There are many great things to do in Maui, including going to the beach, swimming with dolphins, and watching the sunset.
But what about all those activities that you should avoid, or should at least think twice about doing on your trip? What are those?
Below, is a handy list of things you can avoid on your visit to Maui.
Avoid Body Surfing At Big Beach
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Big Beach, also known as Makena State Park, is famous for being one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. It’s two-thirds of a mile long and over 100 yards wide, and has three separate entrances that surfers and sunbathers can take to view the stretch of sand that’s nearly surreal in its enormity.
As beautiful as the scenery and experience might be, its waters can be unbelievably deceiving. Because of the fierce shore break, it is renowned for being one of the choicest spots for skimboarding in the world.
Yearly, injuries ranging from broken bones to fatalities are recorded on Big Beach. It is regularly considered to have one of the deadliest shore breaks in the world and Hawaiian stats show that it has some of the highest numbers of spinal injuries in Hawaii per year.
Freak swells are a major part of the problem. Its ocean waters can go from flat as a lake to choppy in a matter of minutes. Its waves also break abruptly in shallow water, causing brutal collisions against the sand for the unaware.
Although lifeguards may be stationed there at times, if you’re not familiar with the break and new to the volatility of Hawaiian waters, go swimming and snorkeling at a less hazardous spot like nearby Maluaka.
Avoid Jumping Off Waterfalls
Jumping off a waterfall can be one of the greatest thrills nature has to offer in Maui. Although waterfalls aren’t innately treacherous (if approached with caution), jumping off them can be a risky endeavor if you’re unaware or cavalier about the dangers.
One of the biggest risks of jumping from a waterfall is jetting into shallow water which can cause a broken leg or worse. Some deaths have been reported on Maui: Kauai’s Kipu Falls was recently closed because of a series of fatalities.
In addition to that, the verge of the waterfall you launch from might be covered in loose risks which include: spilling you over the edge or too close to the outcroppings. It is better to avoid jumping into a pool you don’t know of or which has an unknown depth.
Watch Out For Crime-Prone Areas
Just like any other settlement, Maui is not completely free of crime: there are bad parts of Maui. Although it doesn’t experience many of the crimes that plague large cities, don’t let your guard down.
Just like pretty much everywhere else in the world, there are drug users, troubled people, people who would like to blame you for their misfortune because you have: blue eyes; dark skin; light skin; brown eyes; and are not a native of their place.
No matter who you are or what you do, there are just some people who would just love to lash out at anybody, and sorry to break it to you, they are also on Maui. Just know that the majority of crimes in Maui are non-violent like thefts and vehicle break-ins.
Below are a few tips on how to maximize a safe stay on Maui:
- Don’t leave valuable possessions in your rental cars if you go out to the beach, for hiking, or anywhere you know that you will be gone for a long while.
- Don’t spend time in isolated areas where no one is around.
- Don’t decide to picnic at a remote beach where your other neighbors are homeless people illegally living in tents or cars.
“Life Is Not A Bed Of Roses” Applies To Maui Too.
Maui is generally a safe place for visitors and locals. However, it will be misleading if we say it is completely safe or bad things don’t happen there.
The bottom line of all these is just that you should use common sense, just because of Maui’s serene and aesthetic environment, we shouldn’t take risks that we can’t take anywhere else. Always be sensitive, if it doesn’t feel safe and right, don’t do it, if you have a bad feeling about somewhere, don’t go there.
