#MAUITIME BEST OF MAUI 2018: Best Maui Sports Activities Parks and Recreation Revealed
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Napili Bay is such a beauty due to its seclusion, soft sand, and crystal water, giving it a very special context to local islanders and especially our readers who dignify it as a wonderful place to swim and hang loose. It goes to show that the people of Maui know a quality and homey beach in a world full of tourists and long lines. (ME)
(Napili Honokowai)
NAPILI BAY 19%
KAANAPALI BEACH 17%
WAILEA BEACH 15%
Barbeque is delicious though cooking with family can be a hassle, but some choice waves can make the pains of the day go right away. So why not put all those little experiences together for one grand day and go to a beach park to swim, argue about the proper heat of the grill, eat good, and have a nice day with the family. This is why Launiupoko Beach Park received this category as it has a large parking lot, a questionable bathroom, black sand and green salt water, and a wonderful view of the afternoon sunset – all with picnic tables and public grills. (ME)
(Lahaina)
LAUNIUPOKO BEACH PARK 33%
KAMAOLE III 27%
HO’OKIPA BEACH PARK 8%
If you’re trying to avoid getting sand tangled up in your hair, the best place to swim would have to be Kihei Public Pool. The absence of rough waves and tides that push you under and pull you out make this the perfect place to practice your backstroke. There are bleachers covered by shade on either side of the pool if you need a break from all the fun. The pool is well maintained, with well marked depths, signs for pool rules, and clean water, plus the lifeguards on duty are friendly and focused on the people’s safety to make sure all have a good time. (MC)
(303 Lipoa St., Kihei); 808-874-8137; https://www.mauicounty.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Kihei-Aquatic-Center-20
KIHEI AQUATIC CENTER 39%
LAHAINA AQUATIC CENTER 28%
UPCOUNTRY POOL 16%
Drive to black rock, bring some board shorts and a face mask, swim out a little ways ‘til the water gets to about 10 to 20 feet deep, and stick your face in that clear water. You can see the white sand at the bottom and the black wall of jagged and water smoothed rocks on the sand, and in between all of it are hundreds of colorful, playful fish. It is a feeling of being inside an aquarium to snorkel at this beach, for you see all this native beauty as a poet or a painter might picture it. The inexplicable love and wonder that makes this spot unique has once again caught our readers’ affection to the point of awarding the best snorkeling spot to Black Rock beach. (ME)
(Lahaina)
BLACK ROCK 20%
HONOLUA BAY 15%
LA PEROUSE 10%
When searching for a fun Saturday activity, or hosting out-of-towners, Trilogy is Maui’s go to activity company. With snorkeling tours, sunset cruises, and private chartering a sail, their friendly crew and beautiful boats will take you to swim with sea life, see Maui from a new perspective, and drink your way into the sunset. (LH)
(300 Ma’alaea Rd., Wailuku); 808-874-5649; http://www.sailtrilogy.com/
TRILOGY 8%
PACIFIC WHALE FOUNDATION (TIE) 3%
HAWAIIAN PADDLE SPORTS (TIE) 3%
When the sun shines down on Iao Valley, nothing can compare to its beauty. The streaming crystal clear water that’s unpredictable on some days, glisten as strands of sun rays touch the water. Iao Valley is surrounded by abundant exhibitions of vegetation. Hiking trails are plentiful in the area. Get a glimpse of Maui’s past in the pristine greenery and in history etched on statues and exhibits in the park. The sounds of water splashing over rocks blends with the sounds of twigs snapping, leaves rustling, and birds chirping all day long. (MC)
(Wailuku)
IAO VALLEY 16%
4 WATERFALLS BAMBOO HIKE 14%
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK 13%
MauiTime readers have voted Kai Lenny as Best Local Waterman for over three years now. Competition is stiff in this category, but Kai continues to supersede the rest. Here’s a guy under 30-years-old that travels all around the planet via surf, wind, foil, paddle, and more. It must be so amazing to be such an all-around water sports athlete. What will Kai do next? Follow him on IG to find out. (AM)
https://www.facebook.com/kai.lenny/
KAI LENNY 21%
ZANE SCHWEITZER 9%
ARCHIE KALEPA 8%
Andrea Moller is one of those well-rounded women of the water that awe and inspire in the ocean community and beyond. In addition to being an outrigger canoe paddler, for which she’s won many titles and records, she is also a SUP long distance racer. Plus, she’s one of the women charging heart-stopping waves at Peahi and pushing the envelope for women’s big wave surfing. Outside of the water, this fierce woman is a paramedic and a mother, making her an all around heroic woman. (LH)
