Olivine Pools

Don’t miss the Olivine Pools when visiting Maui. If the waves are not intimidating, it’s great to take a jump into the deep pool that collects just off the ocean as the water splashes over from the crashing waves. We were fortunate as the conditions were pretty tame and we were able to swim as long as liked. Although we didn’t witness it, I imagine there are times when the conditions make it very dangerous. So be safe and enjoy.

Easy to miss. Quick hike down to the pool
On jagged rocks, can be pretty intense. However I saw all ages and fitness levels make down and back up.

one of the prettiest locations we visited… a hidden gem.
a bit of a treacherous hike down to the pools but you are rewarded with reflective pools you can relax in and again, one of the most beautiful views of the cliffs (and the waves smashing into them). it is a rough hike to the bottom (harder than the blowhole not far from here), but worth the trip down — be careful!

The drive to get there as well as the place itself is worth it! It is different t every time but the view never changes!
I just have to say this place is beautiful. It is a little hike down and I was comfortable wearing hiking shoes, I don’t know if I would feel that way wearing flip flops. I’ve seen people walk down with just that. I went on a windy day and the ocean was rough. The pools were calm. I made the mistake of not wearing water shoes and it is very advisable to do it. The rocks are either slippery or too rough. You aren’t steady barefoot.
If you are driving from Lahaina you have to pass the dip sign. If you are driving from Wailuku if you pass the dip you went to far.

I loved it here! We’re from Cali and were on Maui for 10 days in August 2015. The drive up is gorgeous, but it’s one lane. Everyone was friendly for us. I’m also very considerate and would pull over if I felt like I was going to slow to let someone pass. The hike down is super easy. Just be careful walking through the water when you get down there– the rocks are pretty sharp. The tide gets fairly high so be careful! When it started getting rainy and choppy, we hiked back up. But it’s so pretty and fun to jump off and swim. Lots of fish in all the pools! Really cool!

We were here on a pretty rough day so the pools were not so calm but the waves crashing over the walls was pretty cool to watch. It’s still a very nice spot, and we hiked down in our flip flops to the bottom and checked out some cool fish in the pools with our snorkels. Cell phone reception is pretty much non-​existent so the other Unilocal reviews (that I previously looked up) really helped with the direction: after 2 cattle crossings and after a very big dip (with a DIP sign, you can’t miss it), turn left onto parking area and start hiking. When you arrive at a fork, go LEFT and hike down. Make sure you continue the drive south after the pools for Julia’s Best Banana Bread!

We looked up tide pools on Maui, and I’ve never been on the north east side of the island. Why?
It was so beautiful. I rate this a better easier drive then Hana, on a non-​busy day. We went on a Tuesday in the morning and it was breathtaking. Wear Keen or terrain hiking water shoes, bring water, a camera, and if you want a towel. The hike is short and the views and pools are beyond disbelief. You can even rock jump into some pools. Just beware the ocean waves are relentless and the pools are at the cliffs edge so be safe. Enjoy the majestic beauty. If you see locals parked on the shoulder on the way there, stop and follow their path to amazing waterfalls and ponds! Aloha!

Drive there was a bit curvy to say the least, but felt safe to drive. The hike down was quite the adventure. The pools where beyond what I could have imagined. BRING A SNORKEL! And an underwater camera. The surroundings where breathtaking. I would NOT take kids under 10 down that hike.

These tide pools were super cool! We asked a local some of the spots to check out, and she recommended coming to the Olivine Pools. About a 45 minute drive from Kaanapali, a little bit of a hike down the cliff, over the rocks, and you’ve made it! There isn’t really a sign that tells you you’ve arrived, so you have to watch out for a few things on the drive. First, you drive over a cattle guard (possibly 2), you pass over a dip in the road. When you see a dirt turn out on the left side after the dip, that’s where you park. Once you park, just walk to the edge of the cliff and look down. If there’s tide pools, you’ve found it!
As a warning, it is a little bit of a hike down. I would maybe recommend wearing shoes if you’re uneasy with hiking, climbing, or exerting any kind of athleticism, but I made it down wearing $ 2 plastic flip flops and I am in mediocre shape. Once you’ve made it down to the tide pools, be careful because some of the rocks can be pretty sharp. You jump into the main tide pool, float around in the warm water, possibly enjoy an adult beverage… You’re surrounded by crashing waves, but not so close that they are dangerous, unless you’re a ding dong and decide to try taking a selfie NEXT to the crashing waves and injure yourself. *smacks forehead* Don’t be that person. The view is incredible and totally worth it. In some of the other smaller tide pools you can check out little ocean creatures in their natural habitat. The only scary thing was that since it was overcast the time we went, the main tide pool that you swim in just looked like a big black hole with the unknown lurking beneath you. It kind of terrified me when I saw bubbles come up so I jumped out. Otherwise, an awesome experience off the beaten path!

