Wailea, Hawaii is a 1,500 acre resort area found 7 miles south of Kiheh in the southwest part of Maui Island. Wailea merges into Makena. The two villages have a combined resident population of less than 6,000 people.
Makena State Park at Wailea has some of the most visited beaches here with one stretch of a half mile of white, sandy shoreline.
Several golf courses can be found in the area and the Wailea Tennis Club offers 11 courts and a pro shop.
The median age of inhabitants here is slightly older than the average for the State of Hawaii as a whole; income levels are also above the statewide average in Wailea.
The cost of living here is above the average for the United States. Only about 2% of the population here are native to Hawaii or other Pacific Islands and nearly 3 quarters of the Wailea population are of Anglo heritage.
Wailea, Hawaii, was desolate beach and untouched jungle until the 1970's when it was bought by Alexander & Baldwin. From then on it developed as a beach resort area. It has been part of the 'Ulupalakua Ranch until the 1950s when Matson Cruise Lines bought the area. Some 20 years later its development began.
The name brand retail here today indicates that commerce here caters specifically to higher income groups with names like Cartier, Dolce & Gabbana and Luis Vuitton filling the storefronts of the Shops at Wailea mall.
At the end of Makena Analui Road, La Perouse Bay is found. The bay is named for a French explorer who landed here after the last eruption of the Haleakala Volcano in 1788. The natural phenomena had destroyed the village of Keonolo, part of which still stands in ruin. A strip of cooled lava rock runs through the bay. There is very good surfing here as well as conditions for diving and snorkeling.
About 1 mile down from South Kihei Road is the Ulua/Mokapu Beach. Early mornings provide the best snorkeling here. This beach is small and gets fairly crowded though access to food and facilities makes it an easy beach for a family outing when in Wailea.
Wailea, Hawaii hosts several luxury hotels complete with in-house spas and other amenities.
Some 30 restaurants offer a wide variety of dining options for residents and visitors including, Italian, Chinese and Japanese food as well as American and California-style Cuisine.
For local residents many shopping needs for basics items in the home are purchased in nearby Kihei to the north.
There is a Wailea Community Association that maintains the common areas in the planned resort community. The common area is a total of about 30 acres of land. It has a staff of 7 and exercises basic government functioning and policing on the streets and in the parks.
The nearest airport from Wailea is located about 15 miles to the north in Kalaluli.
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