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Location
Makena borders Wailea on its southern end.
Information & History
Bordered on the north by the
posh Wailea Resort area and on the south by the 'Ahihi
Kina'u Natural Area Reserve, the Makena area of South Maui,
offers the visitor a return to nature and much earlier days
of Hawaii. Space and freedom are the signature of Makena. It
is the place where the paved road ends, the defiantly wild,
rugged and magnificent place where the spirit can run free.
Grand, seductive, and utterly irresistible, Makena is Maui
untamed.
In ancient times, Hawaiians settled in small villages along the Makena
shore. They came to fish the large schools of akule that
practically swam into their nets. People from the uplands
would come for the weekly hukilau, the seafood version of
the lu’au. It was just south of here that French explorer
Jean-Francois de Galaup, Compte de La Pérouse, became the
first non-Polynesian to set foot on Maui in 1786. The place
where he landed is named after him: La Pérouse Bay.
In Makena you’ll discover a world of pristine beaches,
crystal-clear waters, and breezes that soothe the spirit.
Oneloa, appropriately called Big Beach, runs more than 3,000
feet long and 100 feet wide. The sands are dazzling white
and the water runs turquoise to jade. A 360-foot volcanic
cinder cone, Pu'u Ola'i, separates Oneloa from its smaller
counterpart Little Beach that remains (to the dismay of many
locals and contrary to law) a clothing optional beach.
In the 1800's Makena Landing served as the dock for the
famous Rose Ranch (now the‘Ulupalakua Ranch) located in the
hills of Upcountry above Makena. King David Kalakaua, was a
regular visitor at the ranch, and ships from around the
world came to call at Makena Landing to visit the successful
American rancher who was the trusted friend of royalty. As
late as 1948 the cattle of Maui were driven by moonlight
down the slopes of Haleakala into the surf and herded onto
barges to be shipped to market.
Links:
Maui Map
South Maui Museums & Landmarks
South Maui Beaches
South Maui Hiking & Camping
South Maui Snorkeling & Scuba
Diving
South Maui Watersports
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