Laurie

Hello
My 23 year old daughter and I plan to visit Maui in late March/early April of 2013.

I have been looking at this condo: http://www.vrbo.com/37937#comments

Please tell me if the location will be convenient for visiting the rest of the island. We do plan to rent a car.

Thank you for your advice.

Laurie

Tomsd

It's centrally located, but I prefer being up by Kapalua/Napili.

Laurie

Do you have any suggestions for a fairly priced priced condo in that area? We would like to have a 2 bedroom place close to the beach. Thank you for your help. Laurie

sylvia3

Windy location with drainage water entering ocean from the nearby fields.
Terrific location for scenic views; and for leaving and going sightseeing elsewhere.
Go north to Kapalua or south to (south) Kihei and Wailea.

sylvia3

p.s. I'm amending: nice grounds, great central location, nice walking beach, if you got a great price, why not? You can go swimming on so many beaches, it would be a shame to limit yourself to one.
And "breezy" can be a real plus when it's hot.

montereybob

This location is very convenient to visiting the rest of the island. It is however a 30 minute drive from the areas that have good restaurants, shopping, good swimming beaches and good snorkeling. To be closer to these amenities, you could get a condo in Kaanapali, Napili, Kapalua, or Wailea.

montereybob

After posting, I noticed you will be with your 23 year old daughter. The Kaanapali area tends to have a greater concentration of tourists in her age range as it is has a lively atmosphere with lots of great restaurants, shopping, bars and music.

sylvia3

Wow; Kihei is hopping with shopping and places to eat, and it's 5 minutes in bad traffic! I wouldn't want my DD off partying with people her own age if I arranged a mother-daughter jaunt

sylvia3

Have you noticed that people decide on their favorite part of Maui, and then stand loyally by, regardless of staying elsewhere or not? In a nutshell, trying to not play favorites, here's main tourist coastal Maui northwest to southwest
1. To the north, Kaanapali/Kapalua/Napili, lovely beaches, Whaler's village shopping/dining
2. Slightly south of there, Lahaina, fun historic town, crowded, touristy, not so great for beach
3. Kihei town (right next to Maalea Harbor where you are staying), can be crowded in town, great Kamaole I-III beach park, lots of lodging (cheaper to upscale), shopping, dining, groceries
4. Wailea, bordering/south of Kihei, more upscale condos, not so much dining/shopping except in big hotels and the "Shops at Wailea"
5. Farther south to Maakena, etc. more beach, less dining/shopping
I'd hate to have you start overthinking all this; I hope you'll take an extra 20 minutes from anywhere you stay to get to the main turnoffs for sightseeing all over the island. And, to limit yourself to one beach and not visit several outstanding, all beautiful, but different beaches would be a shame; there's also wonderful snorkeling in different places, north and south. Location isn't a huge deal; if you have a nice place with a nice view and you're comfortable, look at it as a base of operations!

Laurie

Thank you so much to everyone for your replies. I am going to take some time to research these areas.

Sylvia, you are right in thinking that we are looking for someplace to base ourselves to see the rest of the island.

My daughter will not be looking for others her age to party with. She is not really the party type and we will be sticking pretty close together.

Thank you again to everyone for your suggestions!
Laurie

sylvia3

Then your choice is probably sound; have a wonderful time with your daughter!
p.s. If you want a break from the beach, the thread titled "Hawaii with trepidation" had some ideas (here's my offering:
"On Maui, the old port town of Lahaina is very interesting to stroll through; the giant banyan tree, the historic buildings, museums, etc.
Take a boat ride to snorkel Molokini or a sunset dinner cruise, visit the Maui Ocean center (www.mauioceancenter.com/).
Iao Needle is a gorgeous park; and nearby Wailuku has some old missionary era buildings of interest.
For archaeology there's also a heiau very close (between Wailuku and Kahului; http://www.mauimuseum.org/heiau.html)."

edjim

If it's in Maalaea, my sense is that if you were just a few minutes south in Kihei, you would be just as centrally located to explore the island, but you would have more options near your base. I've been to Maalaea, and I've found that it seems a little bit isolated, and not in a good way. The beaches in Kihei are also very good and you are much closer to even better beaches south in the Wailea/Makena area.

Barbara5353

I might be the only responder who has actually stayed in Maalaea, which has become my favorite place on Maui. I am returning next month for the 7th straight time. For many years I rented condos in So. Kihei but then tried Maalaea because of the central location and budget-friendly prices for direct oceanfront view.

The complex you are considering (Maalaea Kai) has a lovely, large lawn area with a nice pool. Alas, there is no beach but the views of the ocean and harbor are excellent. It is fun to watch boats coming and going from the harbor. My favorite beaches are still those in So. Kihei (Kamaole I, II, III and Keawakapu).

A short walk from Maalaea Kai is Tradewinds Deli, which has groceries, beverages, etc. if you don't feel like driving to a larger market. Right up the road is the Maui Ocean Center and Harbor Shops. Three or four restaurants there, including the excellent relocated Waterfront Restaurant. Buzz's overlooks the harbor and is a long time favorite.

It is a short drive up to Lahaina, down to Kihei/Wailea, or across the island to Kahalui where you can head Upcountry or drive the Road to Hana.

Maalaea Bay is the breeding ground for humpback whales. In late March/early April you will have a hard time leaving your lanai because of all the whale action right in front of you.

The reputation for this being a windy area is well-deserved. We like the strong breezes and usually plan our excursions for mid-day when they are at their peak. The buildings block much of the impact when lounging by the pool

There are pros and cons to every area. For someone who likes a resort atmosphere and lots of nearby shopping this is probably not a good location. Good luck with your research and figuring out which places mesh with your personal priorities.

Laurie

Barbara, thank you so much for all the information about this complex and the surrounding area. I think it will be a good fit for us so that we can base here and see the rest of the island.

Watching the whales from the lanai sounds fascinating! I am glad to hear that there are many restaurants nearby to choose from.

Thanks again for all the information! Laurie

Laurie

It is booked! $165.00/night for a condo with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a lanai and a sea view.

sylvia3

Have a wonderful time! (Remember to sign up for a Safeway card if you don't have one; grilling your own ono or mahi mahi or ahi is the best! Hope you explore the lovely beaches south of Kihei; don't forget, lots of picnic ops, as you see all the beautiful sights

JayZee

sylvia made some good advice on not stressing over a location and opinions of others as long as you're okay with it. it's a good idea to get ideas from others but don't stress about it.

but i must ask... what's soooo important about a safeway card to be mentioned in context with grilling fish?

Laurie

Thanks for the advice about getting a Safeway card. I will look into it. We are very excited!

Thank you again sylvia and Barbara for all your great advice.

sylvia3

JZ, a Safeway card just gets you all the deals and promotions at the grocery that locals get; we use our card all over the country.
And Safeway Kihei has nice fish!

emmitt

I vote for the Kaanapli area. Just came back from there and it had everything - wonderful beach, boardwalk, shopping center with free entertainment at night, and lots of choices for food.