Read this even if you’re not interested in golf for important timeshare exchange information.

If you’re a golfer and doing a timeshare exchange to Maui, make sure you play Royal Kaanapali, or the north course.

Maui’s first golf course was designed by renowned golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and has been know as the “Hawaiian Home of the Senior PGA Tour.”  Because of that, it has been known as a difficult course for us non-professionals to play and many of us ended up playing the much tamer south course or Kaanapali Kai.

Not any more.  Royal Kaanapali has been lovingly re-worked by one of the best in the business, Robin Nelson.  The course is much more playable and enjoyable and one of the best in Maui.

With sweeping mountain and ocean views you’re able to see whales breeching in the distance while enjoying a pleasant game of golf.  And an added bonus is the great weather in Kaanapali.  Just 6 miles north of Kaanapali is Kapalua, one of the prettiest, but rainiest parts of an already beautiful island, and home to 2 great golf courses.

Playing the Plantation Course of Kapalua, home to the very first PGA event of the year, the Mercedes-Benz Championship, is a must.  But be prepared for rain showers. 

Even if you’re not a golfer here’s what you need to know about doing a timeshare exchange to Maui.   Most of the timeshares in RCI and Interval International on West Maui are in that rainier section.  From the old Embassy Kaanapali timeshare, now called Kaanapali Beach Vacation Resort, north to the Gardens of West Maui at the entrance to Kapalua run a string of, and the majority of RCI and Interval International timeshares.  They are located along Lower Honoapiilani Road.

If the address of the resort you want to exchange into in either RCI or Interval International is greater than 3500 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Lahaina, expect more wind and rain.  Because there’s so little availability in Maui I still recommend the resorts in this rainier section.  It’s possible you’ll encounter good weather for the week you’re there. 

However, I was hit by rainy weather almost everyday in January and February this year while a few miles down the road, Kaanapali experienced much better weather.  The locals who’ve lived here for a while said that it was an unusual January and February.

Those of you that have good timeshares and apply the suggestions in my guidebook should request Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club and the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort.

Right on the very edge of this rainier section is the Kaanapali Beach Vacation Resort a Sunterra/Diamond resort.  While the timeshare condos that I saw were very nice the resort itself needs some work.  It too is a difficult exchange but until it’s fixed up I’d rate it a 4 star rather than a 5 star like the Marriott or Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort.

When doing a timeshare exchange to Maui, the choices of the resorts that are on the beach are very limited, making an already difficult exchange even harder. The Sands of Kahana, while not the nicest timeshare resort, is one that has more exchange availability than the others. You’ll find it in Interval International and its code is SOK.  It used to be affiliated with RCI as well, but no longer.

Interval International has it listed as a 5 star. I’d rate it a 3 Star timeshare property.  I believe the 5 Star rating is due more to its location and demand than the luxe of the property.  The condos, and the resort itself, need updating and sprucing up. It’s going downhill from the nice resort it used to be. 

But, if you don’t expect a really nice 5 star resort like the Westin or Marriott, the Sands of Kahana can be an acceptable exchange just because there are so few timeshare resorts on the beach in Maui.

You can read about it in Trip Advisor.  As usual, the reviews are very mixed.

What the resort does have going for itself is its location on Kahana beach, the on-site restaurant, bar, bar-b-ques, tennis courts and activities desk.  Also, the condos are very spacious with very well equipped kitchens.  It is also near the Farmer’s Market, restaurants, Napili Bay for snorkeling and beautiful Kapalua.

The Sands of Kahana has much more exchange availability than the much more difficult to get Westin or Marriott in nearby Kaanapali Beach.  Those of you that own very high quality timeshare resorts and apply all of the suggestions, techniques and strategies I recommend in my exchange guide should request only the much nicer Westin and Marriott properties and leave out the Sands of Kahana.

The rest of you should request all 3 plus Diamond’s Kaanapali Beach Club, which I’ll review later.  You’ll still need to apply all of the strategies in my timeshare exchange guide book to get these very difficult resorts, but you should be successful if you do.

While staying at the Sands of Kahana have at least one breakfast at The Sea House on Napili Bay.  This is one of my favorite restaurants and is just 3 miles north of the resort right before you get into the beautiful Kapalua area.  This tranquil restaurant has great food that’s well priced, a friendly staff, a beautiful view of Napili Bay and great service all to the sounds of gentle Hawaiian music.  Don’t miss Mama’s Ribs and Chicken and Maui Tacos in the Napili Shopping Center for fast food and take out.