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16 Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui – Don’t Miss #9!

Worldwide Wilbur

“16 Best Things to Do in Kihei Maui” will save you money on awesome ocean activities, and show you everything this great beach town has to offer.

 

Why should you trust Worldwide Wilbur?

As a longtime Kihei resident, I can give you the real inside-scoop on all the best Kihei has to offer.  I’ve lived in Kihei since 2004.

I came to Hawaii on vacation in 2003, and I knew immediately this is where I wanted to live.  Surely a lot of visitors to Hawaii feel that way, but most just go home and continue on with their lives, and let their vision of Hawaii slowly fade away.  Not me.  The day after I got home from my Hawaiian vacation, I started scouring the interwebs for a job, ANY job, anywhere in Hawaii.  After nine months of searching, applying, and hearing crickets…. I got a job!  I moved out to Kihei, Maui and have been here ever since.

What makes Kihei the best beach town in America?

I was willing to live anywhere in Hawaii, but fate landed me in Kihei, and I couldn’t be happier.  I’ve been to over 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states and I honestly think that Kihei has the best quality of life of any town in America.  Here is why:

Here are the 16 Best Things To Do in Kihei:

I’m going to let you in on all the best things to do in Kihei.  Some are gloriously free.  Some are tours with a price tag.  No doubt you will be inundated with a bewildering amount of tour options from magazines, flyers, and even sketchy timeshare high-pressure sales pitches.  After living here 15 years, I know the BEST BUDGET OPTIONS for all these tours and activities.  If you can find a QUALITY tour or activity priced cheaper than what I have listed, please let me know, and I’ll update the page.

The #1 Best Thing To Do in Kihei:  Go to the Beach!

Beaches are the #1 reason to come to Kihei.  And best of all, they are all free.  There are so many beaches in South Maui, they deserve an entire blog post of their own.  Check out “The Ultimate Guide to Kihei Beaches“.

#2 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Snorkel at Molokini Crater

Molokini is a crescent shaped volcanic crater, located just a couple of miles offshore from Kihei.  It is world renowned as one of the best dive/snorkel spots in the world.  If you only do one paid activity during your time here, choose Molokini.

BEST OPTION – Maui Snorkeling  has a big yacht with a 20 foot water slide!  They depart from nearby Maalaea Harbor on a 5 hour tour that gets you snorkeling at Molokini and Turtle Town for $141, with drinks and lunch.  So much fun.

 

#3 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Get on a Whale Watching Boat

The big expensive whale watch boats all leave from Lahaina.  But there is no need to drive that far, as you can go right from nearby Maalaea.

Sail Maui has a 2 hour trip departing Maalaea Harbor on a gorgeous sailboat catamaran for just $80.  Enjoy only the sounds of the waves and the whales as your ship rides the wind.

#4 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Experience a Lu’au

There is no longer any reason to drive all the way over to the west side to see one of the older, more well-known Lu’aus, as there is now a top class Lu’au in South Maui.   Be forewarned, if you sit near the front, you might find yourself up on stage trying to hula before the night is over.

I recommend the Feast at Mokapu at the Andaz Maui Resort in nearby Wailea.   The show encompasses the song and dance of several South Pacific cultures and the culture of old Hawaii.   Everyone gets a fresh flower lei greeting.  The stage is in front of the ocean, so you get a wonderful sunset ocean view.  No waiting in a buffet line here.  You will be served five star dining, at your table, by their executive chef.  And of course, an open bar.  $250 per adult.

#5 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Paddle a Kayak and Snorkel with Turtles

You can back your car right up to the beach at Makena Landing to drop a rental kayak.  From this spot, you have immediate access to fantastic snorkeling all along the Makena coast, and Turtle Town, which is normally only reached by charter boat.  If it’s your first time, it’s best to go with a tour.

South Pacific Kayaks leads an amazing 4 hour kayak and snorkel tour along Makena coastline for $112.  They go several days a week at 7am.

If you prefer a shorter trip, they also lead a 2.5 hour kayak and snorkel tour for $91.  They go daily at 715am.

#6 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Check out Kihei Fourth Friday Town Party

Every Fourth Friday of the month you’ll find a street party in Kihei’s Azeka Mauka shopping center.  From 6pm to 9pm, they close off the shopping center and one street to cars, and fill the space with all the best food trucks, local pop-up booths selling arts and crafts, clothing, cookies, and jewelry. bouncy castles, games for kids, and a stage with live bands.  Diamonds Bar does a roaring business.  It’s a lot of fun.  And best of all it’s FREE!  People think Maui is expensive, but it has many free activities like hula performances, Fourth Fridays, County beaches, State Parks and more!

