Tendering 2 days in Lahaina - would appreciate recommendations/suggestions within walking distance from dock

[BermudaBound2014]

4 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

This is getting silly. When's the last time you walked up Kekaa Drive through the golf course from Whalers Village? Big hill. 

 

You seem to be a bit confused again. Why would the OP step foot on Kekaa drive? I suppose she could go out of her way to climb the hill on Kekaa, only to walk back down the hill to Honokowai but that doesn't make much sense to me for several reasons. Here's a topographic map if interested: Kāʻanapali Beach Topo Map in Maui County, Hawaii (anyplaceamerica.com)

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

You don't go there for Poke-- 

Thanks for that info. Since the OP asked about Poke I thought that was the subject but now realize other recommendations were given. I just looked at the menu for Okazuya. It looks delicious. I must try that sometime this month.

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

-- shocked you don't know that because you seem confident you know everything else. 

 

No need to be snarky. There are many subjects I lack confidence in, but fortunately for the OP, walking on the West side of Maui isn't one of them. The only reason I keep correcting you in this thread is because I don't want the OP confused. My intention was not to offend, rather to provide accurate information.

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it is "ludicrous". I just think everyone has their own idea of walkable. 4 miles isn't what I'd call walkable.

 

Agreed, everyones idea of walkable is different.

 

It's a good thing we are all just trying to help, because now the OP can make an informed decision about to spend her time here :). 

[Welly9]

WOW a lot of info to digest here lol...

Here is my Q - we are at the Lahaina Maui port this coming early May, 2 days, 1st day we would enjoy a few hours at Ka-anapali Beach - any public spots? perhaps a beach bar with loungers? then later that afternoon we will make our way to the Royal Lahaina Resort for the Myths of Maui Luau...then cab or uber back to ship, next day heading to Wailea area to a Resort Beach, then back to ship, it leaves at 9pm...Q2 - how long an uber ride and cost for this trip??

thanks

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, Welly9 said:

1st day we would enjoy a few hours at Ka-anapali Beach - any public spots? perhaps a beach bar with loungers?

You have a ton of choices. First part to look at would be Whalers Village-- there you have Monkeypod, Leilanis, and Hula Grill which are some of the better lunch spots on the beach. Hula Grill might the the closest to a beach bar (there aren't any bars actually on the beach) but it overlooks the water and has a sand floor. Out of the three I would say that Monkeypod is in third place from a food standpoint-- Hula Grill and Leilanis tend to be of a higher quality. 

 

Then you have all the options at the hotels which will vary from fairly good to basic resort food. The Westin revamped their bar and it is quite nice. Hui Hui at The Kaanapali Beach Hotel is a favorite of ours and a great spot for lunch. The Sheraton's bar food is very ok. Further down the Hyatt has a fun outdoor bar but again, the food is very basic resort food (burgers, quesadillas, etc) like the Sheratons. 

 

1 hour ago, Welly9 said:

then later that afternoon we will make our way to the Royal Lahaina Resort for the Myths of Maui Luau...

Just a tiny bit past the Royal Lahaina is a little bar called Castaways which is a hidden gem. Decent mix of "locals" and resort folks. Would be good for a drink before or after the Luau. I would also consider a stop in Lahaina at some point as you'll be passing through each way and it's worth a stop. 

 

1 hour ago, Welly9 said:

next day heading to Wailea area to a Resort Beach, then back to ship, it leaves at 9pm...Q2 - how long an uber ride and cost for this trip

You'll find in Wailea that you are a bit more tied to the resorts in terms of food and beverage options than you are in Kaanapali. Wailea is a tiny bit more convenient to Kahului though, so not a bad option on a day you are sailing away. UberX is about $45 and takes a little over 30 minutes (assuming there isn't traffic or pricing surge). 

[Welly9]

9 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

You have a ton of choices. First part to look at would be Whalers Village-- there you have Monkeypod, Leilanis, and Hula Grill which are some of the better lunch spots on the beach. Hula Grill might the the closest to a beach bar (there aren't any bars actually on the beach) but it overlooks the water and has a sand floor. Out of the three I would say that Monkeypod is in third place from a food standpoint-- Hula Grill and Leilanis tend to be of a higher quality. 

