Active Pursuits

This is why you've come to Maui -- the sun, the sand, and the surf. In this chapter, I'll tell you about the best beaches, from where to soak up the rays to where to plunge beneath the waves. I've covered a range of ocean activities on Maui, as well as my favorite places and outfitters for these marine adventures. Also in this chapter are things to do on dry land, including the best spots for hiking and camping and the greatest golf courses.

Snorkel Bob's (www.snorkelbob.com) has snorkel gear, boogie boards, and other ocean toys at four locations: 1217 Front St., Lahaina (tel. 808/661-4421); Napili Village, 5425-C Lower Honoapiilani Hwy., Napili (tel. 808/669-9603); in North Kihei at Azeka Place II, 1279 S. Kihei Rd. #310 (tel. 808/875-6188); and in South Kihei/Wailea at the Kamaole Beach Center, 2411 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei (tel. 808/879-7449). All locations are open daily from 8am to 5pm. If you're island hopping, you can rent from a Snorkel Bob's location on one island and return it at a branch on another.

Boss Frog's Dive and Surf Shops (www.maui-vacation.net) has six stores that rent snorkel gear, surfboards, and other beach essentials: next to Subway, in Napili Plaza, Napili (tel. 808/669-4949); next to Dollies Pizza, in Kahana Manor Shops, Kahana (tel. 808/669-6700); 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Rd., Kaanapali (tel. 808/665-1200); 150 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina (tel. 808/661-3333); Longs Drugs Shopping Center, 1215 Kihei Rd., North Kihei (tel. 808/891-0077); and behind Pizza Hut at Dolphin Plaza, 2395 S. Kihei Rd., South Kihei (tel. 808/875-4477).

Outdoor Etiquette -- Carry out what you carry in. Find a trash container for all your litter (including cigarette butts). Litterbugs anger the gods.

Observe KAPU (taboo) and NO TRESPASSING signs. Don't climb on ancient Hawaiian heiau (temple) walls or carry home rocks, all of which belong to the Hawaiian volcano goddess, Pele. Some say it's just a silly superstition, but each year the national and state park services get boxes of lava rocks in the mail, sent back to Hawaii by visitors who have experienced unusually bad luck.

Body Boarding (Boogie Boarding) & Bodysurfing

Bodysurfing -- riding the waves without a board, becoming one with the rolling water -- is a way of life in Hawaii. Some bodysurfers just rely on their hands to ride the waves; others use hand boards (flat, paddlelike gloves). For additional maneuverability, try a boogie board or body board (also known as belly boards or paipo boards). These 3-foot-long boards support the upper part of your body and are easy to carry and very maneuverable in the water. Both bodysurfing and body boarding require a pair of open-heeled swim fins to help propel you through the water.

Baldwin Beach, just outside of Paia, has great bodysurfing waves nearly year-round. In winter Maui's best bodysurfing spot is Mokuleia Beach, known locally as Slaughterhouse because of the cattle slaughterhouse that once stood here, not because of the waves -- although they are definitely for expert bodysurfers only. To get to Mokuleia, take Honoapiilani Highway just past Kapalua Bay Resort; various hiking trails will take you down to the pocket beach. Storms from the south bring fair bodysurfing conditions and great boogie boarding to the lee side of Maui: Oneloa (Big Beach) in Makena, Ulua and Kamaole III in Kihei, and Kapalua beaches are all good choices.

Ocean Kayaking

Gliding silently over the water, propelled by a paddle, seeing Maui from the sea the way the early Hawaiians did -- that's what ocean kayaking is all about. One of Maui's best kayak routes is along the Kihei Coast, where there's easy access to calm water. Early mornings are always best, because the wind comes up around 11am, making seas choppy and paddling difficult.