#7 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Paddle an Outrigger Canoe

Hawaiian Outrigger Experience departs from the Grand Wailea beach on a real Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe for a one hour tour for $79.  You can learn Hawaiian chants and the art of sport canoe paddling.  They teach the non-instrumental navigational techniques used by the ancient Hawaiians.  You might even get a chance to snorkel with turtles.  It is a real cultural experience.  They go daily at 8am, 9am, 10, and 11am.

#8 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Learn to Surf

Kihei has two competing surf schools right next to each other at The Cove.  Both do a good job, but I recommend Maui Waveriders .  They have their own building directly across the street from the cove, and have professional instructors and quality equipment.  They provide rashguards and water shoes to protect your feet from the sharp reef.  Their 2 hour semi-private lessons, with all equipment included are $95 +tax.  You can even keep the board for a few more hours to surf on your own after the lesson.   Pro Tip: For the glassiest water, go EARLY.

(Actual naked people not shown…or are they?)

#9 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Experience the Sunday Sunset Drum Circle at Little Beach

Little Beach is really so much more than just a nude beach.  Sunday sunsets are the big draw.  On that afternoon it gets packed.  People gather in a rocking drum circle.  Someone with a bucket of glow-in-the-dark body paint is pressing handprints on all that want one.  People are dancing, swimming, singing, doing cartwheels, and smoking massive amounts of weed.  The vibe is full of positive energy and pure happiness and gratitude for being in such a beautiful place.  After sunset a group of fire-dancers start in, and the drummers turn up the volume.  It’s an experience unlike anything else in South Maui, and I highly recommend a visit.  (And you don’t have to get naked.  Nobody’s judging.  On Sunday it’s probably 20% naked/80% clothed)

#10 of the Best Things To Do in Kihei Maui:  Go Stand Up Paddle Boarding

South Pacific Kayaks does private 2 hour lessons for $123.   The same folks that take thousands of people kayaking each year, do a great job with paddle boarding.  If you haven’t tried it, you really should.  The board is wider and more stable than a surfboard, and by standing up, you have a better view down into the water to see what’s below you than you would surfing with your face attached to the front of the board.  Pro Tip: wear polarized sunglasses with a strap to avoid losing them.  This is a crack of dawn sport for most, as wind and waves are the enemy, and both pick up by noontime.

#11 Get Under the Water and SCUBA Dive:

There is a company doing shore dives for under $100, but I DO NOT recommend them due to some safety concerns.  Mike Severns Diving has a two-tank boat dive to various dive sites, including ALL gear (most places don’t include BCD and wetsuit), leaving from the Kihei Boat Ramp for $134.  Severns Diving is one of the few companies that does dives on the back side of Molokini, which is a really outstanding dive.  They go daily at 615am, every day but Sunday.

#12 Go to the Movies:

Kihei now its very own brand-new four-screen Kihei Cinemas in the Kukui Mall.  You no longer need to drive to Kahului to see “Avengers 27, Seriously, Probably The Last One”.  Budget Tip: Movies before 4pm are at the bargain matinee price of $10.

#13 Golf 18 Holes:

Golfing in South Maui is fantastic.  The famous Plantation Course in Kapalua (home of the Sentry Championship PGA tournament) gets more press, but it can be windy and often rainy there.  Kihei and Wailea are more reliably perfect.

#14 Hike the Kings Trail:

There isn’t much hiking to do in South Maui.  ALL the land mauka (uphill) of Kihei / Wailea / Makena is privately owned with no public access.  But there is one interesting and challenging hike option, the Hoapili Trail, aka The Kings Trail.  This ancient trail, blazed by pre-contact Hawaiians, takes you through a treacherous lava field to a black sand beach.

#15 Explore the Boardwalk at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge

If you’re a bird watcher, Kealia Pond is heaven.  In these protected wetlands you’ll see a lot of endangered ae‘o (Hawaiian stilt) and ‘alae ke‘oke‘o (Hawaiian coot).  My favorite is the Auku’u, the black-crowned night heron.  The long boardwalk gets you up close to the birds.  The refuge is located halfway between Kihei and Maalaea on North Kihei Road.

