Maui Guidebook » South Maui

South Maui – Quick Summary

Mark — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:00:03 +0000

General Geographic Area: South Maui

In a nutshell: South Maui is home to the spectacular world-class beaches of Kihei, Wailea and Makena. Wailea, to the south of this region, boasts exclusive resorts and golf, while Kihei to the north is where you’ll find more affordable hotels, condos and vacation rentals.
Minuses: Once off the beach, the Kihei part of South Maui has lots of shops and food, but some places feel more like California than Hawaii.
Sound-bite: “How many new beaches should we explore today?”

The area called “South Maui” is a coastal strip which is actually geographically on the south-west coast of the island. Starting in North Kihei, South Maui extends as far south as La Perouse Bay. The popular tourist destinations of Kihei, Wailea and Makena (in that order) comprise virtually all in this area, and generally speaking, the beaches and lodging become more posh and exclusive the further south you go. Several of the absolute best of Maui’s high-end resorts are concentrated in the Wailea area. There are also five spectacular golf courses in South Maui to choose from.

South Maui has two main thoroughfares: South Kihei Road, and the Pi’ilani Highway (Hwy 31.) South Kihei Road runs right along the scenic shoreline, and at its southern termination connects to the main north-south thoroughfare through Wailea and Makena. The Pi’ilani Highway parallels the coastline about a half-mile up the mountain and is a much faster (though less scenic) route that bypasses most of the beach-town destinations. The Pi’ilani Highway is your best bet if you know where you are going. If you’re just taking your good old time, sightseeing, or generally checking out the lay of the land, South Kihei Road is a better choice.

Ignore maps that connect South Maui with Upcountry Maui. No public roads exist to connect these areas. Many private, gated, nonexistent and/or 4WD roads show on GPS and online maps of Maui (including Google Maps.)

The largest shopping center is called “Pi’ilani Village Shopping Center” and is the only shopping center on the Pi’ilani Highway. Anchored by Safeway and Hilo Hattie’s. Pi’ilani Center also has a gas station, Ruby Tuesday, Starbucks, Outback, two banks and a dry cleaner – among many other shops you’ll find useful if staying in South Maui for any period of time.

There are many smaller strip-malls, restaurants and places to shop scattered along the length of South Kihei Road – Pretty much anything you’d expect to find at a typical smaller US beach town is available somewhere along this road.

For more specific information on South Maui, browse the South Maui category.

Car Rental Hawaii

Mark — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 10:00:21 +0000

Insider source for Hawaii rental car deals.

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars

In a nutshell: Insider/wholesale pricing on rental cars.
Minuses: Online rental process is not real-time.
Sound-bite: “Are you sure these rates are correct?”

Okay, this one of those situations where it pays to know someone local. Maui truly plays by its own set of rules – and those locally connected pay less than you will for many things. Rental cars won’t be one of them – it doesn’t get any less expensive. This small locally-owned business beats out discount sites like Orbitz, Priceline & Travelocity consistently. Frequently the difference in price will be significant enough that if you have been shopping around you might think these can’t possibly be current rates. Good news: the prices are current, and they are for real.

Car Rental Hawaii has an inside wholesale connection to the major in-airport rental car companies. Don’t mistake them for rent-a-wreck type places – even though the prices are in line with what you might expect to pay for a older car at a smal rental place, these are current model year cars from major in-airport rental car companies.

I’ve known about Car Rental Hawaii for several years now, and the truth is I have not ended up booking a single car with anyone since – and that is saying something. It definitely isn’t from being lazy or having cash to throw around – I am a habitual comparison shopper and bargain hunter, and can’t help but to keep everyone honest by cross-checking their prices every time. Don’t take my word for it – cross-check the rates for yourself. (They even have an iPhone app!)

The icing on the cake is these folks don’t even make you give them any credit card or ask you to commit. You’re free to cancel out should plans change – we’re not so used to that these days – you buy from Priceline or somewhere similar and you pay immediately for a reservation you can’t cancel – we’ve been told that is because the deal is so good, they need to be sure they get paid. But I guess that doesn’t actually makes sense – because if you truly don’t have to worry about anyone ever beating your price people are going to show up for your reservation every time.

