Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
dawn-patrol surf session at Paukukalo
For more information on Maui windsurfing, go to
www.mauiwindsurfing.net
for pho-
tos, rental operators, and descriptions of the various launching sites. Or, for a live cam of
the conditions at Kanaha, check out
www.mauiwindcam.com
.
The best place for kitesurfing on Maui is at the aptly named
Kite Beach,
a place of hal-
lowed ground where the sport was born. This is the beach where all kitesurfing schools
operate, and just as at neighboring Kanaha, it isn't uncommon to watch an Italian guy from
Sardinia help a man from Japan launch his kite while a pack of French-speaking onlookers
discuss what size kite they're going to use. Even if you aren't a kitesurfer yourself, this is
a fantastic spot to sit and watch as hundreds of colorful kites zip through the gusty trade
winds. To reach Kite Beach from Hana Highway follow Hobron Avenue toward the Port
of Kahului and make a right on Amala Place. Kanaha Kai rental shop will be on your right,
then follow the road for a mile until just before a cement bridge. A dirt parking lot on the
left side of the road will have a number of vans offering lessons and information. Since
Kite Beach is so close to Kanaha, the unwritten rule is that kitesurfers are supposed to stay
downwind (closer to Kahului Harbor) of the windsurfers to avoid a high-speed entangle-
ment. Even though this is one of the premier spots on the planet for kitesurfing, the winds
can be strong and gusty during the summer (particularly on an east wind), and the waves
can be big during winter. Unless you're an advanced kitesurfer, take a lesson to learn the
local conditions and ensure you have the safest, most enjoyable kitesurfing experience pos-
sible.
