As indicated in my previous post, the home base of our recent Maui vacation was the Ka'anapali Beach Club. Ka'anapali is on the northwest coast of the island about 3 miles north of Lahaina (for those familiar with Polynesian mythology and the island's shape, Ka'anapali is at Maui's forehead). Although we observed many beaches on our drive from the airport and while on some extended car ventures to the southern regions of the island, I am confining my comments in this post only to those beaches that we actually visited and found to be family-friendly. All happen to fall within 8 miles of our aforementioned home base. I am by no means proclaiming that these beaches are the best on Maui, but will confidently state that they are well-worth a visit. A couple of quick notes before diving in further:
- I learned quickly that in Hawaii one does not speak of "winds." Instead, one call them "trades." When in Rome...
- Buy foam noodles for any inexperienced snorkelers. Many supermarkets in the area carry them for a couple of bucks each. When looped across the chest and under the armpits they provide ample flotation (but should not be considered as a replacement for a life vest)
- Snorkel gear rental shops on the island all seem to employ bait-and-switch tactics in their ads and fliers. Yes, full snorkel packages can be had for $8-$9 per week but as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for:" Leaky, blurry masks, stumpy snorkels, and blister-inducing fins. It is well worth upgrading to the superior equipment that comes with the $20-$30 per week rental packages. We personally rented from Snorkel Bob's as it was across the street from our hotel. They have a cool 24-hour gear return service to meet any traveler's schedule. We were satisfied with Snorkel Bob's service and quality of gear so can recommend them for rentals
- Red flags on the beaches mean dangerous winds and/or currents
- The snorkeling no-no's: Don't step on the coral, don't feed the fish (even if the conniving rental shop provides food), don't chase or corner turtles, never capture any fish
- Reviews are listed geographically from south to north
- Clicking on the beach name in the heading will show the beach location on Google Maps
Ka'anapali Beach South of Black Rock
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, turn left on Ka'anapali Parkway (about 2 miles north of Lahaina). The main beach access trail is approx. 0.7 miles from the turnoff.
Parking: Challenging. Pay to park at the Sheraton or Westin or try one of the two "super secret" lots with free parking for beach goers. One is a row of spots at the Westin valet lot adjacent to the beach access trail. The other is also adjacent to the beach access trail but on the north side in the the bottom level of a parking garage
Facilities: Bathrooms available courtesy of the nearby resorts
Description: This long stretch of beach paradise primarily serves the resort district patrons (Westin, Sheraton, Hyatt, etc.) but be advised that all beaches in Hawaii are available to all comers despite what some high-end hotels/resorts might state or represent (cough, cough, RitzCarlton, cough). A thin strip of beach with beautiful white sand, clear turquoise waters, gentle surf, and mild trades, this is is an ideal lounging beach for the family. It is rather crowded, though, which is great for people-watching but go elsewhere if seeking solitude. And oh is the people-watching great! We were surrounded by Griswold-esque families with lobster-skinned dads; cell-phone-gabbing mom's; feral kids; and more Cousin Eddie's than you can shake a stick (or snorkel) at. Speaking of snorkels, the jewel of this beach is Black Rock, a rocky headland at the far north end that probably has the most easily accessed, quality snorkeling on Maui (although Kapalua is in the running). Black Rock is also a popular spot for cliff jumping. If you require significant personal space while snorkeling then find another beach. The crowds are well worth it, though, as the sea life you will see here is surprisingly diverse and plentiful. Rumor is that the local resorts clandestinely spread food to attract the sea life. This feeding appears to be a common albeit frowned-upon practice. By the way, if "sea turtle" is on your snorkeling bucket list, you are almost guaranteed to see one at Black Rock. A tight cluster of 5 or more snorkels is your best turtle-sighting indicator.
North Ka'anapali Beach
Directions: From north Hwy 30, turn left onto Lower Honoapiilani Road. Take first left onto Kai Malina Parkway/ Hanoapiilani Park Access Rd and stay to the right. An overflow lot will be immediately on the right or drive to the end of the access road where there is usually ample parking near the turnaround
Parking: Plentiful.
Facilities: Restrooms/showers available courtesy of the many beach-side resorts in this area
Description: This thin sliver of a beach offered no real perks over the other listed beaches and is not really a "destination" beach like the others I list in this post. I only include it as I did spend ample time here since its north end is right in front of the Ka'anapali Beach Club where we stayed. This beach is less crowded and "touristy" than south of Black Rock. The surf is weak but the trades can whip up the waves considerably and the currents can be a bit strong for weaker swimmers. Red Flag postings were commonplace during our stay. Surprisingly, there was worthwhile snorkeling along some resort-planted buoys right in front of the Beach Club though this snorkeling was not in the same league as our experiences at the other destination snorkeling beaches in this listing. Also worth mention is an inland boardwalk that parallels the beach between Black Rock (to the south) and Honokowai (to the north). At between 1 and 2 miles long, it is ideal for a pleasant and scenic out-and-back walk or an early morning run.
Kapalua Bay Beach
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, turn left on Napilihau St. Turn Rt on Lower Honoapiilani Rd. Drive about 1 mi and turn Left at the "Merriman Kapalua" sign
Parking: Large lot but fills up fast. Get here early. Street parking is available as well.