 

Then you have all the options at the hotels which will vary from fairly good to basic resort food. The Westin revamped their bar and it is quite nice. Hui Hui at The Kaanapali Beach Hotel is a favorite of ours and a great spot for lunch. The Sheraton's bar food is very ok. Further down the Hyatt has a fun outdoor bar but again, the food is very basic resort food (burgers, quesadillas, etc) like the Sheratons. 

 

Just a tiny bit past the Royal Lahaina is a little bar called Castaways which is a hidden gem. Decent mix of "locals" and resort folks. Would be good for a drink before or after the Luau. I would also consider a stop in Lahaina at some point as you'll be passing through each way and it's worth a stop. 

 

You'll find in Wailea that you are a bit more tied to the resorts in terms of food and beverage options than you are in Kaanapali. Wailea is a tiny bit more convenient to Kahului though, so not a bad option on a day you are sailing away. UberX is about $45 and takes a little over 30 minutes (assuming there isn't traffic or pricing surge). 

Thankyou for the tidbits! Whalers Village seems like a spot to stop and head to the MonkeyPod, we will find a way to hit the water.. ;O)

[KeepCalmBearOn]

11 hours ago, Welly9 said:

1st day we would enjoy a few hours at Ka-anapali Beach - any public spots? perhaps a beach bar with loungers?

 

Hawaii is not like Mexico or the Caribbean. There are no bars on the beach, no beach clubs, etc. In Hawaii all beaches are public and the only beaches with restrictions are the military ones. The loungers you do see on the beach usually belong to hotels for their guests exclusively and even then, the beach loungers (not pool side) are extra. The best beach of Ka'anapali is south of Black Rock, see below.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/uAEguTV5ziRXiHTr8

 

These are the loungers for Sheraton Maui guests.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/4uRduuv93D7Rh5XY7

 

You can check resortpass.com for West Maui hotels that offer a resort pass, but few do.

 

Even at that, alcohol is banned on the beach in Hawaii, so again, unlike Mexico or the Caribbean, no one is bringing rum drinks to your chair, if you can find one.

 

You can rent a beach chair and an umbrella from a place like Boss Frog, but they are not loungers, they look like this.

 

 

 

 

 

[Welly9]

👍

[BermudaBound2014]

On 4/5/2023 at 1:29 PM, princeton123211 said:

 Wailea is a tiny bit more convenient to Kahului though, so not a bad option on a day you are sailing away. 

 

Except the OP is sailing away from Lahaina, not Kahului. 

 

 

 

On 4/5/2023 at 12:04 PM, Welly9 said:

WOW a lot of info to digest here lol...

Here is my Q - we are at the Lahaina Maui port this coming early May, 2 days, 1st day we would enjoy a few hours at Ka-anapali Beach - any public spots? perhaps a beach bar with loungers? then later that afternoon we will make our way to the Royal Lahaina Resort for the Myths of Maui Luau...then cab or uber back to ship, next day heading to Wailea area to a Resort Beach, then back to ship, it leaves at 9pm...Q2 - how long an uber ride and cost for this trip??

thanks

 

Staying in Wailea on day 2 means you have to cross the Pali on a travel day. The Honoapi'ilani hwy was closed again on Tuesday for over 6 hours due to another very sad fatality. When the Pali is closed you are literally stuck on whatever side of the island you have landed upon and unfortunately, long delays seem to be a weekly event these last few months.

 

With that said, you have a 9 pm departure time and I suspect the ship would actually wait if the Pali closes. Last week the planes at OGG were all delayed due to the closure causing a bit of late night confusion at the airport. The odds are greatly in your favor. I don't want to sound alarmist, but I have learned check the Pali for delays anytime I'm trying to cross because if you get caught in it, it is a mess. Locals actually carry snacks and water in their cars just in case if that tells you anything.  

 

I would be a bit concerned about finding an uber from Wailea to Lahaina. I do not have the same luck that Princeton has in obtaining car services. I just put in my app for a uber from the Lahaina Wharf to Fairmont. It's 10 a.m. right now so that's in the ballpark of when you would likely be traveling. The app is showing an uberX for $67.26, a comfort for $82.45, and an uberXL at $94.44.  The app is showing cars are only 5 minutes away, but the question is whether or not an uber driver will actually accept that job. They also prefer to stay on one side of the island or the other. I do recommend you pre-arrange the ride back.

