If you are an avid birdwatcher, looking for a leisurely stroll, or wanting something off the beaten track in Maui, give the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk a try. It is a 2,200 foot boardwalk lined by the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on one side, and through a patch of trees, the tide pools and beach of Maalaea Bay on the other.
Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge is home to many bird species and the boardwalk contains several covered pavilions for those wanting a bit of shade while they try to spot the birds living here. The boardwalk is open from 7-7, the nearby visitor center is open from 11-3 on Mondays and 9-3 Tuesday through Friday. The visitor center has bathrooms and drinking fountains, as well as, displays on the wildlife you can expect to see. Parking at the boardwalk is a little tricky, as the lot is not very large and you may not cross traffic to enter the parking lot.
Sheep/Sheer What’s the Difference?
Spread throughout the boardwalk there are paths which will lead you through the trees and to the beach. We thought the Sheep Drop sign was quite hysterical. It is important to only cross through to the beach at one of the walkways, as you may encounter rouge sheep, sheer drops and disturb a delicate eco-system. We decided to walk the entire boardwalk, the timing completely depends on how long you stop to play “I Spy a Bird”, cross through to the beach and walk down the beach back to the parking lot.
Maalaea Bay, Maui
My husband can not bear to pass up any tide pools with out playing “How many little critters can I spot”, so our walk back took just as long as our walk out. We actually were not anticipating the tide pools in the bay so it was a nice surprise. Our original plan for the day involved hiking on Haleakala, however, the weather did not cooperate, so we had a leisurely day which we spent shopping in Makawao, walking through the refuge, checking into our condo, and getting dinner and watching the sunset in Lahaina.
Tide Pools at Maalaea Bay, Maui
The tide pools were filled with a large variety of life. I’m not sure what’s in this picture, but it was all over and it caught my attention. It reminded me of lettuce. If anyone happens to know what it is, please leave a comment and let me know.
Maalaea Bay, Maui
We did not see anyone swimming while we walked along the beach. The beach goes on for miles and was pretty empty, which is lovely if you are just wanting to go for a peaceful stroll along the water’s edge while admiring the beauty that surrounds you. You will be afforded plenty of opportunities to savor the moment!
When we were through with our leisurely ramble down the beach we headed over to the Maui Kai Condos to check out our condo rental, which was right off the ocean with a perfect, unobstructed view of the ocean and the sunset. We then headed over to Lahaina to check out the art galleries, do some shopping, have a nice dinner, check out the enormous banyan tree, and watch the sunset.
Our trip is just half way over, if you are interested in checking out the first half of our adventures, try out a few of the links below. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.
Hiking the Pipiwai Trail to the Makahiku and Waimoku Falls
(All pictures are available for purchase as Fine Art Prints or Digital Downloads at full resolution through Alamy. If you see something you like, click on the link. If you are unable to find it, use the Contact Me page and I will make sure the image is available.)
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Kealia Coastal Boardwalk, Kihei, Maui
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