SOUTH MAUI - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 268

rocky point that separates Kamaole II from Kamaole III is another nice place for a morn-
ing snorkel.
A half-mile to the south of Kamaole III is Keawakapu beach where there is good
snorkeling on both the north and south side of the bay. The north end can get crowded due
to the large public parking lot and bustling activity stand, and during busier periods of the
year you have a better chance of being kicked in the face than finding a turtle. Not many
people follow the outer edge of this reef in front of the hotel, however, so if you want to
escape the crowd, either get here early before everyone arrives or just snorkel to the far
side where the crowds thin out. To combine a morning snorkel with a leisurely morning
stroll, park at the northern end of Keawakapu Beach and walk to the southern point. There
are fewer crowds, it's a larger area for snorkeling, and the walk back to your car is one of
the best beach walks on the island.
Rental Shops
The streets of Kihei are covered in snorkel shops. Since choosing a shop can be over-
whelming, it's important to understand the nature of the snorkel rental business on Maui.
Most snorkel shops and activity stands in Kihei are fronts for activity sales and timeshare
presentations, so you may hear a sales pitch for a helicopter ride or vacation rental when
your intention is just to go snorkeling.
Top picks for rental shops in the South Maui area are the Maui Dive Shop locations
sprinkled from Ma'alaea to Wailea. There are two different venues in Kihei (2463 S. Kihei
Rd., 808/879-1533, www.mauidiveshop.com , 7am-9pm daily; 1455 S. Kihei Rd., 808/
879-3388, 6am-9pm daily), and the corporate store in central Kihei opens at 6am. Maui
Dive Shop also operates the Ali'i Nui catamaran, so there will be a sell on that particular
activity, but Ali'i Nui is a beautiful boat that puts on a good trip, and you can frequently
get discounts with a snorkel gear and snorkeling trip combo.
The other snorkel shop you'll see with just as much frequency is Boss Frog's (main
office 1770 S. Kihei Rd., 808/874-5225, www.bossfrog.com , 8am-5pm daily), which has
three locations scattered across Kihei. Boss Frog's offers the cheapest deals on snorkel
rentals on the island, but the company is heavily embedded in the activities sales market,
often timeshare-related. If you rent snorkeling gear for a week (which can be as low as $9),
you will also get a discounted snorkeling trip on their boat out of Ma'alaea, the Frogman
II.