Kehei or Honokowai?

Ok, I%26#39;ve booked the flight for mid July. I am trying to decide between a condo in Kihei at Kihei Kai Nani (across the street from the beach) with A/C or a condo in Honokowai (oceanfront) with no A/C but with %26#39;';continuous breeze '; . The cost is comparable on both, under $100 per night.

This might be a no-brainer for those in the know - however:

Is the beach good for swimming in Honokowai vs Kihei?

Is it windy in the north area?

Will it be too hot with no A/C?

Is it ';isolated'; in Honokowai? This is for my 15 yr old son and I.

(We will have a rental car and plans for exploring)

Thanks!

Kehei or Honokowai?

original poster here:

(sorry I misspelled Kihei)

Are the beaches rocky in Honokowai?

Kehei or Honokowai?

Which condo in Honokwai? I ask because some properties have better beaches for swimming (less rocky) than others. However, rocky beaches often offer better snorkeling...

No, it is not isolated in Honokawai. You are about a 15 minute drive to Lahaina with much shopping and dining, and about five to Kaanapali and The Whaler%26#39;s Village which also has shopping and dining.

The a/c question is a very personal decision. We can get along without it, and very often in the afternoon in West Maui (Honokawai) it is breezy with the trades and that cools everything off pretty well. But some people cannot under any circumstances do without it, so you%26#39;ll have to decide for yourselves.

Kahekili (aka ';Airport';) beach is located right in front of the Westin Ocean (in Honokowai..) resort %26amp; is one of the cleanest, nicest beaches on the island. Also, you are a short drive to: Kapalua beach, Napili beach, DT Flemming (excel boogie boarding), Oneloa, Slaughterhouse, Honolua bay, world famous Kaanapali beach....etc etc...

Plus, you are less than 15 min from Lahaina %26amp; 10 to Whalers Village, both places a 15 year old is sure to enjoy!!

Keep in mind, I make no bones about being a (north) West Maui purist, and there are many who will say it%26#39;s best to be South.... I know that in my teen years, I%26#39;d be crusin%26#39; Kaanapali or Lahaina chattin%26#39; up the wahine%26#39;s!! (I%26#39;m also a full-time single parent....so, sorry mom! HA!)

Best of luck to %26#39;ya!!

MauiNKO

The condo is in ';Hale Ono Loa';.

I%26#39;d say up on north Maui with that 15 year old. Lahaina is cool. Wailea and south Maui is upscale, but one can not party at the ';Shops at Wailea';. Stay up the at Honokowai! But really I have no idea where that is? If it%26#39;s past Kaanapali or in Napali or north Maui then that%26#39;s cool. You have great beaches in west Maui.

Be daring and take the north road ALL the way around to Kahului. Check out that red dirt and sites. Hana is nice for the first 3 times, but I%26#39;m glad I traveled all the way around the north side too.

We are on Maui every February. I don%26#39;t think there has ever been a year that we did not use the A/C at least once. When the Trades die (and they DO!), you will be sticky.

I would not stay anywhere on any of the islands that did not offer the option of A/C. Especially in the summer! Especially if you are not going to be in Hawaii long enought to ';acclimate';.

I%26#39;m not crazy about either of your condo choices. Maybe look further? Hope you are shopping on vrbo.com so you know exactly which unit you%26#39;ll be using -- and can get a discounted rate.

The Kamaole beach parks are wonderful. Plenty of people. Little shops, restaurants, carry-outs across the street. Do visit Lahaina -- very touristy. Kaanapali is high-rise, high-density. (Those two spots are the only places on Maui that you may have to pay to park.)

Maui%26#39;s a small place. You can cross the valley in 30 minutes; travel from S. Maui to W. Maui in an hour. The entire coastline of S. Maui, from the Kamaole beach parks to Makena, is a series of beaches. There%26#39;s so much to see and do that is unique to the islands. Guess I%26#39;m not interested in mall crawling when I%26#39;m in Hawaii.

caddyshackman: the north condo is, on a map, midway between Kaanapali and Kapalua, just south of Kahana and Napili.

Thanks for your responses. We are definately going to explore-there%26#39;s a cave we want to check out.

Any more input on the need for A/C?

South Maui beaches are more plentiful, varied and generally safer for swimming than those in Honokowai or anywhere else on this island as a group, IMHO. Arguments are often proposed about how certain beaches on other areas of the island are ';just as good'; as the Kam beaches are in Kihei, but, as an area, the stretch of beaches from Kama%26#39;ole Beach Park I south through Wailea is unsurpassed. Also, be aware that the Kama%26#39;ole Beach parks all have proper full-time lifeguards as they are county parks. Few other beaches do.

It is true that West Maui and Honokowai will likely be breezier than South Maui and Kihei in the dead of summer so A/C will make a huge difference in Kihei. However, in July, you will be not be loving it in Honokowai w/o A/C either ! Don%26#39;t buy into that ';island trades will cool the unit'; hogwash unless maybe, and this is only a maybe, your particular condo, not complex but actual condo, is absolute ocean front with sliders that open directly toward the blue.

Kihei has much more to do in within walking distance of your condo than does Honokowai but when you drive, this will not matter so much.

Just my .02 ...

I would not want to be w/o A/C. And it%26#39;s not so much for the heat as it is for the humidity. It%26#39;s very humid in Hawaii (brilliant observation on my part, huh?). Now if you were coming from a humid place and were used to it it wouldn%26#39;t be so bad. But I see you%26#39;re from San Diego where the weather is near perfect (i.e., neither particularly hot nor humid).

I would try to get a unit with A/C if I were you.

I think Honokowai is the right choice. We stayed in that area one November and we were fine without AC. I%26#39;d be a little concerned about July though. Maybe see if you can find a condo in Honokawai with AC. I would do Honokawai with a 15 year old over Kihei easily.