Where is the best place to rent Snorkel sets, Stand Up Paddle Boards, Bicycles, GoPro, Wetsuits and so much more in Kihei, Maui
Like many of our vacation rental owner neighbors, we provide a whole suite of beach gear for our guests. We offer the popular Tommy Bahama backpack chairs, 2 deluxe Tommy Bahama beach umbrellas, 3 different size/types of coolers, boogie boards, sand toys and beach games, big, thirsty cotton beach towels, a ‘sand free’ beach blanket and tote, pool noodles, a big folding wagon to tote all this stuff to the beach easily and so much more.
But with limited space we can’t offer it all. The good news is that if we don’t have it Auntie Snorkel does!
There are at least half a dozen activity rental stores within walking distance of our vacation rental condo in Kihei, but we think that the locally owned Auntie Snorkel is the best! Here’s why!
Personalized service, local knowledge, great selection, awesome prices!
Renting Snorkel Sets
Let’s start with snorkel sets. Many of our guests bring their own sets and at one point we had several sets available in our condo, but over time we felt that the generic ‘one size fits all‘ concept of outfitting a snorkeler was not the safest way to go and we removed the sets. Getting a mask to fit properly is best left to the experts. Having a leaky mask means no-fun as you constantly clear the fog or remove the water. All the while missing that turtle that just swam by!
If you don’t want to take up luggage space with snorkel gear, then renting is the way to go.
Photo by Auntie Snorkel
Auntie Snorkel offers a plethora of mask sizes and styles to fit all needs. The owners and staff will custom fit each person with their own gear. There’s even a 2 For 1 discount coupon, which at the time of this posting has a full dry snorkel set with fins renting for just $7.95 a day!
Stand Up Paddle Boards
Since Auntie Snorkel is literally just steps to two of Maui’s best beaches, Kamaole I and II, you can rent your SUP and walk it across the street and be paddling with turtles in mere minutes. * BONUS * Auntie’s is just a 5 minute walk from our vacation rental condo too!
Photo by Auntie Snorkel
Stand up paddle boards or SUP for short are in hot demand so be sure to pre-book online (don’t forget to use the 50% off coupon!)
The very best time to head out to the Kamaole beaches is early in the morning when the water is smooth and glassy. You want to venture out before the wind kicks up and makes paddling difficult. You’ll see lots of other paddle boarders doing the same thing. It’s a very popular activity on Maui! And with good reason. Both ‘Kam’ beaches offer amazing reef views and you’re sure to see a turtle or two swimming right beside you! (Photo by Auntie Snorkel)
Beach Cruisers
One of the best ways to see South Maui (the towns of Kihei, Wailea and Makena area) is by beach cruiser! Since Maui’s weather is wonderful year round, any day is a good day for a bike ride. At less than $20 a day you can cruise all over South Maui and have a blast doing it. Make sure to read our ‘Discover South Maui By Bicycle | Find Your Next Adventure On A Bike‘ post to get the most out of your rental!
Boogie Boards and Skim Boards
While we do offer a variety of boogie boards in the condo, we don’t have skim boards. Not to worry, Auntie to the rescue! Go get your skim on with one of theirs. According to Auntie’s website “If you’re looking for skim boards you probably already know what these are about. If not, skimboarding is a sport where you run down a wet beach, throw a flat oval wooden disk across the wet beach hop on and glide!! Skim boarding is like “the skateboarding” of beaches.“
Check out professional Skimboarder, Austin Keen skimboarding at Maui’s Makena Beach (aka Big Beach). Skimboarders are regulars at this beach and even if you don’t rent one and give it a try, this is a great beach for watching the locals – they’ll show you how it’s done local style!
Maui Island Activities & Tours
You’ll find a whole host of Island activities available on Auntie’s website. But stop by the shop and talk to the ‘Fun Specialists’ to see all of what is offered. You’ll find;
Luaus
Zipline Activities
Boat Tours
Helicopter Tours
Rafting Trips
and much more!
Auntie Snorkel is Maui’s Local Family Owned & Operated Beach Rental and Activity Shop, est. in 1985.
You can trust Auntie’s!
