Maui Snorkeling Guide
Po'olenalena Beach
This Maui snorkeling beach has it all. A long beautiful beach, and some fantastic snorkel spots that we loved. In fact there are three different places to snorkel along Po'olenalena Beach. We took the picture below when we flew in. The rocky point to the right of the big beach is the best snorkel spot. The little tiny beach around that point to the right is Chang's Beach.
There are two different entrances to this beach. The south location, were the best snorkel spot is, has a small parking lot, and you access the beach through a resort property. It offers a shower, but no other facilities.
The north lot is much bigger, and has some porta potties.
Site Snorkeling Details - Po'olenalena Beach
Maui Snorkeling
At the very south end of Po'olenalena the snorkeling is around the big rocky point. In fact you can snorkel all the way around to Chang's Beach.
This is a stellar snorkeling spot. It tends to be a bit cloudy until you swim out a ways. Then you are treated to a great variety of coral, interesting finger reefs, and tons of fish, although most of the fish we saw were immature. We also had a great time watching a turtle family feed, swim and rest.
Check out the scallop in this picture. We only saw these in a few places in Hawaii.
There was a family of turtles here that we watched for a long time. Check out this video of these wonderful creatures. It is a big file, so it may take a minute or two to download.
Get Flash to see this video player.
As you get farther around towards Chang's Beach side of things you will come along a wall that is about 40 feet deep, with caves, corals and tons of fish. It is spectacular.
There are also two other areas worth snorkeling at Po'olenalena. What looks like the north end of the beach, is actually just a rocky point in the middle of the beach. The snorkeling around this point is also good, as well as the far north end of the beach past this middle rock formation, which we snorkeled from Palauea Beach.
We got many more great pictures and turtle videos from this spot - see the first extra pictures page
here.
And the second extra pictures page
here.
Driving Directions - Po'olenalena Beach
Maui Snorkeling
Driving Directions to Po'olenalena Beach from Kihei
Head south on S Kihei Rd. Towards the end of the road, there is an intersection where you can veer left onto Okolani Dr, do this and go to the intersection with Wailea Alanui Dr and turn right. Follow this through the big intersection with Wailea Iki Dr near The Shops at Wailea. Keep driving through the intersection with Kaukahi St, the road you are on is now called Makena Alanui Rd. You will see Wailea Golf Club Dr on your left and Makena Rd on your right and shortly after that you can turn into the northern and the larger of the two parking lots for this beach which brings you to the middle of the beach. If you continue south on Makena Alanui Rd there is a parking lot roadside at the Makena Surf that allows public access through the property to the south end of the beach.
See more of our underwater pictures from here.
Explore the next location - Chang's Beach
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