With its smooth sandy shoreline, temperate waters and fantastic sporting facilities, it’s little wonder that Wailea Beach is one of Maui’s most popular destinations.
Wailea Resort is named after the ancient Hawaiian goddess Lea who watched over canoe builders on the islands. She was believed to transform into a bird and fly over this area, so the beaches and surrounding countryside are known as the waters of Lea – or Wailea. Whilst now a luxury resort, the area is still popular for kayaking and other water-based activities.Wailea is an expansive stretch of 607 hectares, comprising a dense carpet of tropical plants inland and five beaches dotting the shoreline. There are three world-class golf courses, an impressive tennis club with floodlit courts and exclusive spas offering a full range of relaxing and revitalising treatments.Most people head straight for the biggest of the beaches – a wide expanse of soft white-gold sand. Wailea Beach is the perfect place to lie back with a good book or hide behind a pair of sunglasses and watch the world go by. The paved boardwalk is lined with up market boutiques offering designer beachwear and upmarket dining. The sea is warm and inviting, perfect for a cooling dip or an exploration of the teeming world of fish and other sea creatures on the ocean floor.Snorkelling is incredibly popular and scuba diving classes will bring you face to face with indigenous Hawaiian green turtles. Eco kayaking tours provide a nod to the area’s canoeing heritage, taking you on a three-hour exploration of the coastline, which takes in a deserted tropical beach and a chance to see more of the local sea life.Just a short walk away, the smaller Ulua Beach is a great place to escape the crowds. Clean and unspoilt, it’s home to a colony of Manta Rays – grab your snorkelling gear and dive in to get a great close-up view!Wailea Beach is one of those few places in the world that really lives up to the hype, so set aside a couple of hours to visit this glorious resort on the southwest coast.
