You've been on Maui for a while now, what could possibly be left? Plenty!
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• General: DIY / How-To
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• General: Educational
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| Guide Series: Maui Vacation Itinerary |
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By now, you've seen a huge amount that Maui has to offer. And hopefully you're well relaxed from our beach day yesterday because today we're looking for some extreme adventure thrills. Cliff diving? Rock climbing? Sky diving? Okay, so nothing quite that extreme but ziplining is still full of amazing thrills and still something that most people can do. So ziplining it is!
You can browse the many ziplining options on Maui here. Whichever one you pick is up to you and may just depend on how many ziplines you want to do (each company offers multiple lines you get to zip down) or how close the ziplines are to your resort.
Either way, ziplining is an incredible experience that provides exciting thrills. There are many places around the world where you can zip down a line, but few where you can do it in such a beautiful location as Maui. The zipline company will provide all of the safety equipment you need and even give lessons on how to zip properly. They'll be with you the whole way and start you off on short and easy ziplines as you work your way up to faster and longer lines.
Now that you've got your blood pumping a bit it's time to go cool off. Let's head south through Kihei and continue beyond Wailea. Keep driving south on Wailea Alanui Drive which will turn into Makena Road and then into Makena Alanui and then back to Makena Road (because Maui county likes to make things confusing) as it follows the coast to the south tip of Maui.
You'll notice the scenery turns from civilization to desolate lava fields. Yes, Lava Fields on Maui. This is all old lava so it's just black rock as far as the eye can see. As the road ends you'll arrive at the amazing La Perouse Bay. Assuming the ocean is calm, this can be an excellent place to do some snorkeling. Just remember that if you choose to do so, you're doing so at your own risk (as always) and there are no lifeguards here. There may not even be a cell phone signal here if you get in trouble.
If you choose not to snorkel here, it's still worth a visit. The drive alone is a lot of fun and just beautiful all around. But walking around La Perouse Bay is pretty neat. There are some ancient ruins here which is exciting for some, and less exciting for others. But the scenery all around has universal appeal for all.
When you've had enough, head back north and make a stop and the popular Big Beach (Oneloa/Makena Beach) at Makena State Park which gets its name from how tiny it is. I'm kidding, it's massive in size and a great beach. If the ocean is a little angry this isn't a great place to swim but still a fun place to stop.
Yes, they are all sans bathing suits but we've blurred out their bits.
Right next door, is Little Beach (Pu'u Ola'i Nude Beach) which gets its name from being smaller than big beach. Oh, and it's a nude beach. Yes, it will be as full of nudity as a late night Skinemax movie marathon. But before you get your camera out and climb over the rocks that separate it from Big Beach (Oneloa/Makena Beach) at Makena State Park, know that the nudists over there have a severe dislike for cameras and pretty much everything over there isn't what you'll want a photographic memory of anyhow. Let's just say that it tends to attract a more mature crowd that don't spend all day at the gym. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but what is seen at a nude beach cannot be unseen. Just saying so you know. Don't worry about seeing the Little Beach nudity from Big Beach, there's a mini-mountain separating the two so you won't have explain why skin sags so much as we age to your kids.
Time for some lunch!
Hungry? Me too. Chances are good there is at least one food truck in the parking lot of Big Beach (Oneloa/Makena Beach) at Makena State Park so that's good if you need food right now. Otherwise, you can head closer to Wailea or even Kihei for a variety of food options. As you head north, view Maui Restaurants Nearby Me on your smartphone (not while driving!).
The beautiful resort town of Wailea.
After lunch, go explore the resort town that is Wailea. This is a master-planned resort that is loaded with luxury hotels, condominiums, and homes. Maybe you just had lunch in one of the resort hotels, in which case you've already figured out a place to park! Many hotels will validate parking if you're eating at one of their restaurants. Otherwise, there are free parking places by some of the beach access points. For example, you can find one at the lovely Wailea Beach Park which is our next stop.
Wailea Beach Park is a very unique beach. The sand here is like powder. The water is often very calm and clear. It's also usually fairly warm, probably because the darker sand absorbs more sun energy. It's a beautiful spot to watch a sunset as well so keep that in mind if you're here at that time. Either way, do not miss this beach. Buy a cheap floaty of some sort and just enjoy the calm wave action.
After the sunset, dry off and put on a change of clothes. Head over to The Shops At Wailea which is just a short drive away. Do a little shopping and enjoy a nice dinner at one of the several restaurant options they offer. If you don't like the dining options here then the Wailea resort hotels are filled with many other options as well. If you didn't do a luau last night, this would be a good time to do one as some of the hotels here offer one (though not always every night and advanced reservations may be required).
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