Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
When it comes to snorkeling along Maui's shoreline,
Honolua Bay
is the gold standard.
This wide, scenic cleft in the coastline is not only a bio-diverse marine reserve, but it's
also protected from the afternoon trade winds. Honolua Bay is one of the most sacred and
revered spots on the West Side of the island, and there has been a herculean movement
over the last decade to “Save Honolua” and spare the area from development. The valley,
bay, and shoreline exude a supernatural beauty. Somewhere between the lush green foliage
of the valley and the shimmering, turquoise waters, there is a palpable magic unlike any-
where else. This is also the bay from which the Hokule'a voyaging canoe launched its epic
journey to Tahiti in 1976.
Finding the shoreline at Honolua Bay is an adventure in itself. As the highway morphs
into a rural county road, the first glimpse you will get of Honolua is from the paved over-
look 1.8 miles past the entrance to Kapalua. This is a nice place to pull over for a pic-
ture, but there are better lookouts a mile later. Toward the bottom of the hill, parking for
the shoreline is in a lush and shaded valley where you might encounter some merchants
selling their crafts. To reach the water, find a parking spot wherever you can (all the trails
in a 0.5-mile stretch eventually lead to the shoreline), grab all of your snorkeling gear, and
make a short, five-minute trek through a dense green understory which chirps with activity
and drips with vines.
