Camp Olowalu

I enjoyed my 5 night stay at a tent site here.  The grounds and facilities are well maintained and clean.  I used my site as a place to sleep and use the showers and bathroom facilities as needed.   I was gone by 8 am and back after sunset, going snorkeling, hiking and exploring the island.  I can't say what it would be like to lounge around all day at your site.  Some sights looked like they may have a lack of shade during the day.

The beach is rocky and not one you'd likely want to spend your day on.  For the price and if you like camping (with hot showers, flush toilets and a sinks to wash your dishes) this is a great place to stay!

Our first time here we tent camped. Some of the sites seemed close together but we stayed at the end and had good privacy with the trade off of a long trip to the bathrooms.  The shared bathrooms are great! Clean, flush toilets, and running water.  Showers and dishwashing stations also a plus.  Free coffee for early risers.   You can see the beach from a few campsites.  Like most camping in Hawaii, bring your earplugs for the roosters.

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.

Staying in the tentalows for a week and I do not want to go! The royal palm entrance is a beautiful indicator of what’s ahead at camp Olowalu! Fully enclosed yurt like cabins with a sink, mirror, towels, linens, hooks, lights, outdoor shower, and keyed entry CLEAN bathrooms near every tentalow. Across the path is the beach and across the street is Olowalu general store with ono poke, great gifts, fresh pineapple market, butterfly farm, etc. gorgeous mature mango trees and bamboo. The most exquisite campground I’ve ever stayed at.

This is the only place I will stay when I come back to Maui. Tentalos are a far cry from roughing it, but they're also awesome. Much cheaper than a hotel. Well-kept grounds are similar to a city park. Close access to the beach and water activities. You can rent surfboards, paddle boards, kayaks. Saw whales surfacing at sundown.

Glamp it up.

Tried setting up a tent in a windstorm, gave up and slept in the van instead. Check in after hours was easy enough, didn’t noticed as the parking lot filled up overnight.

Don’t turn your back on the chickens. They’ll get into your vehicle if given the chance.

If camping on Maui, definitely worth it for the last night of the trip for a good shower before flying home.

The Tentalow was clean and in nice condition. Little light pollution, great for star gazing.

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.

It was breath taking. Grounds were so nice, the place was so clean. The outdoor shower was perfect. Easy check-in. It was my first time cot camping. It was the perfect place to cot camp at a tent site.

Stayed here during the week and this is absolute best place to camp. Has cell reception, bathrooms, showers, ocean access, and overall great campground. I did a camp site which is in dirt which kinda sucks but that’s is only complaint but won’t rate it down for this. Food and drink access is close by too!

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.

There is a variety of sites available. Showers and toilets available. There is a group section.

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!!

Awesome!! Would definitely stay there again!

If you are the type of person who likes to shower and have clean bathrooms nearby this is your only camping option on the eastern side of maui. (Other nearby camping options have porta potties and you can always drive a few blocks to a beach park with bathrooms and showers.) Unfortunately camp olowalu is overrun by roosters, so you aren't going to get a good night of sleep. The shaded trees are beautiful but they block out any of the lovely ocean breeze that usually makes night temperatures tolerable. There is supposedly reef for snorkeling at this campground, but it seems as though the reef in this area has been completely destroyed by human activity. Overall, one of the most expensive camping options on the island, and the vibe there didn't suit my style.

This campsite would be amazing for wedding parties! For tent and car campers, it’s nothing super special. ALTHOUGH! The outdoor shower is an AMAZING experience. To look up at the stars and trees and smell the fresh air while showering outside in an enclosed area was incredible. The beach is underaverage in my opinion (not the typical Hawaii experience). Close to local shops and fairly close to Lahaina!

This is right by some of the best beaches in the world. It is right on a main road on the island, so there can be road noise pretty close by. The waves usually take care of it, but not always.

Pretty spot, but is expensive. They charge $20 per person.

Has good amenities though including cold showers.