Great Whale Count OFFICIAL SITES 1. Ho okipa Beach Park: Ho okipa Beach Park is located along Hana Highway at approximately Mile Marker 8.8. The beach itself is small, and it is heavily used by windsurfers, kite surfers, and surfers. The Great Whale Count takes place from the Ho okipa Lookout which is a small parking lot on the south end of the beach park on a bluff overlooking the beach. The lookout is on the edge of a cliff overlooking Pavilions the popular surfing-end of the beach. Mile Marker: #8.8 (Hana Hwy aka Hwy 36) Facilities: Lifeguards, showers, pavilion, picnic tables, bathrooms & port-a-potties. 2. Ritz Carlton - Kapalua: Kapalua is located North of Lahaina. Follow State Highway 30 from Lahaina and turn left at Office Road. To get to the Great Whale Count site, drive north on Office Road past the Ritz-Carlton entrance. At the stop sign, located at the dead end of Office Road, turn right and park immediately on the right in the small church parking lot. PWF staff will meet you there. You can get directly to the site by walking a path along the golf course to the rocky point. There is no restroom at this site, and one is located a 15-min walk away. GPS Coordinates: 21.003184, -156.655718 Facilities: None at site. Restrooms are 15-min walk
3. S-Turns (Pohaku Park): It's in the Kahana area, which is between Honokowai and Napili in west Maui. As you drive north on Hwy. 30 (Hono apiilani Rd) from Lahaina Town and pass the Ka anapali area, you will see a roadway sign that points to the left and says Lower Hono apiilani. You can take a left here. Or you can stay on Hwy. 30 longer and take a left at the signal light for Akohele Street. After your turn you will see a McDonald's restaurant on your right. You will turn into the parking area from Lower Hono apiilani Road and there is limited parking. Mile Marker: #8.8 (Hana Hwy aka Hwy 36) GPS Coordinates: 20.9713, -156.6802 Facilities: Showers, bathrooms & parking. 4. Maui Marriott: Drive along Hono apiilani Highway/Hwy 30 toward Lahaina & Ka'anapali. Turn left at traffic light at Ka anapali Parkway, proceed ¼ mile to Nohea Kai Drive, turn left at the Resort entrance. 5. Lahaina (505 Front Street): Drive along Hono apiilani Highway/Hwy 30 toward Lahaina, turn left at Shaw Street and followit to the end. Turn right on Front Street. You will see parking on both sides of the road near 505 Front Street, Lahaina. Maui Ulu O Lele Park is located on the ocean side of the street and there is a small parking lot adjacent to the park. GPS Coordinates: 20.868400, -156.675642 Facilities: Showers, bathrooms, parking, restaurants and shopping.
6. La uniopoko Park: Located along the Lahaina Coast off of Highway 30 south of Pu amana Beach Park and before Kulanaokala'i Beach. Mile Marker: #18 (Hono apiilani Hwy) Facilities: Paved access and parking, Sandy beach, Swimming, Picnic Tables, Grills, Restrooms, Telephones, Child Wading Pool 7. Papalua Beach Park: Papalaua Beach Park is the first beach you come to after passing through the tunnel on the road along the Pali (cliff) on your way to Lahaina (this road is called the Honoapi'ilani Highway, or State Route 30). Papalaua Beach Park is between mileposts 11 and 12. It is a long beach right along the road. If you hate road noise, this is not the beach for you! There are no posted hours of operation for Papalaua Beach Park. The camping area is open to permitted campers overnight.
Mile Marker: #11-12 (Hono apiilani Hwy) Facilities: Camping area, trash receptacles, sandy beach, swimming, porta-potties, emergency callbox at mile marker 10.5 on the highway. 8. Olowalu Beach: Directly across from the Olowalu General Store is the driveway to Olowalu Beach and landing, at mile marker 15. Private residences are ahead, but turn left down the dirt road and you ll find a secluded dirt parking lot. Olowalu is best known for its reef, which is fun for snorkeling and diving. Kayaking is also popular when the water is flat. Camp Olowalu is a private campground known for its cabins and tents with ocean views. Olowalu was home to the West Maui Sugar Company in the old plantation days and later became the Olowalu Sugar Company. As you head toward Lahaina town you can stop for fresh island fruit smoothies and sugar cane juice on the side of Highway 30. Mile Marker: #14-15 (Hono apiilani Hwy) GPS Coordinates: 20.8125-156.6169 Facilities: None 9. McGregor Point Lookout (Pali): mile marker 9 Honoapiilani Hwy. 10. Pacific Whale Foundation at Maalaea Harbor Shops:
Off the Hono apiilani Hwy. heading towards Lahaina from Kahului and Kihei. Take a left at the gas station and a right into the harbor shops parking lot. PWF office is at the northern end of the shops. 11. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary: 726 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei 12. Kihei Surfside: 2511 S. Kihei Road, near Ke awakapu Beach at start of Wailea. 13. Polo Beach: adjacent to Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel at ~ 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr. 14. Pu u Olai (Red Hill) Makena: Black Sand beach parking lot on S. Makena Rd. Before big beach there is a dip in the road. Immediately after the dip there is a gate on the right. You should park on the road by the 1 st gate. If you reach a paved lot you ve gone too far. People should bring water, and must wear shoes, not slippers. Also long pants are advised (perhaps they can change into shorts when they get to the top) since we walk through a bunch of low ankle grabbing Ke awe. Tell folks to bring nothing more than what they can carry, their cars will get broken into at Makena (any site in fact) and we are not responsible. This site is physically strenuous and requires a ~40 minute hike uphill.