Olivine means GEMS, and when you clime down to the pools you see why it is called the Olivine pools. The rocks are encrusted with sparkling gems that were pushed up with the rocks when the volcano erupted years ago. The rocks are sharp and flip-​flops are highly NOT recommended. A good pair of tennis shoes or even hiking boots are the way to go. I encourage to sit back on the trail and watch at least 3 sets of waves come in as the sneaker waves can be very dangerous. NEVER TURN YOUR BACK TO THE OCEAN. The pools themselves are awesome. Nice and deep, warm and relaxing. There were 2 Parrot fish that seem to have been trapped or maybe they just like living in them which was kinda cool. just stay off the high rocks buy the ocean!!! I personally have seen a wave take out one tourist and send him tumbling down the sharp lava, kinda ruined his honeymoon. Aloha!!!

Olivine pools are worth it. It doesn’t take too long at all. It was BEAUTIFUL.
I would recommend shoes, you could do it in sandals… but unless you’re used to balancing and going down hill on uneven rocks and sand, I wouldn’t.
My parents did it & they aren’t in the best shape (took our time) but it does break a sweat going back up.
The view down was amazing. The wildlife was awesome.
It isn’t too hard to find, we googled a YouTube video and it was pretty clear. Just a dirt turn out & usually there’s 1 to 2 cars.
Worth it :)

Awesome place to go and experience ‘off the beaten path’ Maui. Not a long hike; at the yellow ‘danger sign’ take the path on the left. Bring your swimming suit and snorkel equipment. Jump off the high rocks into the tide pool. It is a ton of fun and best of all — it is free!

This requires some route-​finding off Highway 30 after the Nakelele Blowhole. The trailhead is about a half-​mile before the road changes to the Kahekili Highway, which you probably do not want to drive through. There’s parking spots on the lookout but beware it can get muddy — my car nearly got stuck. The trail can be muddy too, so make sure you have good hiking shoes. Bring snacks/​water with your swimsuit. When I went Highway 30 became a rock-​maze due to a storm the previous night, so when I went here there was nobody else. The first part of the hike down could get slippery because of mud, but it is easy to see where the pools are. From there, you can choose from a variety of pools to soak in! The lava rocks have varying textures and have a very disorganized feel. Some have poked holes, some are sharp, some are red — it’s a tough place for nature photography. Towards the bottom, it’s easy to appreciate why this is called olivine pools, because the rocks do have that olive-​green tinge, especially when they get wet. When I went the water levels in the main pools were low and somewhat icky because of algae, so I found myself a nice mini-​pool fed by the surf that was just good for one person. There were some fish hopping inside and it was fantastic when the surf comes in to feed the small pool. Rental car companies do not recommend going here but the two-​lane road is paved so I’m not sure what’s the fuss. The views of Kahukuloa head were very nice from this area. The rocks seemed stable and I could imagine hiking along the seacliff. Overall this is a very unique excursion in Maui, but I wouldn’t recommend going here if you only have a few days on the island.

A definite must see while on the island. Take a road trip and also stop at the Nakalele blowhole and you have an awesome excursion. This hike up and down to the pools is quite steep and a little treacherous so take it slow and wear hiking shoes or sneakers. Once at the bottom be careful to leave your belongings away from the water if you plan on jumping in. There are several size swimming holes to enjoy, some with fish. Our group of 12 had this secret gem to ourselves when we arrived and we relished in the beauty of it, took a ton of photos and a few did some cliff diving into one of the deeper pools. Rocks are extremely slippery though, so use caution.

