Go to the beach and bring your snorkeling gear: the Kamaole Beaches are all framed by lava outcroppings, and there is colorful reef below. Each has its particular flavor: on some days, Kamaole III seems like Turtle Happy Hour as they munch the algae off the rocks. Kamaole I and II are on and off, but always great to explore.
Kihei is a beach town through and through, and the community’s vibe is all about sun and sand. South Kihei Road parallels the ocean for eight miles and offers easy access to Maui’s famed postcard beaches. They’re even more beautiful in person, with soft golden sand and amazingly calm, clear, warm water.
The Kamaole Beaches (Kamaole I, II, and III) are among Maui’s best. These sister beaches are separated by lava outcroppings, and span about two miles of South Kihei Road. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Most of our condos and homes are located across the street from one of these beaches, and some are ocean front.
Kihei’s most reliable surf break is located near Kalama Park (close to Kamaole I Beach) at “The Cove,” with plenty of rental and lessons options nearby. Stand-up paddle boarding, snorkeling, kayaking, and shoreline whale watching (in the winter season) are popular up and down the south Kihei shoreline. The scenery is amazing, and seeing Maui from the water is a visual treat. Rentals are available near all of these beaches.
Kamaole I is the northernmost of these beaches, Kamaole III, closest to Wailea, is the southernmost.
North Kihei, while generally windier with less water clarity and rockier shorelines, has its charm – and Sugar Beach. It’s Maui’s longest walking beach, with eight miles of soft golden sand, spanning all the way to the harbor community of Maalaea.
Plan your beach and water outings in the mornings. The trade winds often whip up in the afternoon, and the beaches regularly get blown out. Get out by 8 or 9 for your shoreline snorkeling and paddling. We recommend booking at least one boat trip while you’re here, and morning outings are always best.
Beach parking is generally easy, food options abound, and the tone is mellow and laid-back, island style!
Wailea’s beaches are a mix of cabana-dotted, manicured resort beaches (all beaches in Hawaii are public), to hidden, less traveled stretches of sand. Public parking is at more of a premium in Wailea, but there are designated beach parking lots that are nearly invisible to the driving eye. Located just South of Kihei, Wailea’s resort properties are nearly all gated, and many have immediate beach access.
One of South Maui’s wonderful morning options is a walk on the Wailea Beach Path, which weaves above the shoreline between the Andaz and Fairmont Kea Lani resorts. There’s no better way to get a sense of ocean front Wailea, and the path offers direct access to Mokapu, Ulua, Wailea, and Polo Beaches – four beautiful beaches. The path takes you by the incredible new Andaz Resort, Grand Wailea, and the totally renovated Wailea Beach Resort (formerly The Marriott). The coffee kiosk located beach front at the Wailea Beach Resort may have the best view of any coffee kiosk, and their brews rock just as much.
The path is a wonderfully scenic blend of manicured tropical growth, opulent resort living, beach front condo options, and a great mix of local and visiting foot-traffic, some in hurry, some not so much.
Just as Kihei and Wailea beaches have their own tone and vibe, so do the Makena beaches. Drive south past the Wailea resorts, and the landscape changes dramatically. The further south you drive (the road ends seven miles past the Grand Wailea, at La Perouse Bay), the stronger sense you’ll have of old Maui beach life. The timeless shoreline geography contrasts explosive development on both sides of the narrow two-lane asphalt road that meanders past some of the world’s highest-dollar real estate.
You can find every beach indulgence here, from secluded, hidden stretches to mass expanses of sea-lapping sand, to a weekly Sunday drum party that would be a strong “R” if it were a movie. Makena is magical, and even more so on the weekdays than weekends. Snorkel Ahihi Preserve if you get the chance (bring rubber footwear).
