WEST MAUI - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 93

SOUTH OF LAHAINA
The main areas for kayaking south of Lahaina are either Olowalu (mile marker 14) or
Coral Gardens, off Papalaua Beach Park (mile marker 11). This is a popular area for
kayaking in winter since the large surf on the northern shores makes kayaking there im-
possible. These are fantastic reefs for spotting Hawaiian green sea turtles. While Maui
Kayaks (808/874-4000, www.mauikayaks.com , $69) and Hawaiian Paddle Sports (808/
660-4228, www.hawaiianpaddlesports.com , private tours from $109-159/person) both of-
fer tours in this area, one tour company which is area-specific is Kayak Olowalu (808/
661-0606, www.kayakolowalu.com ), which either offers tours for $65/adult or unguided
rentals for $30-40 for two hours.
Boating
MM SUNSET CRUISES
Few Maui activities are more iconic than a sunset sail off the West Maui coastline. The
feeling of the trade winds in your hair as you glide along the ocean is a sensation of free-
dom you can't experience on land. Watch as the setting sun paints the sky every shade of
orange and pink, while on most days you can also make out a rainbow hovering over the
lush valleys of Mauna Kahalawai. Add in some Israel Kamakawiwa'ole tunes, a mai tai,
and some Pacific Rim pupus, and there's a good chance you'll walk off the boat with a
smile on your face and the photo for next year's Christmas card.
Ka'anapali
While a sunset sail off Ka'anapali Beach can be the most magical moment of your va-
cation, there are a few things to understand for making the most of the magic. To begin
with, make sure to ask when you need to check in, because departure times for sunset sails
are 30 minutes different during summer and winter. Secondly, while it's always nice to get
a little bit dressed up, remember that you're still going on a moving boat and should be
outfitted accordingly. The Ka'anapali boats are all sailing catamarans which load from the
sand, and since some days can have moderate shorebreak, there's a good chance you'll end
up wet from the shins down. Also, your shoes will be collected prior to boarding (to keep
from tracking sand on the boat), so don't put too much time into matching them with your
outfit. There's even a chance that the departure could be moved to Lahaina Harbor due to
large surf on the beach. Since this isn't possible to predict until the day before the sail, it's