Well, if you're looking for a secluded beach, with lots of scenery and a somewhat black sand look,…read morein Maui... Look farther! The water was warm and beautiful, however, we were here in between two hurricanes... So, there were some pretty good size swells! But talk about having paradise all to yourself, this is it! It was only a few miles from the airport or the port... And only a $15 Uber ride to get here. Highly recommended if it's what you're looking for, no crowds or people to bug you. And very scenic!

Lovely, somewhat narrow beach with adjacent grassy park, next to the Waiehu municipal golf course…read moreand the Waihe'e Coastal Dunes and Wetlands Refuge. Great views but not really good for swimming, more suited to walking. Not typically super crowded.

Our favorite beach in Maui! The place is awesome-- white sand beach, good spots for kids to play,…read morealongside are residential cottages and hotels, trails. Every visit this place is a must. What I love is when the rain doesn't discourage people from staying and playing with the warm water. Parking can definitely be a challenge but in one of the residential buildings, there is a small hidden parking for beach goers.

Another great beach in the Lahaina area…read more Views of Lanai and Molokai are dope. The sand is soft and the swells are prob 5-8ft...surf it It's not packed with people...chill, like a lot of other beaches here Aloha.

We love this beach mainly because it's convenient for our morning and sunset beach walks…read more This beach is very popular most mornings because the water is very calm. Several canoe clubs paddle and SUP boards are here everyday. There are parking spots available right at the beach. There is a nice grassy area (not all that big but nice), showers and a public restroom. I only gave it 4 stars because the water isn't very clear. No one would ever snorkel here. People do swim here but I prefer other beaches for that.

Awesome beach to watch the sunset! Honestly, this was one of my favorite views in my entire life…read more The hues in the sky were like a perfect painting and I loved seeing the white windmills in the green hills. The beach was nearly empty and the waves were relaxing. I didn't see a lot of people swimming but the water seemed gentle. Parking can be difficult because there is only street parking. Btw there's an Ululani's about 1/2 mile north from this beach. I recommend stopping by if you're in the area!

Lovely and quaint small beach. Parking is truly hit or miss but usually it's hard to find around…read morehere. This beach is so intimate in the best way. Walking here is beautiful as well with the views but you do walk by Mama's Fish House. Mama's fish house is beautiful in my opinion but just note you have that technically right behind you / the beach. Can get windy here so not always best spot to bring umbrella.

This beach is small and intimate and not exactly the best spot to go and have a swim, BUT it's a…read moregreat beach for the little ones. Because of the reef that protects the little cove from the north shore swell, the water is calm and eases onto the shore gently. The sand isn't like the fine white sand you find at most other beaches, but more of the bigger, stickier variety. Many shells and corals also line the shore. Take a walk and you'll get a good exfoliation ;) On our last visit a few turtles were out, resting on the shore. I watched in dismay as many people decided to sit/lay within close distance to them or walk closer to get a better look/photo. Please DO NOT go near the turtles. I get it, I still get happy when I see them out and about, but please leave them alone. They have a sign posted on a beach just for that reason. Aside from that, this beach is a nice, convenient spot to hangout and chill for a bit with our little guy where we can have peace of mind knowing a crazy wave won't come and pull him into the water. There are parking stalls available at the entrance of Mama's Fish House. Prepandemic, the stalls would often fill up easily. At the moment, parking should be easier to find. Just a note that there are many, many guests of the restaurant that stop by this beach as they wait to be seated. It got busier as we got closer to sunset hours. One person even tried to climb the coconut tree that was near us and fell down, almost hitting my husband. We started to feel a little unsafe as the crowds grew and many weren't wearing their mask so, we hele'd on out of there as a precaution. Enjoy & stay safe.

Great little beach near Paia, where you can get some sun and see some surfers. Great for relaxing,…read morenot as nice for swimming because of the currents. I came mid-morning and had a nice space to myself, but by 1130am or so, there were some noisier tourists taking over parts of the beach. I'd recommend coming early to enjoy the serene environment. Plus, the parking lot isn't huge, so best to beat the rush. I didn't see turtles during my visit, but apparently they're known to show up around this part of the shore.