According to their website, “Auntie Snorkel shop has been serving Maui’s fun seekers for over 33 years, established in 1985. We are the original South Maui Snorkel Shop. When I bought the shop ten years ago from Auntie we decided to keep the name. The name Auntie is a term of respect here in Hawaii. I am living my dream. I get to meet awesome people from all over the world and share with them my love and knowledge of this magical island I get to call home. We know all the spots. I have lived here since 2001. We are the true definition of a family owned and operated shop. I answer the phones and work the shop along with my family. When you shop with us you are supporting my ohana and for that I thank you!! Why go anywhere else? We are the friendliest, fastest, cheapest and our location is the most epic!”
Owner Mark Noble is a certified ‘Fun Specialist‘ as is his co-worker Scott Johnson! On our most recent trip to Maui we were in need of a life vest for a quick fishing/kayak outing. Since we own our own life vests here in California and forgot to bring them over, we headed to our favorite rental spot and Scott hooked us right up! Auntie’s treated us like Ohana!
Guaranteed Lowest Prices
Great savings on rental prices means more money for Mai Tais!
Monday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Tuesday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Wednesday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Thursday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Friday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Saturday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm Sunday: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
Contact: 808.298.3021
Business Info:
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes Car Parking: Street Bike Parking: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Good for Kids: Yes By Appointment Only: No Offers Military Discount: Yes 👍🏻
Auntie Snorkel is rated 5-Stars on both Yelp™ and TripAdvisor™
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Eco-tourism is alive and well on Maui. On my most recent trip I found myself wanting to give back to the island that gives me so much. How does an island ‘give’ me anything? Well, all you have to do is visit Maui and then you’ll know.
From the moment I step off the plane, my heart swells with the love I have for Maui. I hear the palm trees rustling in the island breeze, I see locals in flip flops, shorts and Hawaiian shirts (the only state in our country where you’ll find this kind of attire.) I hear Hawaiian music on the rental car radio. I ‘feel’ the Aloha Spirit embrace me from not just the land but the locals that call Maui their home. And then, my first step on the sandy beach puts me instantly into a state of ‘Island Time’, the kind of relaxation we all hope for when we visit Maui, I exhale and feel my sense of place on this magical bit of land in the center of the great Pacific Ocean.
It’s just hard to explain. Those who’ve had the privilege to visit or live there know exactly what I’m talking about, those who haven’t will know when they step off the plane.
How do you go about ‘giving’ back to theʻāina (earth or land, and pronounced eye-na) in a way that is meaningful? For me it was easy. Volunteer on vacation.
Photo by Cheryl King, Ocean Warrior!
Volunteer On Vacation
Maui has a multitude of volunteer opportunities for those that seek them out. It wasn’t difficult to pick my activity as I walked on ‘our‘ beach, Kamaole II, each day and saw bits and pieces of trash. Trash on ‘OUR‘ beach! Who does this? So I started picking up cigarette butts, band-aids (yuck), empty plastic beverage bottles, kids sand toys, a snorkel flipper missing it’s mate, bottle caps, micro plastics (bits of plastic that have broken down over years and years), sparkling wine cage, food wrappers and more. Well, just have a look for yourself. The photo below shows what I gathered in 5 minutes of walking on the beach.
Each day I found more and more. On days when we’d have a good ocean swell, more flotsam and jetsam would wash up and I could just walk the high tide line and find things like this.
I’m not oblivious to the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch‘ but it has always seemed so obscure to me. I have trouble fathoming a gyre of garbage – somewhere, out ‘there’. But seeing this trash on the beaches of Maui that I’ve been visiting for well over 20 years and seeing the increase in the volume of garbage polluting what was once so pristine really punctuated what I needed to do to give back.
Inspired and motivated to keep Maui as free of marine debris as I could, I began searching online for locally organized beach clean-ups. Sadly beach clean-ups happen often and by various environmental and volunteer groups. I say ‘sadly’ because I find it terribly sad that beach clean-up are part of our vernacular. These beach clean-ups happen for a variety of reasons. The majority of what I picked was deposited on the beach by careless visitors both local and non-local alike. But depending on what part of the island you are on, much of it washes ashore with the tides and currents.
