Boss Frog’s Frogman II Molokini Snorkel Tour

We certainly got up early for this one since all the reviews I’ve read about snorkel tours out of Maalaea indicated that the parking lot at the harbor fills up fast. We arrived 20 minutes before boarding, though, and parking was easy to find on the far side of the harbor, which meant a three minute walk to the slip. No big deal.

After checking in we found a nice place inside the cabin to sit, though it’s just as nice outside and upfront by the catamaran’s trampoline. The crew had placed some morning eats out which I have to admit were tastier than I expected. I think I eventually ate about half of all the little pieces of cinnamon cake they had. Fortunately, I had time to digest my “breakfast” as the ride out to Molokini took a bit over 45 minutes, time during which the captain was entertaining enough in recanting the ship’s strict rules and pointing out landmarks.

When we got to the crater, we were once again reminded to stay between the boat and the crater wall and not to stray too far to either side where other boats may come in. This resulted in 50 people trying not to kick each other as we got up close and personal with a school of black fish. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be much going on below the surface other than the black fish, and while the visibility is a good distance inside the crater, I didn’t find the coral all that remarkable. The water at Molokini is also noticeably colder than it is near shore, so be aware of that. That being the case, I would advise bringing your own wetsuit or rent one from the crew.

So between the crowd of snorkelers and the lack of marine activity inside the crater, I wasn’t all that impressed. I was more impressed by lunch, which featured cold cuts and drinks that weren’t half bad. We probably stayed at Molokini for 45 minutes, then shoved off for Turtle Town.

What you need to know about Turtle Town is that the location of Turtle Town varies by tour boat; it’s basically wherever the captain says it is which in this case was off Wailea Point. And we caught conditions on the right day as the water was warm and calm at Wailea Point with several turtles to be found. But the reality is, on a good day it would be easy to snorkel to the site where the boat stops halfway between Wailea Beach and Polo Beach. This stop was as good as any other, I suppose, but you needn’t book a snorkel tour to experience it.

After leaving Wailea Point came the best part of the trip, whale watching on the return the Maalaea Harbor. The whales were quite active today and we got a good view of several whales while remaining a respectful distance away. (The same cannot be said for many kayakers and paddleboarders.) Another word of advice: the surf conditions during the return towards Maalaea is often choppy, as winds change by the time you’re four-five hours into your trip. If you’re at all prone to sea sickness or don’t know if you are, please take Dramamine before getting on the boat! You’ll be doing everyone and yourself a favor.

All things considered, this snorkel tour was better as a whale watching tour and if it weren’t for the crew who were all professional, courteous, and entertaining, I may have minded. I wasn’t impressed by Molokini what with the amount of snorkeling I’ve done in my life and turtle town was okay, though I’ve seen more turtles elsewhere. At about $70 per person, I feel we only got our money’s worth because of the whales. If it weren’t whale season, I would have said don’t bother going to Molokini.

Fat Dady's Smokehouse, Kihei

Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse is your average hole-in-the-wall dive bar and grill. That is, it’s neither here nor there; not the best but not the worst place either. Surprisingly, Fat Daddy’s has managed to be around for quite a few years in Hawaiian time. How, I’m not sure. Maybe because average is considered good for a restaurant in Kihei?

The food is not awful. I most recently had two of their sandwiches – the pulled pork and brisket sandwiches – in which the meat itself was well prepared. The buns are decent, too, but both sandwiches lacked BBQ sauce. Kinda disappointing for a BBQ joint. I’ve had worse but have also had better.

The drink selection is standard as far as cocktails go though I feel the beer menu is unforgivingly short. That’s me, though, someone who feels that only 3 microbrews on the menu just isn’t enough. I will say that I have never had a bad Mai Tai here, though.

Service, like everything else, was standard. The waitress was nice enough and the food came within a decent amount of time. Overall, I found Fat Daddy’s very, meh, shall we say. At least you won’t pay above-average prices here.

DIRECTIONS: Located at 1913 South Kihei Road but is really on Keala Place adjacent to Foodland and across the street from Kalama Beach Park.

Kalama Beach Park, Kihei

Kalama Beach Park in northern South Kihei, Maui is one of my least favorite places on the island. It’s not because the areastinks for swimming and snorkeling due to the extended shallow, murky, rocky seabed but because the area literally stinks (due to algae blooms and sewage in the area). Even though this park is very popular for kayakers, paddleboarders and beginning surfers, I think the place is awful for water sports as I can’t imagine falling off your board and the water hardly padding you before you hit bottom. Plus, there really isn’t much in the way of a sandy beach here. There is a tiny bit at the south end but that’s as good as it gets; the rest of the shoreline is almost all boulders.