 

With all that, I would possibly recommend you switch dates. Go to Wailea on day one and Kaanapali on Day 2. It's definitely in an abundance of caution, but staying on the Lahaina side of the island on a day the ship sails makes the most sense to me. The ride from the dock to Whalers and the Luau is going to be 10-15 minutes as both are very close to Lahaina. 

 

I do agree that food at Monkeypod is marginal. I go there for Mai-Tai with Honey-lilikoi foam. It's a tourist thing to do for sure :).  

 

 

[rcprncss]

On 3/23/2023 at 1:39 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Aloha Traveller1212,

 

I'm a mid-50's fit female who resides on Maui during the winter months. I think I can help :).

 

You have received good advice above, but I'll add some details (probably more than you want).

 

Lahaina is a quaint old whaling village. Lots of shops along Front street. Great restaurants too. It's a nice afternoon, but I would not plan on spending the majority of time here. Since you don't want to rent a car or take a tour, that limits you to bus and foot; but lucky for you, Kaanapali is easy for both and was just voted in the top 10 of the worlds best beaches (although that title is certainly subjective).

 

I have personally walked from the Lahaina Marina (where your tender lets you off) all the way to Whalers Village. It's only 4.17 miles one way (8.5 round trip) so very doable. 99% of the trail is on a paved sidewalk. There is a very small section (about 1,000 feet) where you will walk along Honoapii'lani. Not ideal, but it's an extended bike lane and plenty of people walk it. The stretch along the beach is really lovely, especially the section in front of the larger resorts. Find the penguins :). 

 

 

 

Now, if you don't want to walk, the public bus is really quite good here. It's $1.00 each ride for those over 55 or $4.00 for a Hoho day pass. The bus runs on-time too which is a nice bonus. I would recommend that you do not pick up the bus at the wharf (which is the closest place to where you will tender into). The wharf stop is the largest terminal area on the west side. The waiting area is dark, feels sketchy, and there will likely be tweekers. Instead, take a lovely 1/2 mile stroll along front street and pick up the bus at the Front St/Papalaua street. It's directly across from Tommy Bahamas. Well marked with a chair so you will know it's a stop. It's light, airy, with a lovely sea view. Polar opposite of the wharf.

 

 

 

 

Take the bus to Whalers village stop. Here you will find the world famous Monkey Pod Mai-Tai with Honey-lillikoi foam (yumm!!). Whalers offers lots of shopping, eating, and some fun free activities too (hula dancing lessons, yoga, lei making, etc..).  Shopping Mall in Lahaina, HI | Whalers Village

 

Mostly you want to hit Whalers because in front of whalers is a boardwalk stretching the entire length of Kaanapali beach (over 3 miles) with whalers is pretty much right in the middle. Walking the entire length round trip is a beautiful 6 mile stroll. It can be hot, but there are lots of watereing holes.  Kaanapali is absolutely the place to 'stick your feet in the sand' and a solo female traveler will be quite safe here. 

 

The bus will also take you lots of really cool places, so if you are up for a bit more adventure let me know. Also, there will be plenty of water tour operrations right from your tender stop (snorkeling, whale watching during season, submarine, etc...). With two days in Maui, I highly recommend you venture out of Lahaina (at least for part of the time).

 

Hope this helps and enjoy your time on Maui 🙂

 

 

 

This is the stroll from the tender to the bus stop I recommended. Can't get lost 🙂

 Wow!  This is great advice.  Thank you!

[Welly9]

19 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Except the OP is sailing away from Lahaina, not Kahului. 

 

 

 

 

Staying in Wailea on day 2 means you have to cross the Pali on a travel day. The Honoapi'ilani hwy was closed again on Tuesday for over 6 hours due to another very sad fatality. When the Pali is closed you are literally stuck on whatever side of the island you have landed upon and unfortunately, long delays seem to be a weekly event these last few months.

 

With that said, you have a 9 pm departure time and I suspect the ship would actually wait if the Pali closes. Last week the planes at OGG were all delayed due to the closure causing a bit of late night confusion at the airport. The odds are greatly in your favor. I don't want to sound alarmist, but I have learned check the Pali for delays anytime I'm trying to cross because if you get caught in it, it is a mess. Locals actually carry snacks and water in their cars just in case if that tells you anything.  

