Am going to Maui this December, a 5 day stopover on the way to Australia. I want to do the best I can to get the best possible weather as it will be our first trip there. I've heard Wailea is slightly hotter and drier. Is there a marked difference? Will Wailea suit for a first time visit?
Thanks.

I think the Wailea area is much nicer than Kaanapali in that it is less crowded and less cogestion on the roads as well. The Kaanapali area is like the Waikiki of Maui. Wailea also tends to be dryer and a bit warmer not that you should expect to have a real rain problem on Maui. Also, there are some absolutely wonderful hotels in the Wailea area. Another spot you might want to consider is Kapalua which is north of Kaanapali. Wailea would be fine for an "anytime visitor."

Wailea would be my choice because it will be warmer, but not too hot. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton, Kapalua, for Christmas week a couple of years ago and were very disappointed with the weather. It was very windy, cool and cloudy nearly everyday. There were heavy rains at least twice. The hotel beach was closed everyday. During this same week, Wailea was sunny, warm and dry.

I agree that Wailea is very beautiful, but so is Kaanapali. Karen's suggestion that Kaanapali is like Waikiki is ridiculous and misleading. While there certainly more hotels along the beach in Kaanapali than Wailea, you would be a 15 minute drive from Lahaina with its great restaurants and gallaries. The beach in Kaanapali is not crowded like Waikiki, where you step over bodies to find a piece of sand.

The problem that I find with Wailea is that you are stuck in the hotel's highly overpriced restaurants, unless you want to drive to Kihei, the "low end" part of the island with fast food and other cheap restaurants. With Kaanapali, there is much more selection in the area.

Wailea.
No question.

Kaanapali.
No question.

Wailea is in the 'desert'area of the island and receives little rainfall at all. It is kept beautifully green through irrigation. Kaanapali is a different climate, slightly cooler with a tendancy towards rain in the late afternoon. Makena/Wailea/Kihei tends to cloud up and get a little windy in the afternoons but rarely does it rain thanks to that big volcano protecting us. As Karen said, it is a lot quieter down here compared to Kaanapali and Lahaina areas. And, lucky us, we have lots of new restaurants opened here this year! Ruth's Chris ($$$$$), Tommy Bahamas, Longhi's, Outback Steakhouse, Roys, Marco's Southside Grill. Then there's the favorite standbys, Harry's Sushi Bar or Hapa's Rockin' Sushi, Joe's etc. Ilove my island :->)

Without a doubt, Wailea!!!!!!!!

Sorry, David, but I agree with others in that Wailea is a much nicer area than Kaanapali. We just got back from Maui and stayed in Kaanapali and will never stay there again. Much too crowded to our liking and Lahaina is the pits for dining compared to other choices on the island. Anytime we traveled, we encountered traffic problems - not what we are looking for on vacations. I think the comparison that Kaanapali is the Waikiki of Maui is apt.

Thanks folks. It looks like Wailea in a run-away. Don't worry there's still time to vote but it will take a tiger-esque comeback for Kaanapali to pull it out!

Have never stayed in Wailea, but without the artificialness of it, it would be very dry and scrubby. Kaanapali area is also artificial, but the surrounding area and backdrop have natural beauty. Kaanapali or West Maui for me!

Ka`anapali is cloudier and rainier, Wailea sunnier and dryer.

I just returned from 6 beautiful days in Kaanapali 2 weeks ago. I didn't make it to the Wailea area, so I'm not going to say 'Kaanapali is better'. However, the weather was very sunny in Kaanapali. There was some slight mist on two days...but it was still sunny out! I did take note of the weather in Maui...as it was much different from Minnesota, where I live. The clouds seem to hover above Haleakala on the Wailea side and also the tall peak on the western Kaanapali side (can't remember the name). The clouds also hover over Lanai and Molokai in the distance. But it's all good on the beach!

By the way, I have no clue what traffic problems Ed is referring to. Unless you are from a town of 2000 people, the traffic in Maui is a joke! I was expecting a traffic jam over there with all of the hype on fodors. I was at least going the speed limit the entire time in Kaanapali....going up to Kahaha, Kapalua, going down to Lahaina, and to and from Kahalui. The traffic is certainly not worthy of mention...and certainly should not be factored when deciding between two resort areas on the same island...how ridiculous!

Saying that the weather in Kaanapali is great using Minnesota as a reference is like saying McDonalds has the best food around because you're from Ethiopia.

Sure, Kaanapali is a truly delightful place. Among the best in the world to vacation. It's weather is not as good as Wailea's. But almost anything is better than Minnesota. I languished there for years and it wasn't the cold that got me. It was the clouds! There's hardly ever a purely blue, clear sky. So depressing. Kaanapali's like Aruba on that reference scale!