Where to stay in Maui in December?

[MakingBubbles]

I currently have a condo reserved in Northwest Maui (Kahana) in early December. I think I can get a comparable condo in Wailua (near Wailea Beach) instead. Would this be a better choice if I plan on shore diving and going to Molokini for Snorkeling or Scuba. I've heard that the water on the North shores has heavy surf this time of year, so it seems to me that stay further South would be better. Is this true?

 

[DiveMaven]

You definitely want to get a charter out of Kihei if you're diving Molokini. S. Maui also has a lot of shore diving options as well, so I'd have to agree that moving to S. Maui is probably a good choice for you.

 

[Charlie99]

Are you sure about Wailua being near Wailea? I think Wailua is on the NE side of Maui, generally a pretty rugged area with high surf. Being halfway to Hana, it is probably further away from Kihei than is Kahana. Sometimes these consonant-deficient Hawaiian names can be confusing.

In the hot months Kahana is really nice as the cooling breezes of the trade winds wrap around the north side of West Maui. In December, Kahana is much more likely to have rain than even just a couple miles south at Kaanapali or Lahaina, so I do recommend looking for a place in Kihei or Wailea for December.

 

[bwerb]

I like using the Vacation Rental by Owner website http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/hawaii/maui

I have really liked Grand Champions Resort in Wailea. Great basecamp for diving in a very nice area.

 

[MakingBubbles]

Are you sure about Wailua being near Wailea? I think Wailua is on the NE side of Maui, generally a pretty rugged area with high surf.

You are correct. The website I was looking at had the wrong city name for the condo. The condo is actually in Wailea. Based on feedback, it seems that Wailea would be a better place to stay in December. Would anyone disagree? Are sites near Kahana like Honolua Bay, Kapalua Bay, Kahekili Beach (Old Airport), and Black Rock (Sheraton) typically diveable in December or is the surf too high? :scubadive

How long is the drive to south dive sites like Ulua from Kahana? I think Ulua is near Wailea Beach, correct?

 

[Charlie99]

Are sites near Kahana like Honolua Bay, Kapalua Bay, Kahekili Beach (Old Airport), and Black Rock (Sheraton) typically diveable in December or is the surf too high? :scubadive

How long is the drive to south dive sites like Ulua from Kahana? I think Ulua is near Wailea Beach, correct?

Kahana is about 10 minutes north of Lahaina, perhaps 5 minutes north of Kaanapali. Honolua Bay is a bit further north. Somedays it is great diving there during the winter, somedays it's a great surfing spot. Old Airport is on the north side of Kaanapali, very near to Kahana. And Black Rock is in the main resort section of Kaanapali. Both are nice, are close to Kahana and are easy dives, although Black Rock is a pretty long hike through the resort to the beach. Boat diving out of West Maui (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kahana, etc.) is mostly going over to Lanai, with the boats leaving from either Lahaina harbor, or the Mala Ramp in Lahaina.

Lahaina Divers does run some boats from Lahaina harbor over to Molokini, but I strongly recommend driving over to Kihei and getting a boat from the much closer Kihei boat ramp. It's about an hour drive from Kahana to the Kihei boat ramp (assuming you stay on the highway that bypasses Kihei and don't exit until Keonekai Rd / MM9).

Wailea is the next city south of Kihei, and the Kihei boat ramp is just a few minutes away (it's at the south/Wailea end of Kihei).

There are some pretty nice shore dives in both South Maui (Kihei/Wailea/Makena) and West Maui (Lahaina/Kahana, etc.), so it doesn't make a lot of sense to drive to the other section for a shore dive unless it is part of a trip to see other stuff too.

 

[MakingBubbles]

Kahana is about 10 minutes north of Lahaina, perhaps 5 minutes north of Kaanapali. Honolua Bay is a bit further north. Somedays it is great diving there during the winter, somedays it's a great surfing spot. Old Airport is on the north side of Kaanapali, very near to Kahana. And Black Rock is in the main resort section of Kaanapali. Both are nice, are close to Kahana and are easy dives, although Black Rock is a pretty long hike through the resort to the beach. Boat diving out of West Maui (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kahana, etc.) is mostly going over to Lanai, with the boats leaving from either Lahaina harbor, or the Mala Ramp in Lahaina.

Lahaina Divers does run some boats from Lahaina harbor over to Molokini, but I strongly recommend driving over to Kihei and getting a boat from the much closer Kihei boat ramp. It's about an hour drive from Kahana to the Kihei boat ramp (assuming you stay on the highway that bypasses Kihei and don't exit until Keonekai Rd / MM9).

Wailea is the next city south of Kihei, and the Kihei boat ramp is just a few minutes away (it's at the south/Wailea end of Kihei).

There are some pretty nice shore dives in both South Maui (Kihei/Wailea/Makena) and West Maui (Lahaina/Kahana, etc.), so it doesn't make a lot of sense to drive to the other section for a shore dive unless it is part of a trip to see other stuff too.

Good insight. I've heard good things about both condo locations. Sounds to me like a condo in the Wailea/Kihei area will be a better choice for me since I plan on taking 2 boat charters to the Molokini and/or doing some shore diving. Also, I wouldn't mind checking out Black Sand Beach even if I don't get to dive it. I might even be able to squeeze in a quick trip to Haleakala on the afternoon I arrive since I won't have to worry about the elevation. Sleep??? We don't need no stinking sleep! Heck there's so much fun stuff to do on the Hawaiian Islands, I might even have to take another vacation when I get home to recouperate!!!