I found one particular beach clean up happening on the last Sunday of each month and it luckily coincide with my visit. So at 8:15 a.m. I left Kihei and headed to the Ka’ehu Beach on the North Shore to meet with the group called SHARKastics to join in their monthly clean up effort.
I really had no idea what to expect. I brought a hat, backpack, my reef-safe sunscreen, sturdy shoes and sunglasses. But darn! Halfway there I realized that I forgot my water. No worries, I just stopped and bought two bottles of water at a gas station on the way. Little did I know what a faux pas I was committing. Bringing single use plastic bottles to a beach clean up where we’d be cleaning up –you guessed it-single-use plastics of all kinds. Oh the irony of it all and yes, I felt like a dork doing that but embraced it as a learning moment and as a personal reminder why I needed to ALWAYS bring my own reusable water bottle. Of course there was no judgement passed by our group (they were filled with the Aloha spirit!) and there was a water station available to refill reusable water bottles when needed!
As I arrived at Ka’ehu beach, I was a little unsure that I was in the right place – this isn’t a beach that looks to be popular with visitors, but I was met at the county gate and let in by a cheerful Sharkastic crew member. I drove over to the beach and met up with over two dozen other volunteers, half a dozen Sharkastics crew plus one amazing Honu (sea turtle) sniffing pup! But more about Tauzer the Honu Houndin just a bit.
Ka’ehu Beach image by Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, via Facebook
Volunteers are given gloves, 5-gallon buckets and an introduction to the day’s tasks. Ka’ehu beach is long stretch of black lava rock and black sand beach located to the north-west of Kahului Airport and to the east of Waihee/Waiehu area. According to www.wildhawaii.org “Waiehu’s Ka’ehu Beach on the northwest coastline of Maui is one of the few nesting beaches for green turtles. It also happens to be one of the major marine debris collections zones of Maui.”
According to our fearless leader for the day, Cheryl King, the ocean swells and currents make Ka’ehu beach a plastic magnet and the local dumping zone for the flotsam and jetsam of the ocean. Marine debris is deposited daily in vast amounts.
Due to consistent trade winds and currents plus the close proximity of a bustling human population, Ka’ehu collects local land-based plus foreign marine debris. – C. King via Facebook
Cheryl King, a woman of many talents and one that wears many hats including Marine Biologist, spearheads the Sharkastics.org group of like minded volunteers. Their mission, to clean up Maui beaches, provide safe turtle nesting habitat and to educate the public on the threat that Marine Debris has on our oceans, beaches, marine wildlife and human health. But what the heck is a Sharkastic anyway?
Glad you asked! Sharkastics are animal-bitten plastic, a phenomenon and are commonly found during their marine debris cleanups in Hawai’i. Many animals make these marks, not just sharks.
The very recognizable bite marks can be seen here in this flip flop. (image below via CRE8 Magazine, Issue No. 4, an article about Sharkastics, and can be found here.)
The Beach Clean Up
On to the beach clean up. We were instructed to start at the far, north end of the beach and work our way back so as to not have to carry debris to the end and back. And so we eagerly set off with our buckets. Within literally seconds, I found bits and pieces of plastic, garbage of all kinds. I looked around, bewildered. Where does it all come from? How did it find it’s way to beautiful Maui? It pained me to walk past it and toward the piles and piles that lay ahead so I stayed in the same general area and found more than I cared to see.
A few hundred yards down the beach I find Lauren and her husband Kyle (two amazing and local volunteers, Lauren also happens to be a marine biologist and ecologist) feverishly working with another Sharkastic crew member to dislodge an enormous ghost net that was well embedded into the sand bank. I put down my bucket that was nearly full and began to dig and tug and dig and tug. But this huge net was not giving up it’s grip. We worked for over an hour and a half to remove just a portion. Sadly, it was so deeply embedded into the sand and rocks that we were only able to retrieve part of it. But I’m hopeful that the next batch of beach cleaners were able to retrieve the rest.
Ghost nets like these ensnare marine life such as sea turtles, sharks, whales and dolphins, seals and so much more. One might think that fishing boats would be more responsible and remove their own debris rather than leave these nets to float and entangle marine animals. But as Cheryl explained to us, it is not uncommon for fishermen to put location devices on ghost nets like these to track them at a later date. You see, small fish and marine life congregate under these floating nets for protection. The small fish attract big fish and so on down the line. The fishermen locate the floating net using GPS and then fish nearby to catch the larger fish. Sadly, the ‘bycatch’ gets innocently tangled in the mess.
