Hanging Loose in Little Beach

So as I said in the last post, we met a local guy in the bar in Kihei who said he'd take us surfing again. The next day, we set out to try surfing again in Kihei. If you take lessons from Maui Waveriders like we did earlier in the trip, they'll let you rent boards and gear for free next time at either the Lahaina or Kihei location. We got our gear and hit the cove to try and catch some waves. The waves weren't breaking that big, but we were both able to ride a few. We even got up at the same time! I definitely felt like surfing was easier the second time around. It's one of those things that you should really do a few days in row to get the hang of it. After our surfing lessons were over, our new friend asked if we wanted to sightsee some more. Since it was our last full day in Maui, of course we said yes. He asked if we wanted to go to Little Beach, which I'd heard about from other people I talked to. Someone told me that every Sunday, they have a sunset celebration and that you have to climb up a cliff to get there. It sounded pretty cool to me so we decided to do that. Little did I know what I was in for!

First, we stopped to get some beer...apparently, Little Beach was BYOB. Then it was a short drive down to Makena, which is past Wailea. Makena Beach is split into two separate sides. There's Big Beach, which you hit first when you park and walk up. It's 2/3 of a mile long and it's just gorgeous. There's a big shore break here and the waves are pretty big. Even if you don't want to venture over to Little Beach, this is a great place to spend the day (and is appropriate for the whole family).

To access Little Beach, you walk to the right towards the cliff. The cliff was actually created in 1790 by lava flow during an earthquake. You have to do some climbing to reach the other side so wear sturdy shoes if you go. If the tide is high, you may actually have to wade through water to access the cliff!

When we made it to the top, it was quite a scene. As you quickly realize, Little Beach is Maui's only clothing optional beach and there were lots of naked people. This is what we walked into (warning: video contains nudity).... 

Every Sunday before sunset, they have a big party, complete with drummers and dancing. And if you want something stronger than beer, there were people on the beach selling weed brownies and mushrooms. Since there's a shorebreak, you can do some serious bodysurfing at Little Beach, and let's just say watching people bodysurf naked is pretty funny. Jana and I opted to keep our suits on, but we did go for a swim, and it was  so amazing to actually be in the ocean while the sun was setting. You can see the other islands in the distance as the sun dips down and the drums beat in the background.

And once the sun went down, the party wasn't over. After it gets dark enough, they have firedancers who perform in the drum circle. (And yes, some of them are still naked). Forget forking over money for a luau at some resort...if you want to see a real show, head over to Little Beach on Sunday for a totally unique (and free) experience.

Climbing down the cliff to leave once it's dark out can be challenging, but luckily, someone stands at the halfway point with a torch to light your way. I'd recommend bringing a flashlight too, as that definitely would have come in handy. If you want to visit Little Beach, there's exact directions to it right here. All in all, our trip to Hawaii was amazing. Lanai was lovely and relaxing and Maui was vibrant and beautiful. I can't wait to back again soon. Until next time...