Great beach to catch sighting of seat turtles! We came late in the afternoon and saw a dozen…read morelounging on the shore and got to watch a couple others swimming around in the waves. The waves were a bit rough so wouldn't recommend having little ones be in the water freely. The beach itself is nice, though kinda small/short. It wasn't crowded at all when we went. It does seem to be a dog friendly beach so we got to be entertained by some cute fur babies playing fetch in the ocean and running around with one another. There is parking but probably wouldn't hold more than 20 cars. We had friends go in the morning and said parking was a nightmare but we had no issues in the afternoon. Definitely recommend making this a beach stop on your trip.

My family (wife and two girls ages 5 & 7) visited this beach while we vacationed in Lahaina for…read morethe holidays. It's a very long beach where there are a lot of resort properties (Westin. Marriott, Ritz, Hyatt). If you are staying at one of these properties you have direct and easy access. We were not and we drove there. We parked by the beach access point near the Hyatt and parking is very limited. This was during covid times so limited parking was not an issue though I would expect that during normal times it would be. Due to the beach erosion We had to walk a few hundred feet to get to a point where there was significant beach area we could set up our chairs. But that area was close to a group of resorts and there were lots of people there. Note that this would not be an issue during normal times but we were trying to maintain social distance. The beach was amazing and the view was spectacular. When we took a break from the water we walked down the beachwalk to Whalers Village which is an outdoor mall with high end shops and restaurants. We got the girls a treat from a gelato shop and returned for more fun in the water. We stayed until the evening and watched the most amazing sunset. Though we did enjoy ourselves we preferred Kahekili Beach Park because it was much less crowded and did not have the erosion issue.

I agree with Maryanne that if you just so happen to be staying at a resort on or near the…read morebeach...great...if not...kind of a pain to park. With that being said...I stayed at the Sheraton so I was pretty much ON this beach! lol There are fantastic little blue bungalows out on the sand that you can rent...or you can rent a couple of beach chairs and an umbrella if you so desire. I SWORE by my cabana, it sheltered me from the blistering sun...a girl can only take so many rays in a day people! The snorkeling here is FANTASTIC for being a resort beach...the sand is only kicked up right where the surf pounds the shore, other than that...clear as a bell. In one day alone we saw a turtle, a reef shark, a barracuda, a sea snake and a gazillion fishies. Yes, I was a tad traumatized by the barracuda (even tho it was a baby) after my man told me that they like shiny objects and to keep my hands close. Uh, well, my bathing suit had a shiny belt piece to it so I swam in a panic holding my hands over my crotch in an effort not to be noticed by said barracuda baby. lol Anyway...you can swim around Black Rock but it gets a tad choppy and kind of deep...so we stuck to the curve and to the Sheraton side of the rocks. AT sunset you can see the cliff diver jump off the rocks and back into the sea...quite pretty. All in all...great beach to chill at with your pina colada...not a beach to go to if you're trying to escape the hi-rises and people...

This is actually the walk through to Honolua Bay, a private protected environment, where there is…read moreexcellent snorkelling for all the family (Take floaties for those unable to swim far) with turtles, lots of fish including some bigger types, the odd reef shark and barracuda, beautiful coral heads, moray eels and a bait ball usually further out in the middle of the bay. Just make sure snorkeling conditions are good, it turns into a surf beach over winter. Sign up for the Maui Snorkel Report so you receive a daily email with conditions; https://thesnorkelstore.com/maui-snorkeling-conditions-reports/ Make sure you read the signs and follow their requests, reef safe sunscreen only, no chasing chickens, no annoying the reef life or touching coral, use the porta potty, and don't go off into the trees as there are graves there from a tsunami and it is taboo. Also park front end into the main parking area so you can fit more cars in. Take photos of the flora and fauna without disturbing it (look for mushrooms on the fallen logs, flowers in the canopy, chickens roosting in the trees, and butterflies), and take some cash to donate in the box at the end to the owner who keeps this amazing piece of nature open to the public. Respect it and keep it pristine for all to enjoy.

Magical place! Wouldn't recommend going here to spend the day in the water but it does make a short…read morebeautiful hike on private land. There are portapotties at the entrance. Be respectful of the land and leave the chickens alone. We had planned to snorkel but it's all rocks from land to water and the weather wasn't super sunny and the water was not clear. It's known to be a great spot to snorkel on clear days but not a family friendly spot to hang out and go swimming if you have kids.

