Waikapu

With a Hawaiian name meaning “waters of the conch,” Waikapu features gorgeous getaways at its tranquil center and a residential enclave along its northern edge. Local lore recounts an ancient time when a conch shell, or “pu,” would ring from this valley across the island, until it was hidden in a cave which silenced its sound. Others say the Waikapu name honors the place where Kamehameha trumpeted the pu to signify battle victory. In Waikupu, vast foothills and recreational wonders surround only a few small pockets of residential development, contributing to its character as a sacred space in Central Maui’s valley.

According to Adam Miller, Realtor with Real Broker, “Waikapu offers residents an old-school, original central Maui lifestyle, away from the coastal visitors. In Waikapu you can escape the tourists and you won’t find vacation rental condos. Plus, Route 30 runs right through its center, so you can get to any nearby employment — car dealerships, government offices, the hospital, or resorts along the coast — in minutes.” Homes in Waikapu can range from thee-bedroom planation-style residences built in the ‘70s for around $500,000 to 6-acre estates with hundreds of manicured fruit trees and sweeping panoramic views for more than $2 million.

In Waikapu, modest, ranch-style homes with low-pitch roofs enjoy a stunning surround of green peaks and high clouds, and larger homes built beyond 2005 feature manicured lawns and ocean views. You’ll also see elegant four-bedroom stucco homes built in 2018 in the Waiolani Mauka subdivision for around $1.8 million.

Public school students can attend Puu Kukui or Wailuku Elementary and move on to Iao Intermediate and Henry Perrine Baldwin High schools. In 2023, students from H.P. Baldwin High’s Japanese club won a prestigious contest to design a mikoshi — an elaborate portable shrine used in Japanese parades. They were invited to unveil their winning creation at Oahu’s annual Honolulu Festival.

For those who delight in Maui’s history and mystery, inland from its sandy shores, your Waikapu home is very near the Maui Tropical Plantation. Tucked in a remote 60-acre expanse in north-central Waikapu, this popular event and wedding venue is rich with tropical fruit and flowering trees. Locals love to escape here to simply enjoy the beauty of the West Maui foothills, or dine on farm-to-table cuisine at the Mill House Restaurant which features an old railroad car on tracks as part of its decor. The property is graced with fascinating relics once used to harvest sugar cane and pineapples and educational signs share stories of Maui’s past. At the plantation you can also ride a zip line for an elevated perspective or spend an afternoon exploring the Malama art gallery on the property. Narrated tram tours, coconut husking and fruit tasting are all part of the fun. You can even take home handcrafted gifts and fresh produce from the Kumu Farms Country Market on site.

You can also play championship golf at the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Waikapu, featuring Maui’s only private 18-hole course and a 74,000-foot clubhouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The course was cultivated within lush natural landscape with no residential development, offering uninterrupted views of the Haleakala Volcano and the ocean.

When dining out, Waikapu residents head to Waikapu on 30 for large helpings of local cuisine including hamburger curry, pork lau lau plates and homemade pies. Grocery shopping is convenient just a mile or so north at Foodland Kehalani in the Kehalani Village Center. Surrounding this center, you can stop into The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Kehalani for a hot or iced latte, or fulfill essential needs at the CVS or Walgreens just across the street. Known for its open nature and cool trade winds across the mountains, Waikupu is an easygoing community cradled in the northwestern neck of Maui.

Written By

Lia Girard

Photography Contributed By

Paul Peck

Video By

Lucas Dyke