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Honolua Bay

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JohnWS
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4 out of 5
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2
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Editor Pick

Honolua Bay

  • November 7, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by quiltergal from Jacksonville, Oregon
Honolua Bay

Honolua Bay is the West Maui Holy Grail of snorkelers and divers alike. It is part of a marine preserve located at the northernmost tip of West Maui. It is situated in a transition zone between the windward and leeward sides of the island and displays weather patterns unique to both. When conditions are prime, the snorkeling and diving is supposed to be awesome. The summer months are supposed have the most consistently excellent conditions, as there are very few northern swells at that time of year. Getting to Honolua Bay can be an adventure in itself. There is no public parking or facilities of any kind. In fact, it’s not even marked. As a result, it’s very easy to miss the turn-off; in fact, we drove right by it the first time. You have to park in the dirt on the Makai side of Highway 30. There is a trail that winds down through a beautiful rain forest. It definitely has a Jurassic Park feel to it. There are huge trees with numerous epiphytes growing in the tree canopy. The epiphytes have very long air roots that hang down, nearly touching the ground. You cross Honolua creek about halfway down the trail. It’s usually dry, but after a heavy rain, it runs full blast and can be 2 to 3 feet deep. The creek drains directly into the bay. It’s about a 5-minute walk to the bay, 10 if you stop and gawk. Honolua Bay has no beach, only rocks. It can be very tricky navigating the rocks, especially when they are wet. Water booties or Tevas are highly recommended. Entry into the bay can be somewhat dicey. I used the old broken concrete boat ramp as my point of entry. I put on all my gear, which I usually don’t do, and scooted down the ramp on my butt until I was in enough water to swim away from shore. Once in the water, we couldn’t see anything, not the bottom or anything around us. The farther out from shore we swam, visibility improved a little bit. We could make out the shapes of fish but could not identify them unless they swam right up to us. Unfortunately for us, there was a large northwest storm out in the Pacific that generated a northern swell train. Honolua Bay usually takes a direct hit when the northern swells are running. As a result, the bottom gets churned up and visibility is very poor to nonexistent. We swam around for about 20 minutes and decided to go elsewhere. As we headed for shore, we again had zero visibility for about the length of a football field. It totally creeped me out. I was afraid I’d hit a rock. My husband said that he could hear the Jaws theme song running though his mind. I plan to return one day and snorkel when the conditions are prime. It gives me an excuse to go back to Maui... like I really need one.

From journal Marvelous Maui

Honolua Bay

  • March 4, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by JohnWS from Rancho Santa Margarita, California
The only downside to taking your family to Honolua Bay is the lack of facilities. Otherwise, it makes for a great day of snorkeling in the late spring and summer. The winter months can get rough, so I wouldn't advise families with small children to try this location. Heading north on Highway 30, watch for mile marker 32. Shortly after that, you will see cars parked on the left side of the road. Find a spot and grab your stuff. There is a good trail that leads down the hill to the bay. The entry is gentle. Either side of the bay is great for diving or snorkeling. The fish are extremely plentiful and very friendly, as this is a marine preserve.

From journal Maui for families

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