Waihee-Waiehu

In a misty, verdant land just south of Waihee Valley where Queen Kaahumanu, wife of Kamehameha the Great, was raised, Waihee-Waiehu residents enjoy a serene side of Maui. The community is part of a region called Nā Wai ʻEhāor, meaning the four great waters. Waihee Rivers runs through its northern end and out to the ocean, drawing local anglers and beachcombers. Pockets of residential development center around a wildlife refuge and a golf course, and the lush inland is home to farms, nurseries, cemeteries and a yoga temple.

Homes here include well-maintained modest ranch-style homes with long, low roofs for under $500,000, mixed in with two-story homes. Soft white, sky and sand-hue exteriors give the neighborhood a sunny feel. Some expansive homes built in 2007 sell for more than $1 million, as do Hawaiian plantation style beauties near the water, with balcony ocean views.

The public Waihee Elementary School is a short drive from anywhere you live in the community. Students move on from Waihee Elementary to Iao Intermediate and Henry Perrine Baldwin High schools. Niche.com gives Waihee Elementary an overall B-, and the school is known for its warm, inviting atmosphere, where students celebrate Unity Day or read on brightly painted benches in an open-air quad.

The outdoors is integral to life in Waihee-Waiehu, and the community offers both pristine golf course amenities along with its wilder side. At Waiehu Municipal Golf Course, residents and local leagues golf 18 holes that overlook spectacular tourmaline waters and the famous Waihe’e Reef. The course shares beachfront with Waiehu Beach Park, just north of the bustling Wailuku, where locals head to surf, fish and swim. North of the golf course along the coast, Waihee Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge spans 277 acres of protected wetlands, dunes, marine shoreline, reef systems and riparian habitat. Long ago inhabited by ancient villages, the refuge features an inland fishpond as well as several sacred sites, known as heiau. The Hawaiian Islands Land Trust is restoring this native habitat while preserving its rich cultural and archaeological history.

You can also drive up the curvy Kahekili Highway to the Waihee Point Lookout — a roadside expanse inviting cliffside photos of the ocean. This roadway continues north along the ocean, making for a scenic daytrip, past falls and foliage that characterize Maui's higher elevations. Rainfall increases with ascension in Maui, which is likely why the community begins with the Hawaiian word, Waihee, which means "slippery water.” Todd Hudson, Realtor with the 808 Team of Keller Williams says, “Waihee-Waiehu is a great place for amazing hiking through some spectacular forests. Some of the hikes are a bit grueling at first but if you stay with it, you get to these heavenly views from the top of the West Maui Mountains. The whole area is unique in that it has a very local feel, with a lot of history and original Hawaiian practices. It’s sort of an organic side of Maui.”

Living in Waihee-Waiehu, you’re also close to Polipoli Farms, conceived by a husband-and-wife team native to the area. Polipoli embraces regenerative and sustainable farming, cultivating organic “canoe crops” such as tea and bananas, using ancient Hawaiian techniques, to nourish and build community. Ula Ula Café is also a community treasure, featuring a farm to table seasonal menu of bowls and entrees, as well as homegrown macadamia nuts, ice cream and smoothies. You won’t find large-name grocery stores in town; however, an assortment of authentic multicultural markets, such as Tamura’s Market Wailuku, or a Safeway in neighboring Wailuku keep residents well-stocked.

If you prefer a slower pace that embraces the outdoors, you just might find your home within Maui’s peaceful Waihee-Waiehu.

Written By

Lia Girard

Photography Contributed By

Paul Peck

Video By

Luke Mancari