So, the way to do this is to first is to go to their website at www.carrentalhawaii.com, submit the dates of your visit and the website will give you an estimate price along with a form to get a firm price quote. In the “cruise ship” field place “Maui Guidebook” (or if you’re taking a cruise ship use the airline field.) Submit the form and wait for an email from them. While you’re waiting, cruise around to all the other discount sites your heart desires to get that warm and fuzzy feeling of saving dough.

Key Info:
Location: Kahului Airport (OGG)
Phone: 866-300-7116
Web: http://www.carrentalhawaii.com/
Price: Typically $20-55/day or $130-260/wk depending on car type.

Nick’s Fishmarket

Mark — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:00:37 +0000

Nick’s Fishmarket at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea

Rating:
^{*how we rate restaurants}

Rated #1 Fine Dining – South Maui

In a nutshell: The setting is only outdone by the service which is only outdone by the cuisine.
Minuses: They don’t have one back home!
Sound-bite: “mmmmm!”

Location:		Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr. Wailea, HI 96753
Phone:		808-879-7224
Website:		www.tristarrestaurants.com/nic…
Menus:		Menu

Hours:		5:30-9:30pm
Price:		Fine Dining
Credit Cards:		Yes
Views:		Sunset & Ocean
Outdoor Seating:		Yes
Entertainment:		No
Booze:		Yes
Reservations:		Strongly Suggested

Summary
My wife and I visited Nick’s Fishmarket last week, and I must say that I had among the very best meals of my life there. Yes, it was that good. Not just the food; on every single point Nick’s got it right.

Sunsets from Nick's are spectacular

Ambiance
Nick’s Fishmarket sits in the gardens of the opulent Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea. Much of the seating is outdoors; dining alfresco on Maui makes for a comfortable, relaxed and memorable dining experience.

Nick’s is classy fine dining infused with the comfortable and casual resort attitude that Maui is famous for.

Tip: Since Nicks is just a few hundred yards back from Polo Beach, you may want to show up at the beach a half an hour early for a romantic stroll.

Service
If you’re a stickler for attentive service you’ll be in heaven. Nick’s Fishmarket delivers a team of skilled waitstaff at your beck and call. This attention to service starts the moment you step through the restaurant gate. When we arrived we were instantly greeted by the friendly hostess and ushered to our table without delay.

Our romantic table for two.

Throughout our meal, our water glasses were never allowed to approach bottom, and whatever we needed – be it a question about the menu, more bread or beverages, the staff knew instantaneously. I’ve noticed a handful of folks on the sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor actually complaining that there is too much service! I can’t disagree with that more. I certainly don’t like being intruded upon, and especially on date night with my wife (something we don’t get enough of these days) – we never felt like any staff member was there at any time other than exactly when we wanted them.

While most restaurants on Maui don’t require a reservation, Nick’s is very popular, and making reservations is a must.

Dinner
The wine cellar is world class, with about 2,000 bottles to choose from, and has been consistently awarded as among the most outstanding in the world.

Nick’s menu offerings don’t fit into a pigeonhole category – “Mediterranean Rim” is the term most often used to describe the cuisine (Pacific Rim cuisine with Mediterranean flair.)

Just looking at the Mahi is mouthwatering.

Now at the risk of outing myself as an unrefined heathen, I knew Nick’s had done the food right when I caught myself, many times, making audible “mmmmmm” sounds while my eyes rolled back into my head. No, my horrified wife will be the first to tell you, I’m not kidding. Imagine a three-year-old going primal on an ice cream sundae – but in a 40-year-old man’s body at a fine restaurant. Yup, that was me.

So, with that image in your mind’s eye, I’ll go on to describe the heavenly meal Kira and I shared:

We decided to forego salads and started our meal sharing two appetizers with deceiving names: “Kalua Pig Pot Stickers” and “Poi Pounder.”

The Pot stickers were unique, and delicious. Most definitely added a new dimension to what I understood could be called by the modest name “pot sticker” – these were prepared with a caramelized Maui pineapple curry. Five stars.

The second app was the “Poi Pounder” – which I assume is a play on words with the “pounder” part of the name (poi is the pounded starchy taro root of traditional Hawaiian fare – and there was none to be found here!) My Poi Pounder appeared as raw ahi perfection presented atop yummy blue crab salad. A spicy wasabi aioli added a distinctive zing of horseradish when liberated from its role of artful pate decoration. “mmmmm!”

