Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
depending on the length of your line (you'll end up being 400-500 feet off the water). The
staff and captains who run these tours do hundreds of trips over the course of the season,
and from a safety and efficiency standpoint, the crew has it down to a science. Taking off
and landing on the boat is a dry entry and exit, and you will be blown away by the serenity
experienced up in the air. When was the last time you were 1,200 feet away from another
human being? Prices range $75-85 depending on the height; you must weigh at least 130
pounds to fly alone.
Down in front of the Hyatt,
West Maui Parasail
(808/661-4060,
www.westmauiparasail.com
) offers similar tours with the same length of lines at a slightly
discounted rate of $70 for 800 feet or $80 for 1,200 feet. If you aren't staying in the
Ka'anapali resort area, a perk of going with West Maui Parasail is that free, convenient
parking can be had in the Hanakao'o Beach Park area just a three-minute walk from the
Hyatt.
WHALE-WATCHING FAQ
The waters off Maui have the highest concentration of humpback whales anywhere
on the planet. During peak season (January-March), the main question isn't
if
you're
going to see whales, but rather
how many
you will see. Here are answers to com-
monly asked whale-watching questions:
Q: What kind of whales are in Maui?
A:
Although there are rarely seen species such as pilot whales and false-killer
whales that inhabit the waters off Maui year-round, 99 percent of the time you will
be watching North Pacific humpback whales.
Q: Where are these whales from?
A:
These whales were born here in the warm, protected waters of Hawai'i.
The humpbacks will then migrate 3,000 miles to their summer feeding grounds in
Alaska where they gorge themselves on small fish and krill, and return again in the
winter to mate and give birth.
Q: Why don't the whales mate in Alaska?
A:
Since baby humpbacks are born with minimal amounts of fat, the water is too
cold in Alaska.
Q: Do the whales eat at all in Hawai'i?
