Best RV Parks & Resorts near Wailuku, HI

This campground is located in the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park. It offers very basic amenities, including cooking grills and vault toilets, with drinking water available only at the visitor center.  I can join activities such as playing slope game. Campsites operate on a first-come, first-served basis, featuring grassy areas that are unmarked except for the presence of grills and picnic tables. The atmosphere is peaceful, with the soothing sound of waves crashing against the rocky coastline below. At night, the stargazing is spectacular! We camped at Kipahulu National State Park in a camper van.

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.

I discovered this campground by accident when an avid camper/ bartender in Maui pointed me in this direction with a hand-drawn map (see photos) It was easily my favorite camping spot during my week in Maui.

The campground itself is nothing to speak of- it looks mostly like a big green field with sites designated by grills and parked cars. From the parking/grill area however, you could wander off the path and find sites right on the cliffs under big trees with picnic tables. As a hammock camper, I found a tree to sleep under towards the edge of the cliff with a view of the ocean from my bed--and I was able to watch the sunrise over the Pacific without even getting out of my sleeping bag!

Amenities at the campground are basic- but you get what you pay for. There is no fee to camp here for up to 3 days as long as you've paid the Haleakala NP entrance fee --which of course everyone who makes it to the end of the Hana highway does anyway!

There's plenty of hiking around the campground in the national park- the most popular is the Waimoku falls that you reach by hiking through the bamboo forest up the Pipiwai trail. Camping at Kipahulu means that you can hit the trail early before the resort /day visitors make it to this side of the island. The campground is also very close to the Seven Sacred Pools (which were more mud than sacred looking during our visit).

For sunset, there is an unmarked trail that begins in the South East corner of the campground and will take you up over the cliffs for a good evening view. You can also hike down to some pools to swim if the tide is low.

Note that this campground is pretty far away from the closest town so you'll want to be sure you're all stocked up on fuel, water, and all the things you need when you pass through Hana. There aren't any showers, but if you're driving back north, you can always pop into Waianapapana State Park and hit their outdoor shower.

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.