Maui Activities Review: Fairmont Kea Lani Outrigger Canoe Experience

If you've booked a stay at The Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui, Hawaii, you're in for a treat. Many treats, in fact. The focus of this article, however, is the complimentary outrigger canoe experience the upscale Maui resort offers to guests. We made sure to take advantage of the free adventure, as booking Maui activities can be costly. So how did the outrigger canoe experience at The Fairmont Kea Lani stack up against other Maui activities? Find out here now!

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui Resort: Outrigger Canoe Experience Review

When we enquired with the concierge about sign-up for the canoe experience, we were lucky to secure the last two available spots before we were to leave for the mainland. Be aware, the canoe experience is only available Mon-Fri. The tours do not operate on Saturdays and Sundays. We recommend signing up right when you check in for the best chance of availability during your stay. You will be asked to sign a waiver stating you are in good health and free of back or neck problems.

Be on the beach five or ten minutes before your scheduled experience start time to apply sunscreen, listen to instructions and ponder the ocean before you embark. Leave valuables back in your room safe, unless other members of your party can hold them. As on any beach in Hawaii or elsewhere, never leave anything of value unattended under towels, tucked in shoes or buried in the sand under your chair. Thieves know these spots. Don't risk it.

Fairmont Kea Lani Resort And Polo Beach Photo Gallery - Click Here

Before we got underway on our experience off the shores of Polo Beach and steps from The Fairmont Kea Lani Mauiproperty, one of our canoe guides blew a conch shell and performed an ancient Hawaiian chant, asking permission to enter the sea. After brief instruction on proper paddling technique, we pushed the canoe into the ocean, hopped in, and began to paddle out.

Maui Activities: Fairmont Kea Lani Canoe Experience Review

The waters of Wailea-Makena, where we were lucky enough to be, are just a mile or two from areas commonly called Turtle Town. To be honest, Turtle Town isn't just one place, but rather refers to places Maui activities and tours outfitscan take you to have an almost guaranteed sea turtle sighting.

Within moments of leaving the shores of Polo Beach in our canoe, our guides pointed out several sea turtles, or honu. Of course, we wanted to jump right in the water with them immediately. After we paddled out a bit farther, we arrived over a nice reef at a depth of perhaps 50-100 feet of water. Our guides instructed us to grab a mask if we felt so inclined, rub it with what we think were naupaka leaves to prevent fogging up, and go swimming!

Swim, we did, and we weren't alone. At least six large green sea turtles hung out below us, some resting on the reef, and still others swam in the waters nearby. It was beautiful to watch the honu in their natural habitat. Most of the turtles we saw were female; you can tell, the guides shared with us, by the length of their tails. Female sea turtles have shorter, stubbier tails while males have much longer ones.

After a bit more sea turtle trivia, and another fifteen minutes or so of swimming with them, it was time to head back to Polo Beach. Getting back in the canoe required hoisting oneself up over the side. Once we were paddling again, our guide began another Hawaiian chant, this time thanking the ocean and the boat, asking for a safe voyage back. A few moments later, we "surfed" atop a wave, which we rode into the shore. Just about 45 minutes from the time we left, we returned...changed.

Of all the Maui activities we participated in while in Hawaii this last visit, The Fairmont Kea Lani exceeded our expectations with this amazing, complimentary activity.

Sources:

Personal Experience - Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, Hawaii - 5/31/2011