#16 Learn About Whales at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

In front of the building is the Kōʻieʻie fishpond, which was built over 500 years ago. Open Mon-Fri 10am to 3pm

Even More Things to Do in Kihei:

Get out and Exercise!  Many sporting activities are available in Kihei:

Windsurfing/Kitesurfing   

Beach Volleyball

Basketball

Tennis

Cycling

Running

Swimming

Gym

Yoga

Playground for little ones

Best Things To Do in Kihei: The Best Shopping

Best local women’s boutique

Mahina – I’ll admit I don’t do a lot of shopping at womens clothing stores, but I know Mrs. Worldwidewilbur makes this her #1 stop for gift buying for the ladies.

Best consignment store

Rainbow Attic – This place is like an upscale yard sale on steroids.  Antiques, Hawaiiana, clothes, they have it all.  I found a Members Only jacket!

Best Scuba/snorkel Shop

Boss Frogs – They’ve got masks, fins, wetsuits, everything but sharks.  You can find them literally everywhere with three locations in Kihei.  The “Snorkel Sets for $1.50 a Day” are a get-you-in-the-door teaser.  Trust me, you won’t want to use these sets that look like 1950s technology.  But they have lots of other great gear at a reasonable price.  The other day I bought a sweet used snorkel there for $20.

Best Surf Shop

Hi-Tech Surf Sports If it involves a board on the water, Hi-Tech has everything you need.

Best Tattoo Shop

Mid-Pacific Tattoo If you’re getting some ink, you want it done right.  You can trust Mid-Pacific.

Best electrology/laser hair removal

Medispa Maui – Sick of shaving?  Pay them a call before showing off your back sweater at the beach.

Best Smoke shop

Still Smokin – Dropped your pipe in the ocean?  They’ll set you straight.

Best Bridal Shop

Elly’s Formal Wear & Bridals – Here for a wedding and had a wardrobe malfunction?  Elly’s to the rescue.

Best Bike Shop

South Maui Bicycles – I love these guys.  They can transform my bike from a no-shifting, brake-squeaking wreck into a smooth machine in an hour.  They rent top-notch multi-speed Trek bikes, way better than the single-speed beach cruisers other places rent,  for $22 a day or $99 a week.

Best Jewelry Store

Topaz Jewelers – This family owned store has been around a long time.  They always fix my broken watches and bent jewelry quickly and are reasonably priced.

Best place for a Facial

Beauty Spa Maui – They have every service under the sun here, but are really well known for facial treatments.  I’ve been in for a massage and they are great at that too!

Best place for a haircut

808 Hair Salon can get your hair to be doing what it’s supposed to be doing.

Best place for a Mani/Pedi

Maui Nail Bar – Get your toes ready for the beach scene here.

Best Adult shop:

The Love Shack – This is the friendliest sex shop you’ll ever enter.  The kindly grandma running the place will make you blush as she offers you lube tester samples.  Conveniently located in “the triangle” between five bars, so your inhibitions will be low enough to stroll right in.

Where to Eat in Kihei:

Kihei has a lot of restaurants, too many to review in the confines of this post.  Please check out my post: “The Ultimate Guide to Kihei Restaurants“

 

Best Things To Do in Kihei – Need to Know Before You Go:

Backpacker Daily Budget:

$77.  The only way to make Kihei even remotely affordable for a backpacker is to travel in a group of four or more.  Figuring costs of: $130 a night for a condo with a bed and a pull-out sleeper-sofa ($32.50 per person), $35 a day for a car that seats four and $10 a day for gas ($11.25 per person), $7 for breakfast bagel sandwich and a coffee at Café a la Plage, $7 for a lunch of two chicken tacos and a drink at Horhitos taco truck, and $10 for a dinner off Three’s happy hour menu, $9 for three beers at Dog N Duck Irish Pub, and free access to countless beaches, adds up to $77 a day.

Cheap Beer Index:

The cheapest beer you’ll find in Kihei is $3.

Best Time to Visit Kihei:

Anytime is a good time to visit.  Kihei has warm weather year round.  In my opinion, the best time is January through March for low humidity, and the chance to see whales.  But it really depends on your plans:

What languages are spoken in Kihei?

Everyone speaks English cause Hawaii really is part of America.  However, folks who grew up here will speak Hawaiian Pidgin to each other, and Brah no can speak da kine?   Very few people speak Hawaiian these days.  You also hear a lot of Canadian in the wintertime in Kihei, so take off eh?

Do you need a US visa?

