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Hawaiians used to refer to
the area of Kihei as "Kama'ole" which means "barren." Situated on the
coast, southwest of Haleakala, the area was noted for its dry, dusty
and hot days - with less than 13 inches of rain annually. An effort in
the early 1900's to establish a sugar plantation in the area met with
failure. By 1930 only about 350 people made Kihei their home. There
was no paved roadway. Other than non-native kiawe trees and good
fishing spots, there was little to attract people to Kihei. |
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Today Kihei retains much of that 1970's look. Aside from more
tourists, more traffic and a few more upscale merchants little has
changed. It remains, however, a top destination for visitors who want
to spend time on Maui without draining their savings accounts. The
town is bordered by beaches and S. Kihei Road on one side and the
newer Piilani Highway on the other. The highway is used mostly by
visitors staying in the posh Wailea Resort area to avoid the traffic
in Kihei. |
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If shopping is high on your list, there are no fewer than ten shopping
malls of varying sizes crammed in between Kihei’s condominiums and
hotels. Azeka Place in the center of town is Kihei's largest shopping
center with over 50 shops and restaurants. A bit further away, the
Piilani Village Shopping Center is a new, 150,000-sq.-ft. facility
that includes grocery chain Safeway's largest store in the state, a
large Hilo Hattie store, an Outback Steakhouse and Blockbuster video
store. |
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Eating out is never a problem in Kihei. While many visitors choose to
cook their own meals in their condominium units, the town has a wide
selection of restaurants from fast food and moderately priced chains
to a number of upscale dining establishments featuring Hawaiian
Regional and Pacific Rim cuisine. The fun doesn't stop with the
setting sun. Kihei’s nightlife includes dance clubs, karaoke spots and
several sports bars. Bird watchers and nature lovers will also find |
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something to enjoy. At
the north end of Kihei is the national Wildlife Conservation
District, Keälia Pond, where endangered Hawaiian stilts and coots thrive in a
salt-water marsh that is easily visible from the road. Nearby, the
harbor at Ma‘älaea is the launching site for an armada of pleasure
boats taking visitors on charter fishing excursions, whale watching
expeditions and snorkel trips to Molokini. There is a excellent public golf course in Kihei, as well as world
class resort golf courses nearby in |
Wailea and Makena.
In Kihei, anyone can enjoy the sunshine, surf and sand that are the
hallmark of the area. Here once Hawaiians lived in scattered villages,
fished the sea and maintained fishponds for royalty. Here Kamehameha I
moored his war canoes during his conquest of Maui and accepted the
first cattle brought to Hawaii from British explorer George Vancouver.
Here today, budget-minded visitors make their base to explore the
beauty of Maui, the Valley Isle. |
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