Maalaea: South Maui’s Hidden Vacation Gem

A mostly deserted five-mile stretch of sandy swimming beaches, an adjacent bird sanctuary/preserve that attracts dozens of species, the absence of the crowds you’ll find in Kihei, and a convenient walking pathway to Maui’s largest boat harbor are some of the reasons many of our guests love Maalaea. Located adjacent to Maui Ocean Center toward Lahaina from Kihei, Maalaea features the lowest-priced direct ocean front accommodations on the island.

A caveat: Maalaea is notoriously windy. However, the condo properties (like Kanai A Nalu) were designed and built to shield the beach from the wind, and the design is very effective. The wind can be blowing hard and sitting on the ocean front lanai or with your feet in the sand in front of the building, you’re completely oblivious to it.

Maalaea is a nature lover’s paradise. The beaches are swimmable, there is good snorkeling in pockets, and there’s a wilder, more natural feel to the shoreline. And there is no such thing as a crowded beach in Maalaea.

There are a half-dozen restaurants within walking distance of the condos we manage in Maalaea (links below). Our favorite in Maalaea, and one of our favorites on the entire island, is Tante’s. If you listen to the radio you’ll likely hear about their ongoing special, Steak and Lobster for just $29.95. Don’t be skeptical – the meal, and the deal, are legit! For lunch, our other favorite is Pansit, a Filipino noodles-vegetables-meat favorite that can be had there for $6.95. It’s the best lunch deal on the island.

Check out the current special we have at Kanai A Nalu 314, a renovated 2-bedroom condo with spectacular ocean views from the living room and lanai, starting at $199 per night. Use your VM promo code, SummerFun, at check-out. You’ll also save all those VRBO/AirBnB booking fees by booking directly with us – check out these links!

https://www.vacation-maui.net/maalaea-banyans-411/

https://www.vacation-maui.net/maalaea-kai-311/

https://www.vacation-maui.net/kanai-a-nalu-314/

Kevin Spaise is a Maui Realtor specializing in Maui vacation rental investment real estate. Kevin is an expert in Kihei and Wailea real estate and has been a full time Realtor for 20 years, with more than $120M transacted. He owns Vacation Maui, a property management company with 70+ investment condos under management, and delights in providing real-time performance data to future investors. See KevinSpaise.com, or call him directly at (808) 344-0624.