Maui’s youngest and fastest growing community is the sun belt of South Maui, also known as the “Gold Coast” or "Sun Coast" of Maui. South Maui offers the best of what people come to visit Maui for - sunshine, beaches, ocean activities, and a wide variety of accommodations.

Virtually all of the daily activities of simultaneously being a town and community for residents and a bustling resort for visitors, takes place along a band of tropical paradise skirting the ocean. The lushness has been created by man's success at bringing water to the desert-like climate. In fact, water imported from other parts of the island has made Kihei and all of South Maui the special place it is today.

Until 40 years ago this hot, dry, remote, mesquite-lined stretch of coast was considered to be suitable mainly for fishing and camping. It had a single dirt road, a few fishing people, some Haleakala Ranch cowboys, two small stores, and a gas pump. Kihei was originally a tiny fishing village with fresh water limited to a few natural springs and undependable runoff from seasonal and infrequent rains high on the slopes of Haleakala. Wailea and Makena were rough ranch lands filled with scrub and kiawe trees. Cattle ranged freely over thousands of acres of land which didn't have enough water for sugar cane cultivation, the island's major crop from 1850 until the present.

When 1959 brought statehood, Maui landowners started sketching resort plans for the island’s sun-baked leeward coasts. South Maui grew explosively. In a single decade, a hundred condominiums, hotels, mini-malls, car lots, burger stands and curio shops rose along its shoreline. The South Maui boom continues today as the community grows away from the beaches up the gentle leeward flank of Haleakala.

South Maui Weather

South Maui's weather is amazingly predictable: It doesn't change much from year to year, season to season, or day to day. About the only thing to discuss about the weather is if or when the trade winds will appear.

Receiving less than 10 inches of annual rainfall, South Maui has by far the most sunshine on Maui, and perhaps in the state, so the chances of having a sunny day here are better than most places in Hawaii. South Maui is a desert made tropical with lots of water. Blue sky almost always prevails in South Maui.

A glance at the terrain "mauka", or mountain side, of the Pi'ilani Highway, a modern highway which parallels busy South Kihei Road, gives a general impression of what the natural terrain in the South Maui area is like with its combination of a lot of sun and only a little rain. The highway more or less marks the edge of development all along its route.

The view "makai" or seaward of the highway, with its wonderful views of the ocean and palm trees which grace almost every condominium complex, resort hotel and many homes, shows what can be done to create a tropical paradise in the desert.

The trade winds which kick up almost every afternoon provide a natural cooling system for most of South Maui. While providing air conditioning in the rooms, most of the fine resorts in Wailea harness the trades to keep their open lobbies and public areas cool and comfortable. Most homes and many business do the same. Only on those infrequent days when a low pressure weather system over the islands draws in humid and hot air from the tropics, does weather become much of a negative factor for enjoying the area.

Accomodations

South Maui living runs the gamut from ultra-expensive hotel resorts, oceanfront and exclusive golf club homes, villas and condominiums, to simple, relatively inexpensive neighborhood homes, condominiums and apartments, and everything in between.

The hotel resorts at Wailea and Makena host international dignitaries and celebrities, and the rich and famous get their every need pampered at these choice locations. These include the Four Seasons, the Grand Wailea, the Fairmont Kea Lani, the Renaissance Wailea, and others.

For the budget-conscious traveler, or the family that needs more homelike accommodations, in nearby Kihei there are condominiums of every shape and size, many of them either fronting the ocean, offering an ocean view, or just steps away from the shoreline. Ranging from small complexes to huge, most are attractive and afford owners and vacation renters a way to enjoy Kihei and South Maui on both full and part-time basis. Many of the condominiums have private lanais from which to view picturesque sunsets for those who want to dine “at home”.

Molokini

While not physically a part of South Maui, half-submerged Molokini Island is a major feature. Snorkel and dive cruises from Maalaea and Kihei small-boat harbors transport thousands of visitors to the clear waters of Molokini’s lagoon for undersea viewing. Maalaea is also home to a world class aquarium for those who prefer to view their marine life from land.

The Beaches

South Maui has more than 20 miles of ocean beaches stretching from Maalaea in the north to LaPerouse Park at the southern tip of the island. The many pristine beaches are easily accessible and provide a wide range of opportunities for enjoying recreational activities in and around the beautiful blue ocean which defines the region. South Maui beaches feature soft sand, washed by waves that are usually calmer than other island locations, and clear visibility for snorkelers and divers.

Kihei's Kamaole Beach Parks 1, 2, and 3 are a showpiece of connected stretches of golden sand separated by rocky outcroppings of ancient lava flows. The rocks are easily traversed and often provide great seaward views, especially in whale season, an abundance of tide pools to explore, and the added beauty of waves crashing and splashing against them. As they stretch into the water, the rocks also provide great habitat for a variety of ocean life, including sea turtles, to lure snorkelers into the warm clear waters of the Pacific. The mile-long stretch of beach of the Kamaole parks is often interspersed with grassy, tree-shaded overlooks which are Maui's most popular beaches for family gatherings and celebrations.

South Maui Golf and other Activities

Gentle weather, the hallmark of South Maui, creates the perfect ambiance for golf, tennis and most other outdoor activities. In recent years with the development of the planned resort communiity of Wailea, golf has become a major attribute of South Maui and draws many new residents to the area.

The world-class Wailea Golf Club has grown to three championship courses and two clubhouses, each with their own pro shop and restaurant. The WGC has earned more than two dozen of the golf and travel industry's most prestigious awards, including honors for best new resort courses, best designed layouts, most women-friendly facility and top pro shop. Combined, the Wailea Blue, Gold and Emerald courses have made Wailea one of the only clubs in Hawaii to offer as many as 54 holes of golf, each with view of the magnificent Pacific Ocean.

With Kihei's Elleair Golf Club at the Silversword golf course, South Maui offers a range of challenging courses for every level of golfer from duffer to professional. Most of the courses' holes skirt the main roads in Kihei, Wailea and Makena and add greenery to the dry landscape which dominates the area mauka the highway.

Population estimates of South Maui range from about 15,000 to more than double that number during the high tourist season. Residents and tourists enjoy ocean activities such as sailing and fishing, kayaking and canoeing, diving and snorkeling, and surfing the windsurfing. At the end of a busy day, most restaurants and watering holes are a short walk or drive away. Many of the condominiums have private lanais from which to view picturesque sunsets for those who want to dine “at home”.