Kira had the opakapaka

On to our entrées – Kira had the opakapaka which came in a lemon butter & caper sauce. My wife likes zen simplicity when it comes to her fish – so she ordered the opakapaka with the sauce on the side. When the dish was served, I tried it both with and without the sauce – I can’t overstate how much Kira was missing out on – this sauce complimented the fish so well it should be illegal; once these two were united with my taste buds, my eyeballs rolled to the back of my head and “mmmmm!”

I also ordered fish (hello, “Fishmarket” is the name!!) – for me it was the grilled Hawaiian opah. Served encrusted in candied peanut, Thai red curry-coconut, and artfully stacked center-plate sandwiched in layers of Thai sticky rice and blue crab slaw. Kira sure was spending quite a lot of time looking at the whites of my eyes while Opah and I spent some some quality time together.

So, after savoring our out of this world entrées we debated the rationale of desert. Kira was more reluctant to cross over the line of excessive indulgence, but she graciously offered to keep me company by offering “I’ll take a bite or two and bring the rest home for the kids.”

In a few minutes a gigantic oblong bowl that looked like it was purpose made to hold my generous bananas Foster sat before me. Kira had gone with the apple pie. I won’t talk about eyes rolling back or mmmmms any more (they kept coming) but I will say that the kids won’t miss any apple pie that they don’t know about

Other Reviews: ^{*ordered by accuracy}

Makena Big Beach (aka Oneloa)

lilikoi — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:58:48 +0000

Big Beach is long, wide, beautiful, and extreme.

Rating: 4.85 out of 5 stars

In a nutshell: Big Beach is a beautiful, long, wide, undeveloped sandy beach. Impressive, with huge views and a large shore-break. Big Beach is a must-see.
Minuses: A wicked shore-break exists here when the surf is up that can be dangerous for the inexperienced.
Sound-bite: [monster crashing wave]

DETAILS:
One of the most outstanding beaches in Maui. Big Beach is well over a half a mile long, and is also uncharacteristically wide by Maui standards. That means loads of real estate to stake out your claim, and this beach, while always drawing lots of people – is never so crowded as to be packed.

Sign on the lifeguard stand warns people not to go in unless they are experienced using this beach.

Let me start by saying this: don’t let the warnings below scare you off – even if you don’t swim well, this is not a beach to miss.

Big Beach has a significant on-shore break that can be downright brutal when there is a large south swell. This is never a beach that is safe for small children or inexperienced swimmers. Adults might want to think twice during high surf, as well.

Recently three lifeguard stands were added. If any beach on Maui should have had lifeguard stands, this is it. This is one point glossed over in most guidebooks, and is very important that visitors know: the waves here are often big, and powerful. The shore break crashes right at the water’s edge, and you should always enter the ocean here cautiously. If in doubt, consult a lifeguard.

Yeah, this guy stuck the landing. 10.0!

When the surf is up, you’ll also be front-row to the most extreme boogie boarding you’re likely to see during your visit. The photos below were taken during the tail-end of a receding south swell.

Taking a break from shreddin'

There are also a handful of food vendors that operate out of trucks inside and just outside the park. Jawz Tacos is usually in the parking lot and you really can’t do wrong with them, they’re particularly ono.

Access to Little Beach, perhaps the most famous nude beach on Maui, is from Big Beach. (see the Little Beach page, which also has a nice helicopter-shot video of both beaches.)

Key Info:
Location: Makena Alanui Rd., (4 Mi S of Grand Wailea Resort)
GPS Coordinates: 20.631901,-156.447265
Facilities: Bathrooms, lifeguards, picnic tables.
Get directions

View Makena Big Beach in a larger map

Hale Palama

Mark — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:46 +0000

Lower lanai

Contact: Hale Palama
Book: Online booking form

Sleeps 8-12
4 Bedrooms
5 Beds; 2 Futons; 3 Bath.

Seasonal Price Range: $450-$695/nt.

Hale Palama is a 4BR house in a residential neighborhood in the heart of Kihei. What makes Hale Palama a standout is a highly usable, open and cohesive flow throughout the common areas – inside and out. Perfect for families and close friends traveling together because they will really be able to make the most of their shared time together.

Dining room from living room

While the standout is the shared spaces, the home also manages to strike an exceptional balance with privacy where it matters – in the bedrooms. (More on that below.)