For beginners, my favorite kayak-tour operator is Makena Kayak Tours (tel. 877/879-8426 or 808/879-8426; www.makenakayaks.com). Professional guide Dino Ventura leads a 2 1/2-hour trip from Makena Landing for $55, and loves taking first-timers over the secluded coral reefs and into remote coves. His wonderful tour will be a highlight of your vacation. The 4-hour tour (with lunch) costs $85. Prices include refreshments and snorkel and kayak equipment. Check the website for discounts.

South Pacific Kayaks, 2439 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei (tel. 800/776-2326 or 808/875-4848; www.mauikayak.com), is Maui's oldest kayak-tour company. Its expert guides lead ocean-kayak trips that include lessons, a guided tour, and snorkeling. Tours run from 2 1/2 to 5 hours and range in price from $65 to $139.

In Hana, Hana-Maui Sea Sports (tel. 808/248-7711; www.hana-maui-seasports.com) runs 2-hour tours of Hana's coastline on wide, stable "no roll" kayaks, with snorkeling, for $89 per person. They also feature kayak surfing lessons for $89.

Ocean Rafting

If you're semiadventurous and looking for a more intimate experience with the sea, try ocean rafting. The inflatable rafts hold 6 to 24 passengers. Tours usually include snorkeling and coastal cruising. One of the best (and most reasonable) outfitters is Hawaiian Ocean Rafting (tel. 888/677-RAFT or 808/667-2191; www.hawaiioceanrafting.com), which operates out of Lahaina Harbor. The best deal is the 5-hour morning tour, which costs $74 for adults and $53 for children ages 5 to 12 (book online and save $11). It includes three snorkeling stops and time spent searching for dolphins, not to mention continental breakfast and midmorning snacks.

Parasailing

Soar high above the crowds (at around 400 ft.) for a bird's-eye view of Maui. This ocean adventure sport, which is something of a cross between skydiving and water-skiing, involves sailing through the air, suspended under a large parachute attached by a towline to a speedboat. Keep in mind, though, that parasailing tours don't run during whale season, which is roughly December through May.

I recommend UFO Parasail (tel. 800/FLY-4-UFO or 808/661-7-UFO; www.ufoparasail.net), which picks you up at Kaanapali Beach. UFO offers parasail rides daily from 8am to 2pm. The cost is $65 for the standard flight of 7 minutes of air time at 400 feet, $75 for a 10-minute ride at 800 feet. You can go up alone or with a friend; no experience is necessary. Tip: Take the early-bird special (when the light is fantastic and the price is right) at 8am for just $60 for 400 feet or $70 for 800 feet.

Sport Fishing

Marlin (as big as 1,200 lb.), tuna, ono, and mahimahi await the baited hook in Maui's coastal and channel waters. No license is required; just book a sport-fishing vessel out of Lahaina or Maalaea harbors. Most charter boats that troll for big-game fish carry a maximum of six passengers. You can walk the docks, inspect boats, and talk to captains and crews, or book through an activities desk or one of the outfitters recommended below.

Shop around: Prices vary widely according to the boat, the crowd, and the captain. A shared boat for a half day of fishing starts at $100; a shared full day of fishing starts at around $250. A half-day exclusive (you get the entire boat) starts at $600; a full-day exclusive starts at $900. Also, many boat captains tag and release marlin or keep the fish for themselves (sorry, that's Hawaii style). If you want to eat your mahimahi for dinner or have your marlin mounted, tell the captain before you go.

The best way to book a sport-fishing charter is through the experts; the best booking desk in the state is Sportfish Hawaii (tel. 877/388-1376 or 808/396-2607; www.sportfishhawaii.com), which not only books boats on Maui but on all islands. These fishing vessels have been inspected and must meet rigorous criteria to guarantee that you will have a great time. Prices range from $895 to $1,000 for a full-day exclusive charter (you, plus five friends, get the entire boat to yourself); it's $599 to $750 for a half-day exclusive.

