Kapalua
🌺 Things to do
3 curated experiences
Slaughterhouse Beach (Mokulē'ia Bay)
Kapalua
Clear-water snorkel beach inside the Honolua-Mokulē'ia Bay Marine Life Conservation District, turtles are common; calm and good for snorkeling in summer, but winter (roughly Nov-Mar) brings dangerous surf and rip currents with no posted warning signs, so steer clients elsewhere then. Stairs make it unsuitable for anyone with mobility limits.
Kapalua Coastal Trail
Kapalua
3.5-mile public coastal trail connecting three distinct beaches. Passes ancient Hawaiian ruins and coastal lava formations. Whale watching from the trail December–April. Best swimming at Kapalua Bay itself.
Honolua Bay Snorkeling
Kapalua
The best bay snorkeling on Maui — an almost-enclosed bay with no beach runoff, exceptional water clarity, dense coral, and extraordinary fish diversity. The forest trail through the old plantation gives the feeling of discovering somewhere secret. Go as early as possible: morning glassy conditions give 15–20m visibility; afternoon trade wind chop degrades it significantly. Note that the entire character of this place changes in winter: November through March Honolua becomes one of Maui's premier big-wave surf breaks — snorkeling is impossible and the surfing from the cliff above is spectacular to watch. Check conditions before driving up.
🥾 Hikes
1 trail
🏨 Where to stay
1 vetted property
📅 Events
53 on the calendar
Dec 15 – Apr 15, peak Feb–Mar
Humpback whale season
Leeward coast (ʻAuʻau Channel)
Every winter, thousands of North Pacific humpback whales migrate roughly 3,000 miles from Alaska to the warm, shallow waters around Maui to mate, calve and nurse their young. The ʻAuʻau Channel between Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi becomes one of the best whale-watching areas on Earth, with sightings of breaches, tail slaps and mother-calf pairs. You can watch for free from Maui's leeward coast — the Papawai Scenic Lookout (Māʻalaea Pali), McGregor Point, and the beaches of Kāʻanapali and Wailea are reliable vantage points — or take a naturalist-led boat tour out of Lāhainā or Māʻalaea harbors. Morning trips generally have the calmest water. Peak season is February and March, though whales arrive as early as December and linger into April. Federal law requires staying at least 100 yards from a whale.
2026-01-01
New Year's Day Virtual Run - Kahului (Maui)
A running race on Maui, Hawaiʻi, held January 1, 2026. See the linked listing for distances, start time and registration details.
2026-01-03
Quadrantid meteor shower (peak)
The Quadrantids are one of the year's strongest meteor showers, with a brief, sharp peak in early January that can produce 40 or more meteors per hour under dark skies. Because Hawaiʻi has some of the clearest, darkest skies in the U.S., the islands are a superb place to watch. Look in the hours before dawn, away from town lights — a high-elevation spot or a dark leeward beach is ideal. No telescope needed; just let your eyes adjust for 20 minutes.
2026-01-05 – 2026-01-11
The Sentry (PGA Tour season opener)
Kapalua Plantation Course
The Sentry is the PGA Tour's season-opening event, a winners-only tournament that gathers the previous season's Tour champions to tee off the new year. It is played on the dramatic Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on Maui's northwest coast, famous for its sweeping downhill fairways, trade-wind-swept greens and Pacific-and-Molokaʻi backdrop — including the par-5 18th, one of the most photographed finishing holes in golf. Held in early January in Kapalua, West Maui, it draws the world's top players and pairs perfectly with the start of humpback whale season just offshore. Grounds tickets and hospitality packages are sold each year; the West Maui resorts book up early around the event.
2026-02-04
2026 HSA DUKES LEGENDS of the Bay
An amateur surf contest on Maui, Hawaiʻi, held February 4, 2026. See the linked listing for distances, start time and registration details.
2026-02-15
World Whale Day Parade
Kīhei · Kalama Park
World Whale Day is the centerpiece of the Maui Whale Festival — a whale-themed parade followed by an all-day festival at Kalama Park in Kīhei. The free celebration features live Hawaiian and contemporary music, food trucks, local craft and nonprofit booths, and keiki (children's) activities, all honoring the humpback whales that winter in Maui's waters. Held in February; come early for parking along South Kīhei Road.
Ready to plan your Kapalua trip?
Leave your details and a travel expert will create a custom itinerary for you.