This is not a resort-style town-house condo – not by any means! In fact, as you pull up you get no hint whatsoever that there could be this much space – or more importantly, how perfect this home is going to be for enjoying one another, entertaining, and just plain hanging out after a long day at the beach. But as you get settled in – and everyone is relaxing and having a great time in the abundant comfortable and functional shared spaces, you start to realize how much thought went into the design – it’s absolutely perfect for connecting and creating memories.

Upper Lanai

Inside Common Areas Flow Into Outside Lanais
To get a picture of how it all comes together so well, we should start with the inside common areas. The living room, dining room and kitchen are all open to one another. High ceilings; large sliding glass doors and abundant use of windows open the space up even more. The sliding doors also open directly on to both the side and upper lanai areas.

Dining Areas
The inside dining area is adjacent to two outside dining areas (and the BBQ) so guests float easily between the living room, kitchen, inside dining and outside dining areas.

Outside you have a ton of usable lanai space. The upper deck wraps around three sides of the house, with plenty of seating options and tables. I can’t imagine ever using the indoor dining table with so much space to dine in the balmy tropical air outside.

Pool

As you settle in, if you happen to have a mom in the party, she’s likely be the first to notice some finishing touches on that inside dining table that others may overlook: The chair cushions and tablecloth are upholstered with oilcloth – and mom’s not admiring the retro-fashion statement, she’s thinking “aaahhhh, kids eat inside, adult time outside!”

Upper & Lower Lanais
The upper lanai also has a large shaded area that’s tailor made for relaxing with a cool drink and a book. The lower lanai, connected to the upper by a few steps, is a tropical garden patio, framed by lush plantings. Plenty of chaise-lounge and Adirondack chairs, the lower lanai is for the sun worshipers – wide-open to the glorious golden Maui sun.

Pool
A large above-ground pool sits adjacent to both the upper and lower lanais; this configuration works well because it keeps everything connected and central to the social activity of your group. The pool is fenced, and access is from a child-proofed gate on an elevated area connected to the upper lanai, so if you have children it will be easy to monitor their access and water play.

Third bedroom

Bedrooms
(Photos of other bedrooms below the map)
As I mentioned earlier, I’m quite impressed with how they laid this floorplan out. The bedrooms have been perfectly buffered for maximum privacy through the back portion of the house. A long L-shaped hallway starts at the living room and ends at the Studio Suite. The configuration keeps all the bedrooms from directly sharing any wall with another bedroom.

Master Bedroom
The master bedroom has a jacuzzi tub and an open-floorplan attached bathroom – a folding partition separates the jacuzzi portion of the bathroom from the bedroom, but many couples will move this because of how romantic it is to be in the bedroom AND in the jacuzzi at the same time! King bed, walk-in closet, TV with satellite and full bathroom with separate shower stall (in addition to the stand-alone Jacuzzi.)

Studio Suite Bedroom
A self-contained suite, well insulated from the rest of the home by a long hallway with doors at both ends. The suite also has a private entrance next to the driveway. If you have members of your party that could used their own space with the ability to exit or enter without disturbing the rest of the group, this is the spot.

The suite sleeps two to four adults with a king bed plus a quality queen-size futon. TV with satellite and private bathroom. This was originally designed as a stand-alone suite, but is now exclusively included with the main house.

Children's Bedroom w/ Two Twin Beds

Third Bedroom
King bed and ample closet space. TV with satellite.

Children’s Bedroom
Decorated in a fun kids theme, there are two twin beds, a closet with games, and small futons if you need an extra bed or two for little ones (these are not adult-sized and are not included in the house futon count found above.) There is also a TV with satellite and a Playstation.

Location
Just a short walk to the ocean, shops, bars and restaurants, this house is just a block off the main drag in Kihei – you’re in a residential neighborhood, so at home you escape the touristy resort thing, but when you want to be in the action, it’s all right there.

Also within walking distance is a large playground, outdoor skating rink right on the ocean that costs just $5, the best place to learn to surf in South Maui, a skatepark, and public volleyball courts.

More photos below the map.

View Cove & Kalama Park Rental Vicinity in a larger map

Fourth Bedroom is a private Studio

Master Bed

Jacuzzi Tub in Master Bedroom

One of three bathrooms

One of Three Bathrooms

Tiles in shower

Outdoor Shower

Lanai steps

Lower lanai view from upper lanai.

