Maui Itinerary - Day 5 - Information On Maui Hawaii

If you've followed our Maui Itinerary guides this far then you may be feeling like you're going to need a vacation after your vacation just to relax and wind down. Well fear not, Day 5 of your Maui vacation is all about relaxing at the beach, doing a little shopping, and enjoying some local restaurants.

Honolua Bay

Let's start the morning off with a trip to world famous Honolua Bay. Never heard of it you say? Well then you're in for a treat. Assuming ocean conditions are good (pronounced: calm), this conservation area can provide some incredible snorkeling. Best of all, you don't need a boat to get here. You can literally drive, park, do a very short 5 minute walk, and be in some of the best snorkeling waters in Hawaii.

Honolua Bay directions and parking map.

As for parking, see our Honolua Bay map above for locations of the parking areas and walking trails. You'll want to use the second / farther (and larger) parking area and trail down as you head north on the Honoapiilani Highway.

Don't forget your mask and snorkel!

Of course, you'll need a mask and snorkel as there isn't a tour company here providing them for you this time. This brings up the question, Should I Bring My Own Snorkel Gear To Hawaii? So consider renting snorkels at a dive shops or possibly even from your hotel. If you plan to do a lot of snorkeling, my advice is to just buy a cheap (but not too cheap) mask and snorkel from Costco, Safeway, or even the ubiquitous ABC Store. It's money well spent if you enjoy snorkeling. When you're done, either take it home for next time or pass it along to somebody checking into your hotel as you check out. Some hotels even offer donation bins so check with yours to see if somebody left a freebie you can claim during your stay (and then wash it really well!).

Note that lotions and sunscreens are not allowed in the waters of Honolua Bay as this is a conservation area and that stuff can hurt the marine life living here. Wear a t-shirt or rash guard, limit your time in the sun, and avoid midday when the sun is at its worst to better Protect Yourself From Sunburn & Skin Cancer. If you start to resembled a cooked lobster then learn how to Get Rid Of Sunburn.

D.T. Fleming Beach Park

Once you've had enough snorkeling, head back south and stop at nearby D.T. Fleming Beach Park. This gorgeous beach was voted as "America's Best Beach" in 2006 by that Nurse Beach guy, so that and $8 will get you a drink at Starbucks. But it's a fun place to hang out, swim, and enjoy the beauty of Maui and even has a lifeguard which we always like to see.

Napili Bay Beach

Next up on the must see beach list in this area is Napili Bay Beach. It's on your way as you head back south towards the Ka'anapali Resort area and worth a stop. It's just a fun little beach to spend some time at.

Hungry yet?

You should be getting hungry for lunch by now so you can either grab a bite near Napili Bay or head down to our next stop, Whalers Village which will have quite a few options in and around it. If you eat closer to Napili Bay you should still head down to Whalers Village after lunch.

Ka'anapali Beach

Whalers Village is an open air shopping mall with tons of stores to browse through and it's located right on Ka'anapali Beach. After you eat and shop, spend a little time enjoying the incredibly popular Ka'anapali Beach. There is also a nice beach walk that runs up and down the beach to all of the resorts in this area. It's fun to walk along, stopping in the various resorts to check them out. After all, this is the perfect time to start planning that next Maui trip and deciding on where you want to stay!

Black Rock Beach (Pu'u Keka'a)

If the sunset is approaching be sure to walk over to Black Rock Beach (Pu'u Keka'a) for the Black Rock Cliff Dive Ceremony and to enjoy another lovely Maui sunset, perhaps over dinner somewhere in this resort area. Look at the time, you still have plenty of time to head back to your resort (which you may already be at if you're lodging here in Kaanapali) and enjoy a relaxing soak in the hot tub before calling it a night.