Best Kitesurfing in Kihei
The town of Kihei provides the next largest spot (in terms of kitesurfer population) on Maui. There are two primary launches: Waipuliani Park, behind the Maui Sunset condo complex, and Whale Beach, next door to the Pacific Whale Sanctuary. Both are accessed via South Kihei Road. The winds can become inconsistent as there are a lot of ricochet and wind shadow effects between the prevailing trade winds, Halekala, and the West Maui Mountains.
Strongest Winds for Kitesurfing on Maui
Technically these are some of the strongest winds available for kitesurfing near the coastline on Maui with wind gusts in excess of 45 mph (40 knots) common. Good for big air and occasionally waves. During Kona weather events (winds coming from the south) this is a great spot. With regional winds from NE, ENE, and E directions, the wind here will mostly be from the N. During Kona events, the wind can be S, SW, or even W. Note that straight N regional winds tend to go offshore here as the ricochet effect off Haleakala’s western flank pushes the wind line 2-3 miles offshore (a strange effect that has caught man visitors by surprise). The wind sensor at Ma’alea is the closest public wind sensor but the ricochet effects off Haleakala mean you need additional data to figure out if its good to kite Kihei (you can combine the speed data from Ma’alea wind sensor with the DIRECTIONAL data from the North Kihei wind sensor to guesstimate if the wind line is near the shore). Situation where the wind is coming down straight N at Ma’alea and is blowing NE in Kihei can happen (this is caused by N winds ricocheting off Haleakala pushing the wind line far offshore near Kihei coast).
Kitesurf Waipuliani Park Maui, Hawaii
Waipuliani Park: Intermediate+. A public park with paved parking and a large grassy area fronted by a narrow beach. The grassy lawn has a small 2-3 ft cliff overhanging onto a narrow beach that goes up the coastline. It is suggested that kitesurfers setup farther north of the paved parking lot, near
where the grass changes (you will understand when you see it, two large grass areas are maintained by separate entities). The prevailing winds have a habit of putting kites into the trees for people launching at the beach right next to the parking lot. The water near the beach tends to be shallow for a couple of hundred yards.
Kitesurf Whale Beach Maui, Hawaii
Advance+ Only. A public park with paved parking and a large grassy area fronted by a narrow beach. A sandy beach with a sand dune growing next to the Whale Sanctuary as the Sanctuary dumps excess sand here. The water near the beach tends to be shallow for a couple of hundred yards out. Between shallow water, a rock wall built in the waterline around the Sanctuary, and the primary direction of the wind stacking/swirling in front of the buildings, any mistakes at launch here will punish a rider.