SOUTH KIHEI ROAD - Kihei KIHEI GOOGLE MAP
Maui's friendly resort town on the south shore.
On Maui's south shore you'll find the resort areas of Kihei, Wailea and Makena, all rolled into one zipcode.... 96753.
Back in the early 1970's there was not much in Kihei but a few beach homes, a small shopping center (Azeka's - You might remember the famous Azeka Ribs!) with a post office and some fruit orchards. All that changed when the planners decided to allow 6-story condo buildings for Kihei, and a major building boom ensued.
South Kihei Road was the only road then, a narrow 2 lane road that pretty much followed the coastline from Maalaea Bay south to Wailea. Beyond that was just a dusty trail leading to Makena Beach further south. There were no traffic signals, and the road was bumpy and filled wit pot holes. 
Today South Kihei Road still follows the coast, and it's more built out. There's traffic lights on some of the corners now. The newer Pi'ilani Highway is located inland, encompassing most of Kihei between it and the sea. The 6 mile strip consists primarily of various styles of condo buildings and little malls, beaches and parks.
I drove along South Kihei Road yesterday and took these pictures... they are all looking north. The first one is up near the north end of the road, where there are some '70's beachfront condo buildings such as Koa Lagoon, Village by the Sea, Menehune Shores and Waipuilani. Most of these condos are zoned for vacation rentals, so they're very popular with visitors who like to come over every year in the winter time.
The original shopping center - Azeka Place - is what would pass for Downtown Kihei. Here is where you'll find the Post Office, the movie theaters, many restaurants and shops, a medical center and professional offices. The cross street is Lipoa Street.
Just a little further south in the middle of Kihei is Cove Park, which has a nice little surf break, and Kalama Park, which hosts the Whale Day Celebration each year... coming up soon by the way.
Mid-Kihei has some streets with oceanfront homes and condos. Halama Street has some expensive oceanfront single family homes that come on the market from time to time, well over $4M. Uluniu Rd has beachfront condos and homes.
Kihei shopping covers it all, except the big box stores. You'll find plenty of open air markets for clothing and trinkets, and local produce including pineapples.
Churches of many kinds are located along South Kihei Rd, including St. Teresa Catholic Church. The larger hotel resorts have wedding chapels for those who want to have a romantic Maui wedding by the sea.
On the south end of South Kihei Road, you'll find all the best Kihei beach parks... Kamaole Beach Parks I, II, and III. These parks have bathroom and shower facilities, picnic tables and barbecues, and lifeguard stands. Golden sand and small waves make for some very fun beaches that can be enjoyed by everyone.
If you come to Kihei you can do lots of fun activities right here:
- golfing
- tennis
- canoing and kayaking
- windsurfing
- snorkeling and diving
- surfing and body-boarding
- swimming
- whale watching
- boating
- shopping
Kihei Maui is not only a travel destination, but also home to a growing population of people of all ages.
Kihei has vacation condos, residential condos, and single family homes. Are you shopping for a vacation condo... why not let a local expert help you decide?
Are you thinking of relocating to Kihei Maui? How can I help you with the information you need? Are you working with an agent yet? Call an experienced and friendly Maui Realtor to be your guide.
Georgina M. Hunter R(S) - 808 283-0635
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Aloha from MAUI ~ EMAIL
Margaret - it's not easy! But there is quite a varied climate, so it's a matter of weather I suppose, and jobs, and affordability.
Mitchell - Makena is the cream of the cream.... it's always a pleasure to see homes in that neighborhood.
i lived in kihei in the 70s. the royal mauian, haleakala shores and halama street were some of my addresses. i used to surf at the cove and makena was a local beach. i went to kihei school and st anthonys high school in wailuku. i sure do miss those days, life was simple and easy going. just thought i'd share that with you, thanks for listening, or reading as the case may be. aloha! just in case my email address is dave_perrotti@yahoo.com
Dave - thanks for sharing! I have lots of great pictures on flickr.com.... mauihunter Maybe you'd enjoy seeing some more Maui.
Hello, I will be traveling to Kihei for 20 days in June with my family. We are renting a condo with a kitchen and would like to know which grocery store is affordable. I have 2 young children under the age of 10 that are CONSTANTLY hungry! We are on a budget. Also, is there a farmer's market in Kihei? Thanks!
Hi Zarin - thanks for asking about that. If I was you, I would find the farmers market in Kahului - either at the Maui Mall or the Queen Kaahumanu Center on any given day. I believe there is also one in North Kihei, down along South Kihei Road, at the very north end.
Costco will give you pretty good prices too, it's near the airport.
I hope your time on Maui is the very best!