Maui... I need some help

[tipou]

Hi, I need some help from people knowing Maui

I want to go 10 days at the Sheraton Maui (in front of the black rocks... really good snorkeling and diving I was told)

but I wanted to go in mid january... and now the travel agent told me that it's risky... I may have one full week of rain, and the waves will be much stronger this time of year so I may not be able to do skorkeling...

Should I really wait 4 months (in April) to go??

It will be my first time in Hawaii and it quite pricey so I want to make the good decision

I know that you can't promise me that it will be sunny but I would like to know experience in this region at this time of year

thank you for your help

Marie

 

[tipou]

well I bought the tickets!!!

so tell me a made a good choice and if you don't think so, don,t tell me!!! hahahaha

 

[36and2]

I don't think you made a bad choice. It can be more rainy in the winter on Maui, but there are other benefits to going in the winter. Typically the north shore has the larger swells in the winter, and the south shore in the summer. If there is a storm out in the north pacific while you are there you may get a chance to see JAWS breaking and the big wave surfers towing into the wave. Also January is during the peak time for whale watching. I recommend going to molokini an atoll off the south shore. Its a protected fish sanctuary and is awesome. Check out Maui Dive shop they have charters to molokini and other areas around maui. The maui aquarium is really nice too. Go up to Haleakala crater for sunrise if you can, and stay a night in Hana. That's what I recommend.:fish2:

 

[Brewchief]

I've been to Maui in January twice and enjoyed snorkeling and diving around Molokini and the reef area off the beach by the Grand Wailea. January is a great time to see the whales on the surface and hear them when you are under water. Snorkeling in the crater of Molokini is protested from the surf so it's easier. Did a drift dive on the backside of the volcano and saw some awesome fish. Just off the beach there is a great place to see the sea turtles and rays. Definitely a great place to dive!

 

[x2uranium]

I also recommend renting a jeep. and bringing WARM clothes to see the sunrise.

 

[Luiz Rocha]

That's the good thing about Hawaii, good diving and snorkeling year round. If it is bad in one side of the island just drive to the other. As others said, the southwest shore should be good to dive/snorkel this time of the year, and watching the big waves in the north shore is a great experience.

 

[hifoo]

I will be there mid January too. Just out of coincidence I have always gone to Hawaii (Big Island and Oahu) during the winter season and have gotten lucky with clear calm weather, great for snorkeling. I hope this year in Maui keeps that trend.

 

[Larz_1]

we've been to all of the Hawaiian Islands .... Maui twice.
We will be returning to Kauai this year.
One of my favorite places in the world ....

We always go in June/July so, I can't comment on what it may be like in January.
Snorkeling at Black Rock is great. The currents can be a bit strong depending on water conditions...

Definitely do the Road to Hanna-Absolutely Beautiful- Lots of stops along the way (Twin Falls is one of our favorite) so get an early start ...

Get the Wizard Pub book: Maui Revealed
http://www.wizardpub.com/maui/maui.html

We've gotten their books for all the islands and they always have good advice on what to see/do and snorkeling spots.

 

[reef-luva]

Love maui!

Love maui!

I am sooo very jealous!!! ...check out the spot between Turtle Town and Molokini crater....huge Huma Huma's out there...watch out, cause the turtles WILL bite!!
:wavehand:...have fun!!!

 

[sjkarrow87]

i used to live in maui during the summers when in college, i worked on snorkel boats taking people to molokini/turtle town and my parents go 5 or 6 months of the year because we have condos in kihei.

yes during the winter months the waves may be a little big larger than normal espcially up by black rock. typically nothing major to worry about though. as said above if its bad on one part of the island there are other parts that are typically good. take the drive down to wailea and snorkel in front of the Maui Prince hotel, its the last hotel before you reach a point known as Big Beach. My family has snorkeled at maui prince for years and always seen turtles. the snorkel boats also take people there as well.

lemmie know if you have any questions. i have been to maui over 50 or 60 times seeing that i would go 2 or 3 times a year for the past 23 years.

 

[tipou]

I'm really scare that we won't be able to snorkel at black rock because of the waves... at least that shouldn't be a problem for scuba diving

how long is it to drive to wailea?

and maybe you can help me... first we thought on taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel... but since we may want to go to wailea... how would cost renting a car?

and are taxi really expensive??

thank you all for your input
I really hope that the sun will be there and the sea... calm

 

[h2obaby]

definatly rent a car..that way you can chase the sun if you have to..and see the many other things maui has to offer.

 

[bee505]

If you go to black rock in the morning, the wave shouldn't be too bad. If you're staying in the sharaton, you're right there. I say it's hands down, the best spot to snorkel. If the waves are too big, you can take a cruise to molokini island and snorkel there. Rent a car and drive up the water. There are quit a few more spots to snorkel within 1-2 miles north.

