Kihei

 

Kamaole Beach Park 1-3

Kamaole Beach Park is Kihei's best beach! (Kam as the locals lovingly refer to it) is located right across the street and is part of the triad of beaches known as Kamaole Beach Parks #1, #2 and #3.  This is the part of the southern coastline of Maui that starts to have the exotic and beautiful white sand beaches that Kihei and further south Wailea and Makena are famous for. Kamaole 2 is a beautiful white sand crescent that stretches one-third of a mile from one point to the other. Snorkeling is really only good here at the points of the beach but the white sand bottom in the middle makes an ideal place to swim.

 

As far as amenities Kamaole has a parking lot as well as parking available along Kihei Rd and in a dirt parking lot on the other side of the street. A nice access point is the North side of the beach at Charlie Young. Restroom, showers, picnic tables and some barbecue stations are available. There is often a volley ball net set up in a sandy portion of the park. A lifeguard station is available.

 

Cove Park

Cove Park located just North of Kam 1, has a small sandy beach and is a nice spot to just hang out, read a book and enjoy the surroundings. The ocean is usually the clearest in the early mornings and in the winter months (November to March) due to ocean currents.

Cove Park is also a good paddle boarding and surfing beach, and surf lessons are given here. There are no lifeguards and no facilities, so bring supplies. 

Across the street is Maui Wave Riders that rent paddleboards and surf boards and can also provide lessons.

 

Kalama Beach Park (Puunoa Beach)

Kalama Park, a 36 acre beach park, is a spacious and diverse park complex suitable for organized sporting events, outdoor concerts, fairs, festivals and gatherings of all kinds. Although the beach is very small here, the park provides excellent facilities for picnicking and family outings. Sunsets are spectacular from this park and quite a gathering spot during that time of the day as everyone awaits.

Services and Amenities
No lifeguard
Restrooms
Telephones
Picnic tables and pavilions
Showers                                       
BBQ grills
Grassy areas
Small beach area
Rocky shoreline with a small beach

Skateboard Park and inline skating rink (lighted in the evening)
Sport areas for volleyball, basketball, baseball, soccer and tennis.  Tennis courts are lighted in the evening.

South Maui

 

Wailea Beach

Wailea Beach is located toward the southernmost part of Kihei Maui. It is a large beach, crescent in shape, capped on either point by black, lava rock formations. This lends to the calmness of the waters, making this an ideal place for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. Changing rooms, showers, eateries, and places to rent gear and equipment are available. There are lifeguards on duty. You will also find a large paved walkway leading to a variety hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

Makena Beach State Park (Big Beach)

One of Maui's signature beaches and is at the top of the list of beaches not to miss. With white sands extending nearly 2/3 of a mile long, is one of the largest beaches in Maui.  Boogie boarding is very fun at this beach, but the waves can get a little big in the late afternoon.

Keawakapu Beach

Situated between Kihei and Wailea to the south, Keawakapu Beach is one of the most picturesque stretches of coast in southwest Maui. This beach is rarely ever overcrowded, as there are no major resorts or hotels. The surf is always calm and the white sand and shady palms make the deal even sweeter. There are no lifeguards on duty, but you can find some places to rent equipment like umbrellas and chairs nearby.

West Maui

Ka’anapali Beach

Beautiful golden sand and crystal clear water make this a very popular beach. One of Maui’s best beaches is Kaanapali Beach, with three miles of sandy shores to enjoy. The northernmost section of the beach is a great place for snorkeling where you can see the different creatures living in the area up close and personal. As one of the signatures of Kaanapali, cliff-divers love to jump off the beach’s northernmost edge, Puu Kekaa, or Black Rock. The ceremony occurs every evening at sunset to honor King Kahekili. Watch divers light the torches on top of the cliffs before they leap into the waters below. It is a spectacle you won’t want to miss! Parking is expensive but your cheapest option is typically Whalers village. You can also take the bus and not worry about parking.  Black Rock is located in front of the Sheraton Resort. 

DT Fleming Beach Park

Voted best beach in America in 2006. Facilities include picnic tables, restrooms, showers and lifeguards. The beach backs up to a grove of trees providing much needed shade.

Ho'okipa Beach, North Maui

The best place in the world to watch windsurfers at what is known as the "windsurfing capital of the world." You'll also see some great board surfing here towards the east end of the beach.

Ho'okipa Beach is also a great place to see turtles coming up on the beach (this is not in any of the guide books).  They starting coming up approximately 1 hour before sunset.  The gate closes at 7pm, so make sure you leave the park by then. 

Kahana Beach

If you’ve ever had an interest in windsurfing, Kahana Beach is the place for you, as if offers excellent windsurfing conditions. There are lifeguards on duty so safety won’t be an issue. The beach also features convenient restrooms and showers for a quick change as well as picnic tables so you can enjoy a meal as you gaze out onto the ocean.

Hana Beach park

For a terrific family-friendly beach day, you won’t want to miss out on Hana Beach Park. This is another one of the most popular swimming beaches on the island. There are also many local community events held at this beach, so check one out to see how the locals enjoy themselves.

Kaihalulu Beach

Maui’s red sand stretch of sand. It was the site of a fortress and temple and birthplace of civil leader Queen Ka’ahumanu. Kaihalulu is one of the new red sand beaches in the world, made so by the abundance of iron, and with the rich contrast against the blue waters.

 

Snorkeling

There are many great snorkeling places on Maui  Ask for a free snorkel map at Maui Dive Shop or call them at 1-800-542-3483, or check out their web site at www.mauidiveshop.com.

 

Some of our favorites are:

Ulua

Located between the Renaissance and the Wailea Marriott, both Ulua and Mokapu are popular places to snorkel and shore dive. This is a wonderful beach for snorkeling (one of our favorites) and diving when it is calm and just for hanging out. It is easy sandy beach for good access especially with children.  Snorkeling is best at the right (north) side of the beach near the rocky outcrop.  Swimming and snorkeling are best in the mornings (afternoons can be windy here, making the ocean choppy and the visibility poor).  When surf is up, beach attracts body boarders.  This is Maui's South shore training area for many scuba school's beginner dives. There are two reefs found stringed between the two beaches. The first one is great for snorkeling, and scuba divers best access the second one. The second reef is deeper and has a turtle cleaning station.  Backed by a small park, ideal for picnics.  Arrive early, parking lot fills up quickly.

 

Makena Landing

Makena landing, aka Five Caves aka Five Graves, is a wonderful spot to snorkel or dive. The topography here is diverse and sea caves plenty. This area is home to many small harmless reef sharks. Make sure to only snorkel here if there have been no rains or large surf due to the impairment of visibility. This area has plenty of parking and many entrance points.

 

Ahihi Keanau Reserve

Ahihi Keanau Reserve is located in Makena and one of the more serene and beautiful spots on the island. Parking is a challenge in this area though. The road is narrow which has only a few openings for a car. The reef is shallow and perfect for snorkeling. This isn't the best Maui scuba diving location because it's so shallow; you'd rather be snorkeling, unless you travel far out. The coral here is plentiful and comes in many brilliant colors. Keep in mind that this is reserve, which is why there are so many fish here. The fish are protected! If you want to do some Wailea fishing, charter a boat and stay out of this area.