Kihei is located on the western edge of Maui in Hawaii. Now known for its plentiful accommodations and services, Kihei in the 1960s consisted of roughly two hundred yards where the Mokulele Highway met the Ma'alaea Bay.

Aside from vaction rental homes for rent and restaurants, Kihei also boasts a number of beaches, ocean swimming, scuba diving and other marine activities. Visitors can learn more about the marine life in the Hawaiian islands at the Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, which offers education and information about the humpback and other aquatic wildlife. Shopping opportunities abound in Kihei as well.

This busy tourist town has three excellent white sand beaches. These beautiful beaches are great for snorkeling, safe swimming and fun in the sun. Kihei enjoys near constant sun all year long but ocean winds in the late afternoon bring relief from the heat of the day. If, for some reason, you don't like the water you can sit back and relax while taking in the views of neighboring islands Lanai and Kahoolawe during the day and the spectacular Maui sunsets.

You will definitely enjoy the restaurants located in Kihei, take advantage of the area's plentiful shopping or go golfing on Wailea and Makena's championship golf course or Kihei's own public golf course.

You'll have all the little touches that residents enjoy, because each Kihei rental home is set up personally by an owner to be livable and inviting. Rooms meant for vacation rentals and resorts are more expensive than Kihei vacation rentals (especially if you're renting for a group of people!), and the rooms are usually less comfortable, more impersonal and lacking the great Kihei vacation rental amenities like full kitchens and separate bedrooms.

Attractions and Activities in Kihei

Attractions in and Around Kihei

Swimming Beaches

The best swimming beaches start at Charley Young central Kihei. The north area of this beach is a good place for snorkeling. Just south of Charlie Young are some of Maui's most popular beaches, the Kamaole Beach Parks. Nice sandy beaches combined with grassy areas for picnicking have made these beaches a strong draw for residents and visitors alike. If you are looking for a beach with a little more solitude, Keawakapu is a long beautiful sandy beach with great swimming. This beach at the end of South Kihei road runs down into the Wailea area and sees fewer visitors due to its less conspicuous public access.

Marine Sanctuary:

Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary: This facility provides education and promotes research about local humpback whale populations, which visit the area in the winter. The sanctuary also is home to a unique array of marine plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

Hawaii Space Center Kihei: The Hawaii Space Center is located in Kihei and is an astral research facility and museum that attracts visitors from all over.

Hawaiian Island Images: Hawaiian Island Images offers professionally designed virtual Hawaiian art such as clip-art, photos, illustrations, backgrounds and borders. Images are convenient for use in material such as magazine ads, brochures, business cards and web pages.

Hapa Studios: Hapa Studios, by Alice Hainsworth, offers artistic services such as paintings, photography and video editing. Services may be used for special occasions such as anniversaries and graduations or corporate promotions. Stock images are also available.

Kihei Parks and Gardens

Kalama Beach Park: This 36-acre park offers visitors amenities such as a small beach area, public restrooms, showers, BBQ grills, picnic areas and a sports area.
Try snorkeling or scuba diving to explore the water, or visit one of Kihei's many nature preserves and wildlife displays. Kealia Pond is a natural wetland perfect for birdwatching, which is undergoing constant habitat restoration to preserve Hawaii's native plant and animal life.

Activities in and around Kihei

There are a number of activities visitors can participate in while on vacation in Kihei Maui. Scuba diving is a popular activity among tourists and the waters of Kihei offers excellent scuba diving for beginners. Another way to enjoy the ocean wildlife around the waters in Kihei is to rent a glass bottom kayak from one of the many water vehicle rental companies and explore the shores of Kihei with a kayak. If your feeling a little more adventures why not view Kihei from the skies in a parasail or take some paragliding lessons!

Scuba Diving: Scuba diving in Maui was phenomenal with a lot of the credit going to Mike Severns Diving. The dive masters and boat crew were all very informative with loads of info on the marine life in Maui. The atmosphere on the boat was always fun and relaxing while always maintaining a safe environment.

Shopping: Try the Azeka Shopping Centers for great variety, or check out the eclectic goods at the Rainbow Attic. Rent a Kihei condo and you'll have plenty of space to store your great finds.

Entertainment and Dining: For Kihei dining, experience laid-back local culture at various family Kihei restaurants, like the South Shore Tiki Lounge. Eat where the locals do and you'll save money while having a true Kihei vacation. Kihei, Maui, restaurants include a wide range of casual and fancy choices, so whether you're taking a family getaway or a Hawaii honeymoon, you'll be well taken care of. Try the Ukelele Grill for authentic food, good prices and live entertainment.

You'll be treated to food and dance from various Polynesian cultures. Tired of dining out? Kihei vacation rentals usually have full kitchens so you can prepare your meals at home, and local farmers' markets will let you sample local flavors without the cost of eating in Kihei restaurants.

If you've saved enough money by staying in a Kihei vacation rental and using its kitchen instead of eating out, and you want a really special meal to remember, go to Sarento's on the Beach for amazing Italian food and great people-watching. Stars come to dine here, so you never know who you'll catch sight of. It's definitely not cheap, but it will be a meal to remember.

Kihei offers many of the regular services you'd expect at any town, including childcare to make sure your little ones are taken care of while you enjoy a day at the beach or night on the town. You can also rent the gear you'll need for most sea excursions, whether you choose to go scuba diving or snorkeling. You can also opt for one of many guided tours around land or in the water. Getting around the island, you'll probably want a car, and you can find plenty of car rental services at the airport and around the island. Visit the Maui Dive Shop (Kihei location) to buy or rent gear; the Maui Dive Shop Kihei is the corporate location of this convenient chain for scuba and snorkeling enthusiasts, so you'll find absolutely everything you need.

But why limit yourself to activities in Kihei when the entire island of Maui is waiting for you to enjoy it's beautiful scenery and fun activities? Several tour companies provide locations specific sightseeing tours or island-wide sightseeing tours around Maui. Some of the most popular tours include sightseeing around Lahaina, Iao Valley, Kula, Haleakala Crater, Hana, and Ulupalakua.

As you may have already noticed, Kihei is a town that thrives around the ocean. Visitors and residents use Kihei as an area to embark on a number of ocean adventures. The Kihei Boat Ramp is a place where snorkelers and scuba divers head out to explore the waters around Molokini. Molokini is a sunken crater and now a marine sanctuary. This is one of the most popular if not the best places for underwater exploration around Maui.

From this industry alone has sprang forth several other businesses which thrive practically all- year-round when tourists, both local and foreign, make their way to this famed vacation spot. An example of these are the innumerable hotels, condominium units, lodging houses, and other high-rise establishments that practically touch the golden Kihei skies.

There are also Kihei car rental services that offer inexpensive rides to tourists to and from different places of destination. Many of them can be found at several airports just a few miles away from the town proper.

Festivals and Events in Kihei

Great Maui Whale Festival Events: Whalewatch enthusiasts consider Maui to be one of the world's top whalewatch spots -- a place where beachgoers can view 40-ton humpbacks breaching and splashing just offshore. In honor of the whales, Maui celebrates the Great Maui Whale Festival.

The festival is organized by the nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation, a Maui-based organization that has worked to protect whales throughout the Pacific since 1980. Events include a fun run; an all-day festival featuring a free concert by many of Hawaii's top musicians; a free talk and slideshow; a special whalewatch cruise with Pacific Whale Foundation's President and Founder and a citizen's count of whales that can be viewed from Maui's shores. Acording to Greg Kaufman, President and Founder of Pacific Whale Foundation Maui's whalewatching is is one of the best.