 

I would be a bit concerned about finding an uber from Wailea to Lahaina. I do not have the same luck that Princeton has in obtaining car services. I just put in my app for a uber from the Lahaina Wharf to Fairmont. It's 10 a.m. right now so that's in the ballpark of when you would likely be traveling. The app is showing an uberX for $67.26, a comfort for $82.45, and an uberXL at $94.44.  The app is showing cars are only 5 minutes away, but the question is whether or not an uber driver will actually accept that job. They also prefer to stay on one side of the island or the other. I do recommend you pre-arrange the ride back.

 

With all that, I would possibly recommend you switch dates. Go to Wailea on day one and Kaanapali on Day 2. It's definitely in an abundance of caution, but staying on the Lahaina side of the island on a day the ship sails makes the most sense to me. The ride from the dock to Whalers and the Luau is going to be 10-15 minutes as both are very close to Lahaina. 

 

I do agree that food at Monkeypod is marginal. I go there for Mai-Tai with Honey-lilikoi foam. It's a tourist thing to do for sure :).  

 

 

interesting I need to look into this, if I can change as the Luau is Day 1 hence the Kaanapali Beach visit, thankyou

[BermudaBound2014]

See, it’s no joke 😞. The bypass is closed again today. That doesn’t entirely cut off the west side from

the east side as there is an alternate route (the bypass is closed, not the entire Pali)- but it slowed things down to a serious crawl. Took 4 hours to reopen. We were going to hike upcountry today but those plans got axed. 

 

 

[Welly9]

Our day 1 at Lahaina is our Luau , 530 to 830ish, we cant switch to day 2 there, so if i switch this I have a few more to switch etc...is there a time these incidents occur more often or a day?

 

 

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, Welly9 said:

Our day 1 at Lahaina is our Luau , 530 to 830ish, we cant switch to day 2 there, so if i switch this I have a few more to switch etc...is there a time these incidents occur more often or a day?

At the risk of being told I don't know what I'm talking about again (which has become an utterly charming aspect of this thread), statistically you should be fine. Improvements like the Lahaina Bypass have made things dramatically better than it had been even it was 10 years ago. 

 

It doesn't happen every day or even every week. When it does happen its not great but life isn't without at least a small amount of risk. Usually it's caused by an accident that can be cleared in a matter of an hour or two- not necessarily 4. And as stated, the Bypass runs parallel to the old road it was designed to take traffic off of so there is still access if one of them has an issue. 

 

We've been here for the past month and, while I'm aware there have been issues while we were here, nothing has impacted us and I drive it quite often. Drove down from Kaanapali yesterday out to Hana around 4pm and things were moving along fine. 

[Welly9]

16 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

At the risk of being told I don't know what I'm talking about again (which has become an utterly charming aspect of this thread), statistically you should be fine. Improvements like the Lahaina Bypass have made things dramatically better than it had been even it was 10 years ago. 

 

It doesn't happen every day or even every week. When it does happen its not great but life isn't without at least a small amount of risk. Usually it's caused by an accident that can be cleared in a matter of an hour or two- not necessarily 4. And as stated, the Bypass runs parallel to the old road it was designed to take traffic off of so there is still access if one of them has an issue. 

 

We've been here for the past month and, while I'm aware there have been issues while we were here, nothing has impacted us and I drive it quite often. Drove down from Kaanapali yesterday out to Hana around 4pm and things were moving along fine. 

Thankyou, yes always an inherited risk...I feel we will just stay to our sched as it will take to much juggling 

thanks for the input!

[BermudaBound2014]

On 4/14/2023 at 3:14 PM, Welly9 said:

Thankyou, yes always an inherited risk...I feel we will just stay to our sched as it will take to much juggling 

thanks for the input!

 

As Princeton stated, the odds are very much in your favor. I would take the risk if my schedule was too difficult to easily switch. I would maybe suggest that you periodically keep an eye on a traffic app throughout the day while you are in Wailia. If you see a solid red line forming anywhere along the Pali it's your que to head back.  The red circle is the area to watch. 

 

 

 

Hope you find that helpful :).

 

 

 

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

On 4/14/2023 at 2:56 PM, princeton123211 said:

At the risk of being told I don't know what I'm talking about again (which has become an utterly charming aspect of this thread),

 

When I'm wrong (and I am often) and someone is kind enough to correct me without being snarky, I am typically appreciative and offer my thanks. 