What you’re left with are 30-plus acres of beach park marked by a very large whale sculpture. Assuming you can stand the smell, there are baseball fields, soccer fields, a skate park, basketball courts, tennis courts, a volleyball net that is always in use, and plenty of pavilions. There are restrooms and showers, too. There is even a concrete path that runs the length of the water that is popular with joggers. Plenty of benches along the path for sunset viewing, too, though at this end of Kihei, you’re hardly in a good spot for those sunsets. Oh, did I forget to mention there was a shark attack in this area in late November 2012? Yeah, these attacks happen but given the water conditions at Kalama, I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often here.

I give Kalama Beach Park 2 out of 5 stars for its activities, being close to the Farmer's Market, and the fact that it’s still in Maui. That’s not really an endorsement, though.  

DIRECTIONS: On South Kihei Road across from Foodland supermarket, just south of Shaka Pizza. Parking is on the beach side of the road. Look for the big whale sculpture and you're in the right place.

Kamaole Beach I, II, II

Kamaole Beach I, panoramic view

Kamaole Beach in South Kihei is actually three beaches separated by rocky points. Kamaole Beach I – the northern most beach – is the best of the three, given its length and width. Kam I is also the best of the three beaches for snorkeling where either end is good though the northern point is slightly better in terms of coral. To be frank, though, I generally do not like snorkeling the northern end of the beach (which is also known as Charley Young Beach for reasons I don’t understand since it’s technically the same beach…). That is because locals often fish from the rocky area on the north end of the beach and I get nervous about getting caught in their lines. Although I’ve never heard of that happening, I’d just a soon not be their first human catch-of-the-day. Kam I has a parking lot right off the road on the beach side but this parking lot is small and fills up quickly. Chances are you’ll either have to park on the street or in the dirt patch across the road. Either way, you’re still very close to the beach. And, if you get hungry or need a drink, there is an ABC store right (convenience store) across the road at the Chevron gas station.

Kamaole Beach II, north looking south

Kam II is a different story. It’s much shorter than either Kam I (but still bigger than Kam III) and doesn’t have any personality in my opinion. The rocky point on the south side of the beach is still good for snorkeling but that I think is all Kam II has going for it. That and Fred’s restaurant/Moose McGillycuddy’s bar is right across the road, if that can be considered a good thing. There is no parking here other than road side parking.

Kam III is okay but this less protected beach (due to the less pointy rocky ends) makes it prone to stronger currents than its companion beaches. As such, it’s not as good for snorkeling but is better for boogie boarding when the surf is a little up. Kam III is instead defined by its large lawn towards its south end, making it a good place for a picnic or to toss a ball or Frisbee around. It’s not uncommon to see locals holding huge birthday parties here. On weekends, you’ll almost always see a bouncy castle for the kids here, as well as the Maui “wrestling club” wrestling early in the morning, and a prayer service on Sunday mornings. [I admit I have always secretly wanted to get in on the wrestling action but am rightly afraid the locals will kick my ass with prejudice. For me then, the prayer service should be held before the wrestling group meets.] As with Kam II, there is only road side parking here.

Kamaole Beach III, panoramic view

What I like about the Kam beaches collectively is that because it’s all vacation rentals and locals in this area, you don’t get the snootiness that sometimes rears its head down in Wailea. The Kam beaches are also better for sunsets than the Wailea area beaches since you get a better look at Molokini due to the angle of these beaches and you get a better look at whales during whale season from the Kams. Although all three beaches are very close to the road, you rarely hear the traffic. When you do, it’s usually because you’re at Kam II.

All three Kamaole beaches have lifeguards and bathroom facilities.

DIRECTIONS: Right off South Kihei Road between the Chervon gas station and the Kihei Boat Ramp. Can’t miss ‘em.

Honolua Coffee Company, Wailea

Coffee, how do I love thee? Far too much. That’s why I only drink it once a week and when I do, it’s almost always Honolua Coffee Company’s coffee. There’s no two ways about it; Honolua Coffee Company at the Shops at Wailea has the best coffee in South Maui and probably the island of Maui. (The only other business in Maui that comes close to good coffee is Anthony’s Coffee Company in Paia, where Paia will be the subject of another blog here shortly.)

Now, if you’ve done any research on coffee in Maui and read bad reviews about Honolua Coffee Company on TripAdvisor or Yelp, I believe those bad reviews are generated either by competitors, people too familiar with Starbucks sugary and burnt coffee, or people who are just plain impatient. Or all of the above. The fact is that this company gets it right consistently. Sure, sometimes when there is a long line they get backed up and your drink takes some time, but ‘dis ain’t da mainland, brah; ‘Island Time’ is no joke and this small operation doesn’t have 2-3 baristas going full throttle because YOU have no patience. Sorry, pet peeve of mine there. Both their hot drinks and cold drinks are always done to perfection, never burnt, and not overly sugary or chocolaty like you get in most coffee shops. And, the majority of the time the service is cheery, though there is one cashier some mornings who looks like she could care less to be there. Still, she does her job and the job here is coffee, so I always forgive her.

