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Surf's Up: Learn to Ride the Waves of Maui
Kids, colleagues can get in on fun at our best surf villas
By Heather Whipps
The islands of Hawaii are as synonymous with surfing as they are with volcanoes, pineapples and leis. Hawaiians have been wave-sliding (as the ancients called it) for thousands of years and scenes of surfers getting tubular along the state's famous waves are ubiquitous from every beach. You don't need to be a pro, however, if you want to test your mettle on the popular activity during a stay at one of our villas; Maui, especially, is ringed with pockets of ocean suitable for surfers of every skill level.
 Garuda Estate and Paradise of the Sea and Sky, four and six-bedroom villas respectively, are located in Lahaina and are great options if you're looking to stick close to the waves. The Lahaina breakwall is known for being kind to beginners but, if you do get tossed around a little, both villas have hot tubs where you can soothe your muscles.
 The beaches of Kapalua, with their gentle swells, are also great for learning the basics of board-balance. Oneloa Beach, in particular, is a local surfing favorite and is generally uncrowded. Stay at Jewel of the Heavenly Sea or The Golden Conch to be right along this stretch of sand. Both large, dramatic villas are also suited for corporate getaways that you can combine with golf on Kapalua's three top-calibre courses. Surfing is great as a team-building exercise—nothing like bonding with colleagues by falling on your face together.
 Further south, the area around Kihei offers plenty of mild surf in addition to a quiet, residential community just outside the busier town of Wailea. South Beach and Mango Surf are two villas that put you within a stone's throw of several of Maui's best surfing beaches. The north shore is equally surf-friendly, but may be a bit too rough for kids in the winter months. In the summer, try the beaches around Villa Pacifica. Even sticking to the baby waves near shore, your kids will have little energy to spare come bedtime.
Anyone can try, and succeed at, surfing, but we do recommend getting a quick lesson to start out and ease the initial frustration. When Luxury Retreats' staff headed to Maui recently for business, they set aside some time to try the popular sport (all to better convey the experience to our clients, of course). Instructions from Kiva Rivers—who runs Rivers to the Surf with twin brother Tide, as is a local celebrity of sorts—were invaluable.
"I tried surfing a dozen times on my own and couldn’t catch a wave," said Nick Guezen, Luxury Retreats' Director of Operations. "After 10 minutes with Kiva I was standing and 20 minutes later I was getting the hang of some turns."
Riding Giants
While most people, with just a bit of coordination, can figure out the basics of surfing, it's only a select few athletes who can tackle those massive circular waves you see in extreme sports videos. Laird Hamilton, a Hawaii resident, is one of those and is a state hero. He regularly surfs Maui's infamous "Jaws" beach, where waves can reach 70 feet. |
For more information on villas in Maui, please contact us:
Call 1-877-993-0100 or E-mail
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