Lower Lanai

Upper Lanai

Side Lanai & Outdoor Dining Table

Inside and outside dining tables.

Kitchen

Kitchen & Hallway

Living Room

Livingroom

Hallway

Contact Hale Palama

[contact-form-7]

Kihei Resort – Griffin Family (#213)

Walker — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:00:13 +0000

The garden courtyard is the focal point of the complex.

Contact: Griffin Family 213
Book: Online booking form
Website: More details & photos

Sleeps 2-7
2 Bdrm + Sofabed / 2 Bath

Seasonal Price Range: $149-$229*
*Tip: The lowest advertised rates are shown on the booking form.

Summary
A great value, Unit 213 has been upgraded and is clean and comfortable. Quality furniture, linens, and thoughtful owners. The complex is centrally located, has private reserved parking, a beach across the street, and a swimming pool and hot tub nestled inside the tropical garden courtyard. Unit 213 is toward the back of the property, which means it is well off of S. Kihei Road and you can’t hear any street noise. Parking is reserved and very close to the unit.

Value
It is a given that this price range can prove very difficult to end up with decent quality – usually when you pass below the $200 mark on a two bedroom you can expect to give up a lot. Not the case here. In fact, you’re going to be hard-pressed to get everything for this price in another condo. The price is well below comparable units (or a hotel room, for that matter) – but corners have not been cut on comfort and quality. Another plus I noticed was the split-floor layout – this condo feels a whole lot larger than your average 2BR condo.

Location
One reason the price stays in line is that the location isn’t sitting inside one of the posh resort areas in Wailea – but folks who’ve been to Maui know that actually matters very little because Maui is very small. You can be at any part of South Maui from here within minutes. All beaches in Maui are public, so in ten minutes you can be sitting at the same beach Paris Hilton lounges on (that would be Wailea Beach, by the way) but without the “on Wailea Beach” price tag. There are also several beaches within walking distance, including a small, pretty beach right across the street.

Kalepolepo Beach Park across the street.

The Beach
The beach across the street, Kalepolepo Beach Park, is uncrowded and totally under the radar of most tourists. It is a perfect place to watch the whales in season – in fact it is the site for the recently upgraded Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary learning center. It is also home to culturally significant and the most accessible ancient Hawaiian fishpond in Maui. This is a great beach to escape touristy crowds, have dinner or drinks while you witch the sunset, or strike up a down-to-earth conversation with a local family.

The Property
The totally misnamed “Kihei Resort” condo complex is a low-profile residential garden-style complex built around a tropical garden courtyard setting. Not a true resort by any stretch of the imagination (in fact most units are resident occupied.)

The few units that are currently rented to visitors are all privately owned, and not offered or managed by the condo property management as is common among some of the bigger timeshare and/or “condotel” buildings found in Maui resort locations. There also aren’t the kinds of fees true resorts relentlessly hit you with; extras such as Internet are included, there is no daily “resort fee”, and you won’t pay extra for your private reserved parking space.

Unit 213 is owned by the Griffin family – Maui residents and respected business owners. In fact, it bears mentioning that their business is in maintaining vacation estates of the wealthy – this means they have resources on-hand to maintain their condo to the highest of standards, and in a pinch they can handle problems quickly and efficiently (something you learn not to take for granted living on an isolated island.)

The kitchen greets you as you enter the front door.

The Unit
Since all the units in Kihei Resort are privately owned, they vary widely in furnishing and quality, and the Griffin’s unit sits at the very top of those available to visitors.

The Griffins actually purchased this unit as their home. Business demands and a growing family pulled them to another part of the island, but they value the low-key vibe and proximity to beaches and restaurants. Point being that they offer this unit with an eye on returning to it as their home in the future. I mention that because this focus is clear (and very different) when you rent this condo – improvements, maintenance and care are simply at a different level, creating a “home-away-from-home” feeling and added level of comfort that you simply don’t get at a for-profit vacation condo.

Another point that sets this unit apart from others in the complex is that the Griffins have expanded and remodeled the kitchen. Kitchens in the standard layout here are cramped and tiny, something the family felt needed to be upgraded when they were living here. The kitchen was redone beautifully, and just the right amount of room was added to give it plenty of space while maximizing space in the rest of the floorplan.

