Overview
Wailea, and the smaller Makena to the south, are resort areas on the south side of Maui, Hawaii, immediately south of the town of Kihei. They are known for their luxury resort hotels and condos, upscale restaurants, fancy shopping center and expensive golf courses. And although hidden behind the hotels and condos now, the beaches that attracted the developers in the first place are still there in all their golden sand beauty.
1 sights · 5 things to do · 5 places to eat · 9 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Wailea
Makena Beach
A beautiful stretch of beach south of Wailea that is good for swimming. There are two beaches -- Big Beach, which is the main one, and Little Beach, which is over a hill at the north end of Big Beach. Facilities are limi…
Wailea Golf Club
Three courses -- Blue, Emerald and Gold -- that offer views of the ocean and Haleakala. Emerald is considered the most forgiving and Gold the most challenging. The Gold course is hailed as one of the world’s best designe…
Makena Golf Courses
Two courses -- North and South -- that play out amongst the rolling hills of the area. The South course has a couple of holes by the ocean, while the North course tends to play higher on the mountain.
Grand Luau at Honua'ula
At the Grand Wailea Hotel.
Feast at Mokapu
Te Au Moana
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jan–Dec. Summer highs reach about 89°F; winter lows dip to about 67°F. Wettest: Mar and Nov. (climate data from nearby Honolulu)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- OGG Kahului International Airport, Kahului — 14 mi away (major hub). Directions
- JHM Kapalua Airport, Lahaina — 24 mi away. Directions
From Maui's main airport in Kahului, follow the signs to Kihei and Wailea via Highway 311 (Mokulele Highway). Highway 311 becomes Highway 31 (Pi'ilani Highway) in Kihei and it ends in Wailea, where it becomes Wailea Ike Drive. Driving time from the airport to Wailea is about 30 minutes.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $28 per person at listed restaurants.
Options are grouped as Hotels, Condos/Villas in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Makena Beach, Makena Golf Courses
- Lunch Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante
- Afternoon Feast at Mokapu
- Dinner Humuhumunukunukuapuaa
Day 2
- Morning Wailea Golf Club, Grand Luau at Honua'ula
- Lunch Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe
- Afternoon Te Au Moana
- Dinner Nick's Fishmarket - See Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel below
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
From Maui's main airport in Kahului, follow the signs to Kihei and Wailea via Highway 311 (Mokulele Highway). Highway 311 becomes Highway 31 (Pi'ilani Highway) in Kihei and it ends in Wailea, where it becomes Wailea Ike Drive. Driving time from the airport to Wailea is about 30 minutes.
Get around
The main street through town is Wailea Alanui Drive and The Shops at Wailea (Wailea Alanui Drive and Wailea Ike Drive) serve as the center of town.
See
See Makena Beach
A beautiful stretch of beach south of Wailea that is good for swimming. There are two beaches -- Big Beach, which is the main one, and Little Beach, which is over a hill at the north end of Big Beach. Facilities are limited with just pit toilets and a few picnic tables. It's a good idea to bring your own food if you want to eat as the concession trailer is very expensive for what you get.
Do
Go swimming or snorkeling at one of the many beaches along the coast. Take a stroll along the Wailea Beach Walk. It stretches for a mile and a half and connects the town's beaches. In winter, it provides a good spot to watch whales.
If you're a golf enthusiast, there are two golf clubs with five courses in the area.
Do Wailea Golf Club
Three courses -- Blue, Emerald and Gold -- that offer views of the ocean and Haleakala. Emerald is considered the most forgiving and Gold the most challenging. The Gold course is hailed as one of the world’s best designed courses by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler in the magazine’s first golf resorts poll.
Luau
Eat
Eat Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante
Outdoor dining with Italian fare and seafood.
Eat Humuhumunukunukuapuaa
Located in a Polynesian-style hut in a lagoon off Wailea Beach. Rated highly for ambiance.
Eat Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe
Serves a mix of seafood and meat dishes.
Eat Nick's Fishmarket - See Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel below
See comments under Kea Lani Hotel below
Eat Aurum Maui
New American cuisine with seasonal influences.
Sleep
Accommodation in Wailea and Makena is on the upscale-side, with hotels in the four- and five-star range. If you want or need something cheaper, Kihei is a better bet.
Hotels
Stay Fairmont Kea Lani
All suites. Super-service restaurant in the hotel is Nick's Fishmarket. Nick's dinners are fantastic, especially the fresh-caught local seafood. A few open-air tables offer ocean views; come just before the beautiful sunset hours - also see the tiki-torch lighter as he circles the hotel grounds, lighting them along the way. Expensive but the food, service and view are all unforgettable.
Stay Hotel Wailea Maui
A 15-acre all-suite resort nestled on the plush hillside overlooking world renowned Wailea. One-bedroom suites offer 900 sq ft} of accommodations with a separate living area and private lanai. The resort also features an Italian restaurant, swimming pool and beautifully landscaped grounds with waterfall and koi pond.
Condos/Villas
Stay Mākena Surf Resort - A CoralTree Residence Collection
Makena Surf is a beachfront, security-gated community which features one-to-four bedroom condominiums with tennis courts and BBQ areas on site and easy access to swimming pools and nearby championship golf courses. Units are typically booked through an agent or directly from the condo owner.
Stay Wailea Beach Villas
Wailea Beach Villas offers comfortable private beachfront penthouse villas with views of Molokini, Lanai, and Kahoolawe. The villas are all over 2000 sq ft with 2 and/or 3 bedrooms. All villas have gorgeous lanais, gourmet kitchens, floor to ceiling windows, luxurious bathrooms, inside laundry.
Go next
Wailea/Makena is almost as far as you can go south, but there are a couple of good spots to go to for snorkeling and hiking before the road ends for good.
Place Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserve
An offshore reserve with good snorkeling and sea turtles sometimes. There is a rocky parking area on the right shortly after entering the reserve.
Place La Perouse Bay
The end of the road where the lava from Maui's last eruption flowed into the sea. There are some stables near the parking lot and a rocky beach, although it isn't recommended for swimming. There are also a couple of hiking trails, including the Hoapili Trail which winds its way along the coast through some shade and then strikes inland over the lava fields to Kanaio Beach some 2 - 2.5 miles away. The coastal parts are quite pretty but the section through the lava can be long and warm.
Heading north up Highway 31 will bring you to the main part of Maui, which is all accessible within a day's drive.
Nearby
Kihei
City / town · 49 listings · 5 mi away
Ma'alaea
City / town · 5 listings · 9 mi away
Waikapu
City / town · 3 listings · 12 mi away
Kahului
City / town · 22 listings · 13 mi away
Makawao
City / town · 6 listings · 14 mi away
Wailuku
City / town · 7 listings · 15 mi away
Paia
City / town · 7 listings · 15 mi away
Haiku
City / town · 2 listings · 17 mi away
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