Nakalele Blowhole

Poelua Bay HI 96793, Wailuku, HI 96793, USA

Located on Maui’s northern tip, the Nakalele Blowhole is known for its watery explosions, which often shoot nearly 100 feet in the air. To reach the blowhole, you need to hike up a long incline from the road, so wear sensible shoes and go at high tide for the best show. Be sure to also watch the action from a safe distance—Nakalele creates a mean undertow when it empties. As you head back to the road, keep an eye out for Maui’s heart-shaped rock, which frames the sea and tropical mountain slopes. It’s visible from the base of the scree slope trail when the blowhole is to your right.

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Baby Hike to the Blowhole

The north coast of west Maui is full of places to adventure! We parked off the side of Kahekili Highway 340, and we climbed around and stumbled down the lava rock and dirt path toward the water. There are a number of blowholes and tide pools in the area, but this is “the famous one”. We had to wait for it...and wait for it. It was disappointing at first. Huge waves would wash in, and the only a small splash misted up from the hole. However, when no one expected it, or when someone just turned their gaze away, the blowhole would randomly spout a huge waterfall up toward the sky. It’s worth waiting for...take a drink, a snack, and a friend and create your own climbing, waiting, and watching adventure!

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