Maui Beaches - HELP!

Hi, I%26#39;m planning a possible trip to Maui late April/early May. I%26#39;ve never been to Hawaii, and all the different beaches and areas within Maui are incredibly overwhelming.

To help others give recommendations, here%26#39;s a rundown: I%26#39;m 25 and will be traveling with my boyfriend. I%26#39;m interested in nice beaches, snorkeling, whale watching, and a little shopping. He loves to play golf. My main concern is I really don%26#39;t want to be somewhere that is over crowded and having to fight to find a place on the beach and REALLY don%26#39;t want to be surrounded by kids. Hopefully if we go late April/early May we can avoid that problem.

Many of the pictures I%26#39;ve seen on tripadvisor make Maui seem like a tropical Disney. I thought Maui was more for adults and less kid friendly? Or maybe this is just the wrong place for me to go? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Maui Beaches - HELP!

What%26#39;s your price range? If you want great golf resorts - you may want the Kapalua or Wailea hotels or condos - condos will probably be quieter than hotels. You are probably going to miss the whales - they head out of the Hawaiian waters at the end of March usually.

Maui Beaches - HELP!

I would suggest the Napili area on the northwest side. There is golf in Napili and the surrounding areas.

Also, there is great snorkeling at Napili Bay and 3 other areas 5 minutes drive away. One of the top 10 beaches in the country is a 5 minute drive.

You will find the best deals at condos in the area. www.napili.com has condo/car rental deals for surprisingly cheap. All condos are on the ocean with an amazing view. We stay every year.

Most whale watching tours are out of Lahaina or even further, but Lahaina is only a 15-20 minute drive.

Hi tmliscano. I hope you enjoy Maui, it truly is beautiful. True there can be lots of kids at some areas, (Maui is incredibly kid-friendly - people with kids are at an advantage almost) but most of the beaches are big enough to spread out and find a quiet spot. There are some exceptions, like Kapalua Beach, which can get quite crowded on the weekends, and certain popular areas of Kaanapali (like Black Rock in front of the Sheraton). I%26#39;m not sure what type of snorkeling you like to do, but keep in mind that sand beaches = poor visibility. The best snorkeling areas are in coves lined with rock, not sand, or out to sea a few hundred yards beyond the silt zone. One of the top snorkel destinations is Honolua Bay, but only on calmer days - it%26#39;s a major surf spot when the swell is up. No sand - just rocks. It%26#39;s a bit of a drive and you need to hike in a bit from the road through a lovely rainforest, but it%26#39;s spectacular for snorkeling. My vote for the best combo of sandy beach plus good snorkeling are Napili Bay (north Maui) or Ulua (south Maui). There are always more kids on the weekends, because Maui families like to hit the beach just like visitors do! Don%26#39;t stress, you%26#39;ll love it --

We stayed at the Sheraton on Kaanapali and loved it- and we%26#39;re not big fans of kids either.

The only Disneyish place is the Grand Wailea because of its swimming pool with slides and water elevator. I would avoid that place if you want to avoid kids and crowds. I would also recommend a condo rental to avoid crowds around the swimming pool and fighting for a chair/chaise. Stay somewhere near Kaanapali or Wailea if you want great beaches with a lot of area to spread out. We%26#39;ll be on Maui in early May with our kids but the summer, Christmas and Spring break are the dates when the most kids will be around. You will likely see a few families with babies and toddlers and fewer school aged kids during your stay. Favorite beach down south is Maluaka, up north would be Kapalua.

Thank you all for your input!! I%26#39;ll be sure to refer back to them later.

As far as Grand Wailea, there%26#39;s an adults only pool, correct? I would be able to get good rate there and am leaning towards it. The place seems massive and great for families, but very nice nonetheless. I%26#39;m hoping that the time of year we%26#39;re going we can avoid the masses.

I have stayed at the 4Seasons next to the Grand Wailea and when walking by the Grand Wailea I tought that I never would like to stay there. The hotel itself looked huge and impersonal and the pool area seemed to be crowded by screaming kids and teenagers.

So if you are looking for a romantic holiday I would not recommend staying there - better choose the 4Seasons.

And by the way...at the 4 Seasons all cabanas and chairs as well as the umbrellas are for free - we always got a nice spot even when arriving at about 11am.

We have stayed at the Grand Wailea Resort many times. The hotel grounds are gorgeous and the location on Wailea Beach could not be better. I really like the resort. Late April / early May is ';off season'; so the crowds will be less. The adult pool is wonderful and quite isolated from the activity pools. Enjoy!

I am staying at the Grand Wailea soon and have heard you have to pay and reserve beach space.  If you do not do this, there is limited space. Is this true?  Is it going to be a hassle just to find a nice chaise lounge on the beach to enjoy?