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Maui has a number of great options for snorkeling around the island. There are a variety of snorkeling spots in Makena like Palauea Beach. There are good places to go along Wailea’s beaches. Honolua Bay up near Kapalua is a fantastic summer snorkeling spot. One of the most popular and well visited snorkel spots is Black Rock at Ka’anapali Beach. The reef around the rock attracts all kinds of sea life. Here is a quick video from a summer snorkeling session.

It is usually a pretty safe bet that you will see sea turtles (honus) and a variety of fish. You may even get to see a Spotted Eagle Ray like the one who swam up to check me out.

Great snorkeling is one of the draws of Ka’anapali area real estate. If you are looking for a place that also offers great beaches, shopping and golf, you can check MauiRealEstate.com for the current inventory of Ka’anapali Condos for Sale. While there is a limited inventory of beachfront homes in Ka’anapali, there are a number of beautiful executive homes within a short drive of the beach offered for sale. Check out the current inventory of Ka’anapali Homes for Sale on MauiRealEstate.com. You may also contact The Maui Real Estate Team for assistance or to discuss the Ka’anapli market.

Shark week. What started as an homage to the apex predator of the ocean has now become a cultural phenomenon. I have seen discussions of Shark Week all over social media. That being said, we have our own contribution to shark week. I recently had a great snorkel up in Honolua Bay. I saw all kinds of sea life including a cameo appearance by this week’s TV stars. Check out the video below and make sure to stay tuned until the end.

It is Mother’s Day weekend on Maui and there is plenty of stuff to do with Mom. Here are a few events highlighting the Maui calendar this weekend. It should be another beautiful spring weekend so get out and have some fun.

• Seabury Hall will celebrate its 40th annual Craft Fair from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., on Saturday, on the Seabury Hall Campus. See more than one hundred of Hawaii’s best artists and crafters, shop for fresh produce from local farms, beautiful flower arrangements from Maunalei Flowers, and look for hundreds of treasures that can be found in the silent and live auctions. There are also plenty of activities for the kids, with games, face painting, pony rides, wet and dry slides, and the islands largest rummage sale. All proceeds from the Craft Fair support Seabury Hall’s financial aid program. Seabury Hall is located in Upcountry Maui about a mile up Olinda Road from downtown Makawao.
• If Mom likes Watersports, the OluKai Ho’olaule’a is happening on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, there will be two separate downwind Paddle events. In the morning there is a fun paddle from Paia Youth and Cultural Center to Kanaha Beach Beach Park. Later in the day, a competitive Paddle will occur from Maliko Gulch to Kanaha. It should be good conditions for the North Shore’s legendary downwind run as the trades make a long awaited return. At 4:00 PM, there will be live music at Kanaha Beach Park featuring performers such as Paula Fuga, Mishka and Anuhea. On Sunday, the focus shifts from Paddle Boards to Canoes with OC1 and OC2 races from Maliko to Kanaha. You can check out the full schedule of events on OluKai Ho’olaule’a website.
• If you are looking to take Mom out for brunch or dinner on Sunday, The Maui News has a nice guide to different Mother’s Day Dining specials around island.

He hope everyone has a great Mother’s Day Weekend, and to all the Moms who are reading the blog Hau`oli La Makuahine.

It looks like it will be another beautiful weekend on Maui for the first weekend of May. Mostly sunny skies and light breezes are forecasted as an unusually late season cold front approaches from the North. There is a chance of showers on Saturday afternoon with showers more likely Sunday afternoon as the front passes through Maui County. The weather shouldn’t interfere too much with a few fun events that are planned this weekend.

• For those looking to kick off their weekend on a high note, head over to Wailuku Town for First Friday. Wailuku First Friday is Maui’s longest running continuous Friday town party. There will be food, music and other entertainment. Market Street closes to vehicular traffic around 5:30 and the event officially runs from 6:00-9:00 PM. That being said, I see music scheduled for as early as 4:00PM at Wailuku Coffee Company if you want to get a head start on your Aloha Friday celebrations.
• Saturday, head on over to Whaler’s Village in Ka’anapali for the 24th Annual Maui Onion Festival. This free event features recipe contests, games, live entertainment, onion eating contests, food booths, chef demonstrations and a competition for best Maui Onion recipe featuring some of the best chefs on Maui. The event starts at around 9:30 AM and runs until about 7:00 PM. Come enjoy this celebration of some of the sweetest onions of the world.
• If you like to standup paddle, paddleboard or paddle OC-1s, you can do so and support a good cause at the Paddle Imua Race tomorrow on Maui’s North Shore. The race starts at Maliko Gulch and heads down the coastline to Kahului Harbor. The event benefits Imua Family Support Services annual Camp Imua which is held every summer. The camp provides an opportunity for students with “special abilities” a chance to try new activities and interact with others. You can still register for the event tomorrow morning in Maliko Gulch starting at 10:00 AM. The races start at approximately 1:00 PM.

We hope everyone enjoys a beautiful weekend on Maui. If you have real estate on the brain this weekend, Contact The Maui Real Estate Team to arrange a free consultation.

This weekend is shaping up to be chock full of events and celebrations on all corners of the island. Here is a rundown of what Maui visitors and residents will be able to find around the island.

• If you are on the North Shore, the annual Haiku Ho’olaulea and Flower Festival kicks off on Saturday. After struggling with showery conditions when the event was scheduled earlier in the year, the festival has been bumped back to an April date. This community event is located at the Haiku Community Center just off of Hana Highway. Proceeds from the event benefit the Haiku Community Association, Boys and Girls Club of Maui and Haiku School. The event has been spread over two days this year instead of the usual one. Day one starts at 9:00 AM on Saturday and includes local restaurant booths, a keiki zone, floral displays and live music. The Sunday event is more Hawaiian themed with a traditional luau, Hawaiian Music, Historical discussions and talk story sessions. You can find additional details at the Haiku Ho’olaulea website.
• The East Maui Taro Festival is also set to happen this weekend. Saturday’s festivities occur at the Hana Ball Park with food booths, arts and crafts, hula, music and more. The fun also starts at 9:00 AM and runs until 4:00 PM. The festivities continue on Sunday with the traditional Taro pancake breakfast running from 7:30-10:30 AM at Hana Bay. That is followed by Farm and Garden tours throughout East Maui. For more details, check out the East Maui Taro Festival website.
• Over in West Maui, the Maui Steel Guitar Festival is being held at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel. This event runs through Sunday and features musical performances by some of Hawaii’s most talented musicians. There are opportunities for the public to play with the masters as well. Check out the Maui Steel Guitar Festival website for a full program and ticket information.
• Last but not least, the town of Lahaina is celebrating the 140th birthday of its famous Banyan Tree. This is another two day festival off of Front Street with food, music and more all around the base of this island landmark.

There is fun to be had on all over Maui. The hardest choices will be which of these great events you want to attend. We hope everyone has a fun filled Maui weekend!