 

[sjkarrow87]

agreed renting a car is the best thing you can do. the drive from black rock/kaanapali to wailea is going to be around an hour/hour n halfish depending on when you go.

snorkeling in the morning at black rock should be ok, just be aware that once the waves pick up and you best get out of the water because it can get real murky/choppy real quickly.

regarding molokini, its a good place for beginners. your about 60-70feet from the bottom so you really don't get up close with anything if you are snorkeling there. most boats take you to turtle town for the 2nd part of your day. you will see on average 5 or 6 turtles. i would recommend either the 4 winds, trilory or pride of maui for being your tour guides to molokini.

since your up in kaanapali area take the trip a bit further north and try snorkeling at honolu'a bay. depending on the timing it is either great snorkeling or huge waves to enjoy surfers. i have been in knee deep water with 3

if making the trip to wailea try ulua, its between the renaissance and outrigger hotels. its another awesome snorkel.

a key thing to also remember and some of you may doubt me for this, but regardless if you are parking your rent a car at the beach dont EVER leave valuebles in your vehicle. we have had our car broken into many many times and come back and all thats missing is a box of gronola bars and a 6 pack of beer.

sorry if things seem a bit out of order, typing while doing to many other things

the photos below were all taken at black rock in the month december back in 2008. so its hit or miss with days being clear waters or rough

 

[snulma1]

Thats funny, I'm leaving for Maui on Monday for my honeymoon and my wife and I are snorkeling and diving at Molikini and Turtletown and one other place that is escaping me right now.

I have not heard anything bad about the season other then it may rain some.

 

[TWallace]

I was just on Maui for 2 weeks after Thanksgiving. While Black Rock snorkeling is good, it's not fantastic. Area seemed rather small to me. I found better snorkeling near the tunnel on the highway. That's on the south side of west Maui between Lahaina and Kihei. Park on the west side of the tunnel, then you gotta swim along the shore east. Far less crowded than Black Rock, and almost definitely calmer water in winter.

All in all, I was pretty disappointed with snorkeling on Maui compared to Kona. None of the places I snorkeled on Maui was even 50% as nice as Captain Cook monument on Kona. Molokini was nice, but I made the mistake of doing an early morning tour. Our guides placed the boat in the shadow of the crater's east rim, so the sun had not yet risen on our snorkel area. Seemed pretty stupid to me. Almost all my photos from that snorkel trip were blurry due to lack of light. I'm sure I would have liked it a lot more later in the day.

I was worried about rain and clouds before the trip as well, since I read that winter is rainier. However, of the 15 days I spent there, only 2 were cloudy and only one of those was rainy. Even on the north coast while driving to Hana it only briefly rained and was otherwise sunny (I drove it twice).

 

[WarmWaterWuss]

Ulua beach has some good snorkeling too, and also in front of the Grand Wailea. Have fun and post pictures! :beachbum:

 

[SushiGirl]

a key thing to also remember and some of you may doubt me for this, but regardless if you are parking your rent a car at the beach dont EVER leave valuebles in your vehicle. we have had our car broken into many many times and come back and all thats missing is a box of gronola bars and a 6 pack of beer.

+1 on this. If you get a convertible car or jeep, leave nothing valuable in there & leave the top down. Our first attempt on the drive to Hana, we stopped to hike to a waterfall & every car there was broken into during police shift change. They also pop the trunks & get into those, so that's not a safe place. People had stuff stolen out of their trunks with no sign at all that they had been broken into. Also get the full insurance on the car through your credit card. We didn't have to pay for the damage to the top where they ripped it open to get in. After that, we just left the top down, left the cooler in the back seat, and took everything valuable with us. We lost about $350 in cash and the extra video camera battery. They ditched all the wallets (+ credit cards) in the ditch on the opposite side of the road.

We went in February for 2 weeks (many many years ago LOL). It rained almost every morning before we got up, but was clear all day every day after that.

 

[EasyEd77]

I have been ain December and the water was very murky around the black rock. It was the worst visibility I have ever seen in Maui. It will depend on how much it has been raining, the more rain the worse the visibility. The surf in the winter time also tends to be stronger not that there is much of a current near the black rock, but bigger surf tends to stir the sand. If you walk down Kaanapali beach in front of the time share Westin Villas the snorkeling is excellent when the visibility is good. Just swim straight outin front of the hotel about 30 yards and there is a very nice reef. Before they built that hotel there used to be a company that rented snorkel gear their.

 

[FloodXL]

Take these accounts of car theft seriously. I was there in September and we saw the back window of a car smashed in right in the middle of a busy parking lot at a beach in Kauai, that's all it took to make me a believer. There are people who will tell you that this theft thing is not a big deal, it very much is. Leave your car unlocked and take everything with you.

Hawaii is an amazing place. Just a shame this crime has gotten so out of control there. Really makes it a pain in the *** having to take stuff with you all the time.