Maui's famous Wailea Resort is a favorite
destination for visitors from around the world and local residents
alike.
Blessed with a year-round climate of sunny skies and gentle
tradewinds, Wailea is home to seven award-winning hotels and
resorts, a selection of Maui's leading restaurants, five
outstanding 18-hole championship golf courses, a professional
tennis center, superb spa and health facilities plus many of the
island's most popular beaches.
Visitors seeking a blend of
Hawaiian hospitality and culture will revel in the many fine points
of Wailea. The beach is laid out in golden crescents bordering
warm, gentle waters perfect for swimming. Many resorts in this area
are so self-contained in fact that they operate like mini-villages,
with a variety of activities, restaurants and shops available just
a short walk from your room. Though it is easy to be content simply
reclining on the beach all day, nature lovers and thrill seekers
can explore the nearby national parks and hike to out-of-the-way
waterfalls for the perfect romantic picnic. Even experienced
shoppers will be thrilled with the proximity of the Shops at
Wailea. It's not just humans that find Maui hard to resist — each
year groups of Pacific humpback whales travel from Alaska to sun
themselves in the warm waters off the coast of Maui. This group of
1,500 to 3,000 whales arrives each January and stays until May,
some swimming so close to the shoreline that they can be seen from
the land. Local companies offer tours, on traditional
whale-watching cruises as well as sea kayaks, for those who want to
get up close and personal with the giant sea creatures. While
Wailea may seem, at some turns, like a millionaire's paradise not
open to the public, all the beaches are open to all and offer
public restrooms and showers, as well as parking. Beach lovers who
would prefer to stay in a more secluded or less developed part of
Maui can still enjoy the golden beaches of Wailea and a sunset mai
tai at one of its many restaurants, without the big price
tag.