Maui · Beaches
Maui Beaches
Calm West Maui coves, the long sand of Wailea and Mākena, and a black-sand beach on the Road to Hāna — with honest notes on shorebreak, parking, and reservations.
Beaches
Snorkel Spots
Reefs you can swim to from shore — turtles, butterflyfish, and clear water.
West Maui
Kapalua Bay
Calm morning water, real reef within a few kicks of the sand, and restrooms and showers steps away. It’s an easy first snorkel.
Read moreWest Maui
Honolua Bay
The walk in through the trees, then big, unbothered fish and turtles over a protected reef. It feels a world away from the resorts ten minutes south.
Read moreSouth Maui
Ulua Beach
Beginner-friendly snorkeling with restrooms and showers at the lot, in the middle of resort Wailea.
Read moreSouth Maui
ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve
DLNR says the open area holds the most diverse and abundant reef in the reserve, and clear water over lava makes it some of the best snorkeling on the south shore.
Read moreBeaches
Swimming Beaches
Long, sandy, and swimmable on calm days — the family-friendly picks.
West Maui
Kāʻanapali Beach
It’s the easiest beach day on Maui: walk out of your hotel, swim off the sand, and snorkel Black Rock before the wind comes up.
Read moreWest Maui
Nāpili Bay
It feels like a neighborhood beach rather than a resort strip, with gentle summer water and turtles surfacing within sight of your towel.
Read moreSouth Maui
Kamaʻole Beach Parks I, II & III
Lifeguards, grass for a picnic and easy sand entries make these Kīhei’s most dependable family swimming beaches.
Read moreSouth Maui
Wailea Beach
Resort-quality sand and calm morning water, with a free public lot, showers and the coastal path to stroll at sunset.
Read moreSouth Maui
Mākena (Oneloa) Big Beach
Few beaches in Hawaiʻi this size are still undeveloped. Come for the sand, the views of Kahoʻolawe and Molokini, and the sunset.
Read moreEast Maui
H.A. Baldwin Beach Park
It’s a real local beach park: long walks on golden sand, bodyboarders in the shorebreak, and the calm Baby Beach cove at the west end for little kids.
Read moreBeaches
Black Sand
Volcanic beaches you can only find on a young island — some of them only a few years old.
Book ahead
Tours that pair well
Getting around
You’ll want a rental car.
Public transit is limited and the best sights are hours apart. Pick up at Kahului (OGG) and compare every major company in one search.