https://www.kaiwaa.com/single-post/2018/05/30/I-FINALLY-GOT-THE-ANSWERANDREA-MOLLER
ANDREA MOLLER 8%
TAMARA PALTIN 5%
LAUREN SPALDING 3%
Anyone have a Red Bull? Cuz Ian Walsh is Maui’s favorite male surfer and he’s ready to charge. This guy helps the Maui community in more ways than he may even be aware of, from hosting the Menehune Mayhem to being an overall positive influence in Maui’s local surfing community. He also happened to win the “Ride of the Year Award” at the 2018 WSL Big Wave Awards. NO BIG DEAL. (AM)
https://www.facebook.com/realianwalsh
IAN WALSH 22%
MATT MEOLA 6%
DUSTY PAIN 5%
Maui just LOVES Paige Alms so much. She’s still Maui’s favorite female surfer, and we’re not surprised. What has Paige done this year? Well, she’s become one only six women to charge Mavericks, she’s designed her own bikini with Pakaloha, she won the 2018 WSL Big Wave Awards “Hydro Flask Women’s Overall Performance Award,” and she’s continuing to inspire people around our planet with her motivation, endurance, skill, and positive influence throughout the surfing community. We also love her involvement with cleaning up our oceans. (AM)
https://www.facebook.com/paigealms
PAIGE ALMS 37%
SUMMER MACEDO 4%
ALICIA YAMADA 2%
For the third year running, Dylan Sloan has taken this category as Maui’s favorite little grom. With his long blonde hair and infectious grin, the 10-year-old ripper has already been winning contests for years, and has added a few more significant trophies to his shelf this year. In addition to a first place win at the NSSA Regional Championships in April, he won the first HSA contest of the season at Lahaina Harbor, and won in two categories at the Pohai Na Keiki Nalu Surf Contest. Oh, and he took first place in this year’s Menehune Mayhem contest at Ho‘okipa. (LH)
https://www.instagram.com/_dylan_sloan/
DYLAN SLOAN 13%
MARLEY FRANCO 10%
ELI HANNEMAN 7%
11-year-old Juliana Colpas took the award this year for being Maui’s favorite little grommet. This girl is a force. In her spare time, she trains jiu jitsu. Watch out for this up-and-comer as she takes on the waves, competitions and competitors in and out of the water. (LH)
JULIANA COLPAS 11%
CHRISLYN SIMPSON-KANE 7%
ERIN BROOKES 4%
Guess who is Maui’s favorite local coach? Unko Squiddy for the win. Born and raised on Maui, Lau is a jack of all trades, aloha-style. He can make you laugh, shape a surfboard for you and teach you how to ride it. He’s a mentor to not only the keiki, but his community. Here’s a super cool family man that loves Maui Nui, and our island loves him back. We need more Unko Squiddy’s in this world! (AM)
https://www.facebook.com/Judlausurf
JUD LAU 5%
SUZIE COONEY (TIE) 4%
AMANDA FURGUIELE (TIE) 4%
Years, after year, Spa Grande is still Maui’s favorite spa. Located at the Grand Wailea, here’s where you go to escape reality. This 50,000-square-foot spa is actually the largest spa in all of Hawai‘i. In over 40 treatment rooms, they create blissful experiences for not just visitors but locals, too. Here’s where to go on Maui for a girls day, hydrotherapy, Swiss jet showers, a Japanese furo, and super soothing massages. (AM)
(3850 Wailea Alunui Drive, Kihei); 808-875-1234; https://www.grandwailea.com/experience/spa/
SPA GRANDE, GRAND WAILEA 24%
LUMERIA SPA 9%
AWILI SPA, ANDAZ 8%
Whether you’re serious about fitness or just want a friendly, welcoming place to dabble in exercise, Maui Powerhouse Gym is the place to train. With a nice facility, friendly staff, and fully equipped gym with plenty of cardio machines, power racks, and a variety of weights, Powerhouse Gym is ready to meet your iron-pumping needs. They also offer spinning and group fitness classes. With recent new owners, the gym is making some positive changes to further serve their clientele. (LH)
(1279 S Kihei Rd., Kihei); 808-214-6737; http://mauipowerhousegym.com/
MAUI POWERHOUSE GYM 15%
ANYTIME FITNESS 9%
VALLEY ISLE FITNESS 8%
TENYA JAYAWUK, ISLAND SPIRIT YOGA
Maui you love the energy and grace in Tenya’s Gentle Yoga and Vinyasa Flow Yoga classes. When it comes to a class with the Best Yoga Teacher on Maui yogi’s flock to Island Spirit Yoga for her classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. This summer Tenya can be found on the West Side beaches warming up groms with her yoga moves before they head out for a surf sesh, but don’t worry she will still have time to for you on the mat too. (JR)
