My husband and I are trying to decide on where to stay when we visit Maui in December. What is the Kaanapali area like? This is the area we are looking at......We appreciate your help............

Teri,
I think you'd be much happier in the Wailea area rather than Kaanapali. Wailea has better weather, is far less congested and over all lovelier. Have a great vacation.

I agree with Linda, more relaxing in Wailea and the weather is always better on the LEEward side of the island!! Lee in Austin,Tejas

K is for a younger, less traveled crowd IMO. The hotels are more chain style, there's more shopping and restaurant action close by. But W is prettier, more suited to relaxation and with better quality hotels. Weather is slightly better in W vs. K.
On average, younger travellers seem to get more of a kick out of K it seems.

Just came back from Maui, we stayed in Kapalua..north of Kaanapali....
I enjoyed Kaanapali beach immensely, the snorkeling at Black Rock is decent,-saw sea turtles and Rays...as well as diving off of Black rock. Good Snorkeling spots in area around there...Napili Bay, another spot north of Kapalua (Honalua Bay?) where we ran into hammerhead sharks... The hula Grill was decent, we ate and drank there a few nights. If you like a livelier pace, I would recommend Kaanapali...Not that there's anything wrong with Wailia...

Kaanapali is to Maui what Waikiki is to Oahu. Much too commercialized and crowded for my liking - lots of congestion in traffic coming and going as well. I would definitely opt for another location. Kaanapali is definitely not the best that Maui has to offer in accommodations or island ambiance. We like Wailea or even Kapalua is preferable.

We staying in Kapalua last year at the same time friends were staying in Wailea. While I agree it is less crowded in W, it seemed that every time we wanted to do something, they would come up to K (or Lahaina). It's quite a drive. Our resort was beautiful and somewhat secluded.

If you go, definately visit the other areas so you can see for yourself what it's like. Then you HAVE to go back. ;-)

Can't tell from your post what type of environment you and your husband like.

However, I agree with Dave. I usually stay in Kaanapali when I visit Maui, but recently for a friend's wedding, we stayed in Wailea. It definitely is less crowded and less commercialized. It is also beautiful and romantic. There's a slightly older crowd. It's got good accesibility to various docks for boat trips, etc (so you won't have to get up at the crack of dawn to get there in time), good high-end shopping and also some knick-knack, hawaiiana type stores so you can pick up some goodies for the folks at home. There's a few good luaus, etc, although my favorite is in Lahaina.

The one thing that we didn't like about Wailea was that it seemed to have fewer choices in restaurants. When we were in Kaanapali we enjoyed everything from inexpensive local plate dinners to five star gourmet dining. Everything is easy to find and fairly centrally located in and around Lahaina or Kaanapali. In Wailea, however, although we ate at a multitude of very nice restaurants, there was less variety and fewer medium range choices by the water. Getting to the nice restaurants also required a bit of driving and searching.

Also, Lahaina has a more active nightlife for seeing a show or visiting the art galleries at night. It's nice just to walk down the main street after dinner at night and do some people watching.

But, both areas are beautiful. Either way, you'll have a great time I think. Have fun!

Teri,

We stayed in Kapalua at the Ritz last december. Absolutely lovely property. Images of sitting on the beach in warm weather were on my mind as well as playing golf. Too bad it didn't happen. It was SO WINDY and cloudy on the north side of the island in December. We ended up leaving Maui a day early.

Linda's post is right on the money. Lahaina is quaint and nice but good for a day. If you want sun and if I had a choice, I would stay in Wailea.

Girls & Guys, I appreciate your help so, so, so, much...but I must ask this question, how IS the drive from the Wailea area to Lahaina? Is it that BAD???, especially in light of the slowdown in travel??

Teri, the drive from Wailea to Lahaina is really bad at the time all the workers in Kihei go home, around 4:30-6pm on weekdays. It's always busy, but it's bumper to bumper getting out of Kihei then. What are you hoping to find on Maui? If you could give us some idea of what you want, then we'll be able to help you find it.

Barbara, from reading the forums on places to stay in Maui, my husband and I are thinking of staying in the Wailea because we are intrigued about the privacy and its' a less crowded area but we realize that a lot of activities happen around Lahanai and Kaanapali and were just wondering about how the driving is

I prefer the Northern side of Kihei town, even so far as Maalea (sp?). This puts you right central to everything. Boat tours leave out of Maalea Harbor, restaurants and shops in Kihei, north to Lahaina for all that's offered there, or the other northerly route which takes you to Iao Needle Park, Haleakala Crater, road to Hana and all THESE locations have to offer.
I found the best snorkeling to be at La Perouse Bay at the southernmost end of the island, after the paved road ends. I prefer it to Honolua Bay (north of Kapalua) which is becoming ruined like Hanauma Bay on Oahu. I almost hate to share that, but I mustn't be selfish!
To me, Wailea is too far to one end.

When I return to Maui, I plan to stay in Wailea. Kaanapali was OK, but I got tired of the endless traffic on that side of the Island.