Submarine Dives

Plunging 100 feet below the surface of the sea in a state-of-the-art, high-tech submarine is a great way to experience Maui's magnificent underwater world, especially if you're not a swimmer. Atlantis Submarines, 658 Front St., Lahaina (tel. 800/548-6262 or 808/667-2224; www.goatlantis.com), offers trips out of Lahaina Harbor every hour on the hour from 9am to 2pm at a cost of $84 for adults and $42 for children under 12 (children must be at least 3 ft. tall). Allow 2 hours for this underwater adventure. This is not a good choice if you're claustrophobic.

Surfing

The ancient Hawaiian sport of hee nalu (wave sliding) is probably the sport most people picture when they think of the islands. If you'd like to give it a shot, just sign up at any one of the recommended surfing schools listed below.

Tide and Kiva Rivers, two local boys (actually twins) who have been surfing since they could walk, operate Rivers to the Sea (tel. 808/280-8795 or 808/280-6236; www.riverstothesea.com), one of the best surfing schools on Maui. Rates are $75 each for a 2-hour class for a group of three or more, $200 for a couple for a 2-hour class, and $160 for a 2-hour private lesson. All lessons include equipment and instruction. Tide, who has been surfing for 25 years, says they decide where the lesson will take place based on their client's ability and where the surf is on that day. He says he has beginners standing up in their first lesson.

Well-known surfer Nancy Emerson can also teach you how to surf at the Nancy Emerson School of Surfing, 358 Papa Place, Suite F, Kahului (tel. 808/244-SURF or 808/662-4445; fax 808/662-4443; www.surfclinics.com). Nancy has been surfing since 1961 and has even been a stunt performer for various movies, including Waterworld. She's pioneered a new instructional technique called "Learn to Surf in One Lesson" -- you can, really. It's $75 per person for a 2-hour group lesson; private 2-hour classes are $175.

In Hana, Hana-Maui Sea Sports (tel. 808/248-7711; www.hana-maui-seasports.com) has 2-hour long-board lessons taught by a certified ocean lifeguard for $89.

Windsurfing

Maui has Hawaii's best windsurfing beaches. In winter, windsurfers from around the world flock to the town of Paia to ride the waves. Hookipa Beach, known all over the globe for its brisk winds and excellent waves, is the site of several world-championship contests. Kanaha, west of Kahului Airport, also has dependable winds. When the winds turn northerly, Kihei is the spot to be: Some days you can spot whales in the distance behind the windsurfers. The northern end of Kihei is best: Ohukai Park, the first beach as you enter South Kihei Road from the northern end, has not only good winds but parking, a long strip of grass to assemble your gear, and good access to the water. Experienced windsurfers here are found in front of the Maui Sunset condo, 1032 S. Kihei Rd., near Waipuilani Street (a block north of McDonald's), which has great windsurfing conditions but a very shallow reef (not good for beginners).

Hawaiian Island Surf and Sport, 415 Dairy Rd., Kahului (tel. 800/231-6958 or 808/871-4981; www.hawaiianisland.com), offers lessons (from $79), rentals, and repairs. Other shops that offer rentals and lessons are Hawaiian Sailboarding Techniques, 425 Koloa St., Kahului (tel. 800/968-5423 or 808/871-5423; www.hstwindsurfing.com), with 2 1/2-hour lessons from $79, and Maui Windsurf Co., 22 Hana Hwy., Kahului (tel. 800/872-0999 or 808/877-4816; www.maui-windsurf.com), which has complete equipment rental (board, sail, rig harness, and roof rack) from $45 and 1- or 2-hour lessons ranging from $75.

For daily reports on wind and surf conditions, call the Wind and Surf Report at tel. 808/877-3611.

Biking

It's not even close to dawn, but here you are, rubbing your eyes awake, riding in a van up the long, dark road to the top of Maui's sleeping volcano. It's colder than you ever thought possible for a tropical island. The air is thin. You stomp your chilly feet while you wait, sipping hot coffee. Then comes the sun, exploding over the yawning Haleakala Crater, which is big enough to swallow Manhattan whole -- it's a mystical moment you won't soon forget, imprinted on a palette of dawn colors. Now you know why Hawaiians named it the House of the Sun. But there's no time to linger: Decked out in your screaming yellow parka, you mount your steed and test its most important feature, the brakes -- because you're about to coast 37 miles down a 10,000-foot volcano.