‘Honu’ Sea Turtle caught in derelict fishing net
And
Hawaiian Monk Seal caught in marine debris. Photo by Michael Pitts
Moving Forward
All of this debris, trash and waste, where does it originate? Well, we can point fingers at our consumption of single use plastics, or we can blame third world countries for not having the infrastructure to process their waste, or we can look at events such as the Fukushima disaster and recall all of the debris washed out to sea by the tsunami.
And the truth is it’s all of the above and at least one other critical factor. Manufacturers and lobbyist protect the industries that produce much of the items that are soon to become waste. As Matt Wilkins points out in his article in Scientific American entitled ‘More Recycling Won’t Solve Plastic Pollution‘, “Because of a legal system that favors corporate generation of plastic, plus public acceptance of single-use items as part of the modern economy, consumers who want to reduce their plastic footprint are faced with a host of challenges.”
Those challenges include confusing recycling rules, lack of infrastructure to recycle waste appropriately and the shear volume of single use plastics that abound.
Maui has an especially large challenge, this small island lacks the proper recycling facilities needed to process all the waste. In January of 2018, China halted all shipments of recyclables being imported. Most of Maui’s and west coast states sent their waste to China for processing. (More here.)
Now, I can’t say I completely agree with the title and subtitle of Wilkins’ article because I believe we can, as consumers, both change our habits and vote with our dollars to stop the flow of single use plastics into and out of our homes. Corporations begin to notice when their bottom line is threatened.
One example of a corporation paying attention to consumer pressure, Starbucks just announced that they will be “removing plastic straws in our stores globally by 2020—reducing more than 1 billion plastic straws per year.”
In addition, Seattle has banned plastic drinking straws and plastic utensils by next year. Both California and Hawaii have banned plastic shopping bags which often end up in the ocean. And California has just announced that it is banning plastic straws in restaurants. All great steps forward.
Image via Greenpeace UK Twitter
And in April of 2018, the Minister of the Environment and Housing of The Bahamas, Romauld Ferreira has announced that in an effort to simultaneously address marine pollution and waste management, single-use plastics – such as shopping bags, food utensils, straws and Styrofoam food containers – will be banned by 2020. [They] will also move to make the release of balloons into the air illegal, as they end up in the oceans, releasing toxins and injuring marine life.
I felt incredibly inspired by the Sharkastics crew who were so optimistic despite the incredible volume of marine debris we gathered. Their outlook was positive and inspiring and they’re using this ‘opportunity’ for lack of a better word to educate and bring people together to tackle a global problem.
There are numerous groups that do beach and ocean clean-up throughout Hawaii.
It’s going to take more than banning straws to fix this one! -Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii
It isn’t just Maui that is being inundated with ocean trash and marine debris. Just recently, a clean-up was underway on the island of Molokai.
And on the Big Island, Kamilo Beach is a marine debris magnet. Regular beach clean-ups occur and are ongoing.
Kamilo Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. Photo by Jen Miller via Facebook
At the end of our beach clean up our group was invited to a free screening of ‘Albatross, The Film’ at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. This poetic documentary tells the story of the majestic Albatross on Midway Island. Midway island is at the far end of the Hawaiian Island archipelago. Seeing the devastation caused by marine debris is a tragic eye opener. There was not a dry eye in the house. And all of this information is not to shame or guilt us, it’s to bring awareness to a global issue that has had a profound impact on the island that we all love so dearly, Maui.
‘Albatross, The Film’ is now free to watch for all. I cannot recommend it enough!
Images like the one below, of the stomach contents of an albatross drive home the fact that trash and plastic doesn’t really ever get thrown ‘away’. There is no ‘away’, it ends up in landfill, in our waterways, and for a small percentage, recycled.
