Great pedestrian pathways on Maui include the Kaanapali trail and the Kapalua Coastal Trail, my sister's favorite. Oahu has the Waikiki beach boardwalk, and Kauai has the East Kauai coastal trail, the latter wide enough for utility vehicles to pass pedestrians. And then there is the Wailea Beach Path.
We drove to the Ulua Beach Park parking lot at 7:30am in the morning to get a parking spot. Went snorkeling for an hour, took a shower, changed into my walking clothes, in the public bathrooms here.
Our starting point for the Wailea Beach Path, a 2 mile paved pathway stretching from the edge of South Kihei, through Wailea, and to Makena on the island of Maui.
The trail starts north of the Ulua Beach Park, with a wooden boardwalk path at the Andaz Hotel. Come here at night and you can see the luaus and evening entertainment for the hotel guests on the edge of the beach.
Signs say the trails are only for pedestrians and runners. No skateboards, no rollerblades, no bicycles, and dogs must be on a leash at all times. Only place where I saw the sign saying runners must yield to pedestrians.
The paved pathway curves along the edge of the Wailea Elua Village, a timeshare condominium complex, with vast acreages of manicured grass amid the palm trees with easy walking access to Ulua Beach Park, one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui.
Pathway here is relatively flat and about 5' wide, with grass on both sides, going a half mile along Ulua beach. Runners can pass pedestrians by going off the paved path onto the short grassy side areas.
In a distance you can see four islands: West Maui, Lanai, Kahoolawe and Molokini, a sunken crater 30 miles off the coast where the snorkel boat tours go.
We pass by the Marriott hotel, another five star world class hotel with it's huge acreage of cabanas and beach lounges under beach umbrellas.
You can walk to the giant shopping center at Wailea, the Shops of Wailea, by cutting through the Marriott, if you are a cheapskate like me, and want to dodge the parking fee at the shopping center.
The trail wanders past the Grand Wailea Waldorf Astoria and in front of Wailea Beach.
If you can't find parking at Ulua Beach Park, drive farther down Wailea Alanui Drive, past the Shops of Wailea shopping center to the Wailea Beach Parking Lot. Public bathrooms here along with outdoor showers to rinse off the beach sand.
The path makes a big curve after the Four Seasons Hotel, goes over a short wooden trail bridge and up a hill. From here on the trail becomes non wheelchair accessible.
Path narrows to 4 feet wide, with a stone retaining wall on one side, and a shallow stone fence on the other side. Meet another baby stroller coming the other way, and somebody will have to back up.
This is the start of Wailea Point, 129 ultra luxury multi million dollar+ condominiums, immaculately trimmed greens that would rival the putting greens of most golf courses, overlooking volcanic rocky cliffs, in pristine clear waters where offshore snorkel tour boats anchor.
Two of the 3 bedroom 3 bath 3850 square foot ocean front Wailea Point condominiums next to the Wailea Beach Path were on the market for $17 million and $25 million respectively!
It was here that we saw two giant Hawaiian turtles basking on the lava rocks, with throngs of tourists trying to get in that perfect head shot. Alas the turtles were camera shy and never showed their faces inland.
Stone pathway opens to 6 feet wide as we overlook Polo Beach, and the Fairmont hotel, another world class hotel.
South of the hotel is the Polo Beach Club hotel and third public parking lot, and the end of the Wailea Beach Path. This is the public parking lot you use if both the Ulua Beach Park and Wailea Beach parking lots are full.
Unfortunately the public restrooms were closed here due to water pipe repairs. We had to walk back in a hurry to the Wailea Beach restrooms.
Wife loved this pathway and would go walk on it every day if she could. Only problem was that one had to get up early to get a parking spot, and before it got too hot in the middle of the day, even in November, robbing the wife of her beauty rest. read more