Wailea-Makena is located in South Maui and is known for its beautiful beaches, fine dining, world class golf courses, premier shopping, luxury accommodations and warm sunny weather. It’s no wonder why many visitors and residents enjoy this popular destination. With so much to see and do in South Maui, we’ve picked out the best of the best in Wailea-Makena and hope you find our top recommendations helpful.
Makena Beach State Park is one of the largest beaches in South Maui and has three different entrances. It is broken up into two distinct areas, ‘Big Beach’ and ‘Little Beach.’ Big Beach is great for sunbathing, swimming, bodyboarding, skimboarding and snorkeling. However, you should always be aware of the ocean conditions as the waves can sometimes be very strong. To the far right of Big Beach is Little Beach which is located on the other side of the lava rock wall. It is known for being a nudist beach where visitors and residents looking to sunbathe, without getting tan lines, enjoy visiting with the occasional Sunday evening drum circle crowd. If you continue further down from Makena Beach on Makena Alanui Road, you can see the beautiful sights of La Perouse Bay. Named after the French explorer Jean-Francoise de Galaup comte de La Perouse who surveyed and mapped this part of Maui in 1786. La Perouse Bay is not the most ideal spot for swimming and sunbathing, however it is home to many marine animals, spinner dolphins and offers beautiful hiking trails along the water.
Looking to do some shopping? Wailea-Makena offers some of the best shopping on Maui at The Shops at Wailea. Located in the heart of South Maui, enjoy a variety of shopping and dining with over 70 different boutiques and restaurants. Shop internationally recognized designer brands, art galleries, local island products and much more.
After a relaxing afternoon at the beach or a fun day out shopping, enjoy one of the many delicious dining locations in South Maui, Wailea-Makena. From fine dining to casual dining, local grinds and food trucks, you won’t be limited on dining options here. Located within the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, you’ll find two very popular restaurants, Spago and DUO Steak and Seafood; both of which will satisfy your cravings and taste buds. Open only for dinner, Spago offers locally inspired cuisine by Master Chef Wolfgang Puck and DUO Steak and Seafood serves both breakfast and dinner which includes traditional and local favorites, both featuring breathtaking backdrops with stunning ocean views along South Maui’s shoreline.
Another local favorite restaurant in Wailea-Makena is Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman. If you’re a total foodie and enjoy craft beer, you won’t want to miss out on this local gem. Their menu features fresh local fish, hand crafted wood-fired pizza, homemade pies and over 32 craft beers on tap. Embracing the farm-to-table concept, Monkeypod Kitchen supports its local Maui farmers and uses local ingredients throughout their menu.
If you want to learn more about the best of the best in South Maui’s Wailea-Makena, stay tuned as ‘The Best of Wailea-Makena Continues‘ in our next blog.