Oh Maui, how I miss you!…read more A lot of the destruction from the Lahaina wildfires of 2023 is still present. It is so saddening and heartbreaking to see but we can also clearly see how strong the people of Maui are. They have cleared most of the debris and are on the way to rebuild. A lot of new foundation can be seen. If you're considering a trip to Maui, do it! There is so much beauty still to see and activities to do. You would also be helping Maui and its resilient people, as their economics heavily rely on tourism. Before Maui, the only other Hawaiian Island I have ever visited was Oahu. I loved Oahu, but I stayed in a super tourist-y hot spot and I felt as though I brought the concrete jungle with me. It was also enjoyable and usually the type of vacation I book. I expected this of Maui but boy, was I wrong. Maui introduced me to a slower pace, as cliché as it may sound, to really take the time to stop and smell the flowers, Hibiscus to be exact. Maui gives off small country town vibes, no high rises, no traffic and everyone just moves at a more lax speed. In fact, it is known for residential homes to be built "no higher than a palm tree" and hotels/non-residential buildings have height regulations. This is done to preserve the small town feel and scenic view planes. Talking about scenic, it begins as soon as you're off the plane. I got emotional many a times because of how gorgeous Maui is. My thoughts were in between disbelief of how unreal the nature around me was and how grateful I was to be standing there as a witness. I suggest getting out to walk at sunrise at least once, and watch the sunsets every evening. They are the most amazing I have EVER seen. Be prepared to see chickens and sea turtles EVERYWHERE. Every local that I interacted with? the most friendly, helpful and Hawaii proud. Always eager to share culture and stories. I love them. Notable Mentions: Nohonani Condos: Oceanfront condos with ocean facing lanais. A quiet pool area and private beach. Super easy parking. Favorite Beach: Baby Beach - Lahaina, soft waves and shallow waters.I stopped here 4 out if the 6 days I had in Maui. Favorite Poké: Foodland Grocery, grab poké of choice from the poké counter and a bag of Have'A Corn chips. A meal for champions. Favorite Restaurant: Hula Grill at Whalers Village, I still dream of the Crab Topped Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi and the Hula Pie. Favorite Tour: Road to Hana with Aloha Eco Adventures, If you get Shelly as your tour guide, JACKPOT. I did dock a star because unfortunately, the food scene in Maui is a little lack thereof. It is a whole lot of barbecue, and fusion, I was experiencing the same tastes quite a bit. There's a chance I need to explore more, but I didn't find a meal that wowed me until my last 24 hours, Foodland and Hula Grill! Slight downfall here, but everything else makes up for it, I promise. Maui pretty much shuts off at 10pm, the bars are literally done at 10pm. There is no night life, which forced me into rest. I didn't realize it but it was exactly what I needed. I came back rested, recharged and refreshed. If you're in need of a vacation that involves quiet time, R&R and a mental break, the answer is Maui. On day two of my trip, I knew in my heart that I would be coming back to Maui in the future. I never understood the people that would travel to the same place year after year, I do now. Completely. I would do Maui over and over again. Until then, I'll be listening to Josh Tatofi's version of "Have you ever seen the rain" and daydream. Maui is truly the best - "Maui nō ka 'oi".

Maui has 160,000 full-time residents, and 2-3 million visitors per year. Weather is temperate at…read morearound 80F of sunshine year round. Yet, there are microclimates to visit where it can be hot and sunny virtually everyday in Lahaina, as low as 45F at night in Haleakala Crater, or a sprinkling of "ulalena" rain every morning in Waianapanapa. North Tradewinds bring breezes similarly to natural air conditioning from Alaska. Ecologies and vistas greatly vary between a Central Valley isthmus straddling dormant volcanic ranges of verdant 6000ft West Maui Mountains and an arid 10000ft Haleakala National Park. It's a very fragile island and long time kama'aina raised here and kapuna elders are rightfully protective of this space. Several Polynesian and Asian cultures co-exist and prosper with all. We welcome and recognize visitors to share their stories as well. Those who feel a magnetic transition to stay only need to be aware of the appreciation to existing Hawaiian cultures, customs and respect of the land. If you can find a living space, sacrifice Trader Joe's, Dim Sum and In & Out Burger or tolerate 5 hour flights to the mainland, you just might make it to raise a kid, walk a dog and enjoy a sunset at the beach.