We removed, sorted and counted 8,274 pieces of marine debris. Here are the broad category results:⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ *Plastic: 7,048 (85.2%)⠀⠀ *Polystyrene foam: 429 (5.2%)⠀⠀ *Rubber: 180 (2.2%)⠀ *Fabric/clothing: 286 (3.5%) ⠀⠀ *Processed wood: 93 (1.1%)⠀ *Metal: 193 (2.3%)⠀ *Glass: 45 (0.5%)⠀
For this particular clean up, the items were trucked to Maui Ocean Center for their new marine debris exhibit. But most often, the crew sorts and recycles as much as can be, some gets stored until enough is gathered to ship to Parley For The Ocean, for ‘reinvention’ into items such as ADIDAS sneakers.
Amazingly, this beach that we cleaned had been cleaned the day before by another group of volunteers! Imagine that.
Take Action – Volunteer Opportunities
In reflection of this amazing adventure and educational day I had, I’ve made some positive changes here at home and when I’m on Maui visiting.
4Oceans has a great list of things we can all do to reduce our plastic waste. All of these ideas are easy enough to implement and the fact is we can no longer wait for ‘someone’ to clean up this pollution, we must end it before it even gets started!
If you’d like to take part in a Volunteer On Vacation trash clean up then join the SHARKastics group the 4th Sunday of each month at 9 a.m. at Ke’ahu Beach in Waihee.
What: Ka’ehu Beach Cleanups
When: 4th Sunday of Each Month
Details: Meet at the beach at the end of Kukona Place in Wailuku. All supplies provided
Where: Ka’ehu Beach
More information: visit the Sharkastics web page or find them on Facebook
If you’re unable to make their once a month clean up, you can participate in your own self-guided clean up by working with The Pacific Whale Foundation’sVolunteers On Vacation
Volunteers on Vacation is a free program offered by Pacific Whale Foundation to help you easily find meaningful service projects to benefit Maui’s environment. Visitors and residents can spend a few hours giving back to the local community while enjoying access to “off the beaten trail” places and learning about the history and natural ecosystem of the area. Plus, you’ll receive a free tote bag made of recycled materials when you volunteer for 3 hours or more.
Participate in Pacific Whale Foundation’s marine debris citizen science project when you select a beach of your choosing to clean up and fill out a data sheet recording what debris items are present. This allows our researchers to expand their data set and analyze the trends and patterns of debris on Maui’s beaches and shores as part of our Coastal Marine Debris Monitoring Program. Pick up your supplies (gloves, recycled bag, datasheet) at Pacific Whale Foundation in either Lahaina or Ma’alaea.
Signing up is easy. Just call Pacific Whale Foundation at least 24 hours in advance at (808) 249-8811 ext. 1 between 6am and 9pm (HST).
Volunteer with Mālama Maui Nui – Mālama Maui Nui is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate, inspire, and empower individuals and communities to beautify and maintain Maui Nui’s environment, thereby supporting its economy, quality of life, and unique Hawaiian culture. Through litter pickups, marine debris cleanups, recycling events, and more, MMN brings individual volunteers, local businesses, community organizations, and government agencies together to promote the environmental health of Maui County.
Check out their ongoing list of volunteer opportunities here.
Volunteer with NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program.
NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program does not offer any established, regular volunteer opportunities. However, many of their sister programs do. Explore some of those below.
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Volunteer Program: Volunteers help ensure national marine sanctuaries remain America’s underwater treasures for future generations. Volunteers participate in a wide variety of activities including diving, whale identification, beach cleanups, water quality monitoring, collecting field observations and surveys, acting as visitor center docents and wildlife monitoring. Five sanctuaries in the U.S. contain coral reefs and several others contain deep-sea coral. See what’s available in your area. Protected Resources Volunteer Opportunities: Help protect sea turtles, monk seals and other protected resources by volunteering with NOAA offices in Hawaii. Volunteer to Clear Marine Debris: Start your own volunteer beach clean up group, or find a local beach or neighborhood cleanup group. Track your trash using the Marine Debris Tracker app.
Volunteer on your own with the Ocean Conservancy. Join the wave. Next time you’re headed out to the beach or a nearby park, download Ocean Conservancy’s app, Clean Swell and take along a trash bag to collect and document the debris you find.
