Kaanapali is perfectly located on the western coastline of Maui. It is a location that is not actually a secret. In fact, it is a wonderful place to stay in. It is quite famous and features incredible luxury rentals in Maui that you will simply love. Savvy visitors love Kaanapali and enjoy numerous unexpected treats during their visits. Some of the hidden gems that few expect are presented below. Try to experience as many as you can to have a much better visit.
Local Gift Galleries
There are not many places in the world where gift galleries stand out as travel experiences but in Kaanapali you can be sure that you will spend hours in many of them. You will find numerous Hawaii-made products there. Make sure that you visit the Totally Hawaiian Gift Gallery to find some koa wood bowls or ornamental quilts. This is where you find the best offering of Niihau shell jewellery.
Black Rock Snorkeling
Black Rock, commonly known as Puu Kekaa, gives you access to some of the best snorkelling in Maui. However, most people just explore the southern face of the rock. If you want to see much more of the flourishing marine life, be sure that you swim around the corner. Just be careful with the current since it is stronger. The very best time to snorkel is in the morning. In the event that snorkelling is not your think, you can always try standup paddleboard since it offers a wonderful view of the huge forty feet sea cliffs.
Hanakaoo Beach Park Snorkeling
Another wonderful snorkelling opportunity in Kaanapali is Hanakaoo beach Park’s Reef. It is located right at the southern end of the path, allowing you to experience a public beach that does not have huge crowds. There are vibrant corals that you will love and afternoon tradewinds that can affect snorkelling.
Roy’s Chocolate Souffle
It is practically impossible to find a better chocolate souffle than the one that you find at Roy’s. You have to order the dish with the entrée but this melty, warm chocolate is definitely worth waiting. The restaurant is located inside the popular Kanaapali Golf Course, across the Kanaapali Highway. The bonus is that you get stellar views of rolling greens and the West Maui mountains.
Puuhonua Cultural Center
This cultural center is located at the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas. Puuhonua is practically a sanctuary that allowed anyone that broke the law to escape persecution and find refuge. You do not need to run away from the law in order to visit the center since it is a highly educational experience. It allows you to learn a lot about the traditional Hawaiian crafts, culture and history.
Humpback Whales Listening
Every single winter there are humpback whales that visit Maui, with Kaanapali being a wonderful place where you could see the animals breaching. However, in order to hear intricate songs of whales, you have to dive at around 5 feet underwater. The whale songs will travel for numerous miles and you can detect the songs around 5 miles away. Snorkel or scuba dive from Kaanapali Beach and there is a really good possibility that you will hear the humpback whales.
Ke Ola O Puu Kekaa
This is a really interesting mural that was done by Kaiili Kaulukukui. It covers an impressive 310 square feet of the entrance to Sheraton Maui. We are talking about a colourful, creative mural that depicts the Black Rock’s underwater, rich beauty. The artist spent a huge part of the childhood snorkelling and swimming right in front of the hotel. As a result, this was sort of a thank you.
Whalers Village Museum
Between 1830 and 1860, Lahaina and Kaanapali were really festive. The areas were bustling with sailors as really big whaling towns. Countless sailors just travelled to relax. The Whalers Village Museum allows you to see numerous stories of these early whalers.
Sea Turtle Spotting
If whales are not your thing, you can always go for sea turtle spotting. It allows you to see the honu, which is a beautiful green sea turtle. This encounter is almost guaranteed at Black Rock, which is where you can also go snorkelling, as mentioned above. You will often see turtles during high tide as they are feeding of seaweed.
The Kaanapali Historical Trail
Huge battles were waged in the past in Kaanapali. Also, horse races used to be held right on the beach. These are two examples of Maui history that you can get with a self-guided tour that takes you through the Kaanapali Historical Trail, which goes through the Kaanapali Beach Resort. If you want to get more information about the numerous historical sites, there is also the possibility to get a map that is available at any of the Kaanapali hotels.
Sheraton Maui’s Luau Bowls
If you visit Kaanapali, you should attend one of the best Maui luaus and you should eat poke. This is now really easy if you are a visitor of the Maui Nui luau of Sheraton. Fresh island fish is matched and mixed as you bring poke bowls to the evening luau.
Westin Maui’s Waterfall
Last but not least, in the event that you do not have the time that is needed to go to Hana in order to see the beautiful waterfalls there, Westin Maui can be visited. In the hotel of the lobby, you can see incredible waterfall photos. This spot actually became really popular for families and friends that want to snap some selfies during a visit of this part of Hawaii.
