Things to do in Keokea

The luxury Wailea resort community occupies 1,500 acres (607 hectares) of land. The area is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Wailea Beach is a wide stretch of sand, perfect for an afternoon of sunbathing or building sandcastles. It’s surrounded by four smaller beaches and has a broad range of shops. Rent a kayak or snorkeling gear, or book a guided scuba dive to see the green turtles up-close. This popular, family-friendly beach has many facilities.

At Haleakalā National Park, you can step inside volcanic craters, walk through rain forest and swim in freshwater pools.

Keawakapu Beach is more serene than its quite touristy neighbors on the southwestern shore of Maui. This beach stretches for about 1,200 yards (1,110 meters), and you should have no problem finding a good spot for sunbathing on the soft, white sand. If you’re looking to escape the crowds or for a spot to let the kids roam free and build sandcastles, Keawakapu Beach is for you. Scuba divers come here to see the fish species attracted to the artificial reef made from old cars.

Maluaka Beach has some of the calmest and warmest waters of Maui’s shoreline and is sheltered from trade winds. This makes it prime snorkeling territory, especially in the morning. If you want to see Hawaiian green turtles, add Maluaka to your itinerary; this is the place to see the large marine reptiles up-close!

The Haleakalā Crater is home to the “House of the Sun,” or the East Maui Volcano. Come here to watch the sunrise; it’s one of the best in the country and you can easily imagine that you are on another planet. The Haleakalā National Park is a refreshing change of scenery from Maui’s crowded beaches and is not to be missed.

Makena Beach State Park is a wilderness area with three beaches that are excellent for bodyboarding: Makena Beach, Puʻu Olai Beach and Naupaka Beach. Each has its own personality and attracts different types of visitors. Presiding over all three beaches is the volcanic Pu’u Ola’i (Earthquake Hill). This is a dormant cinder cone which stands 360 feet (110 meters) high.