Vince N.
Yelp
I've visited all four of the accessible blowholes throughout Hawaii, and IMO, Nakalele is the star of them all as it constantly puts on a show due to its location on Maui's choppy northwest coast. And, you can get as close as you want to it. The Spouting Horn on Kauai comes in second as it's fairly active, yet is viewed from a short distance away. The Waianapanapa State Park blowhole is third. Though it wasn't too active when we were there, you can walk right up to this one as well. Last is Halona on Oahu, which was literally invisible the day we visited as there was no geyser-like entertainment due to the area's usually calm waters and is the furthest in viewing distance.
ACCESS:
Driving here is easier if you're already in west Maui as you'll avoid the nail-biting one-lane road coming from central Maui. Look for all the cars parked along the roadside near mile marker 38. Parking is fairly plentiful. Don't leave valuables in your car especially if you have a rental as break in's are common.
While you can see the blowhole from the parking area, you'll definitely have a better experience if you hike down. The hilly terrain is a mix of loose gravel and jagged lava rocks. Shoes are recommended but not required as we did fine in our slippers (flip flops to you continentals). The hike down took about 10 minutes and is definitely worth it as there are other sites to see.
BLOWHOLE:
As soon as you step foot onto the lava shelf, you not only hear but can feel the force of the ocean under you, violently entering the partially submerged lava tube before shooting out like Old Faithful. There are no barriers sans for your common sense. The hole is about 3-4 feet wide. People have straddled it, one man even fell in after being knocked over by a rogue wave, never to be found, back in 2011. Just this past year, another visitor was washed out to sea after being stuck by a rogue wave while perched along the coast. Point being, stay clear from the blowhole as well as the coastline near it. If you want an overhead view of it, walk to the higher cliffside behind it, which is where I shot my video and a few pics.
HEART ROCK:
If you want to see this, you must make the hike down to the blowhole area. I'm not sure if it's natural, but it is very cool and a popular photo op. A short lava rock "wall" mysteriously has a hole cut out of it in the shape of a heart. Great shots of the coastline can be had here too.
MOONSCAPE:
WTF? Yes! After visiting the blowhole, head west of it and you'll be taken to a valley-like landscape that looks like you're on the moon. Nothing but a rocky landscape of lava and stone boulders dwarf you as you hike the coastline.
TIPS:
There are zero comfort facilities here. Cell signal is strong.
OVERALL:
Allow about 2+ hours for this visit. Totally free and natural with endless photo ops!