Kapalua Bay Beach

Beach · Kapalua

Kapalua Bay Beach

Beach · Kapalua

Kapalua, HI 96761

Highlights

Kapalua Bay is a gorgeous, family-friendly cove known for its calm waters and fantastic snorkeling, where you might just spot some sea turtles.

Kapalua, HI 96761 Get directions

@travelleisure

"Kapalua Bay Beach on Maui is recognized as one of the best beaches in the world, receiving the No. 40 spot on the list." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeare

This U.S. Beach Was Named Best in the Nation for Its Turquoise Waters and Sunrise Views

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@cntraveler

"Kapalua Beach is public, as are all Hawaiian beaches, although this one is mostly used by local guests and visitors. It’s small, and its great snorkeling makes it a perfect spot for families. (You can rent snorkel gear and paddle boards from a small shack at the end.) The historic Cliff House, built in 1940, is now part of the luxurious Montage resort. But just beyond that, are some some cliffs that are perfect for, you know, cliff-jumping. It's common to see people making a splash here; there’s even a ladder and handrails to pull yourself out of the water and back onto the rocks." - Juliana Shallcross

14 Fun Things to Do in Maui With Kids | Condé Nast Traveler

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@cntraveler

"Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here? Kapalua Bay is a serene little cove just north of Lahaina. The beach here is public, as are all Hawaiian beaches, although this one is mostly used by local guests and visitors. It’s small, and its great snorkeling makes it a perfect spot for families. Fun! Any standout features or must-sees? The historic Cliff House, built in 1940, is now part of the luxurious Montage resort. But just beyond that, are some some cliffs that are perfect for, well, cliff-jumping. It's common to see people making a splash here; there’s even a ladder and handrails to pull yourself out of the water and back onto the rocks after your jump. Got it. Was it easy to get around? The Kapalua Coastal trail, which runs along this beach, is easy to access from the main road. That sounds cool. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for? The beach is free; you can rent snorkel gear and paddle boards from a small shack at the end. It’s a small and manageable spot to take the kids swimming and snorkeling. If you want more action and bigger waves, look elsewhere." - Juliana Shallcross

Kapalua Bay Beach, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, United States – Beach Review | Condé Nast Traveler

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Mr. No Tengo Dinero

Google

Beautiful beach 🏝️ which is accessible from the walking path all along the resorts! If the weather was nice, this path way is awesome as well as those beach spots are just amazing!! For swimming, snorkeling, chilling or sunbathing! All are good in this beach! Highly recommended! ;) Cheers 🥂

G Lee

Google

Great mellow beach! Beautiful sand. Semi secluded alcove type shape. Turtles!! Lots of fish to see whilst snorkeling. And if you do it right you can find a shady spot on the north end (which by the way is where we saw the turtles). They have paddle board rentals and outdoor shower to clean off the sea water. Very easy to walk to from the parking lot. Here’s the thing… if you don’t come super early, it’s quite difficult to find parking in the lot. We ended up parking a block or so south of the beach lot on the main drag.

Jerry Ham

Google

Wonderful place to snorkel right off the beach or just lay on the beach. It does get very crowded and you will most likely have to park out on the street. We went on two days - got there at 7:30 AM and there was parking available and nobody on the beach. Got there at 11:30 AM and there was no parking and had to walk 3/4 of a mile. But definitely a nice place to snorkel. Even with the crowd, you may see sea turtles swim by and so many fish to see on the reef. Good public restroom as well.

Emma Langford

Google

Lovely beach for snorkeling for beginners. The coral and rock is easy to access from the shore and you don’t have to swim out very far. It was very windy when we went but the waters were still pretty calm. There are public bathrooms and a place to wash off your feet near the parking lot. Parking is very limited. You’ll have the best luck street parking and walking the short distance in. Remember to bring mineral sunscreen to protect the coral!

Anthony Gomez

Google

Super nice beach not too big though and there’s a lot of sharp coral reefs so definitely recommend water shoes or not go too far out because there’s a lot of coral here but perfect for snorkeling so other than that this is really cool really nice and the ways aren’t too bad either

Ben

Google

Snorkeling is great here. Beach is small and often crowded. So not much to do other than snorkel or lay in the sun. Sunsets are beautiful here.

Jenny McClure

Google

Between this and Napili bay, we loved this one more but both are perfect! Soft, sandy beaches, gentle waves and great snorkeling. You can also walk up to the Montage to grab a drink and bring it to the beach. They have gear rental spot on the beach too for paddle boards and such. Easy parking on the street if the 40 beach access spots are taken.

Pavel Navitski (Paul)

Google

A popular place to see turtles in the water near the reefs. The turtles are active near the reefs in the middle of the day.