Maui beaches by coast
Maui's beaches sit on four coasts. West Maui has Kāʻanapali and the bays to the north. South Maui is the dry, sunny side with Kīhei, Wailea and Mākena. The North Shore runs east from Kahului past Pāʻia, and East Maui starts at Hāna. Each coast has its own conditions, so the list below is sorted by coast, not by rank.
The entries give location, lifeguard situation and the fees that are published. Many of the best-known beaches have no lifeguard tower at all, which matters more than the color of the sand.
The 10 beaches compared
Lifeguard towers follow the Maui County Ocean Safety list. Fees apply to visitors without a Hawaiʻi ID, as of October 2026.
| # | Beach | Coast | County lifeguard tower | Fees and reservations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kāʻanapali Beach | West | No, nearest at Hanakaʻōʻō | Parking about $2 per 30 minutes |
| 2 | Hanakaʻōʻō (Canoe Beach) | West | Yes | – |
| 3 | Nāpili Bay | West | No | – |
| 4 | Kamaole Beach Park III | South | Yes | – |
| 5 | Wailea Beach | South | No | – |
| 6 | Oneloa (Big Beach), Mākena | South | No | $5 per person, $10 per vehicle |
| 7 | Hoʻokipa Beach Park | North Shore | Yes | – |
| 8 | H. A. Baldwin Beach Park | North Shore | Yes | – |
| 9 | Hāna Bay | East | Certain days only | – |
| 10 | Waiʻānapanapā State Park | East | No | Reservation, $5 per person, $10 per vehicle |
Maui tours and ocean activities
Snorkel cruises, whale watching trips, sunset sails and more around Maui, with live prices and availability.
West Maui: beaches 1 to 3
Long sand and resorts north of Lahaina. Only one tower guards this coast.
1. Kāʻanapali Beach
Three miles (5 km) of sand about 50 minutes from the airport, with Black Rock at the north end. Black Rock has no lifeguard, and the nearest tower is at Hanakaʻōʻō. The Hawaiʻi visitor authority lists parking at about $2 per 30 minutes, so check the posted rate at the lot.
Kāʻanapali guide →2. Hanakaʻōʻō (Canoe Beach)
The County's only lifeguard tower on the west coast, at the north end of Kāʻanapali. It is the guarded option for this stretch, because the resort beaches have no tower of their own and rescues are sent out from County beaches.
3. Nāpili Bay
North of Kāʻanapali, in the resort area that also includes Honokōwai and Kapalua. There is no County tower on this part of the coast, so read the daily ocean report before you go in the water.
South Maui: beaches 4 to 6
The driest coast, with towers at Kamaole and a shorebreak warning at Mākena.
4. Kamaole Beach Park III
In Kīhei. Kamaole I, II and III are the only beaches in South Maui with County lifeguard towers, which makes this the easiest place on the south coast to swim with a guard on duty.
Kīhei and Wailea →5. Wailea Beach
No tower stands at any beach in Wailea, because the shoreline belongs to the resorts. Wailea is also one of the driest parts of the island, at about 15.7 inches (399 mm) of rain a year at the Mākena weather station.
Kīhei and Wailea →6. Oneloa (Big Beach), Mākena
Part of Mākena State Park. The state warns of dangerous shorebreak here. Non-residents pay $5 per person and $10 per vehicle, children up to 3 are free, and you pay at a kiosk or online. Oneloa and nearby Oneuli open at 5 am and close at 7 pm, and from May to July at 7:45 pm. There is no tower.
North Shore and East Maui: beaches 7 to 10
Two guarded parks near Pāʻia, then the long drive to Hāna.
7. Hoʻokipa Beach Park
On the North Shore east of Pāʻia, with a County lifeguard tower. If green sea turtles are resting on the sand, keep at least 10 feet (3 m) away.
8. H. A. Baldwin Beach Park
Also on the North Shore near Pāʻia, and also guarded. Kanaha Beach Park has a tower as well, so this side of the island has more lifeguard coverage than the resort coasts. Pāʻia is the last gas station before Hāna.
9. Hāna Bay
In Hāna town, at the end of the Road to Hāna. A lifeguard is on duty only on certain days. Plan 2 to 4 hours each way for the 52 miles from Kahului, and check the Maui County road closure notices before you set out.
Road to Hāna →10. Waiʻānapanapā State Park
The black sand beach near Hāna needs a timed reservation for every visitor. Non-residents pay $5 per person and $10 per vehicle, and the park is open from 7 am to 6 pm. There is no tower. The park was listed as an exception on the state parks notice in mid-October 2026 after the autumn storms, so confirm its status before you drive out. Reservations for storm closure days are refunded automatically, minus service fees.
Lifeguards, shorebreak and conditions
County lifeguard towers stand at Kamaole I to III in the south, Hanakaʻōʻō in the west, Kanaha, H. A. Baldwin and Hoʻokipa on the North Shore, and Hāna Bay on certain days. From 16 March to 15 September the hours are 8:00 am to 6:45 pm. From 16 September to 15 March they are 7:30 am to 6:15 pm, with longer shifts during big surf.
Press reports based on state data have named Kāʻanapali and Wailea among the places where drownings concentrate, and Maui County had the second highest drowning rate per person in Hawaiʻi from 2019 to 2023. Check hawaiibeachsafety.com and hioceansafety.com on the day. The Central Pacific storm season runs until 30 November, and in September 2026 a storm south of the islands cut power to thousands of homes in West Maui and Upcountry.
Keep 50 feet (15 m) from Hawaiian monk seals, and 150 feet (45 m) if a mother has a pup. The best snorkeling spots are covered in the snorkeling guide, and the weather guide shows which coast is dry in which month.
More on Maui's coasts
Where to base yourself and what else to do on the water.
Kāʻanapali Beach
Black Rock, the resorts and the state of Lahaina in 2026.
Kīhei and Wailea
The dry south coast with the Kamaole beach parks.
Snorkeling in Maui
Molokini, Honolua Bay and Black Rock, with the rules for each.
Where to stay
West, South, Upcountry or Hāna: which area suits your trip.
Maui beaches: frequently asked questions
Which Maui beaches have lifeguards?
The County lists towers at Kamaole I, II and III in Kīhei, Hanakaʻōʻō (Canoe Beach) in West Maui, Kanaha, H. A. Baldwin and Hoʻokipa on the North Shore, and Hāna Bay on certain days. The beaches of Wailea and Kāʻanapali have no tower of their own.
Do you pay to enter Maui beaches?
At the beaches in this guide, fees are published for two state parks. Mākena State Park (Oneloa and Oneuli) charges non-residents $5 per person and $10 per vehicle. Waiʻānapanapā requires a reservation and charges the same amounts. Kāʻanapali parking is listed at about $2 per 30 minutes. Read the signs at other beaches.
Which side of Maui is driest?
The south. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals give about 10.8 inches (275 mm) of rain a year in Kīhei and 15.7 inches (399 mm) at Mākena, against 72.2 inches (1,833 mm) in Hāna.
Is it safe to swim at Mākena?
Mākena has no lifeguard tower, and the state has warned of dangerous shorebreak there. Watch the waves for a few minutes, stay out when they break hard on the sand, and check the ocean report first.
Is Waiʻānapanapā open right now?
The state parks notice of 13 October 2026 listed it as an exception to the reopening of Maui parks after the storms. Look at the state parks website for the current status before you drive to Hāna, and keep a backup plan for the day.