Soft sand, humpbacks breaching, a turtle family swam by. Gentle surf, a bit of shade available. Not crowded

Maria P.

I used to come to Charley Young Beach a lot when I first moved back home to Maui. We shifted to more kid friendly spots after having a little one, but we recently visited again following what seems like years. The path that we usually take, just past/behind the showers -- I don't remember the drop off from the rocks to the beach being as high? Is it me or has the beach eroded away quite a bit? The path down to the left, before the showers seems to be the better route, especially if you're carrying a bunch of things. It's still a nice beach and we prefer it over the more popular Kamaole Beaches. There's some spots that are a bit more tucked away in the rocks and it's not as crowded here. There are limited parking spots near the entrance, but there's a nice big parking lot along S. Kihei Road that has a number of stalls. We usually just park at the lot and walk down. There's also shower stalls and some porta pottys at the top. Overall, it's a great beach and now that our son is older, we can bring him here more often especially when he wants to catch some waves bodyboarding.

Kylee M.

Beautiful beach. Waves can be rough. Not a place for littles to swim. Path down to the beach is easy.

Giselle M.

In honor of Yelp's month-long celebration of Earth Day (where they're encouraging reviews of beautiful nature spots and sustainable, eco-friendly businesses), this review is long overdue for Charley Young Beach. I was lucky enough to return to Kihei for a couple weeks last month, and our rental was within walking distance to this great little spot. Charley Young Beach is just north of Kamaole I Beach Park. The 2 beaches are connected, and you can't really tell where one ends and the other begins, so it's like one long, beautiful, white-sand beach! If you're driving in, you can park at Kamaole I and walk north on the beach, or there's a parking lot right off of S. Kihei Rd & Kaiau Pl. The small entrance at the end of Kaiau Pl. has a shower and an unfortunate porta-potty (better public restrooms are located down the beach at Kamaole I Beach Park...you're welcome lol). The north most side of the beach is rocky, and is great if you're looking to see tide pools, while heading south on the beach will lead you to a wide sandy beach, perfect for working on your Hawaiian tan or taking a dip in the ocean! *If you see a Honu (Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle) resting on the beach, please remember to respect the marine life and stay at least 10 feet away. Aloha!

Angelina R.

Very nice public beach access! It's a tad bit of a "hike", but a well maintained concrete walkway w/ stair access & railing. It's kind of difficult to tote a wagon or stroller down, but possible! Just a short walk across the street from a row of rental condos. It isn't overcrowded at all. Patrons are plenty but all there for the same reason: friendly, fun relaxation! The sands are pristine- super soft & easy to walk. The tide is calm. Perfect for swimming, but decent enough for some boogie boarding. There are many we see kayaking, paddle boarding & lap swimming. Sandcastles can be seen frequently- there are some "dugout" areas that are perfect for planting your day camp. You don't have to worry about anything- just sit back & maybe watch a game of volleyball take place! In the evenings is no different... there are some late night volleyball parties & fishing. It's always fun watching the boats, too. This is one of our favorites because of how pristine & casual it is. There's a shower station at the top of the access where food trucks will also frequently park if you happen to need a snack or cold beverage. Overall it is just gorgeous & that pure, blue water with perfect sands to indulge. We wade in & just bob in the waves for hours... then go lay out to dry off. My nephew is in heaven with the umbrella tent building sand castles- what more can you ask for?!

Albert K.

We arrived around 9 am on a weekday and had to find parking on the street. Luckily, we were able to find parking close to the beach. When we got to the beach, it was not crowded at all, The beach was clean. The water was nice and warm. Was going to snorkel, but the waves were strong and it was windy. The beach was beautiful.

Sonya E.

Very clean beach. If you arrive early in the morning, there are not too many people and you can score a nice spot near one of the large rocks for better shade. Water is warm and waves are subtle. It seems like a good spot for fishing as there are plenty of fishing rods set to the North of the beach. There is one portable bathroom. Limited parking so ride a moped or bike if possible. No lifeguard on duty.

Vanessa H.

Quieter beach right outside our condo! Only some rocks as you enter the water, overall really nice! We were able to walk down from our Airbnb which was really convenient. Sand is really hot as the temperature gets up there. Bring towels to lay on and dry off if you can! Beautiful palm trees surround this beach and you can see neighboring islands. Great for a relaxing beach day!

Tara A.

Charley Young Beach is one of my favorite beaches that i've visited on Maui! Lucky enough, the place I was staying was right across the street from this beach. The best beach times are definitely in the morning or close to sunset, because in the afternoon, the wind gets much stronger. We spent a lot of time on Charley Young tanning, playing in the waves, and watching the sunset. We were even so fortunate to see a turtle on a random day, swimming among us! One of my goals of this trip was to see a turtle, so this was definitely a highlight for me. Definitely give this beach a visit if you are in the area.

Michael K.

Charley Young Beach is a beautiful spot which abuts, and is north of, Kamaole I beach. It's one of the more secluded beaches in Kihea, with lots of little coves amongst the lava rocks at the north tip. Nice scenic spot to hang out and swim, or watch the sunset. Turtles nest in this area. They are protected, so if you see one, keep 10-15 feet distance from it. There's a local artist, Dale Zarrella, who has created wood sculptures here, at the Fairmont Hotel, and elsewhere. We were having a meal at Miso Phat in Kihea, and he happened to be sitting next to us at the sushi bar, and struck up a conversation. A very talented guy, he even presented one of his sculptures to The Pope in Rome. Check out his website: https://www.dalezarrella.com/

Cheryl L.

It's beach was recommended to us by our Airbnb hosts. It was a short walk from a nearby (small) parking lot. Showers are at the top of a flight of stairs. The beach was not too crowded and we easily found a place to drop our gear before venturing into the water. My kids enjoyed the water and spent some time making sand castles. It's not a huge beach but it's very spacious and a number of people were there. Several people brought their dogs to the beach as well. There was a volleyball court set up although I didn't see anyone playing on it while we were there. I overheard some people mentioning that they saw turtles in the water although I didn't see any myself. We've been there twice already with the kiddos and are preparing to head over there again.

Lynette H.

What a great beach! Super family-friendly and just beautiful. My family and I had a great time here. There's not a ton of shade but it seems like most people know that. While we were there the water is perfect. Not to choppy or strong. There is a small parking lot closer to the Main Street but I also noticed a lot of people parking on the side street just near the staircase going down.l to the sand. The tide pools just north of the beach are awesome. Picturesque! We also saw a turtle nearby.