This unit can sleep 6 comfortably, and parents can have complete privacy upstairs while they keep the kids in the downstairs bedroom (or sofabed.) The furniture is all of higher quality, and the owners clearly take pride in offering a better-than-expected experience for visitors.

Website: More details & photos

View Kihei Resort in a larger map

Contact Griffin Family (#213)

[contact-form-7]

Action Sports Maui

Mark — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:54:11 +0000

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Comprehensive, intermediate & advanced wind/kite/sail lessons. Note: rating reflects intermediate and advanced lessons.

Key Info:
Location: Kanaha Beach & Kihei
Phone: 808-871-5857
Rating source: Google
Web: http://www.actionsportsmaui.com
Price: $80 – $1000+

View Larger Map

Kihei Park Shore

Mark — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:00:53 +0000

Kitchen in Unit #1

Contact: Kihei Park Shore

Quick Summary:
A fantastic value, in a small, low-key non-touristy complex. A nice surprise in this price range is the proximity of the ocean and the views. The quality in the recently remodeled units is also a big step above comparably priced units in South Maui.

Details:
I’ve identified six high-quality privately-owned units in this small condo complex. Of the six I really like, all have swimming pool access, BBQ’s on lanai, A/C, cable TV, Internet, washer/dryer and dishwashers. All are clean and high-quality; five have been recently remodeled.

Pool view from the lanai of Unit #1

Directly across from Cove Park, the ocean views are unobstructed. You can watch whales from your lanai (in season) and there is a small, private pool just steps from your back door. Chaise lounges are provided for your use – and even though you’re so close to the ocean, you wouldn’t be the first one who didn’t make it past the pool some days

A short walk from Kamaole Beach Park in one direction and Kalama Park in the other, a lot of activities are steps form your door. Kalama Park has a skatepark and a free outdoor roller rink right next to the ocean. (Not to mention a playground, tennis courts, BBQ grills, volleyball and more.)

Cove Park is the de-facto place to learn to surf in Kihei. The most regular small surf break in South Maui means there are surf-schools here virtually every day of the year.

Tha Kamaloe’s are the most popular beaches in Kihei for a reason. The closest is the Charlie Young Beach side of Kam I – one of the prettiest spots on all three Kamaoles. You can walk along the shoreline all the way down to Kamaole II & III. All three of these beaches have lifeguards, and are great for swiming, booige boarding, or just doing nothing but lazing on the soft sand all day!

The Building:
The building was constructed as a residential apartment building, and unlike the bigger crowded condos, Park Shore has only 16 units. Many units are resident occupied, though the location and view have started to make these a natural fit for low-key vacation rentals in recent years. The units I’ve focused on reviewing are exceptional values, and certainly are the nicest units in the complex.

Each unit is unique & privately owned and the entire complex is non-smoking.

Units Available for Vacation Rental:

Unit #1 | 2BR | Sleeps 2-6
The owner of two of the units featured here, Carolyn has worked as a travel agent for decades, so she knows what visitors want, and it shows!

Modern kitchens, travertine floors, granite countertops, and loads of good taste have gone into furnishing this lovely beach condo.

More Info: Check out the dedicated article for Kihei Park Shore #1

Unit 3 | 1BR | Sleeps 2-4
The second of Carolyn’s lovely units, with the same kind of thoughtful touches and tasteful remodeling.

This is a one bedroom, one bath, with queen bed & sofabed in the livingroom; perfect size for folks who want more than a hotel room, but don’t need the family space of a two or three bedroom condo.

New kitchen, bath, appliances, and on the ground-floor, this unit is just steps from the pool. Also very reasonably priced.

More Info: Check out the dedicated article for Kihei Park Shore #3

Tastefully decorated, you'll come back from your hard day at the beach to a home, not a bland hotel room!

Unit 7 | 1BR | Sleeps 2-4
Master bedroom has a queen bed, livingroom has a sofabed. 55″ Flat Panel TV and Surround Sound system just installed. Ground floor.