 

But we're all different.

 

That's what makes the world go around :). 

 

 

[Welly9]

17 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

As Princeton stated, the odds are very much in your favor. I would take the risk if my schedule was too difficult to easily switch. I would maybe suggest that you periodically keep an eye on a traffic app throughout the day while you are in Wailia. If you see a solid red line forming anywhere along the Pali it's your que to head back.  The red circle is the area to watch. 

 

 

 

Hope you find that helpful :).

 

 

 

 

 

YEs, thankyou 

[Laurie22]

This thread was very entertaining to read. I am a fit female in her 60s who is looking for similar port information for an upcoming Hawaii cruise. The only really helpful information was post #10 from @BermudaBound2014 (thank you). I personally would enjoy a 4 mile walk to and from the beach, but I also appreciate the bus info in that same post.
 

Cheers everyone, and I hope you’re all friends again. 😉

[BermudaBound2014]

On 4/23/2023 at 7:50 PM, Laurie22 said:

 I personally would enjoy a 4 mile walk to and from the beach, but I also appreciate the bus info in that same post.

 

I think the OP decided to bus to Whalers and walk back. Best of both worlds. Drinks, beach, shopping, and then a beautiful stroll back to Lahaina.  I think you will enjoy the walk very much! 🙂 

[93yearsyoung]

On 4/23/2023 at 4:50 PM, Laurie22 said:

The only really helpful information was post #10 from @BermudaBound2014 (thank you). I personally would enjoy a 4 mile walk to and from the beach, but I also appreciate the bus info in that same post.

 

I found posts #2 & #7 very helpful. I also thought several of Princeton123211 helpful.

 

I am not sure if you've been to Hawaii before, but walking 8 miles (4 miles each way) in the heat and humidity is very different than walking 8 miles in a cooler climate. Even in my youngest days (I'll be 94 for my next Hawaii cruise) I would never have walked from the Pioneer Inn to Whaler's Village, or vice versa.

[princeton123211]

28 minutes ago, 93yearsyoung said:

I would never have walked from the Pioneer Inn to Whaler's Village, or vice versa.

Especially when you consider that there is a small stretch once you leave Front St onto Honoapiilani Hwy that you are walking along the exposed shoulder of a busy 4 lane highway with no sidewalk or path before you get to the path that brings you into Kaanapali. 

[BermudaBound2014]

48 minutes ago, 93yearsyoung said:

 

I found posts #2 & #7 very helpful. I also thought several of Princeton123211 helpful.

 

I am not sure if you've been to Hawaii before, but walking 8 miles (4 miles each way) in the heat and humidity is very different than walking 8 miles in a cooler climate. Even in my youngest days (I'll be 94 for my next Hawaii cruise) I would never have walked from the Pioneer Inn to Whaler's Village, or vice versa.

 

It makes perfect sense that you would find those posts helpful. You are a 93 year old female who wouldn't have made that walk in her younger days. With that info, recommending you walk 4 miles is silly. 

 

However; in the original post the OP describes herself much differently. I share both her general age and fitness level and gave my recommendation based on personal experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[john2003]

It is years since we have been to Maui. I thought last time we were in Lahaina we did have a dip in the ocean fairly close to where the tender dropped us. I also remember a horrendous lineup in the street for security to get back on the ship! 
Am I incorrect about swimming at Lahaina or is it ok. Just not as good as other places. 

[CruiserBruce]

6 hours ago, john2003 said:

It is years since we have been to Maui. I thought last time we were in Lahaina we did have a dip in the ocean fairly close to where the tender dropped us. I also remember a horrendous lineup in the street for security to get back on the ship! 
Am I incorrect about swimming at Lahaina or is it ok. Just not as good as other places. 

There isn't really anywhere close to the tender location to get in the ocean.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

8 hours ago, john2003 said:

It is years since we have been to Maui. I thought last time we were in Lahaina we did have a dip in the ocean fairly close to where the tender dropped us. I also remember a horrendous lineup in the street for security to get back on the ship! Am I incorrect about swimming at Lahaina or is it ok. Just not as good as other places. 

 

In theory, you could walk to Kamehameha Iki Park and get in the ocean there, but the beach might or might not be there, depending in tide. See the map below.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/uUVHJR99uhxh3PQf9