Volunteer with Maui Ocean Center for their monthly beach clean up. An example is the clean-up which happened July 21, 2018 “Join Maui Ocean Center and Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute to help care for the longest stretch of sandy coastline on Maui – Oneloa (a.k.a. Big Beach). After the cleanup, learn about the rich history of Makena State Park with Lucienne de Naie – President of the Maui Tomorrow Foundation and a Founding Member of Maui Cultural Lands, Inc.”
More info here. Or contact for Questions/RSVP: afonarow@mauioceancenter.com or 808.270.7059
Take The Pledge! Maybe your Maui vacation schedule doesn’t allow enough time to do a full day of volunteering. One option is to take the pledge. National Geographic encourages each one of us to take the pledge. The plastic pollution problem is in plain sight. It affects us all. Together we can reduce single-use plastics and make a lasting impact. Take the pledge here.
Surfing in a wave of trash, Photo by Zak Noyle
Super Pup
Oh, and what about Tauzer The Honu Hound? ‘Tau’, an Australian Cattle dog has been specially trained on the Mainland to detect endangered Sea Turtle nesting sites like those found on Ke’ahu beach. Tau helps Cheryl locate sea turtle eggs on the beaches in Maui. You can read more about Tau’s amazing story on here ! Tau’s partner is none other than Cheryl King, who aside from being our fearless beach clean-up leader wears the hat of Hawaii Program Director for the Turtle Island Restoration Network. Read more about Cheryl here.
Image via Tauzer’s Facebook page
Gallery
Want to see all the marine debris & garbage we picked up? View the gallery of photos taken on my beach clean-up day.
SHARKastics!
Volunteer instructions
Volunteer instructions
Staging canopy for sorting marine debris
Staging canopy for sorting marine debris
Volunteer orientation
Volunteer orientation
Clean up crew work to free the net
Manly men cutting and digging the ghost net
Where the net *was*
Hauling the net away
Volunteers working hard!
Dragging the net off the beach
Ke'ahu Beach Clean up in action
Marine Debris
Trash!
Bits of fishing nets
Lots of lumber, both man-made(milled) and natural
Tires, Dog Crate, Jugs, Ghost Nets
Carpet (yuck!)
SHARKastics
Volunteers sort marine debris
Volunteers sort marine debris
Fishing line
Lighters/Plastic Straws/Plastic Utensils
Garden Trimmer Line
Zip Ties
Metal/Electrical Wire
Toys
Golf Balls
Golf Balls, Rubber Balls, Pens, Duct Tape
Drugs/Pharmaceutical
Clothing and Fabric
Personal grooming items
Rubber
Fast Food (single use) Containers
Shoes & Flip Flops (Slippers)
Fish Traps
Cardboard & Paper
Aluminum & Metal scraps
Plastic Jugs or Containers
Plastic Bottles
Oyster spacers
Melted plastics
Linoleum & Vinyl bits
Irrigation Tubes/Pipes (PVC)
Hard plastics including half a cooler
SHARKastics
Tauzer The Honu Hound
Q & A with Cheryl King
Cheryl King Q & A
Cheryl King explains the journey plastic takes
Tau The Honu Hound
This adventure has taught me so much. I’ve taken away so much information and learning about the global garbage and plastic crisis. I cannot emphasize enough just how fulfilling it was to participate in a local beach clean-up.
I also never leave home without my reusable water bottle, complete with my very own SHARKastics sticker! Thank you Cheryl!!!!!
Have you participated in a beach clean up in Maui or elsewhere? Or, do you have another Maui Eco-Tourism volunteer opportunity that you want to share? Leave us a comment below and let us know.
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You come to Maui for the ocean, beautiful scenery, fantastic restaurants, relaxing atmosphere, amazing activities and to have a relaxing vacation. You most likely don’t expect it to rain! But sometimes it does! During this 2018 winter season, Maui has seen an unusual amount of rain. That much rain can put a hitch in your ‘sunny beach time‘ giddyup! Not to worry, we’ve put together the most extensive Best Rainy Day Activities on Maui guide to help you find something wonderful to do while it’s raining!
We chose to buy our condo on the ‘dry’ side of Maui. Kihei is considered the desert area and though we do get rain, it’s generally short-lived. Even still, this year we saw some torrential downpours and I actually bought an umbrella on Maui for the first time.
It’s hard to rely on the weather forecast because the weather can change in a matter of minutes. You just have to adopt a ‘live in the moment‘ attitude and Ho’o Nanea or go with the flow.