More Info: Check out the dedicated article for Kihei Park Shore #7

Unit 9 | 3BR** | Sleeps 2-7
Master bedroom has a queen bed, guest bedroom double bed, and there is also a 2-room double-loft that is considered the third bedroom. The loft is simple, and pretty much serves as an additional no-frills sleeping area with a double futon and floor space for an air mattress or two. (There is a fold-out twin mattress and inflatable Queen bed provided if you’re packing ‘em in this unit!)

More Info: Check out the dedicated article for Kihei Park Shore #9

Unit 14 | 2BR | Sleeps 2-6
This is a second floor unit with a spectacular view. Two bedrooms: a master with queen bed and a loft with double bed. The loft also has its own large shower and pedestal sink. This is very similar to #9 above. (It is next door, same owner, same view, furnishing and remodel style – the detail article on #9 describes it perfectly, minus the extra bedroom.)

View Kihei Park Shore in a larger map

Kihei Park Shore Inquiry

[contact-form-7]

Wailea North 3BR Plantation House

Mark — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:00:23 +0000

Front of house, yeah, the roof is a lanai!

Contact: Wailea North 3BR Plantation House

Seasonal Price Range: $249-$369
Book: Online booking form

Sleeps 2-6
3 Bdrm (King, Queen, Full) / 2 Bath

First things first, the rooftop is a lanai complete with gas BBQ, lounge chairs, tables, hammock, and sweeping ocean and mountain views. What a great place for relaxing, whale watching (breakfast, lunch and dinner, too!) Seriously, you can not underestimate how much time you’ll spend on this lanai…forget the TVs in every room – when you’re home, you’ll be out here!

This photo does the lanai view no justice! Expect stunning panoramic views that appear much closer in person. You can also see whales in season - I need to go back and re-photograph this one...

Location
This home is right on the boarder of Kihei and Wailea, so you get a perfect location, close proximity to dozens of world class beaches, five resort golf courses, all manner of shops, bars and restaurants – all the while insulated in an authentic low-key residential Wailea neighborhood.

Master Bedroom

About 500 yards away from your front door is Keawakapu Beach, a long, postcard perfect beach perfect for laying out, long walks, snorkeling, boogie boarding, swimming and tide pools. About the same distance is our #1 rated South Maui Italian restaurant, Sarento’s on the Beach.

Value
This 3BR house is less than the average price of a one Wailea hotel room. You’ll be hard pressed to find another house for half this price in Wailea – in fact, it is almost all resorts and multi-million vacation estates from here through Makena (where the resorts and development ends.)

Kitchen

Cleanliness & Attention to Detail
The owner is an exceedingly hospitable host, and gets rave reviews from visitors. He is also a stickler for cleanliness and attention to detail – which is something that continues to shine long after you walk through the front door.

The owner lives on Maui – in fact he furnished this as his own home and lived here for quite some time. That fact gives this home a real advantage over most vacation rentals – the owner lived here, tweaked and adjusted comforts and functionality with a genuine care and attention. Since most rentals are owned by absentee landlords, this is something that really stands out.

Visitors looking for convenience, comfort, value and to escape the more fabricated “kitchy tourist thing” have definitely hit the jackpot here.

The hammock on the lanai is to die for

Second Bedroom

One of two sets of French doors

Third Bedroom

Massaging Chair

Living Room

Lanai

One of several places to dine.

Master Bathroom

Second Bathroom

Inquiry:

[contact-form-7]

Kelii’s Kayak Tours

Mark — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:39:06 +0000

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Kayak & snorkeling tours of South & West Maui. They also offer surf lessons.

Key Info:
Location: Meet at launch site(varies), South & West Maui
Phone: 808-874-7652
Rating source: Google
Web: http://www.keliiskayak.com
Price: $50 – $150

View Larger Map

Maui Guidebook » South Maui

South Maui – Quick Summary

You may also be interested in:

Car Rental Hawaii

You may also be interested in:

Nick’s Fishmarket

You may also be interested in:

Makena Big Beach (aka Oneloa)

You may also be interested in:

Hale Palama

Contact Hale Palama

You may also be interested in:

Kihei Resort – Griffin Family (#213)

Contact Griffin Family (#213)

You may also be interested in:

Action Sports Maui

You may also be interested in:

Kihei Park Shore

Kihei Park Shore Inquiry

You may also be interested in:

Wailea North 3BR Plantation House

Inquiry:

You may also be interested in:

Kelii’s Kayak Tours

You may also be interested in: