Visited alone and explored the area, did not feel comfortable going into the pools as I was the…read moreonly one there. Went back the next day with niece and boyfriend. The steep hike seemed easier but longer and steeper. The pools were teeming with fish and crabs, high tide was about and hour off. Looked around and dove into the deeper of the pools, the water was cool and the salt seemed filtered away. We hung out until the waves started cresting the outer walls. Very beautiful, please be respectful if you go; leave it a better, cleaner place than when you arrived.

We came here to potentially get in the pools, but after reading some of the warnings online and…read moreseeing the pools, which were magnificent, we opted out. We also had our kids with us so that was a game changer. Parking was easy at the trailhead and there weren't a lot of people here. There is a sign at the beginning honoring a man who died here and asking people not to go in the pools. It is about a 5 minute walk to the cliff where you can first see the pools. If you choose to walk down, it is probably another 10 minutes and the terrain isn't too terrible. The pools are indeed right on the ocean, with water from the ocean splashing into them and then pulling back out. It did not too violent when we were there and there were about 10 people swimming and diving into them, so they must be pretty deep. We stood and watched and took in the view for about 15 minutes and then went on our way.

Phoenix was awesome, he was my mom's instructor and funny as flip. unfortunately he was too old for…read moreme, but its okay theres a lot of fish in the sea i just need to look on the other side of the beach or something‍‍ (shouldve got lessons as well)

These guys were amazing and knowledgeable. They make the students feel safe and comfortable on the…read moreboard. I can't say enough of what a great experience my granddaughter had on Kaanapali beach with them

Outstanding! Steve and the team were so perfect - teaching our three (16, 16 and 14 yo) the basics…read moreand all were riding waves confidently in first lesson. So much fun, we booked again same trip. Make sure you connect with Ric for quality pictures, costs extra and totally worth it.

We booked surf lessons via our hotel in advance of our trip. The surf school reached out to us a…read moreday before and told us our afternoon slot was cancelled, but we could be rescheduled to a morning slot, or get a refund. We picked the morning slot, then received instructions to go to mile marker 19 on Lahaina highway and look for a white Tacoma. We had decided to skip the rental car and use Lyft/Uber on this trip, so that was concerning. We were able to instruct the driver about the approximate location. There was a a row of pickup trucks with surfboards near mile marker 19, so we got out and asked around for Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy. Eventually we found the right Tacoma, but I didn't have much confidence we'd found the right spot for a while. My daughter had to have a solo lesson with Kayla due to her age, while my son and I had a semi private lesson with Chad. Our instructors were great, and we were able to stand up with a couple of tries, and a few turns later the instructor had me try a smaller board so I could turn more easily. About 1 1/2 hour into our two hour lessons both my son and felt salt water stinging our knees and lower thighs from chafing against the board, so we ended the lesson early. We were also pretty tired at that point. The surf school gave us long sleeved water shirts, but knee long shorts in the same fabric would have made big difference too. Our instructor told us the chafing is because they use teaching surf boards with a material that has more friction to make it easier to stand on the board, but it also causes more chafing than boards with wax. In the hurry to catch our car ride, we forgot to bring water, but my daughter's instructor very kindly gave us one of her personal water bottles. Thank you Kayla! All in all, we had a great introduction to surfing with a lot of successful attempts to catch waves. Two hours felt long for an intro session. I wish my instructor had told me to paddle a bit more easy out to save strength for catching waves but I also tend to go max all the time until I run out of gas. Above all, I highly recommend wearing at least knee long water shorts to prevent chafing knees and lower thighs. The instructors were amazing. If Royal Hawaiian Surf Academy also were to provide pants and water given the remote location, if say they would stand way up and above the competition.

Don't want to tell anyone about this place but I went snorkeling here on our 2nd day on Maui and it…read morewas a great treat. Saw at least 5-6 turtles just chilling at the surface and some relaxing and eating down below. Shallow cove area and no waves at all, very calm. Only drawback was difficulty getting into the cove without getting hurt when scrambling over the large rocks. Best to wear water shoes or even fins. The bottom of my middle toe got cut but I didn't even realize until I came on shore. Never swam so close to turtle before in their natural habitat! Unless you go on a trip to Turtle Town as part of an excursion to Molokini. This is a hidden gem that no one talks about for good reason. We found parking on the neighborhood streets. Went early around 7:30-8:30am, only 2-3 other groups there swimming in the cove, so NOT crowded. Follow Google maps to locate the "beach access entrance location" which is a tiny alley way accessible only by foot. Good luck and happy sea turtle swimming!

This was open for us!! The BEST snorkeling spot in this area we thought. It was quiet, a few small…read moregroups. We got there at 9am to get a parking spot nearby and loved snorkeling, sitting and just enjoying the view!! Saw easily 20 turtles and lots of fish!

Beautiful, protected bay with reef that has many different fish and sea turtles. There is shade and…read moreplenty of things to see while snorkeling! No need for the big boat tours! Gorgeous spot.

This beach is wonderful but they now charge a whopping $47 to park! It almost costs as much as…read moretheir quick ticket price of $49 ish. Saw a turtle :)

My Kitesurf Instructor Martine, was knowledgeable, patient, and easy to understand. He was able to…read moreaccess my initial experience level, and progressed his instructions according to my abilities. At no time was I uncomfortable with the progression of my lessons, the surroundings of where the lessons took place, or the equipment selected for my instruction. I live on the island of Oahu and went to Maui for my lessons because of the better wind and learning conditions available there. Unfortunately due to poor weather I was unable to complete all my lessons before returning to Oahu. If I should return to Maui for further instruction I would definitely contact Action Sports Maui and request to have Martine as my Kitesurf instructor. -tw

Took a private surf lesson with ASM. Having never surfed before, the instructor Pablo was great and…read morehas a wealth of knowledge. I was up standing within the hour. Highly recommend if you're in Maui!! Mahalo! They even have someone take great action shots.

What an amazing spot! I'd venture so far to say that this was my favorite part of the Road to Hana…read moreexperience. The beach itself is quite secluded; you have to park in a quiet part of town near Hana, then find the trail at the edge of a park, then walk roughly 15 minutes to get to the beach itself. And the trail has quite a few obstacles, so be prepared. The beach itself is so cool, there's a natural rock formation that creates a "pool" for everyone to enjoy. All the benefits of the Pacific without as much concern for safety since the rocks create a barrier. Great for swimming and soaking in the sun, and it's a little quieter (until you see this review?), excellent destination near Hana!

A must-see on the road to Hana, definitely one of our top spots throughout the trip. Since this is…read morein a residential area, please prioritize respect to the locals and don't park your oversized Jeep too obnoxiously. The way down is through crossing the grass field to the left of the Hana School/Youth Center. Do NOT cross private property to get to the beach. The path isn't formally paved and a bit slippery, so I recommend NOT bringing your whole beach getup (chair, umbrella, etc.)-- keep it minimal bc you'll likely need your hands to balance. My bf and I just wore backpacks with our towels in them and were totally fine. The beach itself is incredible; a rich terracotta shore with clear waters, sheltered by the cliff and trees. It feels like escaping into a hidden oasis. We spent an hour swimming and skipping rocks, even playing with tropical fish that chased our feet. Bring a pair of goggles! NOTE: Cliffside pathway to the beach is pretty worn but decently stable. Not accessible by wheelchair. Nothing too dangerous if you've ever hiked on trails like Big Sur before, but would recommend hiking sandals as some parts can be a little crumbly. We watched several beachgoers wearing flip flops or crocs eating shit lol

5/10/26 We were here for a Mother's Day family BBQ. First time at this beach in all the years…read moreI've visited Maui. Never knew it was here and it is indeed a hidden gem. It's located at the end of Hauoli Street at Maalaea Bay and not in Wailuku so if you're GPS is sending you to Wailuku, turn around and head in the other direction. Fortunately, my family knew where the beach was. It's small but cozy beach but you can walk along the sandy coastline all the way down to the boats & ocean center at Maalaea Bay or in the other direction toward Kihei. I read that it is a 3-mile stretch. The beach is pretty sandy and it was very windy the day we went and the waves were decent sized. Several kids were in the water. There is a rock ledge a little bit out so just need to be careful of that. This park has a few picnic tables, outside shower, and a small parking lot for about 10 cars, one of them for ADA access. Come early because the lot fills quickly. We didn't get there until almost 10 but we had the one last spot. Street parking is available. No bathroom facilities but there are 2 porta potties at the entrance to the parking lot. They really weren't bad if you have to go. Toilet paper did not run out (and we were there all day), and it didn't reek like porta pottys normally do. Be sure to bring your hand sanitizer. The beach has no lifeguard on duty. It's also not a very crowded beach. There is a rock ledge to the left of the beach that goes out a bit where people go fishing and there were some that were just shoreline fishing. There are several trees that you can pitch your tent and set up chairs. Once you get set up, you'll enjoy the spectacular view of Haleakala, the south end of Maui where Wailea and Makena beach are, Molokini, Kahoolawe, and boats coming in and out of the bay. A beach where you can totally chill and unwind.

Five miles of lovely beach starts here. No crowds and great for walks mornings or evenings.read more