Kihei
SPOT GUIDE
Kihei
Often Kihei is warm and sunny, even when it is raining on the North shore or the West Side. There are so many beautiful beaches to enjoy. Every few years the wind and waves are in perfect alignment and Kihei offers world class kite surfing. However, these conditions rarely present themselves. Many people ask, “Why don’t people kite in Kihei?” It is a difficult area to kite with many hazards. Locals only think about kite boarding the “South Side” as a back-up plan. If the wind is too light and from the North at Kanaha or if the wind is blowing offshore at Kanaha, then they consider kiting Kihei. It is best to only go out when the wind is blowing side-onshore. Kiting the “South Side” is only recommended to skilled kite boarders. Beginner and intermediate kite boarders should not kite on the South Side.
SKILL LEVEL:
ADVANCED
- SURFING
- FREESTYLE
- FOILING
- BIG AIR
CAUTION
Your best and most popular place to kite on the South Side is Kalepolepo Beach Park.
SKILL LEVEL
Beginner and Intermediate Kite Boarders: It is recommended that you do not kite in Kihei for the following reasons below.
WIND DIRECTION
Only go out when the wind is blowing side-onshore: N, NW, SW or SSW
LOCATION / DIRECTIONS
Your best and most popular place to kite on the South Side is Kalepolepo Beach Park.
LOOKING FOR DIRECTIONS?
Click the link below and give us your email so we can send you the locations to all the top spots on the north shore of Maui.
KIhei Disclaimer
Beginner and Intermediate Kite Boarders:
It is recommended that you do not kite in Kihei for the following reasons:
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There are no life guards at Kihei’s “kite beach.”
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Launch sites are small with no room for error.
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Launch sites can have kiawe trees, power lines and busy roads nearby.
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Tourists will stand dangerously close to your kite and lines.
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Fisherman can have their invisible lines, hooks and garbage in the water.
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The water can be shallow with sharp rocks, choral heads and submerged trees.
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Standing, walking, body dragging and self-rescuing through the sharp rocks will cut you and your gear.
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The wind can change directions in an instant and flip your kite.
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With the trades blowing, the wind speed can change from 10 to 40mph at any given time.
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The wind can switch off-shore or die without notice.
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Some areas have a strong current leading to Tahiti.
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Often there is not a “safe area” to land your kite down wind.
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Only being able to kite down-wind keeps you near shore where the most hazards are.
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The South Side of Maui has the dangerous shore break that is notorious for sending people to the hospital with neck and spinal injuries.
Skilled Kite Boarders:
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Only go out when the wind is blowing side-onshore: N, NW, SW or SSW.
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If the trade winds are blowing on the North Shore and you are in Kihei looking at “wind line” and a lot of white caps on the water, do not kite. The shifting wind direction and speed can be too much you and your gear to handle.
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There are two trees submerged just offshore around the middle of the beach area.
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Show respect to other cultures and stay out of the fish pond to the south of the beach.
LAUNCHING & Landing YOUR KITE
Where to go:
Your best and most popular place to kite on the South Side is Kalepolepo Beach Park.
Windcam near Kalepolepo Park:
Use this webcam to check for white caps or people kiting by aiming the camera NW towards Maalaea Harbor or aiming it more North towards Sugar Beach.
CONCLUSION
There aren’t many good days in Kihei, however when the conditions are on point it can be a fun place to kite. When the wind comes from the south and the waves are good, you can get some fun surfing conditions that are different to the north shore. With southern winds, the freestyle and big air can be a blast too with kickers coming from the left rather than the right.
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