South of Kamaole beach 3 runs the Eddie Pau trail. This is a dirt trail which runs close to the coastline along the rocks. It starts at the grass areas at the southern end of Kamaole beach 3. This happens to be my favorite snorkeling spot in the area, with a crescent ring of rocks next to the beach line.
The dirt trail goes through brush and trees amid the rocky areas next to the shoreline, with a narrow sea channel separating Maui from Lanai in the background. Come here in the winter and you may see whales spouting water in their migration from Alaska. Early in the mornings, turtles common in this area near shore.
The trail bypasses a long man made breakwater made out of stones, running for a quarter mile parallel to shore. No snorkeling here, as this is the area where the boat tours go out of Kihei.
Passed by a lot of runners taking a chance on tripping on the rocks half buried in the sandy trail. Not a place to walk in sandals, due to the sand.
Go farther south along the trail, and you can see a hotel in the distance. This is the Kihei Surfside condominium, with the Mana Kei Maui condominium next door.
The trail ends at the Kihei Surfside, but you can walk along the manicured grass areas to another trail by the Mana Kai Maui, and then onto Keawalapu beach, a popular beach for sun tanning.
There is a dirt public parking area for the beach, alongside the Mana Kai Maui. Farther on is the Days Inn Maui Oceanfront hotel, which at $299 a night is the most expensive Days Inn in the world, next to Sorrentos and 5 Palms restaurants.
The Eddie Pu hiking trail is named after an avid Maui hiker who hiked the coastlines of Maui for 25 years. For all that work he got an unpaved half mile coastline dirt trail named after him. read more