-
Kapalua Beach
4 reviews
Maui County, HI
Category: Beaches
-
Olivine Pools
5 reviewsMaui, HI
Category: Swimming Pools
-
Honokeana Cove
2 reviewsLahaina, HI
-
Black Rock
15 reviewsUninc Maui County, HI
Category: Swimming Pools
-
Dragon's Teeth
9 reviewsKapalua, HI
Category: Local Flavor
Honolua Bay
Rating Details »
Honolua Bay
Between the 32 and 33 mile marker
Kapalua, HI 96761
Between the 32 and 33 mile marker
Kapalua, HI 96761
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
10 reviews for Honolua Bay
Honolua Bay is a very good snorkeling spot in the summer (and historic surfing spot in the winter).
You see lots of cool fish here, but it's sad to see the wear and tear on the corals with all the people snorkeling here. All the sea urchins I saw at Honolua Bay had all of their spines are gone. The day I went the visibility was about 20 feet and it's best to stay along the sides of the bay near the rocks to see the most fish.
You will need to park along side the road and walk to the water. It's rocky to get into the water, so bring your flip flops.
It's a busy spot, so be prepared to deal with a lot of other people. You should bring all of your valuables with you and don't leave them in the car because of break-ins.
Honolua Bay is FREE to visit.
Mahalo!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
I saw lots of fishies here... My husband and I went in mid-July, the weather was perfect and visibility was great!
We saw a HUGE school of fish near the reef on the right side. Also saw a puffer, lots of pipe fish and a eel (creeped me out). The great thing about Honolua is that even though there seems to be a lot of ppl, it never feels like its crowded. You also don't have to swim out too far to see the coral reef and fish...
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
one of my favorite surf spots. has a great long right reef break.in the winter time or from storms off of south america, central america or mexico.wwwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooo yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaa
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (5)
- Cool (5)
Great place, great snorkeling, and along with all my other preachy don't destroy our environment reviews - look and enjoy, but don't touch anything!
And don't feed the fish.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
I had the best time. I saw every tropical fish I could ever imagine. We saw Sea Turtles, sting rays colorful coral. We saw a forest cat, red finches. My eyeballs were very happy. I hope whoever stole my daughters flip flops enjoyed them. Just saying. I had a nice 35 mm camera and you took the flip flops?
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Honolua Bay! So awesome for a snorkeling beginner! No current and tons of sea life.
We parked past the parking lot and along the road. There are two entrances that lead to the main path to the Bay one which leads from the parking lot and the other dirt path leads from the road. It is not marked, but it is an obvious path. There are pseudo paths, but when you see the right one, you will know.
The beach is fairly rocky with a bit of sand. It is surrounded by trees and there is a good bit of shade in the morning.
The snorkeling is awesome. There is very little current - it's like swimming in a pool, not the ocean! There is tons of ocean life around the coral beds.
This is a definite must visit if you go to Maui!
Park near the top of the bay, don't leave valuables in your car (which includes the trunk), work your way down to the shore through the vegetation. There is no sandy beach here, but you'll find a lot of large rocks.
There is a cement 'walk way' that gradually descends into the bay from the rocky shore...it's located pretty much in the center of the bay. Carefully walk down it with your snorkeling gear, put it on and head to the right side of the bay. Visibility is good, you'll see a LOT of fish, just like your inside of a saltwater aquarium.
Probably one of the top 5 free area's on Maui. Lot's of surfers in the winter when the swell is up. (They are by the right point and farther that you need to go for good snorkeling)
AMAZING snorkeling. And yes, there is a nice path down to the shore. You'll get to encounter many a roosters along the way. If you don't hear cock-a-doodle-doing, you are in the wrong place. There is a sign that says "Private Property- Enter at Your Own Risk". We decided to "risk" it and nothing noteworthy happened :)
The first day we had to walk through mid-calf deep water across the river in the middle of the path. The very next day the river was dry. I recommend wearing your water shoes down to the beach 1) in case you have to wade through the river and 2) because the shore is very rocky. Do not bring any valuables down to the beach. You will be so absorbed in the incredible snorkeling that you will lose all track of time, so there is a good chance that your stuff could get swiped. We snorkeled the right side the first day and the left the second. Both days we went all the way out to where the waves break. Both sides were absolutely incredible in different ways, so don't worry, you can't really go wrong. We went late in the afternoon and there were no ships anchored in the bay, so we pretty much had the run of the place. If you see surfers, head home. If the waves are good enough to surf, then the water will be too murky to snorkel. I hear Honolua is only good in the summer-time when the surf is down.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
Honolua is very nice for snorkeling. It feels isolated. I think I saw the Paragon charters stopping there. That looked really fun. I think they depart from Kaanapali. If you're so inclined, you can continue on the road up to the northern part of the island for a nice drive. Just be sure not to go too far because there don't seem to be many gas stations. Watch out for cyclists on the narrow road!
honolua bay,
you didn't make me pay,
but we searched and pondered,
at your overlooking beauty far yonder.
without any pathways to reach your shore,
we hopped, skipped, and ouchied our way some more,
to find, helas, more sharp rocks and creatures,
that did not welcome us and featured
murky water with low visibility,
strong current and diminishing credibility,
we shrunk back to our salty being
and left without even seeing
one new fishie friend,
or one happy seashell.
next time, we'll think twice about visiting,
your suburb of a coral reef that seemed so riveting,
we'll know to expect your local flavor
of dark and hiding fish beneath the coral favor,
and choose to watch the surfers' stunts instead
from above your windy, water head.
