The island of Maui offers a variety of water sports opportunities from relaxed snorkeling adventures to extreme sports such as tow-in surfing on giant waves.
Snorkeling
The most popular water sports activity on Maui is snorkeling and there are numerous world-class snorkeling sites around the island. Just offshore of south Maui is Molokini Crater which is known as one of the best snorkel and diving sites in the world.
During the winter months on Maui one of the best snorkeling spots is at Black Rock along Kaanapali Beach. Other goods snorkeling spots include Mokuleia Bay, Honolua Bay, and Napili Bay. There are also many other great snorkeling sites on Maui from Wailea to Hana.
Stay near the great snorkeling spots on Maui in one of our Wailea condos.
Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is also excellent with one of the top spots being the crescent-shaped Molokini Crater as well as Nahuna Point near Wailea and shore diving in the Honolua Bay Marine Preserve. Snuba keeps the tanks on the surface and allows you to swim up to 20 feet deep without having to carry tanks.
The variety of marine life in Maui waters is astounding and includes such colorful fish as Moorish idols, parrot fish, wrasses, tangs, surgeon fish, and damselfish, as well as eels, small reef sharks, and various invertebrates and crustaceans.
Surfing
If you are up for a little more adventure then try surfing. You can rent a soft top surfboard that will provide an extra level of safety, and there are also numerous companies around the island offering surfing lessons.
Some of the most popular surfing spots are Hookipa Beach Park, Honolua Bay, Baldwin Beach Park, Napili Bay, and Maalaea Beach. If surfing is a bit too ambitious then just rent a body board and enjoy bodyboarding the shorebreak. Purists opt for no board at all as they bodysurf the waves.
Stay nearby Maui’s top surf breaks in one of our Kapalua vacation rentals.
Kiteboarding
One of the newest and most exciting Maui watersports is kiteboarding and Maui is considered one of the best places anywhere for this unique sport that utilizes parachute-like kites on long cords to generate speed through the water.
Some popular kiteboarding areas include Kite Beach bordering Kanaha Beach Park for beginners, and Kihei and west side sites for more advanced kitesurfers.
Windsurfing
Maui is also a renown windsurfing location including the Hookipa Beach (near Paia town) where many of the professionals show their skills. The gap between Haleakala Volcano and the West Maui Mountains creates a Venturi effect that is responsible for Maui’s consistent winds. Beginner windsurfers enjoy Kealia Beach in Kihei as well as Kanaha Beach Park near Kahului.
Stand Up Paddling
The newest craze is stand up paddling, and many of the same places that rent surfboards and give surfing lessons also rent stand up paddleboards and give lessons in that sport. On a large stable board on calm water it is quite easy to stand up paddleboard even your first time out.
Motorized Water Sports
If you like a motor beneath you then try jet skiing. Rentals are available in Kihei. If you want the motor way beneath you then try parasailing which involves being towed on a cable by a boat as you are lifted high up in the air by your parachute – you get a great view of Maui! Jet skiing is restricted in some areas during the winter months to avoid disturbing humpback whales.
Also consider one of our Kihei vacation rentals.
Other motorized water sports include wake boarding, water skiing, kneeboarding, and inner tubing. By renting your own boat you can partake in all of these sports at your leisure.
Kayaking
A bit more serene is a kayak adventure. You can rent a one-person kayak or team up in a two or four-person kayak. Calm bays and shoreline paddling provide some great views of the coral reefs and scenic coast.