Hi,

I'm copying my latest questions from:
kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2392857&p=935266

I'm going to Maui for a week in July.

I'm debating between:

1. Go to a (shabby?) hotel in Kahului 3km from the spot such as Maui Seaside Hotel or Maui Beach Hotel. Then, if my focus is on surfing, I hope to walk there, and avoid car rental.

2. Rent a nice condo in Kihei (also should be a nicer area), and drive 25min to the spot. Car rental including loss damage waiver (LDW) insurance should cost around 60$ with one of the big car rental companies.

What do you think?

Are there any kitesurfing spots in a North wind in Kihei? The following site gives more details about the north spot than the others:
http://www.mauikiteboardingassociation.com/kitemaps.html

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Related post:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Kiteboarding-Hawaii

Can't help with Maui as have only been to O'ahu (12 - 14m winds in Feb), but factor in the car rental prices (or most other prices) you see online don't generally include sales tax so are actually slightly higher in reality.

Rental of gear if you need it is usually possible from a shop, but if you don't have an IKO card they may want to sell you a lesson (e.g. see you actually know how to use the gear for 10 minutes or so) as part of the first hire.

If you look through past threads or post on the windsurfing forum, it's seems like a few of those guys are regular travelers to Maui

Stay in Kihei for sure.

Maui Sunset in Kihei, hire car from Al West, all sorted...

You really do need a car. Big island, lots to see and do. Kihei is only 10 minutes to kite beach area. Paia is very cool town to stay in, but a bit more pricey.

I was in Maui last week. Great wind every single day. Make sure you take your smallest kite with you.

Car hire is very cheap, get one. Shop around for the best bargain.

I stayed at an airbnb in wailuka (Kahului). I didn't like Kihei but there's more things to do there depending on what you're after. Everything is close by in Maui anyway.

Thanks for the tips.

Definitely rent a car, I stayed at Maui beach hotel and whilst the accommodation is fine being stuck there without a car would make for a pretty average holiday even if you were walking to kite beach ( still a fair trek from there) I rented with kimo's rent a car they were great and had the best price at the time, when the wind has alot of North in it then I think kihei has some good kiting spots but mostly your just gonna be hitting up kite beach all the time.

Kihei has a nice touristy strip with bars and restaurants, Kahului is more semi industrial with not a whole lot of stuff to do there.

If your taking a day off kiting drive round to Hana one of the best drives you'll ever do!! Also do the drive up to Haleakala is amazing. If you want to surf or sup take the road up to Lahaina and stop off at one of the many breaks along the way- Maui is epic but you definitely don't want to be stuck in Kahului with no car

I wish I was in Maui now!!

I second Kimo's, they are the cheapest car rentals on Maui. They will leave the car at the airport for you to pick it up and will drop you back at the airport when you leave.
ive stayed at the crappy Kahalui hotel that you are considering, forget about it, you'll still need a car if you're staying there.
I would avoid Kihei as its a crime ridden hell hole, plus it's hot in summer. You would only kite in Kihei when the trades are super light on the north shore.
I think staying at Paia is your best bet to get into the Maui vibe. You'd be looking at about $80US a day for your own room in a share accomodation