Honolua Bay Hiking Trail Guide

Honolua Bay is a short hiking trail on the Island of Maui in Hawaii. The trail is heavily trafficked and leads to a beautiful bay that is a marine sanctuary. The main allure of of this bay is for snorkeling and surfing.

Honolua Bay Hiking Trail

Short and easy trails don’t always offer impeccable views. Haunama Bay is one major exception. On Maui’s northwestern end sits a well protected cove known as Haunama Bay. The hike itself is relatively flat, of short duration, and cuts through a tropical shaded path to a beautiful bay. The main attraction of Haunama Bay is mostly snorkeling. Between the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the area was declared a Marine Life Conservation District. The end result is a guarantee of tropical species of fish, turtles, coral, and the occasional larger species of ocean wildlife such as whales and dolphins.

Honolua Bay also served a very special importance to native Hawaiian’s. The word in the Hawaiian language means twin bays which refers to another adjacent bay. In the 16th century, King of the island during the time, Pi’ilani, developed a significant footpath connecting six nearby bays of west Maui. The Hawaiians were known for living off and being excellent stewards of the land. It’s important to remember this when visiting the area and carry on their traditions of caring for the land.

On A Personal Note:

This trail isn’t much of a “hike” per say but this is a beautiful spot. I didn’t have the time to take advantage of any snorkeling but I could see the attraction. In addition to being a marine sanctuary, this bay is very popular for surfing. Over the years this bay has attracted several professional surfing competitions. The primary surfing season is from late fall to the early spring. When the waves are large the water gets stirred up and snorkeling becomes a less viable activity here. Despite that, it’s worth taking the short stroll if you happen to be traveling through the northern part of the island.

Take precautions and don’t leave any valuables in the car. Unfortunately this area is subject to the grab and go. Keep an eye out for dolphins and during the winter, humpback whales. The species of whales migrates to Hawaii during the winter to mate and give birth before traveling back to the Arctic.

Looking for something similar nearby? Check out the Nakalele Blowhole and Heart Rock Trail. This short hike leads to a natural blowhole where water sprays several feet into the air.

Do you have any updates to the hiking trail or want to share your hike/pictures? Please leave a comment below.

Overall Difficulty: 15% 15%
Overall Views: 75% 75%

Honolua Bay Trail Quick Facts:

Elevation: 185 feet.
Elevation Gain: 75 feet.
Estimated Distance: 0.6 mile.
My Actual Distance: 0.6 miles.
Estimated Time: 30-45 minutes.
My Time: 23 minutes moving; 33 minutes total.

Honolua Bay Trail Directions:

Open in maps. Honolua Bay is located just north of the town of Kapalua, Maui near mile marker #32 on Highway 30. The most difficult part about accessing this short trail is finding parking. Parking is off the two lane highway and can be very full at times. The roadside parking is almost adjacent to the Honolua Farms Kitchen. Make sure to not leave any valuables in your vehicle. As I mentioned, this area is popular for break-ins for tourists. There are a couple of view points to Honolua Bay on the north and south side of the bay. They’re a noteworthy stop for a great vantage point of the area.

Honolua Bay Trial Pictures:

: A view from one of the overlooks. It’s a small surf day but you can see the potential.

: Some of the tropical forest along the trail.

Who Honolua Bay Trail Is For:

Novice Hikers: This is a perfect stroll for novice hikers. There isn’t much difficulty in this trail. The main attraction is the bay itself and the activities that this beautiful place offers.

Advanced Hikers: It’s a nice place to stretch your legs. Enjoy the activities that this place has to offer.

Expert Hikers: Same.

It’s always a good idea to be aware of what type of hiking level you’re at.

Best Time Of Year To Hike Honolua Bay:

Honolua Bay is generally okay to hike year round. Depending on the type of activities you may want to do, it may be a good idea to check the surf forecast. Late fall through early spring is the time of year where this side of the island sees the most frequent and biggest surf. Surf can negatively impact the quality of the water for snorkeling. It is the tropics so be aware that plants are green for a reason and this area receives ample amounts of rain.

It’s always a good idea to check the weather before heading out on a hike.

Honolua Bay Trail Conditions:

The trail to Honolua Bay is very will maintained. Trail access begins right along the bend in the road along Highway 30. The trail is mostly flat and covered by the dense tropical plants that grow throughout the valley. Although there is ample shade, the path is well marked and has little undergrowth. Honolua Bay does not have the white sand beaches that many other beaches have along western Maui. This bay is mostly lined with football sized black lava rocks that have been smoothed and rounded from the waves over thousands of years. There are still a couple of spots to post up with a towel on gray sand to enjoy the sun and water.