk from Maui Vista 2418 just north of Foodland in the Aloha Open Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Rowena

It is not unusual to see the farmers stopping by with boxes of dragon fruit, wing beans and many varieties of avocados. Another family operates it during the rest of the week, but we find Rowena has the best local selection at the best prices. Rowena stands by her word. A customer told her an avocado he bought a few days ago was bad, so she gave him another avocado. She said, “It’s hard to see inside and I am sorry.”

Whether you’re looking for locally grown shitaki mushrooms or tender butter lettuce (at half the price in the grocery store), you’ll want to get there early (she opens at 7) because it can get elbow to elbow in the afternoon and the best things are gone.

Hiking La Perouse Bay – The Hoapili Trail and Cape Hanamanioa

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Chris Murray

Getting to La Perouse Bay

If you drive as far south as possible through Wailea, Makena, and beyond, you come to La Perouse Bay. The drive takes you past Big Beach, through the Ahihi Kinau Reserve, and across a long stretch of lava from the last eruption of Mount Haleakala in 1790. After the manicured beauty of Wailea, the road gets narrower. Later it gets even narrower. Finally, it gets so narrow there are pull outs so cars going in the opposite direction can pass. The last few hundred yards are so bumpy you may want to park before the last turn toward the bay. Look for the horse corral and the stone monument. You can park there or bounce over the last bumps until you get to the water’s edge. It’s about 25 minutes south of Maui Vista.

The Hoapili Trail starts a few yards from the water’s edge on your left as you face the bay. The first portion of the hike is though a lava field. This, and other parts of the trail, need real shoes, not flip flops or sandals. Tennis shoes will do, walking shoes are better.

Trail Route

There are cultural artifacts in the lava fields – the lower walls of shelters built by Hawaiians sometime after the 1790 eruption. There’s not much to see, but some people find them interesting.

Look for the a small blow hole about halfway across the lave field. If the tide is high and the surf is up it makes a good splash.

A pretty bay greats you at the end of the lava field. After that you walk under the welcome shade of mesquite trees (locally known as kiawe). Lots of feral goats here. Keep a lookout for a surfer memorial on your right after you’ve walked for 5 or 10 minutes.

As you come out from under the trees you have three choices of route. You can keep on the “road” which will take you to the next shady grove or on to your destination at the end of Cape Hanamanioa. Alternatively, you can turn off the road through the broken wire gate and follow the King’s Highway cross the second lava field until you come to a sign that tells you it was reconstructed in its present form during the first half of the 19th century. If you take this route, turn right at the sign to return to the road or to the second grove. Finally, you can walk along a very rocky beach to the second grove.

Into the woods

As indicated in the map above, once you get to the second grove, there is an easier and harder route to the end of Cape Hanamanioa. The easier route is fairly boring, with little to see but lava and views in the distance. The harder route takes you along high cliffs over sometimes rough terrain with spectacular views of the bay and beyond. The water is multi-colored shades of crystal clear blue. Sometimes the trail is hard to find. Persevere, the rough parts lead to an actual trail.

Views from the coastal trail

It’s often very windy at the end of the cape – hold onto your hat. One way distance from start to finish is about 1.25 miles. It will take you longer than you think.

From the end of the cape you can return or follow more trails (for miles) onto new coves, beaches and interesting sights. Enjoy.

Hang onto your hat at the end of the trail

West Maui Snorkeling – Honolua Bay

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Chris Murray

There’s so much good snorkeling not far from Maui Vista (see South Maui Snorkeling – 3 Favorite Spots), why drive an hour to Honolua Bay? There are plenty of reasons. First of all, Honolua Bay is a spectacular snorkeling spot. In addition, there are lots of other fun things to see and do in West Maui. For example, the Nakalele Blowhole is just another 10 minutes down the road past Honolua Bay.

Honolua Bay from the Highway 30 overlook

To get there from Kihei, head north on South Kihei Road or the Pi’ilani Highway and follow the signs to Lahaina. Continue north on Highway 30 through Lahaina, Ka’anapali, and Kapalua. When the road narrows and slows for tight, blind curves, you’re almost there.

Stop at the overlook (pictured above) and check out conditions and the best snorkeling spots. (If you click on the picture and blow it up you can see snorkelers and areas with coral – that’s where you want to be.) If the surf’s up, the snorkeling won’t be good – but there will be surfers to watch. You can watch from the overlook or, better still, drive around the bay and turn left onto the dirt road high on the other side side of the bay. Find a parking spot and walk out for the best views (see Surfing the Big Water at Honolua Bay).

Trail to Honolua Bay

For snorkeling, drive to the bottom of the hill and look for a parking spot. If you don’t see one at first, keep driving – there are several other areas where people park. You’ll find a trail near each parking area. All trails end up at more or less the same place.

It’s a pleasant, but surprisingly long, walk to the water through a shaded grove. People do it in flip-flops, but a sturdier sandal or shoe is recommended.

The beach itself is rocky with few places to even put a beach chair. There are no restrooms, no water, no garbage cans, no nothing – except begging chickens and great snorkeling.

The wet and sometimes slimy rocks near the shore are slippery. Lots of people get in from an old broken boat ramp that the two people on the left side of the accompanying picture are standing on.

Most people snorkel on the right side of the bay, but there is plenty of coral on the other side as well. It’s a fairly long swim before the viewing gets good. If you’re not a strong swimmer, you might want to take a boogie board or a noodle. At first the coral and fish are mainly close to the shore on the right. As the coral gets denser you’ll see it expand out toward the middle of the bay. Explore this area to your heart’s content.

A word to the wise: several large snorkel boats anchor at Honolua Bay around mid day. If you want to miss the crowd in the water, go early. If they’re there when you are, just remember that they’re paying the big bucks while you’re getting the same views for free. Enjoy!

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