Facilities: Bathrooms/showers available adjacent to parking lot
Description: This horseshoe-shaped bay between Napili Bay and Namalu Bay cradles the ideal beach for learning to snorkel: Kapalua Bay Beach. For those with water issues or young kids who are hesitant to venture into the ocean, this is the beach to visit! Unlike Honolua Bay (see below) with its rocky shores and sometimes murky shallows, donning snorkel gear while wading in the shallows is a snap. The fish are plentiful throughout the bay but are mostly concentrated at the outer edges. Odds of experiencing an encounter with a sea turtle wandering through the shallows are decent. Tropical fish can be seen by just wading out and dipping one's mask into the clear water. No swimming required! Our kids also enjoyed a seemingly-daring, but actually safe foray out onto the rocky shore at the north end of the horseshoe where they found many tidal pools to explore.
DT Fleming Beach
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, drive 1 mile past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road) and take a left onto Lower Honoapiilani Road
Parking: Plentiful. Multiple lots.
Facilities: Bathrooms available adjacent to parking lot
Description: DT Fleming Beach (or DT Flemering Beach as my kids preferred to call it, not sure why) is probably the perfect beach for kids and adults wanting to learn to body surf and boogie board. Waves crest near the shore so rides are short but the shallow water is ideal for learning the timing and technique needed to catch a wave. "Beach cleaner!" became the oft-exclaimed tagline for our visits to this beach since, at seemingly regular intervals, a particularly large wave would crest, break, and "clean" the beach of any towels, toys, or mothers-in-law set too close to the ocean's edge. Most of the beaches north of Black Rock can get rather windy and DT Fleming was no exception so contact-wearers beware. The beach, itself, is very deep and long so there's plenty of space to stretch out. Kids averse to playing in the surf will still enjoy themselves here since the beach offers a plethora of drift wood ideal for building forts and shelters. Safe rocky crags and caves at the south end are also available for youngsters to climb and explore. Note that this beach is definitely NOT for standup surfing due to the late wave break and shallow water.
Mokule'ia Bay Beach AKA "Slaughterhouse"
Directions: On the shoulder of Hwy 30 about 1.6 miles miles past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road)
Parking: Tight. Parking on the highway shoulder is provided, but be careful as the highway is windy here and the room to maneuver young ones past the unpredictable traffic is limited. Access to the beach is via a long staircase.
Facilities: None. Yes, none.
Description: This beach truly feels "local." It is sheltered by a wide cove and has surf that appeals to the intermediate body surfer/boogie boarder, but is mild enough for beginners, too. The early break of the waves is conducive to long, satisfying rides. After tapering out of a particularly exhilarating body-surf wave, I popped up and took a quick look around at others who had caught the same wave. Every one of them, from my 10-year old son to a middle-aged Aussie vacationer to an elderly gentleman, were grinning ear-to-ear. These were definitely the funnest waves of this trip. Do keep your eyes open for rocks, though, as a few of these stragglers in the shallows may supply you with a bloody knee if disregarded. The ominous "Slaughterhouse" moniker comes not from the effect of these stray rocks but rather from a long-since closed slaughterhouse on a nearby ranch. I did see some snorkelers at the outer edges of the bay, but this is definitely a body-surfing/boogie-boarding beach first. One final point of note: We saw many more bright, tropical birds here than at any other beaches we visited.
Honolua Bay Beach
Directions: Trail head is inside of a Hwy 30 switchback about 2.3 miles past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road)
Parking: Ample roadside parking in the inside of and just to the south of the Hwy 30 switchback
Facilities: Honey Buckets at the trail head but that's it
This is an off-the-beaten-path snorkeling beach about 20-30 minutes north of Lahaina. The 10-minute hike to the beach is via a winding trail through quiet, lush jungle. Fans of the TV series Lost will be wondering if they'll run into Sawyer or Kate around the next bend. The confines of this bay are good for snorkeling only so the surf- and boogie board should be left in the car (with the exception of the uber-experienced surfer...turns out that the northern outer fringe of Honolua Bay is actually a famous surf spot boasting what some say is THE perfect surfing wave in Hawaii. After our visit to the beach, we drove north to an overlook where we watched the surfers catch these amazing waves. The rides were impressively long). As a sign near the trail head warns, come back another day if the trades and/ or surf is particularly high, not because of dangerous conditions (the beach is well-sheltered) but rather that the water would then be murky enough to make it not worth one's time. This is a rocky beach so plan to keep sandals on until in the water. It is also rather difficult, especially for little ones and beginners, to put on snorkel gear and enter the water due to murkiness, uneven surfaces in the shallows, and the constant push-pull of the small waves. Fish are most plentiful at the outer edges of this bay, but I found that the right (north) edge was the best snorkeling experience as it had more elaborate and plentiful coral formations. This side is where the the commercial catamaran snorkeling charters will often bring their customers.
That's all for now. Feel free to drop me a line if you'd like more info.
...and stay tuned for my next post in which I plan to review the Lahaina/Ka'anapali-area restaurants that we visited...
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