A few other things: I also love the pastries here, especially the cinnamon bun. Usually you don’t get what you pay for food wise in Hawaii, but this is one large chunk of bread. Seriously, where do they get this thing? Eating it always makes me feel guilty to the point I wind up trying to run it off later in the day. Also, the employees DO NOT like it if you are on your cell phone when trying to order and I don’t blame them. They want to get your order straight and you being on your phone doesn’t help. In fact, it’s rude on your part. And no, your defense is not “that’s just the world we live in now.” Besides, this place is the only place to get coffee in Wailea unless you want Starbucks from your hotel’s “café” so deal with it. I'm going to Honolua Coffee Company.

Sorry for sounding like I was on a high horse here. It’s the coffee talking :)

Cafe O'Lei, Kihei

There’s something you should know about south Maui – there aren’t a whole lot of good restaurants in this area. Sure, you could go to nearby Wailea if you’re willing to spend some bucks, but Kihei itself isn’t exactly a foodie’s paradise. There are some really good mediocre restaurants, though, such as Café O’Lei.

Located between Kam Beach I & II in a strip mall, Café O’Lei is a mixed bag. The décor is pleasant enough with its pseudo-Pan-Mexican vibe, but not so much that it saves the restaurant’s ambiance from spectacular views of the adjacent parking lot. Still, the décor beats that of most Kihei restaurants. What the décor does not make up for is the spotty service. Most of the times I’ve been here, your server will be attentive exactly when you don’t want them to be and then disappear for a good 15-20 minutes. We did have a great server last time, however; I believe his name was Ty. He was super friendly without BS-ing you and not overly attentive.

Oh yeah, the food! Something Café O’Lei does do right is their seafood. The Blackened Mahi Mahi and Macadamia Nut Ahi are always done correctly. I would also say that their sushi is above average in taste and presentation. Be warned though that on a busy weekend night, they sometimes run out of sushi before 8:30pm. They also get their onion soup right; it’s not overly salty or weighed down with a block of cheese like it is done in most restaurants. I can’t say much about any of their meat dishes. I’ve never thought enough of any meat I’ve eaten here to give it a second thought.

Despite the mediocrity of Café O’Lei, it is very popular. That said, I STRONGLY recommend making reservations. We never have had to wait very long when we make a reservation but have seen many people wait our entire meal for a table because they neglected to do the same. So, make a reservation @ (808) 891-1368.

Keawanaku Beach, South Maui

This is a beach in south Maui hidden south of the lava fields of La Perouse Bay. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Death Beach’ by my wife due to the large, dead, bleached pieces of coral that she thinks looks like skulls against the beach’s black and green sand. It’s very secluded here; not many people visit this beach since it’s only accessible by hiking in or by boat. The people who do go here usually appear later in the day it seems. I’ve been to this beach at least half a dozen times and have only seen a small handful of people in the morning hours, when is when I usually go (since the winds really pick up around La Perouse Bay after 10am or so). Chances are if you come here early, you’ll be by yourself. That can be a good thing or bad thing – good if you just want to sit quietly in the sun or shade of the trees, or bad if you try to swim here. Fact is, of all the times I’ve been here I’ve only seen the water calm enough to enter once. Unfortunately, I did not have my snorkel gear with me. Too bad, because the underwater topography and fish you can see from up on the rocks to the left side of the beach look like it would make for amazing snorkeling. The right side, though, I wouldn’t go near even if the water was calm seeing how one rogue wave would smash you against the jagged rocks. (The wave action tends to push water into the rocks on the right and drives that energy across the beach – not safe! And, if you get in trouble out here, help is a long ways off.) Still, I love going to this beach since it is quiet and secluded and even mostly protected from the trade winds that blow through this area 99% of the time. If you want to see a nice slide show video of this beach, click here for Hawaiian O’Brian’s site.

 

Directions: From La Perouse Bay, hike along the shore to the south/left. You’ll eventually come to a lava field where ahead of you, you will see some trees WHICH IS NOT KEAWANAKU and a rock wall on your left. Turn left through the wall before you walk into that tree-y area (which hides its own rocky beach, fyi) and about 100 feet in turn right at the sign so that you’re on Hoapili Trail/King’s Highway. This rocky ‘highway’ can have loose footing but believe me, it’s nothing compared to walking through the lava field itself. (You did bring footwear you don’t care about, right?) Go about .75 miles on this trail and to your right you’ll see the beach. You can’t miss it; it’s an oasis in the lava field. Turn right on one of the worn paths to the beach. Oh, one more thing, BRING WATER and maybe some food. There ain’t no civilization out this way.