TENYA JAYAWUK, ISLAND SPIRIT YOGA 6%
MEGAN NOLAN, VITALITY WELLNESS 5%
JENNIFER LYNN, WISDOM FLOW YOGA 4%
Led by the charismatic powerhouse owner Jasmine Judson, Afterglow Yoga has taken off over the past several years. With studios in Wailuku, Kihei, and Lahaina, the studio offers fun, powerful, and body positive classes for all abilities. Their instructors are encouraging, their spaces are beautiful, and the variety of classes they offer speak to a host of different yoga needs and tastes. From alignment flow to ashtanga to hot yoga, restorative, barre, and yin, amongst others, there is a class for literally everyone at Afterglow. One of their signature classes, ShaktiRize, features a mix of yoga and dance movements to an upbeat playlist in a heated room. Here’s the best studio on the island for bending and moving your everyday aches and stressors away. (LH)
(Lahaina, Kihei, Wailuku); 808-495-4159; http://www.afterglowyoga.com/
AFTERGLOW YOGA 20%
BODY IN BALANCE 11%
BIKRAM YOGA MAUI 8%
Lahainaluna high school’s school spirit is very strong. As a student there I know most people are very proud to be a part of Lahainaluna and the west side. We have the only Hawaiian school alma mater, a very strong boarders department, and are the oldest school west of the Rockies. Lahainaluna is also the only public high school on the west side of Maui. This gives lots of people very strong pride for Lahainaluna. During School Spirit week, we have a lip sync battle between all the grades. Homecoming week is very important too. We also have a Dance fever competition between the grades, and a day where we play games and compete between the grades. You just can’t beat our school spirit! (SR)
(980 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina); https://www.lahainalunahs.org/
LAHAINALUNA 35%
BALDWIN HIGH 18%
MAUI HIGH 12%
Giggle Hill is the place to be if you want to host a nice family outing. The playground is what kids dream of. With a castle-like design, secret tunnels, well-maintained swing sets, and monkey bars for those cute little monkeys. For those parents who are infamous worrywarts: No worry! The playground floor isn’t hard cement or sandy gravel. Instead, the ground is entirely covered in shredded rubber from recycled worn out tires. If your family isn’t interested in the playground there are other options available, such as playing in the green and open grassy field as well as trekking through the nature hiking trail. (MC)
(Haiku)
GIGGLE HILL 36%
KALAMA PARK, KIHEI 11%
KEOPUOLANI PARK, KAHULUI 8%
Without a doubt, the Maui Ocean Center has certainly stepped up their game this year. Not only are they Hawai‘i’s favorite aquarium, but they also offer a wide variety of events and activities for the whole family. We are all super thankful for their invaluable assistance in helping Maui’s coral reefs, and they’ve become Maui’s favorite place for keiki activities. From school field trips to free ‘ukulele lessons, sleepovers, and camps, Maui Ocean Center is taking responsibility to foster Maui’s youth through marine life education. (AM)
(192 Maalaea Rd., Wailuku); 808-270-7000; https://mauioceancenter.com/
MAUI OCEAN CENTER 57%
MAUI ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER 11%
MAUI ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS 10%
Isaiah Kusunoki is an athlete who played for Baldwin High School before he graduated earlier this year. Although just a fresh graduate, his record boasts major accomplishments. Kusunoki was on the 1st place, Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association championship-winning BHS baseball team this past spring. He also played football, holding it down and helping BHS make it to the D1 Maui Interscholastic League finals. He’s on his way to college where he’ll do big things, and that’s why he was voted our best scholastic male athlete this year. (AB)
https://www.hudl.com/profile/7964702/Isaiah-Kusunoki
BEST SCHOLASTIC FEMALE ATHLETE
This rising Lahainaluna sophomore has a bright future ahead of her. In 2017, Nanea Estrella took the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association championship in wrestling for the 117-pound weight class. Earlier this year she took first place in the 2018 HHSAA wrestling tournament for the 122-pound weight class. This young lady continues to represent Maui well on the state level, dominating the mats, and it’s no wonder that our readers look to her as our top scholastic female athlete. (AB)
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