Best Cabin Camping near Kahului, HI

Maui is such a beautiful place to visit, but when you are close to nature it is even better! This place was absolutely incredible. I rather stay here than stay in a fancy hotel. They are like cute little bungaloo houses next to the beach- highly recommend! Its like your own paradise! My husband and I opted for the Mountain View Tentalows, so basically a tent area next to the beach. You can also rent a small cabin, or camp with your own tent beachside. We rented a the Tentalow with 2 beds, and had plenty of room for my husband and I. There was a picnic table, chairs, and showers available to us. There was also some solar lightning inside the tent. It was $95 per night, and we stayed here for 3 nights. You honestly cant beat that. I would highly recommend bringing bug spray and lots of water. The only downside is that it did get hot during the night. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place, loved it!!

What a darling little spot. Would return in a heartbeat, and honestly probably will before the month is up. Had two glorious nights there and now I don't want to camp anywhere else in Maui because I was so spoiled.

Pros

• To echo other folks, absolutely LOVED the outdoor showers - and yes, they get hot. Felt utterly luxurious. Toilets and sinks remain clean and odorless. 
• Easy sandy beach access! Pebble-side great for hanging up hammocks.
• Can take relatively affordable kayaking tours from the campgrounds or rent SUP/kayaks for very affordable rates. 
• Free coffee in the morning! 
• Has its own teensy general store and a walkable larger market down a half mile and across the street. Famed pie place next door. 
• Pet-friendly!

Cons

• Literally 8 plugs for a bajillion people causing a massive traffic jam in the mornings and evenings. On the side of the ice house only (not even near campgrounds).
• Not that you need it, but if you do - weak wifi signal beyond the toilet/shower area. 
• Absolutely no shade at all on any sites, save for one campsite (campsite #1). 
• Beware the wind!!! Because it's open air with no shielding trees, sooo many people evacuated to sleep in cars or resigned to/woke up to collapsed tents because of high winds. 

Overall

4.5/5. Absolutely worth it. LOOOOOVE.

The outdoor showers at Camp Olowalu resort are worth the stay in and of themselves. They are works of art, frankly. The tent sites are amazing, though perhaps spaced a little close together between the main camp and the shoreline, but with beach access so close, and the surrounding environment so beautiful it’s easy to forget. The glamping tents, complete with fresh pineapple upon arrival, are something to behold. 

However, we stayed in the camper van area, and while there was plenty of room and a nice picnic table, but it was exactly like camping on the perimeter of a large parking lot. Since all the tent sites are walk-in, those guests frequently return to their vehicles to retrieve belongings, luggage, or drive off to a restaurant at all hours. We found it to be noisy and distracting. 

The location for the camp is beautiful, and it is close to the busy road on the west side of Maui. Between 12am and 5am were the only hours that things seemed to die down– this isn’t the campground’s fault of course, just be aware of this.  Then, about 5am, the feral roosters chime in to have their say, and the traffic begins.  Long story short...bring earplugs!

Right across the main road you’ll find a huge fruit stand market with lots of options, and within a few short miles there are dozens of restaurant options, and grocery stores. This part of the island is heavily residential so there are many services which cater to the locals. The camp store has a few touristy items for sale, ice, sunscreen, firewood and marshmallows in case you forget these.

I read seriously conflicting reviews about this place before coming here, so I was super on the fence. We ended up camping in our campervan for our first night here, and it was just what we needed. The campervan site is just a dirt lot, but it's pretty big and right next to the showers and toilets. The amenities are GREAT. The showers are enclosed, they have benches and hooks to put your things down on and they have hot and cold water. The bathrooms are REAL bathrooms, with flushing toilets, running water sinks, toilet paper, mirrors, hooks and a ledge to put your things down on. Really well maintained too. In addition, there's also a cell phone charging station, and large sinks to wash your pots and pans. We came back here after camping on the East side of Maui in the state parks, and had an even deeper appreciation for it. Our second time around we camped in the tent area. Each tent spot has its own grill and picnic table, and is close to garbage bins, the beach and showers/toilets. My only complaint is that both the campervan area and the tent area are pretty much just dirt, rather than grass, which especially in the tent area makes you and your things quite dirty. The wood chips that line the pathways in the tent area are also pretty sharp, and my foot actually got cut on one even when I was wearing shoes - so be careful. Overall it was a great campground, and while it's expensive for adults ($20/person), let's just say that the people that run this place aren't that interested in checking that your party is actually the size you say it is or that you have the correct number of adults vs. kids (kids are $5)..compared to Papalaua Park ($10/person on weekdays, $20 on weekends and no amenities except for porta potties) this place blows that one out of the water.

Okay, this place is incredible and the best "camping" I have ever done. My husband and I went to Maui for our honeymoon and decided to stay here for a few nights to save some money and we also really wanted to camp. The cost is way cheaper than a hotel, and you get the outdoor/nature vibes. It seriously is a win-win. They also give you resources for snorkeling, scuba diving, hikes, and whale watching nearby. At this point in our lives, this was our first time visiting Maui (we have been back a few times since), so getting all the extra resources of things nearby was a plus. There are a few options you can choose from to stay:

1. Cabin- These are right on the beach and look amazing. We didn't stay here, but would definitely stay in one of these. These actually were all booked at the time we wanted to go.
2. Tentalows- This is what we stayed in and they were amazing! These are also next to the beach, but a little more upscale to tent camping. There were showers we could use which was nice. We had our own porch seating with a light which was super cute.
3. Beachside camping in tents- You have to bring your own tents, but they have campsites available to rent along the beach.

Our experience was incredible, and we would definitely recommend this place. We did some hikes nearby that were awesome, played at the beach, and did some snorkeling. It doesn't get any better than this in paradise.

This was the first place that we camped at on our Hawaii trip and it was by far our favorite. Paliku is one of two backcountry campsites in the Haleakala National Park summit district. Paliku lies along the eastern side of the crater and will take your breath away. The beauty of this campground is even more apparent after hiking through the barren landscape of the lava fields to get here.

After trekking nearly 10 miles from the visitor center to get here, you’ll be welcomed to take your boots off and step on the lush grass that grows all over the campsite, quite the contrast from all of the ‘a’a lava you’ve just been walking through. This rainy side of the crater features rich, thick, and best of all - almost completely native Hawaiian plants and animals. I can’t say that I’ve ever heard more interesting and diverse bird calls in my life that come from vividly colored native Hawaiian birds that live in this unique habitat. Be sure to collect a bird brochure at the visitor center when you pick up your permit to identify some of these unique birds you may never get the chance to see again in your life.

Campsites are tucked away and hidden along braided paths and tall grass of the dispersed camping area. Not one of them has a bad view.

Being so secluded, this backcountry campground takes preparation and work to get to. Campers must be fit enough to hike to and carry gear necessary to stay at this site. Water filters are a necessity as the water here is non-potable. Cold weather clothes and gear are also needed as temperatures often drop to sub-40.