Kihei’s Kalama Beach Park has shady lawns and palm trees dotting its 36 oceanfront acres. A blink away are Kalepolepo, Waipu‘ilani, and the three beaches of Kama‘ole. One may be favored for swimming, another for body surfing or board surfing. Each one is wide, sandy and sunny - a perfect postcard, the quintessential tropical beach.

     People come to Kihei for the beaches and stay for weeks at a time. Many stay a lifetime. Some of the best bargains in accommodations can be found among the condominiums, small hotels and cottages along Kihei’s beach road.

     A string of sleepy Hawaiian villages with outrigger canoes once lined the shore. Kamehameha had an ancient fishpond at Kalepolepo restored for his use and enjoyment. According to Hawaiian lore, it took 10,000 men to complete the project.

     Hawaiian royalty sojourned regularly at Kihei, basking regally on the breeze-swept shore. There’s nothing sleepy about this coast now, nor will it cost a king’s ransom to visit.
Small shopping malls, a bustling farmer’s market, activity centers, and a spate of restaurants and sundown mai tai spots enliven the Kihei scene.

     Everyday good things abound here, from health food stores to supermarkets and a pizza restaurant or two. Everyone eventually ends up at the modernized Azeka’s Shopping Center to buy old-fashioned Maui potato chips and Azeka’s famous barbecued ribs, or to shop for sunglasses, books and beach towels. There’s also a public golf course in Kihei, Elleair, where players of every handicap will find a challenge.