Cruising down Haleakala, from the lunarlike landscape at the top, past flower farms, pineapple fields, and eucalyptus groves, is quite an experience -- and you don't have to be an expert cyclist to do it. This is a safe, comfortable bicycle trip, although it requires some stamina in the colder, wetter months between November and March. Wear layers of warm clothing, because there may be a 30° change in temperature from the top of the mountain to the ocean. Generally, tour groups will not take riders under 12, but younger children can ride along in the van that accompanies the groups, as can pregnant women. The trip usually costs between $100 and $140, which includes hotel pickup, transport to the top, bicycle and safety equipment, and meals.

Maui's oldest downhill company is Maui Downhill (tel. 800/535-BIKE or 808/871-2155; www.mauidownhill.com), which offers a sunrise safari bike tour, including continental breakfast and brunch, starting at $125 (book online and save $21). If it's all booked up, try Maui Mountain Cruisers (tel. 800/232-6284 or 808/871-6014; www.mauimountaincruisers.com), which has sunrise trips for $144 and midday trips for $110. Mountain Riders Bike Tours (tel. 800/706-7700 or 808/242-9739; www.mountainriders.com) offers sunrise rides for $155 (book online for $125) and midday trips for $120. All rates include hotel pickup, transport to the top, bicycle, safety equipment, and meals.

If you want to avoid the crowd and go down the mountain at your own pace, call Haleakala Bike Company (tel. 888/922-2453; www.bikemaui.com). They will outfit you with the latest gear and take you up Haleakala. Note: Not all tours go to the summit. If you want to start your bike ride at the summit, be sure to confirm. The cheapest trip starts at around the 6,500-foot level (about two-thirds up the mountain). After making sure you are secure on the bike, they will let you ride down by yourself at your own pace. Trips range from $60 to $105; they also have bicycle rentals to tour other parts of Maui on your own (from $30 a day).

If you want to venture out on your own, Maui Sunriders Bike Company, 71 Baldwin Ave., Paia (tel. 866/500-BIKE; www.mauibikeride.com) rents bikes from $26.

For information on bikeways and maps, get a copy of the Maui County Bicycle Map, which has information on road suitability, climate, trade winds, mileage, elevation changes, bike shops, safety tips, and various bicycling routes. The map is available at bike shops all over the island. A great book for mountain bikers who want to venture out on their own is John Alford's Mountain Biking the Hawaiian Islands, published by Ohana Publishing (www.bikehawaii.com).

Horseback Riding

Maui offers spectacular adventure rides through rugged ranchlands, into tropical forests, and to remote swimming holes. One of our favorites is Piiholo Ranch in Makawao (tel. 866/572-5544 or 808/357-5544; www.piiholo.com). A working cattle ranch owned by the kamaaina (longtime resident) Baldwin family, this is a horseback-riding adventure with a variety of different rides to suit your ability, from the morning picnic ride, a 3 1/2-hour ride on the ranch with a picnic lunch for $160 per person, to a 2-hour country ride through a working cattle ranch for $120.

If you're out in Hana, don't pass up the Maui Stables, in Kipahulu (a mile past Oheo Gulch) (tel. 808/248-7799; www.mauistables.com). Not only do they offer two rides daily (9:30am and 1pm) through the mountains above Kipahulu Valley, but you also get a fantastic historical and cultural tour through the unspoiled landscape. It is an experience you will not forget. Both rides are $150. If you enjoy your ride, remember to kiss your horse and tip your guide.

For those horse lovers who are looking for the ultimate, check out Frank Levinson's "Maui Horse Whisperer Experience" (tel. 808/572-6211; www.mauihorses.com), which includes a seminar on the language of the horse, for $200 for a half-day and $300 for full-day workshops. No horse aficionado should pass it up.