Parts of Maui get rain every day, or nearly every day. The Hana side is the wettest side of the island and rain is expected over there. Maui is made up of hundreds of micro-climates and if it’s raining in one area, generally speaking one can find sunshine on another part of the island.
Let’s take a look at all the activities and adventures you can take in when it rains on Maui. These are, of course, listed in no particular order.
1. Head to a sunnier part of the island. Well seasoned Maui travelers know that if it’s raining in Lahaina, come to Kihei – it’s probably sunny. If your plan was to lay on the beach and soak up some rays or snorkel and play in the ocean and Mother nature has other ideas, then have a look at some of Maui’s web cams to see if there’s a dryer spot you can lay your towel down and have a swim. (TIP– when you’re homesick for Maui, you can visit the webcams while you plan your next trip!)
2. Take in a Free Hula/Polynesian Show. There are several places that offer free live Island style entertainment, not just hula but other types of free things to do such as Ukulele lessons, crafts etc. Check out these places for free activities Shops At Wailea, Lahaina Cannery Mall, Queen Ka’ahumanu Shopping Center (Kahului).
Photo by www.hawaii.com
3. Shop Till You Drop. There’s no shortage of shopping to be found on Maui and since we just mentioned three of the largest shopping malls on Maui, you might as well do a little shopping while you’re there. Look specifically for Maui Made products so that you’re supporting the local economy and artists. A few other places to take in some shopping is the open-air Kalama Shopping Market (Kihei), Kahana Gateway Shopping Center (Lahaina) and Maui Mall (Kahului).
4. Island Art Party in Kihei. Talk about a custom island souvenir! Get in touch with your inner artist. (From their website) Put on apron…Order a drink…have a seat…it’s time to paint and party! No experience necessary. Just follow along as a Partista ( Party Artist) provides step-by-step instructions in creating the featured painting. More info here.
5. Take in a movie. Maui has 3 movie theaters (one in Lahaina and two in Kahului) and one slated to open soon in Kihei. If you’re like me, you never seem to find time to make it to the movies at home. If it’s raining, go take in a movie and most likely by the time the show is over the rain will have stopped.
6. Visit Maui Ocean Center. Come face-to-face with sharks, stingrays, turtles, and thousands of vibrant tropical fish at Maui Ocean Center – The Aquarium of Hawaii! Read our post on visiting the Maui Ocean Center.
7. Check out a live show. Live entertainment can be a great way to ride out the rain storm. One of my all time favorites is Ulalena (update 7/23 – Ulalena is no longer performing), Ulalena is a world-renowned Hawaiian theater production dedicated to telling the story of Hawaii’s people. Burn’n Love the best Elvis show this side of Las Vegas [Edited to say that Burn’n Love has closed it’s doors and is no longer, much to the sadness of the fans that truly loved the show – I’m leaving the video up for all to see how fun it was]! The Historic Iao Theater in Wailuku offers live plays and entertainment. If you dig magic, then go see Warren and Annabelle’s Magic Show.
https://youtu.be/8eMN4OlP284
8. Get the royal treatment at a Spa. Who doesn’t love a massage? Go ahead and pamper yourself, you’re on vacation. (TIP– Check groupon.com for a coupon)
9. Try one of Maui’s Escape Rooms. What is an escape room you ask? An escape room is an interactive adventure game in which players solve a series of puzzles and riddles using clues, hints and strategy to complete the objectives at hand. Great activities for families, friends, birthday parties, celebrations and even businesses because they rely on team building exercises. At the time of this posting, there are presently 5 different escape rooms to try on Maui.
10. GlowPutt Golf. The original Glow in the Dark Miniature Golf Course. A staple in the Hawaii entertainment landscape for more than 10 years. Check it out.
Maui is made up of hundreds of micro-climates and if it’s raining in one area, generally speaking one can find sunshine on another part of the island.
11. Wine Tasting and Winery Tour. Head upcountry (drive safely) to Maui Wine and enjoy sipping some island made pineapple wine or try one of their sparkling wines! We love Maui Winery and have posted about them before. More info here.
