South Maui (Kīhei & Wailea) · Maui

Activities in South Maui

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Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour

Morning boats to the sunken crescent crater with 100-foot visibility.

The half-submerged volcanic crater three miles off the south shore is a marine conservation district with some of the clearest water in Hawaiʻi. Book the earliest departure from Māʻalaea — wind and chop build by late morning. Many tours pair it with a second stop at a turtle reef.

Price: $$$
Time: Half day

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Beginner Surf Lessons at the Cove

Kīhei's gentle rollers are made for a first wave.

Price: $$
Time: 2 hours

Beaches in South Maui

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Wailea Beach

The polished crescent fronting the Wailea resorts.

Gentle entry, morning snorkeling at the rocky points, and the paved Wailea Beach Path connecting a string of coves. Public access lots sit between the resorts.

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Mākena Beach (Big Beach)

Two-thirds of a mile of wide, wild golden sand backed by lava and kiawe.

Part of Mākena State Park south of Wailea. Undeveloped, vast and beautiful — but the shorebreak is powerful and injures people every year; swim only when calm and never turn your back on the waves.

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Kamaʻole Beach Parks I–III

Kīhei's three friendly neighborhood beaches with lifeguards and lawns.

Hikes in South Maui

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Hoapili Trail (La Pérouse Bay)

The King's Highway across Maui's youngest lava flow to hidden coves.

Beyond the end of the road at La Pérouse Bay, an ancient paved trail crosses the raw ʻāʻā of Maui's last eruption. Utterly shadeless and hot — start at dawn, wear real shoes, and carry more water than seems reasonable.

Time: 2-4 hours

Hotels in South Maui

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Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Open-air luxury above Wailea Beach — the island's benchmark resort.

Class: 5★
Price: $$$$

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Grand Wailea

Grand-scale resort with Hawaiʻi's most elaborate pool complex.

Class: 4.5★
Price: $$$$

Restaurants in South Maui

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Monkeypod Kitchen Wailea

Merriman-family gastropub famous for mai tais with lilikoʻi foam.

Cuisine: Hawaiʻi Regional / Gastropub
Price: $$$

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Kīhei Caffe

Huge local breakfasts across from Kalama Park since forever.

Cuisine: Breakfast / Local
Price: $

Sights in South Maui

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Maui Ocean Center

The aquarium of Hawaiʻi — sharks, rays and a humpback sphere theater.

At Māʻalaea Harbor between the west and south sides, the Ocean Center focuses entirely on Hawaiian marine life, from living reef tanks to a walk-through shark tunnel. The rainy-day plan that's worth a clear day too.

Time: 2-3 hours