Kaanapali Beach

05/03/2006 Posted by retroarw77

My hubby and I honeymooned on Kanaapali Beach, and had the most wonderful, restful vacation of our lives! I would recommend this paradise to anyone! Do book a snorkel/snuba boat trip and go swim with the green sea turtles - they are like prehistoric animals, and the bay where you swim is full of such lovely fish! Good mai tais too. :) Also, rent a cd and drive the road to Hana, and take the time to stop at some of the amazing places along the way - the arboretum had some amazing trees to look at! It is so fascinating to go from beach to mountain to rainforest in the course of a couple hours!

08/19/2005 Posted by okie_sooners

My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon in Maui. I do not want to vacation anywhere else. Stay at a hotel on the beach so you don't have to pay for parking. We stayed at the Westin on Kaanapali Beach and it was great. We were just a short walk from Black Rock where I saw hundreds of fish and three sea turtles. It was a short drive (10 min.) to Kapalua where I played golf on the nicest course I have ever seen. I recommend driving the Hana Highway while you are there (rent a Jeep). We were there a week and it wasn't long enough. I'm planning for two weeks or more for my next trip. My wife is already planning a winter vaction there so we can see the whales. I'm planning my retirement there. I only have 40 years to go.

Pros: Excellent Beach, Friendly atmosphere, Many Activities

08/11/2005 Posted by rethal

A nice beach, but not the best sand......I prefer whiter and softer sand.

Pros: Location

Cons: Crowded, Parking, Expensive

08/10/2005 Posted by tesshalcomb

I visited Maui last May. I'm a Kentucky girl who'd never seen the ocean at all until last year. I fell in love immediately. Leilani's on the Beach at Kaanapali was one of my favorite hangouts. It was great to sit outside and hear the ocean while people watching. Their Lava Flow was a decadent treat! There's lots of great shopping at Whaler's Village, also. I stayed at the Kahana Outrigger, which was about 20 minutes away from Kaanapali Beach, but I highly recommend it. Our condo was mere feet from the ocean, was clean and spacious. It was the best sleep I've ever had in my life. Lahaina was fun, and Makena was beautiful (my sister actually got married on that beach), but nothing beat the lazy days of just hanging out on the sand of Kaanapali Beach. The other reviewer was right, though; that sand is HOT!

Pros: Lush Scenery , Welcoming Atmosphere, Ease of Navigation

Cons: Parking, Nightlife (20s crowd)

05/20/2005 Posted by mlouie

I spent a week on Kaanapali beach in February 2002 and there were days we couldn't swim because the waves were too big and dangerous. Also, the water was cold that time of year so I couldn't stay in very long. So it may not be the best choice for a swimming beach in the winter. The whale watching was great, as that's the peak of the whale season. We went on a whale cruise out of Lahaina and the whales swam right under our boat.

05/20/2005 Posted by phidelt205

The beach is very nice with plenty of area to accomodate many tourists, in certain areas. There are also plenty of hotels along the beach. The beach directly in front of the Hyatt resort where I stayed was not very nice, however. You had to go about 1/4 mile down the beach to find a beautiful area. Just off the beach places can be very rocky underneath the water so beware. Big Beach near Makena is much more secluded, 100% better looking and only a 40 min. drive from Kaanapali. Despite all of my negative feelings about Kaanapali, anywhere you go in Maui is sure to be beautiful and I would stay on a hotel on Kaanapali beach if I could go back.

Pros: Clear Water, Good Area, Plenty to do

Cons: Rocky off-shore, Waves not that great

05/20/2005 Posted by nesem

Cape Cod?! What is this? A joke?! I've travelled all over the world and NOWHERE are there beaches like in Hawaii (except Pacific Islands such as Tahiti or Fidji). None of the other beaches on your list are even a close second. Let's face it-- nothing compares to the white, soft sands and the warm, crystal-clear, turquoise waters of a tropical lagoon (Read: Pacific!).

Pros: Miles of sand

Cons: Atlantic coast, cold waters, windy

05/20/2005 Posted by beach_obsessed

i just came back from maui about two weeks ago and i had the most amazing time ever!! anyone who said it was over priced they don't know how to travel well. when you visit the beach it would coast you money to go there but if you eat or shop you have them stamp your ticket and it's free.it is beautyful and not over corowded at all. and if you are looking to take surfing lessons i highly reccomend the royal hawaiian surf academy and if possible go on the weekend and ask for benny. though all of their instroctors are wonderful and are soo nice maui is the best place for a vacation

07/28/2004 Posted by jetaimeadj

Kaanapali Beach is absolutely gorgeous. It was my first time in my life to see an immaculately white sand beach with crystal clear aquamarine water to boot! Beware, though: During the summertime, the sand is burning HOT, so my friends and I ran to the water. The ocean was beautiful as well because we brought our tubes, and we floated on the calm water. It's deceiving as well, though, because it gets DEEP! So don't stray too far now! Overall, I loved this beach--it truly is a natural beauty.

07/22/2004 Posted by gretchenth

We took our family of two 9 year olds and one 8 year old and had the experience of a lifetime. A seaturtle came and swam with us at Black Rock, fantastic snokeling there! We went on a rafting trip to Lanaii with Maui Adventure Cruises and saw a pod of at least 100 spinner dophins. Maui Ocean Center (not in Kaanapali but not far) is the best aquarium we've ever been to. The only thing we were disappointed in was the food (overpriced and very touristy). We stayed at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel which is a pretty good bargain for the area, although definitely low on the luxury end. Some of the resorts there are amazing!

Pros: Wildlife, Beach, Relaxed atmosphere

Cons: , Expensive