12. Watch channel 7 – The Maui Visitor channel on TV. If you’re the type that never can sit still, embrace the vacation mentality and why not just lay back and watch a little TV. The Maui Visitor Channel always has fantastic, informative shows. Pour yourself your favorite beverage and kick back! It’s ok to be doing nothing, you’re on vacation!
13. Stay in, Play Games, Enjoy Family Time! In our crazy-busy lives we don’t often stop to just enjoy family time. There are plenty of games in the TV cabinet so why not pull a few out and have some family play time. You won’t regret it!
14. Read. Along that note of staying in and just relaxing, why not pick up a book from our lending library (there’s one available at the lower pool), or from our condo selection of books (take one, leave one) and kick back and relax. We have several guide books for you to read and you can spend the time planning your next Maui adventure.
15. Try your hand at Glassblowing! Moana Glass in Lahaina. Wow, here’s a cool activity rain or shine. Check out the finest glass art and glassblowing experiences where you can blow your own glass pieces – now there’s a souvenir! (TIP– Check groupon.com for a coupon, at the time of this posting there was a $50 off coupon)
16. Makai Glass. Speaking of glass blowing, if you’re upcountry doing one of the other rainy day activities, why not also try Makai Glass studio. They have a cool observation deck where you can watch the action take place below.
17. Go Museum Hopping. Maui has lovely museums and a rainy day is the perfect time to go explore them.
Another lesser known museum is the ‘Story of Hawaii‘ Museum located at the Queen Ka’ahumanu shopping center in Kahului. More info on the museum here.
18. Visit Maui’s historic towns. Head upcountry and do some exploring around Maui’s quaint and historic towns. Visit Paia, Makawao, Kula. Bring your umbrella and don’t worry if you get a little wet. You’re in Maui – and if you’re lucky enough to be in Maui, you’re lucky enough! These sweet towns offer wonderful opportunities for strolling, shopping, and dining.
It’s raining and the kids are driving you nuts! Get out there and find an adventure. There’s no shortage of things to do on Maui even when it rains!
19. Visit Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center. If you’re upcountry doing #18 on our list, then you’re just around the corner from the Hui No’eau VAC. Check out their art exhibitions, do a guided tour or pick up a handmade one of a kind piece in their artist’s shop. Stop in for a visit. More info here.
20. Explore Front Street Lahaina. Take your umbrella and head over to Lahaina to walk up and down Front Street. Lahaina boasts many art galleries, restaurants, shops, museums and of course the Banyan Tree. You’ll find plenty to do even if you do get wet in the process. You won’t be sorry – Maui rains are like a warm shower.
21. Visit Dan’s Greenhouse. If you’re in Lahaina, hey, why not hit up Dan’s Greenhouse for a live souvenir! Dan’s is located across from the south-east corner of Lahaina’s famous Banyan Tree and sells exotic plants. But the fun comes in the form of parrots and pigs! Dan’s specializes in exotic flora and fauna! More info here.
22. Take a submarine ride adventure. Lahaina is home to Atlantis submarine – if the weather isn’t too bad and just drizzly, then this might be a good option. Not so good if it’s storming.
23. Try out a new cafe or restaurant. Maui has no shortage of great cafes and restaurants and a rainy afternoon is a perfect time to venture out and eat. Here’s your chance to go visit a restaurant, either nearby or across the island that you’ve never tried before.
24. Go visit the penguins at the Hyatt Regency. The Hyatt in Lahaina is host to half a dozen African black-footed penguins and they’re quite a site. Daily penguin feedings happen every morning at 9:30 am in the Penguin Habitat in the Atrium Lobby More info here.
25. Chase a Rainbow! The saying goes ‘No rain, no rainbows’ so why not make the best of the rain and find a rainbow. Maui is know for it’s stellar rainbows and the pot of gold at the end IS the island of Maui! Go out and chase!
Bonus Activities & Updates
We’re bringing you updates to the list as we find more fun stuff to do while you visit Maui – And.It.Rains!
Bonus #1 – Let the kids (big kids too) bounce off some of that energy at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park. An indoor trampoline bounce-o-rama! More info here.
Do you have a favorite rainy day activity for Maui? Leave us a message in the comments section below and let us know!
Looking for more Maui vacation ideas? Lots of things to see and do,
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