Hawaii Beaches: Brouhaha at Hamoa Bay?
Where: Maui || Grouped in: Maui Kids, Maui Nature || Tagged:
Maui Time Weekly (which is a really fun publication) reports that the Hotel Hana Maui, a venerable queen of the Hawaii hotel scene and the only high-end resort in the isolated, lush Hana district, is refusing to let people drive down the easiest access road to the best public beach. Hamoa Bayhas been praised by literary luminaries from Mark Twain to James Michener. The road is private. The reporting is sketchy in this article, as no one in a position of authority comments on whether the access road policy has been officially changed.
For the disabled, the only other way to get to the bay is down a winding flight of stairs. Likewise, couples with babies may have to hoof it. Formerly, the hotel has allowed anyone to drive down to the beach, unload their car or stuff, and drive back up. The author claimed to have spoken to several hotel employees and he tried to get down the road himself but was turned back. Bummer. I'll stay on top of this one. I hope this report is not true.
Related Posts: Hamoa Bay Beach Guide
Image via Maui Time Weekly
Advertisers, reach Hawaii |
Comments
bonnie said:
Ugh. Living in a city where water access policies are still in a very formative state, I’ve always been quick to wax nostalgic about the Hawaiian-style PROW’s. Got to show the boyfriend some contrasts on this last trip home - managed to paddle to the Mokes on our last day there because Bob Twogood clued us in on the Lanikai access, which was that classic little alleyway to the sea between two homes - then there was a section where a new housing development had been built behind an unbroken lava-rock wall that effectively took away the access from quite a long stretch of beach.
Hope the resort does the right thing.
Please feel free to link to my Kuli’ou’ou Ridge picture! What a hike that is. I may have more hike pictures & a video clip scanning the whole view one of these days, too.
—05/17/07
Alex Salkever said:
Cool, thanks! Lanikai, Kailua and Portlock are particular problems for access as the residents often exhibit very strong pull-up-the-ladder mentality. I can understand to a degree, but, brah, you buy beachfront, you get people! No other way to think about it.
—05/17/07
Mike Paahana said:
my bro live in Maui an says it is very frendly to gay men there, i am thinking 2 move there so i can com out
—06/09/08