Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in Makena which require scrambling over jagged lava rocks, the entry points in Wailea are
sandy and easy. Of all the beaches in Wailea, the best for a morning shore dive is the point
at Ulua Beach. This is where most dive operators bring students during their certification
courses, as the maximum depth is about 35 feet. There is ample parking at the bottom of
Ulua Beach Road, and the concrete walkway down to the shoreline is convenient for haul-
ing tanks and gear. Although the dive wraps around the point toward Mokapu Beach, it's
best to enter and exit the water from the Ulua side since it's more protected from wind
and waves. Expect to see a number of Hawaiian green sea turtles along with healthy coral
formations, endemic reef fish, and perhaps a rare spotted eagle ray or spiny lobster.
Although most dive operations operate off Ulua Beach, if you're renting your own gear
you can dive at Wailea Point. Entry for the dive is off the south side of Wailea Beach, and
while you might trip over a cabana en route to the shoreline this is a great place for seeing
turtles on days with clear visibility (which are more common in winter than summer). The
nearest public access and parking lot are on the south end of the Four Seasons resort. Since
this area can sometimes be visited by snorkeling charters, it's good to get out early before
the crowds (and wind) arrive.
Rental Operators
The only dive shop in Wailea is Maui Dive Shop (3750 Wailea Alanui Rd., 808/875-9904,
www.mauidiveshop.com , 8am-9pm daily) within the Shops at Wailea. You can pick up
dive-related accessories and inquire about current conditions, although since this is a satel-
lite store, if you're in need of gear and tank rental, you're better off with one of the larger
outlets in Kihei.
MAKENA AND BEYOND
Dive Sites
In addition to being one of the best shore dives in Makena, Makena Landing also takes
the cake as the spot with the greatest number of names (others include Nahuna, 5 Caves,
and 5 Graves ). As if four names weren't enough already, this general area is also referred
to as Turtle Town by many charter boat operators, which was concocted to sell snorkel-
ing tours. Each of the many monikers is accurate for different reasons: Geographically, the
dive lies within the Makena Landing area and is close to Makena Landing park. There are
multiple caves here where sea turtles and whitetip reef sharks often hang out, all access-
ible to divers. You walk right past five tombstones if you choose to use the northern beach
access. Nahuna is the Hawaiian name for this area.
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