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Alternative-Hawaii

ISLAND OF MAUI

SOUTH COAST DRIVE GUIDE

Secluded Beaches, Last Lava Flows, Ruins

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Created by: Alternative-Hawaii.com
  • Approx. 16 miles round-trip from Start of Drive (Wailea Shopping Village).
  • Allow at least 3 hours for round-trip from Start of Drive including time spent at "stops".
  • For your safety, please observe Cautionary Notes on drive "stops" below.
  • Set Odometer to Zero between "stops" below.
  • All distances are to the nearest tenth of a mile.
(Photographs are not viewable on this Printer Friendly page. To view photographs return to Color page.)

STOP 1: ULUA BEACH PHOTOGRAPH
START: WAILEA SHOPPING VILLAGE  
DIST/TIME: 0.4 Mile/Approx. 2 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Ulua Beach (Left Side)  
 ROUTE:
  • Turn left from Wailea Shopping Village onto Wailea Alanui Drive
  • Go short way (0.3 mile) to sign for beach
  • Turn left onto Ulua Beach access road
  • Go short way (0.1 mile) to parking lot for beach
Beautiful sandy beach. Excellent snorkeling and scuba diving for beginners. Pretty picnic spot.

Note: public seafront walkway. Showers/restrooms.

Caution: swim at your own risk-sheer drop.




STOP 2: KEAWALAI CHURCH PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: ULUA BEACH  
DIST/TIME: 3.4 Miles/Approx. 8 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Makena Landing (Rt.Side)  
 ROUTE:
  • Leave parking lot-return to Wailea Alanui Drive
  • Turn right onto Wailea Alanui Drive
  • Go 3 miles to sign for Makena Landing (right side-before Maui Prince Hotel).(After 1.3 miles, Wailea Alanui Drive becomes Makena Alanui Rd)
  • Turn right at Makena Landing sign and go to Makena Road at end of street
  • Turn left onto Makena Road and go short way (0.2 mile) to parking lot across from the church
Beautiful oceanfront Hawaiian church founded in 1832, built from white coral and lava rock.




STOP 3: MALUAKA BEACH PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: KEAWALAI CHURCH  
DIST/TIME: 0.1 Mile/Approx. 1 Min.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Maluaka Beach  
 ROUTE:
  • Leave car in parking lot and walk 200 yards beyond Keawalai Church to Maluaka Beach
One of Maui's loveliest beaches-sandy bottom gently slopes to overhead depths. Great picnic spot.

Note: showers and restrooms at parking lot.




STOP 4: MAKENA STATE PARK PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: MALUAKA BEACH  
DIST/TIME: 1.7 Miles/Approx. 5 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Second Paved Road after
Maui Prince Hotel (Right Side)		  
 ROUTE:
  • Leave Maluaka Beach parking lot and return short way (0.3 mile) to Makena Alanui Road
  • Turn right and go 1.3 miles to second paved entry road after Maui Prince Hotel (right side)
  • Turn right and go to large paved parking lot
Nicknamed "Big Beach", this popular beach located at Makena State Park is over 0.5 mile long and 100 feet wide. Trail over Puu Olai cinder cone, at right end of beach leads to "Little Beach" (illegal nudist beach).

Note: lifeguard. Restrooms.

Caution: swimming can be dangerous. Kona storms and heavy surf often create rip currents and powerful shorebreak. Offshore bottom drops quickly to overhead depths. Check with lifeguard.




STOP 5: AHIHI-KINAU RESERVE PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: MAKENA STATE PARK  
DIST/TIME: 1.5 Miles/Approx. 6 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: Sign-Ahihi-Kinau (Right Side)  
 ROUTE:
  • Leave park and return to Makena Alanui Road
  • Turn right and go 1.2 miles to first sign marked Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve
  • Continue short way (0.2 mile) to small cove located right after road curves between two stone walls. (A brown wooden house is situated behind the high wall on the right overlooking the cove.)
On calm days, excellent snorkeling for novices. Great scuba diving in the bay.

Note: Ahihi-Kinau is a Natural Area Reserve. Any activity which is inconsistent with the preservation and protection of the area is not allowed. (For example, no fishing or removal of coral or lava.)




STOP 6: LA PÉROUSE BAY PHOTOGRAPH
LEAVE: AHIHI-KINAU RESERVE  
DIST/TIME: 1.7 Miles/Approx. 7 Mins.  
WATCH FOR: La Pérouse Memorial/End of Road  
 ROUTE:
  • Continue 1.7 miles on Makena Alanui Road through lava fields to road's end at the sea
Site of the last lava flow on Maui (1790's). For a delightful short (0.5 mile one-way) and shady hike, take the ancient King's Highway which begins across the lava flow. This magical trail goes along spectacular shoreline, secluded coves and many ancient sites of once thriving Hawaiian communities. Snorkeling/scuba diving for experts.

Note: please respect the native Hawaiian archaeological sites. Stay on the trail. Do not remove the stones or other natural materials. Help preserve these priceless sites for future generations by leaving them as you find them.

Caution: trail is rocky, wear hiking shoes. After one-half mile, trail is no longer shady and is often hot. Water entries and exits are hazardous-rugged coast.


END OF DRIVE - RETURN TO KAHULUI

On to Iao Valley / Northeast Coast or,

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