Americans obviously do not need any papers to come to the 50th state.   (many Americans are not aware of this…)  Canadian visitors do not need a visa, and can stay for 182 days out of a year.  AUS and UK visitors need to complete an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before arrival, and then get 90 days to visit.

How to Get to Maui

There are no ferry boats from Oahu.  So, the most common way to arrive is via Kahului Maui Airport (OGG).  The recent arrival of Southwest Airlines to Maui has us locals very excited.  For the last decade, Hawaiian Airlines has had a near monopoly on inter-island flights.  This resulted in round-trip tickets to Honolulu routinely costing over $200 for what is just a 25 minute flight.  Southwest has put an end to that with $78-$88 round-trip fares!  Flights to OGG arrive from 14 Mainland destinations, and 8 Hawaiian ones:

Seasonal flights only:

How to get to Kihei town center from the airport:

Rent a car.  Car rentals are expensive in Maui. It’s hard to find one for cheaper than $40 a day.  The best deal I can find, is Dollar Rent A Car which has a weekly off-peak-season rental of $218 for a week.  That’s pretty hard to beat at just $31 a day before taxes.   Also, Maui has just about the most expensive gas prices in America.  At last check $3.83 a gallon.  The cheapest gas is ALWAYS at Costco, which is right next to the airport.  If you are renting a car, be sure to fill up at Costco before you return it.  Their gas is generally 80 cents/gallon less than the next cheapest station on the island.

Turo.  Turo is the AirBnB of car rental.  If you are not picky about how old your car is, it can be cheaper than renting from an agency in Maui.  You can find older model economy cars around $35 a day.

By taxi: At the airport exit there is a lineup of metered taxis.  These typically cost $40-$45 to get to locations in Kihei.  20 minutes. I can’t think of any reason to take a taxi over Uber or Lyft.

By Uber:  UberX usually costs about $28-$32 to get to Kihei.  20 minutes.  As of February 1, 2019 Uber and Lyft are now allowed to pick up riders at OGG Airport.

By Lyft:  Lyft is also about $28-$32 to get to Kihei.   20 minutes.

By Airport Shuttle:  These big comfortable passenger vans will take you from the airport and drop off people one by one at multiple hotels in Kihei for $18.  They will take two large pieces of luggage.  Must book ahead of arrival.  A little slower than an Uber, but considerably cheaper.  From 30 minutes to 50 minutes depending on the number of dropoffs before yours.

by County of Maui Bus: This is by far the cheapest option, and not horribly inconvenient.  Try downloading the Maui Bus app before you arrive, it makes planning easy.  Bus #35 “Haiku Islander” and Bus #40 “Upcountry Islander” stop at Airport Pickup Zone #3 once per hour.  From there it is a 20 minute ride to the Queen Kaahumanu Mall.  There you’ll have to change to Bus #10 “Kihei Islander”, which makes a quick 20-30 minute drive to drop you off at multiple stops anywhere in Kihei.  $4 ($2 for each bus segment, must have exact amount in cash, no change is given.  Only one suitcase/backpack size item is allowed. )  54 minutes.

How to get around Kihei:

By taxi: A couple of taxis hang around outside the Kihei Kalama Village nightlife area at closing time.   I can’t think of any reason to take a taxi over Uber or Lyft.

By Uber:  Uber has enough drivers in Kihei to reliably get you places during normal hours.  You will almost certainly be out of luck trying to find a ride at 3am.

By Lyft:  Lyft seems to have less drivers available than Uber.

Turtle Tracks:  This new company has four open-air green electric golf cart style vehicles that seat 5.  They drive up and down South Kihei road from as far north as the Azeka Mall and south to the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea.  They drive around daily between 1pm and 9pm.  To get picked up you can call or text 808-866-9979.  You can also just wave them down if you see them going by.  Fares are as little as $3 for a mile or so, up to $12 to go from Azeka all the way to Wailea.

by County of Maui Bus: This is by far the cheapest option.   Try downloading the Maui Bus app before you arrive, it makes planning easy.  There are two buses that serve the Kihei area:  Bus #15 “Kihei Villager” starts in Maalaea and has six stops along the north end of South Kihei Road, finally connecting at the Piilani Shopping Center.  Bus #10 “Kihei Islander”, starts at the Queen Kaahumanu Mall in Kahului, then stops practically everywhere at 19 stops along the entire length of South Kihei Road, getting as far south as Wailea Ike Drive.  Bus fare is $2 for each bus segment, you must have the exact amount, no change is given.  Only one suitcase/backpack size item is allowed.  No surfboards.  The buses do have a bike rack with room for two bikes, so you might be able to bring a bike.