Haleakala on Horseback -- If you'd like to ride down into Haleakala's crater, contact Pony Express Tours (tel. 808/667-2200 or 808/878-6698; www.ponyexpresstours.com), which offers a variety of rides down to the crater floor and back up, from $169 to $195 per person. Shorter 1- and 2-hour rides are also offered at Haleakala Ranch, located on the beautiful lower slopes of the volcano, for $95 and $115. A 1-hour introductory ride is just $65. If you book via the Internet, you get 10% off. Pony Express provides well-trained horses and experienced guides, and accommodates all riding levels. You must be at least 10 years old, weigh no more than 230 pounds, and wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.

Way Out on West Maui: Ranch Rides -- I recommend riding with Mendes Ranch & Trail Rides, 3530 Kahekili Hwy., 4 miles past Wailuku (tel. 808/244-7320; www.mendesranch.com). The 300-acre Mendes Ranch is a real-life working cowboy ranch that has the essential elements of an earthly paradise -- rainbows, waterfalls, palm trees, coral-sand beaches, lagoons, tide pools, a rainforest, and its own volcanic peak (more than a mile high). Allan Mendes, a third-generation wrangler, will take you from the edge of the rainforest out to the sea. On the way, you'll cross tree-studded meadows where Texas longhorns sit in the shade and pass a dusty corral where Allan's father, Ernest, a champion roper, may be breaking in a wild horse. Allan keeps close watch, turning often in his saddle to make sure everyone is happy. He points out flora and fauna and fields questions, but generally just lets you soak up Maui's natural splendor in golden silence. Two-hour rides start either in the morning or afternoon and cost $110. You can add a barbecue lunch to your ride for an additional $20 per person.

Spelunking

Don't miss the opportunity to see how the Hawaiian Islands were made by exploring a million-year-old underground lava tube/cave. Chuck Thorne, of Maui Cave Adventures (tel. 808/248-7308; www.mauicave.com), offers several tours of this unique geological feature. After more than 10 years of leading scuba tours through underwater caves around Hawaii, Chuck discovered some caves on land that he wanted to show visitors. When the land surrounding the largest cave on Maui went on the market in 1996, Chuck snapped it up and started his own tour company. Monday to Saturday, between 10:30am and 3:30pm, you can take a self-guided 30- to 45-minute tour for just $12 (kids under 5 are free).

If you want to combine caving with a tour of Hana, contact Temptation Tours (tel. 808/877-8888; www.temptationtours.com). Their "Cave Quest" tour offers a 1 1/4-hour cave tour, plus an air-conditioned van tour from your hotel to Hana; the $199 cost includes continental breakfast, beachside picnic lunch, and a stop for a swim.

Tennis

Maui has excellent public tennis courts; all are free and available from daylight to sunset (a few are even lit for night play until 10pm). The courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis; when someone's waiting, limit your play to 45 minutes. For a complete list of public courts, call Maui County Parks and Recreation (tel. 808/243-7230). Because most public courts require a wait and are not conveniently located near the major resort areas, most visitors pay a fee to play at their own hotels. The exceptions to that rule are in Kihei (which has courts in Kalama Park on S. Kihei Rd. and in Waipualani Park on W. Waipualani Rd., behind the Maui Sunset Condo), in Lahaina (courts are in Malu'uou o lele Park, at Front and Shaw sts.), and in Hana (courts are in Hana Park, on the Hana Hwy.). Private tennis courts are available at most resorts and hotels on the island. The Kapalua Tennis Garden and Village Tennis Center, Kapalua Resort (tel. 808/669-5677; www.kapaluamaui.com), is home to the Kapalua Open, which features the largest purse in the state, on Labor Day weekend. Court rentals are $14 per person for resort guests and $18 per person for nonguests. The staff will match you up with a partner if you need one. In Wailea try the Wailea Tennis Club, 131 Wailea Iki Place (tel. 808/879-1958; www.waileatennis.com), with 11 Plexipave courts. Court fees are $15 per player.