Maui region
West Maui (Kāʻanapali, Kapalua & Nāpili)
Resort beaches, sunset views of Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi
The island’s northwest coast: the long resort strip of Kāʻanapali with its beachwalk and Puʻu Kekaʻa (Black Rock), the condo bays of Honokōwai and Nāpili, and the quieter, upscale Kapalua with its sheltered bays and the Honolua marine reserve. Lahaina, just south, is rebuilding after the August 2023 fire.
Stay here if…
You want calm summer swimming and snorkeling off the sand, sunsets across the channel, and a walkable resort area with restaurants on the beach.
The trade-off
It’s on the far side of the island from Kahului Airport, Haleakalā and the Road to Hāna, and Honoapiʻilani Highway is essentially the only way in, so a closure stops traffic (Hurricane Lowell flooding shut it near Olowalu on Sept. 8, 2026). Winter swells hit Kapalua and Honolua. In Lahaina, Front Street reopened Aug. 1, 2026, but much of the town is still under construction and the banyan stays fenced until about 2028.
Hotels in West Maui
Resort beaches, sunset views of Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi
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Where to stay
Hotels in West Maui
Montage Kapalua
Families or couples who want a full residence and quiet West Maui luxury
Apartment-sized space with resort service, a short walk from Kapalua Bay’s easy snorkeling.
Hyatt Regency Maui
Families who want a full-service Kāʻanapali resort
You get the Kāʻanapali beachwalk and sunsets, and the lifeguarded Hanakaʻōʻō Beach Park is just south.
Outrigger Kāʻanapali
Travelers who want a beachfront Kāʻanapali base with real Hawaiian culture
Hawaiian culture is built into the stay, and you walk past the pool straight onto Kāʻanapali Beach.
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Tours leaving from West Maui
Things to do
Our picks in West Maui
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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