Bicycle: Kihei is a pretty good town for cycling.  South Kihei road is perfectly flat, and usually has a bike lane.  If you plan to spend all your time in Kihei, a bike is all you need.  You can rent a bike from South Maui Bikes for $24 a day

Rented Moped/Scooter:  A scooter is certainly a fun way to get around Kihei.  You could easily cover the entire island on a scooter.  (The road to Hana is FUUUUUUN on a scooter.)  Just be advised that people do get schwacked by cars.  Passing cars on the right is a good way to get hit.  Also, they are hardly any cheaper than rental car at $35 a day.  Not really a budget saving choice, but a fun one.  If I was staying for a month, I’d BUY a used scooter for under $1000, and resell it on facebook marketplace the last day!

Stay Connected in Kihei:

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint all provide excellent cell coverage in Kihei.  If you are a US citizen coming from the mainland, you’ll see no change in your service if you are with any of these providers.  For tourists coming from other countries, three of these providers have a retail store in the Piilani Village Shopping Center.

Where to Stay in Kihei:

Finding a place to lay your head at night is painfully expensive everywhere in Maui.  There are no hostels in Kihei.  The cheapest private room in a house on AirBnB is $106 a night in the low season.  The cheapest studio condo on Booking.com is $130 a night in low season.  The best budget accommodations I can recommend are these two condo complexes

Both have a pool, and are right next to the ocean in North Kihei.  They both have lots of rooms available on Booking.com

Kihei Nightlife

Kihei has the best nightlife on Maui.  It has the famous Maui Brewing Company.  Folks drive in from Kahului, Wailuku, and Wailea on Friday and Saturday nights to enjoy it.  Nightlife deserves a post all its own, so please check out my post “The Best Maui Nightlife: Kihei Kalama Village”. 

Get a Maui Guidebook:

Maui Revealed is far and away the best guidebook to Maui.  The author lives a year at a time on each of the four main Hawaiian Islands, and re-reviews everything every four years.  I don’t know why Lonely Planet and other publishers even bother to try to compete.  Get it from Amazon before you come, cause it’s gonna be $24.95 here on island.  I’d like think I’ve just covered Kihei more extensively than any guide available, but you’ll enjoy this book for the rest of the island.

What to Pack:

You can get all this stuff on Maui, but not at Amazon prices.  It’s much cheaper to bring with you quality gear at mainland prices.  You also don’t want to be spending your limited vacation time searching for the right stuff.  Here is what I use, and recommend you bring:

Snorkel, Mask and Fins – The Cressi Palau Short Fins provide a mask with a great fit for all faces, durable quality, and great fins that aren’t so long you fall on your face trying to exit the water.  The best snorkeling package value.  You’ll need this to see all the fishies at each beach you visit.

Travel Towel – The PackTowl Personal Microfiber towel is the best travel towel there is.  It’s comfortable, quick-drying, lightweight, and packs down to the size of a paperback book.  Comes in four sizes and eleven colors.  I have the largest size “Beach” at 36 x 59 inches in Blueberry.  Get this towel, and avoid having to buy a crappy convenience store “ALOHA” towel for $29.95 that you’ll never use again.

Reef Safe Sunscreen – Effective January 1, 2021 the State of Hawaii has banned all non reef-safe sunscreens from sale in the islands.  Why not get ahead of the curve, and bring this excellent sunscreen with you?  Thinksport SPF 50 rubs in easily and feels good on your skin.  And you’re saving our coral reefs.

Sunhat – It’s pretty sunny on the south shore, and you might want a decent hat to go with that reef-safe sunscreen.  These Hemlock Hat Company wide brimmed straw hats are what all the cool kids are wearing at the beach these days.  I have the “Bandit” color.

While these items are of particular importance to make the most of your visit to Kihei, it would be worth checking out my Ultimate Travel Packing List that covers everything you might need for your trip.

Is Kihei Safe?

Yes.  Kihei has very low violent crime.  I’ve never heard of anyone being mugged in Kihei.  We have a HUGE homeless population, but they seem mostly harmless.

The biggest thing to worry about would be moped thefts and car break-ins.  Moped scooters get stolen daily here, someone has a chop shop somewhere and is reselling them.  Cars get broken into if left in empty spots where no one is around.  The nightlife is generally safe.  You can walk anywhere all hours of the night.

 

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