We visited Maui last month. With the locations we visited on this particular trip I can say that we’ve now seen the entire island. On this trip we visited some of our favorite spots and saw the last part of the island that evaded us for years. Below I’ll summarize spots I mentioned in prior blogs and provide more detail around the newest area we explored on this trip.
If you are the impatient type that doesn’t like to read, I prepared a video with the best highlights.
Pipiwai trail through the Bamboo forest
This was the last area of Maui that we had been trying to visit for years and finally made it.
The drive is about 2-3 hours long from Kihei/Wailea. The only way to get there is to take a winding S-shaped trip from Kihei to the southern part of Haleakala National Park or go through Hana. A map can be found here. Most of the roads are paved through the Upcountry area which is beautiful.
Maui Upcountry
The last 1/3rd of the drive is muddy, rocky, unpaved single lane road where you can only travel about 20-30 mph. Occasionally there were cars coming from the opposite direction we had to slowly squeeze by. In the picture below you can see the road cut-out of the hillside.
Once at the park there’s ample parking, restrooms and well marked trails. As the sign below shows there are two waterfalls. The hike seems short however it’s muddy, rocky and humid. It took us about an hour to reach Waimoku Falls. The park service suggests to bring plenty of food, water, not wear open toes shoes, etc. We did the hike in gym shoes but would have appreciated good hiking boots.
In the images below, after walking through a muddy trail up to and past Makahiku Falls, passed an old Banyon Tree (a little smaller than the one in Lahaina) we reached a bridge. We walked across the bridge and looked down to see that it spans a few shorter waterfalls and a stream. On the other side of the bridge we found ourselves in the Bamboo Forest. Absolutely amazing to finally arrive after having read about it and seeing so many pictures over the years.
A portion of the trail has planks to walk on, however most of the hike is a muddy, rocky trail.
At the end of the trail is the 400 foot Waimoku Falls. The picture in the bottom right doesn’t really show full extend of this area. After walking through dense forest the trail opens up in a semi-circle area almost like being in an outdoor cathedral. There are 2-3 smaller waterfalls to the right of Waimoku Falls. After walking to the end of the trail, we hiked back a little and found a trail off to the left that led to a stream where we had lunch.
A short walk from the parking lot will take you to Ohe’o Gulch (aka: Seven Sacred Pools – although there aren’t seven pools and they aren’t sacred, but beautiful). The fresh water from the stream runs into the ocean in the bottom right of the photo below.
Ohe’o Gulch
Ahihi-Kinau Natural Reserve Area
We’ve been snorkeling here since they re-opened it a few years ago. There’s plenty of parking throughout the day, some porta-potties, and beautiful scenery. It’s less than a 5 minute walk to the beach.
Entrance to the water is slightly difficult with lots of rocks to walk over.
The picture below is obviously from the water looking back at the beach.
The snorkeling is very good, a variety of fish, and an occasional turtle.
Blackfin Chromis
Oval Butterflyfish
Rare Longnose Butterflyfish
Convict Tang
Bluefin Trevally (Juvenile)
For more details, maps, etc. on this location, visit the Hawaiian Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Kahekili Beach
Kahekili beach, just north of Black Rock, remains one of our favorite beaches overall on Maui. There’s plenty of parking, bathrooms and showers. The beach itself is a long-wide tranquil place with some shade towards the walking path behind the “sand” part of the beach.
The snorkeling remains amazing. We’ve snorkeled there at different times of the year and it never disappoints. Also, getting into and out of the water is very easy – a gradual, sandy slope leads to lava and coral.
The reef is a long, wide expanse that parallels the shoreline. I seen a wide variety of fish (Yellow Tang, Ornate Butterfly fish, Triggerfish, Moorish Idols, little Spotted Boxfish, etc) and marine life like eels and a school of Lavender Tang.
Just as I headed out to snorkel in about 10 feet of water I saw something below me slithering between the coral. I stopped and noticed it was a Whitemouth Moray Eel. These and other eels are nocturnal predators so I rarely see them during the day. Also, if these eels are out during the day they are usually tucked away in the coral. I just so happen to find this eel mostly out in the open so I took it’s picture and included it in the video linked at the top of this blog.
Whitemouth Moray Eel
Ornate Butterflyfish
As I headed south along the reef I watched the coral below for interesting fish. I happened to see a fish that was heavily camouflaged and noticed it exposed bright red and orange pectoral fins while swimming. I realized it was a Devil Scorpionfish – a close cousin to the Hawaiian Lionfish.
Scorpionfish are lazy carnivores. They have venomous spines that can deliver a painful sting, but aren’t deadly. This one appeared to be full-grown at ~12 inches… and quite unhappy.
Devil Scorpionfish
That wraps-up our trip… Aloha.
The Middle Road Less Traveled 