Kapalua vs Kaanapali Weather in Early Sept
 

My fiancee and I are looking to travel to Maui for our honeymoon in early September. What are the best locations in Maui as far as weather is concerned at that time?

My husband and I honeymooned on Kaanapali (the Westin) in Sept. of 1998 and loved it. We've been back there nearly every winter since, even purchasing a timeshare week at the Marriott Maui Ocean Club on Kaanapali. While we haven't stayed in Kapalua (I'm sure someone else can give you more details), I'm sure you can't go wrong in either place that time of year. Without being entirely familiar with the Kapalua area, I can tell you that what we enjoyed nearly 10 years ago and still love is the activity on Kaanapali. The beach is wonderful with snorkeling at Black Rock (at the Sheraton), easy access to water excursions, Whaler's Village, or Lahaina.

Congratulations and enjoy! Aloha!

The month of September is usually still warm and dry. The wet weather usually starts around the middle or late October. The best location for weather all year long is on the south side (Wailea, Kihei) where it almost never rains.

I've stayed in both Kapalua and Kaanapali. I prefer Kapalua. Kaanapali beach is nice, but the beaches around Kapalua are stunning! DT Fleming Beach in Kapalua is especially beautiful. Without hesitation, I'd recommend Kapalua, particularly for a honeymoon.

If you do decide to go to Kaanapali, try to stay on a resort on the northern end as the beach on the southern end is too short to even put out sun loungers.

Kapalua will also feel significantly less crowded than Kaanapali. We stayed at the Hyatt last September and the pool was literally packed and there was nowhere to go to get any seclusion. It was not relaxing or romantic.

Kapalua is only about 5 or 10 minutes north of Kaanapali, so the weather should be about the same for the two. September is not typically a rainy month...the rainy months are from about November - February/March. So, historically speaking, you shouldn't have any issues with the weather, though it will be a bit hot, but not unbearably so.

<i>If you do decide to go to Kaanapali, try to stay on a resort on the northern end as the beach on the southern end is too short to even put out sun loungers. </i>

We were on the southern part of Kaanapali Beach in August, and this is simply incorrect.

Weather is great that time of year--you can stay anywhere. Kaanapali is the most crowded with kids and fairly ordinary hotels. Kapalua is lovely, quiet, romantic. The Wailea area can be hot, but not bad, with a mix of hotels on nice beaches.

To dmlove - I'm not sure where you stayed, but I stayed at the Kaanapali Hyatt which is on the southern end and there was only 10 feet or less of sandy beach area. There wasn't enough room to put out sun loungers, etc. And if you tryed to sit by the beach on a towel, you'd definitely get wet. This google map satellite view shows that the beach area on the southern end is not as wide as on the northern end. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;hl=e...p;t=h&amp;z=15

I opened your Google map, and zoomed in as closely as possible, and checked the width of the beach at the southern end against the distance key, and there is no way that beach is anything less than 50' wide. (We were on the beach from the Sheraton to the Marriott, which is next door to the Hyatt).

Actually, if you want seclusion on Kaanapali, the north side of black rock (away from the big resorts) is empty with a wide stretch of beach. There was a condo complex and then the Royal Lahaina Resort. I stayed there a few years ago, when they were in the early stages of a renovation. I felt like I stepped into a timewarp back to the '60s or '70s, which had its pluses and minuses. The rooms (since renovated) were dumpy, the lobby needed a renovation, the grounds were nice, but the location was absolutely perfect. You practically had the beach to yourself, and it was about a 10, 15-minute walk to Whaler's Village. Or a 2 minute shuttle ride.
Also, the snorkeling on that side of Black Rock was better -- no crowds, fewer waves, which made for a clearer view down below. Anyway, I'm rambling.

In response to the questioning of the sandy beach area being slimmer on the Southern end. A picture is worth a thousand words. Here's a photo we snapped from our lanai at the Hyatt. Notice that you can't even see sand at the shore line. http://www.flickr.com/photos/govisit...7600050125166/

Also notice how closely positioned the sun loungers are beside the pool. When we arrived there it was packed with wall to wall people.