Maui
The best zipline in Maui: every course on the island, compared
Ziplining in Maui, course by course: two of the island's best known courses have closed, and the ziplines in Maui that remain are compared here on the same fields. What each one is good at, and which side of Maui suits a family day, is compared below.
Maui courses
The best zipline in Maui, and every course still running
Maui once had the longest single line in Hawaii and a much-loved Upcountry course in real forest. Both are gone. What remains is concentrated on the west side, and it is still very good.
Figure 01
| Course | Island | Lines | Longest line | Max height | Min age | Rider weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapalua ZiplinesOpenWest MauiAll lines run side-by-side in pairs, plus a 360 ft suspension bridge, the longest in Hawaii.Figures from kapaluaziplines.com/faq | Maui | 6 | ~2,000 ft | - | - | 60 lbs - 250 lbs |
| Skyline Ka'anapaliOpenWest MauiDual-line course above the Ka'anapali slopes, with Lanai and Molokai across the channel.Figures from skylinehawaii.com | Maui | 8 | 1,000 ft | 150 ft | - | 80 lbs - 260 lbs |
| Flyin' HawaiianClosedWailukuHeld the longest single line in Hawaii. Closed since 2024 after access-road damage; no reopening date announced.Figures from operator notice | Maui | 8 | 3,600 ft | 600 ft | 10+ | 75 lbs - 250 lbs |
| Piiholo Ranch, 7-line treetopClosedUpcountryUpcountry seven-line treetop course. No longer operating.Figures from operator notice | Maui | 7 | 2,800 ft | 600 ft | 8+ | 75 lbs - 275 lbs |
Each cable is drawn to scale against the longest line on record (3,600 ft). Height bars scale to 600 ft, weight windows to 300 lbs. A dash means the operator does not publish that figure. Weight limits are the rider's own weight, not the harness rating.
West Maui
Kapalua and Ka'anapali compared: the two courses that are open
Ziplining in Maui now means one of two courses. Kapalua runs six lines above the old pineapple slopes behind the resort, and the thing that sets it apart is that every line is doubled, so two riders travel side by side rather than one after the other. Several of the spans come close to half a mile. The course also includes a 360 ft suspension bridge, the longest in Hawaii, which does more for the sense of exposure than any of the cables. Minimum rider weight is 60 lbs and there is a height minimum as well, because the harness has to sit correctly.
Skyline Ka'anapali is the higher-count option at eight lines, with the longest around 1,000 ft and the course running roughly 150 ft above the ground. The lines are shorter than Kapalua's, but the setting is the reason to go: on a clear afternoon you are looking straight across the Auau Channel at Lanai, with Molokai off to the north. Rider weight runs from 80 lbs to 260 lbs, the narrowest window of the Maui courses, so check it before you plan around it.
Both of these ziplines in Maui sit within a short drive of the Ka'anapali and Kapalua hotels, which matters more than it sounds on Maui. Driving from the south shore to the west side in the afternoon can take well over an hour, and zipline slots are usually morning or early afternoon.
What closed
Flyin' Hawaiian and Piiholo Ranch
Flyin' Hawaiian in Wailuku was the extreme option, eight lines with a 3,600 ft finale and a maximum height of 600 ft above the valley floor. It closed in 2024 after damage to the access road serving the course, and no reopening date has been announced. Anyone planning a trip around the longest line in Hawaii should know that before they book flights.
The Upcountry course at Piiholo Ranch, seven lines through eucalyptus at altitude above Makawao, is also no longer operating. The course stays in the record because its specifications are part of the island's history.
Their closure changes what the best zipline in Maui even means. The island no longer has a course in genuine upland forest, so the best zipline in Maui is now a west-side decision, and the longest-span record has moved to Kapalua by default rather than by competition.
Practical
Family limits: what to read before you plan the day
- Rider weight
- The tightest constraint on Maui: 60 lbs at the low end, 260 lbs at the high end. The floor exists because a light rider stalls before the far platform.
- Wind
- The west side is reliably dry in the afternoon; the trade winds pick up later in the day, which is one reason morning slots fill first.
- Drive time
- From Kihei or Wailea to Kapalua is often over an hour. Build it into the booking, not around it.
- Tandem lines
- Only Kapalua runs every line in pairs. For families and nervous first-timers this matters more than total length.
Maui zipline questions
Which is the best zipline in Maui?
For long lines run side by side, Kapalua. Compared on spans it is the best zipline in Maui still running. For the most lines and the widest ocean panorama, Skyline Ka'anapali. The island's two longest-standing favourites, Flyin' Hawaiian and Piiholo Ranch, are both closed, which is why several older round-ups are now misleading.
What is the longest zipline in Maui?
The 3,600 ft finale at Flyin' Hawaiian in Wailuku held that title, but the course has been shut since 2024. Among courses running today, Kapalua has the longest lines on Maui, with several close to half a mile.
Can young children go ziplining in Maui?
For a family, the practical floor on Maui is around 60 lbs of rider weight, which most children reach at seven or eight. Compared with the other islands, a family travelling with lighter children has better odds on the island of Hawaii, where Umauma accepts riders from 35 lbs.
Is it better to zipline on the west side or Upcountry?
West Maui is drier and warmer, with channel views across to Lanai and Molokai. Upcountry sits higher in real forest, so the air is cooler and the tree cover is taller. With the Upcountry course closed, the west side is where the island's ziplining now happens.