Funky Junk Interiors

If you happen to be in Maui, don’t miss out on the amazing and free Wailea Beach Path, which takes you for a long meandering walk along the ocean and through the edge of some fabulous resorts! Take in our tour!

Hi!

Not quite Aloha any longer since I am officially back home in Oh Canada!

Where did the time go? I had meant a million times over to post more while on vacay and show you a few of our Maui sights, however each draft just never made it to completion. I call that a small success I guess, since vacations are short and time at home in comparison is long.

Thankfully, since pictures and helpful info does not go bad, let’s go on a little tour today that is not to be missed if you are ever Maui bound…

For those of you that know me well, you know I am a trail hugger. My trail bike rides back at home every evening prove that fact pretty quick.

However, there are also trails to be discovered on Maui as well!

I love trails because they take you away from typical tourist hot-spots, and generally lean more towards nature helping you see where you’re REALLY at.

Other trails on Maui

 

Pipiwai Trail

 

My very FAV trail is the 1.5 mile long Pipiwai Trail located just beyond Hana, that leads through a bamboo forest ending in front of a remarkable waterfall. I wrote about my own experience of walking the Pipiwai Trail HERE 

Wai’anapanapa Coast Trail North at Black Sand Beach

 

Wai`anapanapa Coast Trail North

Another MUST see trail is at the Black Sand Beach along the Road to Hana, winding around the lava encrusted coast. It is spectacular and I swear, one of the most beautiful places on earth!

There are many other Maui trails too that are mountain bike related upcountry, some along the north shore coast, and a beach walk along Napili – Kaanapali area, one near the propellers on the west mountains. And more! Google ‘Maui Trails’ to find them all.

However, there is one trail that is a super easy must-see located in West Maui, called the Wailea Beach Path which I have yet to properly blog about.

Ever go somewhere for years, yet it takes a newcomer to the area to alert you to something special? Thank-you Michael from Inspired By Charm! (HERE we are in Maui together) I’ve since directed a few more vacationers towards this path!

So let’s take a stroll today through photos and video so you can find this beautiful walking path, and enjoy it at your leisure!

Pack good walking shoes, your sunglasses, sunscreen and perhaps even a swimsuit so you can take in some beaches as you meander along.

About Wailea Beach Path

 

The Wailea Beach Path is a meandering 3 mile long concrete walk that circles around the coast right against the ocean, weaving in front of some pretty remarkable high end properties and resorts.

Is it worth seeing? YES! YES! YES! At least once, anyway. It’s a lovely way to end a day for certain.

You will spot plenty of beaches to return to later, take in some of the activities behind the resorts, and enjoy sea life and out of this world views.

How to find Wailea Beach Path

 

• Open Google Maps and search for “Wailea Beach Path.”
• Zoom in to spot the various beach parking lots, then choose which one you’d like to start at.
• Parking choices – Ulua Beach Park (north end), Wailea Beach (midway) or Polo Beach (south end) as seen with the red Xs above.

Most entries have free beach parking lots complete with restrooms. Ours did.

The entry points to Wailea Beach Path is located just a few minutes from Kihei, which is where I was staying. However the path is worth a visit no matter what spot you are travelling from. 

There’s plenty to appreciate in the Wailea area, including Makena’s Big Beach and the main, upscale Wailea shopping Mall.

The path is very long, so you can really start anywhere, then return home. Or organize another ride and start walking from one end and then end your walk at the end of the path. 

Personally, I found walking for 1 hour in one direction, then returning back another day to take in more was plenty.

I myself parked and started at Ulua Beach Park.

And goodness… this section of the path was such a pretty spot to start. Ulua Beach is absolutely gorgeous, backed by acres upon acres of rolling green manicured lawn!

This is where I ended my walk as well right at sunset, sitting in this very spot under a palm tree. It was absolute perfection ending my long walk with the most perfect sunset views.

When to walk the Wailea Beach Path

 

Maui gets hot. So you’ll want to plan this long meander accordingly.

• Early AM to beat the heat and have the path more to yourself.
• Mid PM to take in the sunset.
• Overcast days will be more comfortable, however sunny days will give you more vivid pictures.

Apparently the walk is the busiest during mid-day. I personally chose to start at about 4pm so by carefully timing it, I could take in the sunset at the end of my chosen timeframe. 

Being on pavement, it is a hot walk, so do bring plenty of water. 

For those that know the walk well, you will likely find my photos a little mixed up. I don’t remember the order in which they transpired.

What to bring for your walk

(this post contains Amazon affiliate links for your shopping convenience)

Lots of water (bring a bottle!)

Camera (this is my fav travel model)

Sunscreen (I found this in my condo and loved it! Non greasy.)

Decent walking shoes, however the walk is totally flip flop appropriate. (these are my favs)

Phone travel charger (I take this everywhere my phone goes)

A mini shoulder strap purse that holds a larger smart phone and charger.

Beach gear if you start your walk in the AM so you have time to enjoy a new white sandy beach or two!

Walking past resorts

 

This walk takes you along the fronts of many high end properties and world-class resorts such as the Fairmont Kea Lani, Grand Wailea Resort, Wailea Beach Resort, Four Seasons Resort Maui, and others. It’s fun to see their lush shoreline views, setups and even peek in at a couple of luaus if you pass by at the right time.

I tend to spend time in more affordable rentals in Kihei, so it’s fun to see how others enjoy this amazing island.

You may even meet a few darling feral cats along your way. They are very friendly!

It’s just a nice chance to appreciate how beautiful this coastal area is. South-West Maui is really known as the desert-side, so while not lush like Hana, it certainly has a beauty all its own. The humidity (and water sprinklers) keeps things nice and green.

It’s amazing how well groomed every square inch is!

You’ll notice that in most Maui condos. The ground keepers are always cutting or raking or blowing or mowing. It never ever ends, especially with those trade winds kicking in, dropping flower petals and palm fronds constantly.

Prettiest ‘mess’ ever I say.

I found the Polo Beach Park end focused more on rocky terrains and more natural lush settings along the beach. Spotting swimming sea turtles was easy in one of the rocky lava-encrusted bays!

It’s a lovely meander. You can’t take a bad photo shoot out here.

Timing can be tricky with people landing in your pictures though, so that’s why I like to go later in the day when crowds were on the low side.

Spotting beaches

 

Here’s a peek into Polo Beach. The three beaches along the path are all gorgeous and worth a trip out to see at the very least, if not spend time there.

So consider parking at Polo Beach parking lot so you don’t have to pack your beach gear if you’d like to spend some time here after your walk.

This was the little turtle bay! So happy to have caught the flippers out of the water for a few moments!

Video – Wailea Beach Path

 

Here’s a little video clip of the tour so you can feel like you’re there right along with me…
.

Music: Summer by Bendsound.com

I’ve been on this beautiful beach walk before, but it’s always nice to take this in if you desire a little coastal fix. It’s a lovely, mostly flat walk that really is perfect for anyone.

End your drive back at 5 Palms for one of their half price happy hour hors d’oeuvres (oh my goodness they are SO good! Try the ribs! Avail until 9pm) and you’ll have completed one great worthwhile evening!

Have you been on the Wailea Beach Path before? What area was your favorite?
.

Visit my other Maui posts HERE

And other Travel HERE