ALOHA!
In the far northern area of West Maui is an area where you can find a rugged coastline.
And it’s here that you can also fine THE famous blowhole on Maui.
That would be the Nakalele blowhole.
Side note!
Clothes to buy on Amazon for your outdoor adventures!
- Lightweight quick-dry hiking shorts (comfortable shorts that are good for movement!)
- for women: hiking shorts | for men: hiking shorts
- Lightweight quick-dry hiking pants
- for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
- capris for women
- Easy-to-pack rain gear (instead of a proper rain jacket)
😴 Search for cheap hotels!
More of the best of Maui beyond Nakalele Blowhole
Nakalele Blowhole is one of the best things to do in Maui!
So if you’re interested in the Nakalele Blowhole, you may also be interested in these top things around Maui:
- Waianapanapa State Park
- Hana Highway
- Lahaina Banyan Court
- Hookipa Beach
- Maui Ocean Center (Aquarium of Hawaii)
- Iao Valley State Monument
- Haleakala National Park
- Things to do in Maui (for VIEWS!)
Do you need to hike to see the Nakalele blowhole?
You can get a little bit of a distant look of it without too much effort.
But to see it up close and personal, it will require a little bit of a hike.
It’s a pretty short hike, but it is a bit of a steep rocky trail going down closer to sea level where the blowhole is.
So keep this in mind as you’re thinking about what shoes to wear hiking in Maui.
This is also the location of the previously heart-shaped rock. (“Previously” because it’s now broken by nature and only half a heart!)
The ocean is powerful!
To be dramatic… people, including tourists, have been injured, and have even DIED around blowholes. And that specifically also includes the Nakalele blowhole.
The ocean water that sprays up from blowhole has tremendous power so you really don’t want to hover around the hole.
It can also even be dangerous to be hanging in the area around the blowhole.
The danger can be in what’s called a rogue wave. This is an unexpected wave that comes onto shore. You can read 2 news stories about tourists dying at Nakalele blowhole because of this kind of thing here and here.
In both cases, what seemed to have happened is that they were hanging out in the area right around the blowhole.
Then, unexpectedly, a big wave came crashing onto the shore, and they were swept into ocean because of it.
Safety tip for Nakalele blowhole: Stay on dry rock
Aside from wet rocks being slippery, there is another reason to avoid spots that are wet when you’re visiting the Nakalele blowhole.
If it’s wet, that means that the waves have come up onto shore that far. And you don’t want to put yourself in a spot where there’s a greater chance a rogue wave might come.
Even if it’s dry, if you’re close to the edge, a wave can come up when you least expect it. So it’s best to avoid the edge altogether.
And so, the Nakalele blowhole is best admired from a reasonable distance!
Rogue waves are also a thing at the popular tide pools down the road from the Nakalele blowhole, so take care there too.
🌴
Top Maui tours
Read the reviews at partner website Viator!*
- Turtle town snorkeling tour (with photo and video)
- Lahaina ATV adventure tour
- Horseback riding tour with Hawaiian cowboys
Things you might want to pack for your Maui vacation
Read the reviews on Amazon! I'm an Amazon Associate.*
- For women: Search for a rash guard for swimming and you won't have to worry as much about putting on sunscreen!
- Search for a rash guard for men
- Water shoes for snorkeling if you won't be wearing fins, or just generally for the beach!
- Cheapo waterproof phone case so you can capture pictures of colorful fishies swimming underwater!
- I always have a camera float attached to my phone case that I put around my wrist
- Snorkeling set: mask and fins
- Fins allow you to propel further faster (aka see more in less time and energy!)
- Go cheap if you accept that you need to come up for air frequently: regular swimming googles. They are not as fashionable but if you get swimming goggles, make them the clear kind so you won't be seeing dimmed colors of the colorful fishies!
- If you are able, I recommend trying out the mask at your local lake (in summer) or pool so you will be good to go in Hawaii when there's actually stuff to see!
- Travel-friendly turkish towel for the beach (lightweight compared to regular beach towels)
- For women: Teva walking sandals (one of the best sandal brands for the outdoors, perfect for lots of walking around outside - that's not a lava field!)
- For men: Teva sandals
- For women: Merrell hiking shoes (one of the best outdoor shoe brands, perfect for walking over rugged terrain like lava fields!)
- For men: Merrell hiking shoes
- Moisture-wicking tech t-shirt for women perfect for hiking and hot days when you'll be outside a lot sweating
- tech-t-shirt for men
- For more ideas, do a search for hiking clothes or swimming clothes!
*As a Viator partner and Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission.
📌 Save this post for later! Save on Pinterest! 👈📌
And now…
More PHOTOS of the hike down to this Maui blowhole!
First it’s a scenic drive just to get to Nakalele Point!
Nakalele Blowhole is marked on google maps so you can set that as your destination to get you there.
The trailhead parking for the blowhole is right off the main road.
And then you can take in more views and start the hike to the blowhole!
And then once you get down to the bottom, hopefully you’ll see the blowhole in action!
Whether you see water shooting up in the air or not, you can take in the ocean views!
And then once you’ve taken in the views, you can head back up!
And that’s a bit about doing the blowhole hike at Nakalele Point!
Where to next?!
Here are more things to do in while you’re in this area of Maui:
Plus, if you are interested in the Nakalele Blowhole, then you may also be interested in these top activities on Maui:
- Kapalua Coastal Trail
- Waihee Ridge Trail
- Iao Valley lookout
- How to spend one day in the West Maui Mountains
- Pipiwai Trail
- Driving to the Haleakala summit
- Sliding Sands Trail
- Hoapili Trail
- Best of Maui hiking
HAPPY SEEING A BLOWHOLE IN MAUI!