Amazing beauty! Loved it. Unfortunate not marked and took a bit to find. The bad part is that you really have to be sure footed to make it down to the tide pools AND it is a shame to see people standing on the walls and floors of the pools!!! It’s the ecosystem people do not understand! It is not supposed to be stood on as it will kill off the food that the fish eat! Not sure how people don’t know that but it was sad watching people stomp around not being respectful! The experience is just as amazing if you look at it and don’t step all over Mother Nature!!! People have commented on the murkiness of the water and don’t know that is part if the reason!
PS Hiking shoes recommended!

Definitely not secluded. Steep hike down but it’s not too bad. Fork to the right on trail a little easier. Beautiful but smelly. I had the idea I’d be swimming in the biggest pool but it was pretty nasty so I didn’t. The water is stagnant. Other people were so maybe it was just my prerogative. The smaller pools had a lot of fish and that was neat. Glad I went, but I won’t be going back on my next trip.

These were nice! I’m surprised not to see more (raving of course) reviews on these.
Positives:
–short hike down, you won’t get tired
–rocks, so it’s not too slippery even in the rain
–gorgeous views, both on the way down to the pools (rocks, ocean, bright vivid green vegetation) and at the pools themselves
–warm water, perfect for swimming
–pools are actually deep as well so perfect for diving too!
Negatives:
–okay, it’s not secluded. but what can you expect from such a gorgeous sight? =p
–also not very easy to find — make sure to look up directions as much as possible and ask people once you’re there!
Very worthy sight!

I have been to Maui multiple times and never even heard of these until this last trip. During our sunset cruise, another couple told us that we needed to go here and to the Nakalele Blowhole. We ended up doing both on the same day since they are a couple miles from each other. To get close to both, you will need to do some hiking. The blowhole can bee seen from a distance, so if you are only up for one decent hike make sure you do not hike all the way down to the blowhole (personally I would do what we did and go to the pools first and work your way back). If you are physically limited, this is not the site for you at all. The cell reception is terrible around these two places so be careful on relying on your cellphone map to get here. My girlfriend’s AT&T was able to get us there without an issue. These are not the easiest places to find, you will see other cars parked where it is and that is the only indication of either of the two places.
The hike down is a little treacherous at some spots. At several points, my girlfriend thought we were in the wrong place. I did it in flip flops, but I would encourage you to do it in sneakers. The water shoes I brought were also a big plus since it made climbing all over the rocks much easier. Be careful there are some very slippery areas here.
The best part of this place is that you can jump/​dive off the rocks into the pools since some are deep enough. My legal disclaimer: I am not encouraging you to jump off the rocks into the pools, do so at your own discretion, this can result in injury or death.
I wish I had brought snorkel gear because the pools had lots of sea life in them and some were deep/​big enough to snorkel in.

You will never forget this if you are lucky enough to get there at a good time. Olivine Pools are a number of tide pools in the lava rock that provides a calm place to swim and see fish right on the lava coast. You are protected from the prevailing seas except when it is very rough.
I am totally guessing that the largest pool is more than 20′ long and 10′ wide. That pool is also about 15′ deep. There are a number of fish that have been washed into the pools. It is a great ecosystem to observe! There are also a number of smaller pools in which you can observe marine life.
On the east side of the pool there is a an outcropping of lava from which a person can jump or dive into the pool.
When we first went back in the 90s, only the locals and their friends knew. For years this was basically a well hidden local destination. Now, the secret is revealed in at least one popular guide book. You can find it on Wikimapia.
Risks:
1) Wave conditions. When you get to the cliffs above the Olivine Pools, if the area is awash in whitewater, DON’T GO!
2) There are steep rough trails down to the pools. Be prepared with the proper foot wear or be prepared to go very slow and carefully.
3) Because it’s no longer a secret, many people can show up. What would normally feel unique and special can start to feel overcrowded and abused very quickly.
4) If there has been rain on the coast, the pools will be clouded with runoff and the trails could be dangerous.

I can see why this place might be amazing in perfect conditions, but when we went it was not so awesome. The hike down is fairly steep and on our way it started to pour rain… booo…so needless to say, everyone was running up and we only got to look and not go in. The pools are pretty and neat looking, but busy and not so great in the rain. Maybe we should have gone earlier in the morning, but as it was, this stop was pretty, but not my favorite stop on Maui.