Kanaha Beach Park

Top choice


Well, you can’t judge a beach by its cover. Wedged between downtown Kahului and the airport, and hidden behind a strip of ironwood trees, this mile-long stretch of sand is kitesurf city, with scores of brilliant sails zipping across the waves. Kitesurfers converge at the southwest end, known as Kite Beach, while windsurfers head northeast. A roped-off swimming area lies in between. Facilities include restrooms, showers and shaded picnic tables.

There’s no better place to learn how to ride the wind – or just to watch the action.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Kanaha Pond Bird Sanctuary

1.21 MILES

You wouldn’t expect a wildlife sanctuary to be so close to the main road, but a short walk leaves the traffic behind. This shallow marsh is a haven for…

2. Spreckelsville Beach

2.08 MILES

Extending west from HA Baldwin Beach, this 2-mile stretch of sand is a good walking beach. Its nearshore reef makes it less than ideal for swimming, but…

3. Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum

2.29 MILES

This homespun museum occupies the former residence of the sugar mill’s superintendent. There’s the usual display of industrial machinery, including a…

5. Kahului Harbor

2.43 MILES

Kahului’s large protected harbor is the island’s only deep-water port, so all boat traffic, from cruise ships to cargo vessels, docks here. But it’s not…

6. Schaefer International Gallery

2.57 MILES

This art gallery at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center has a number of exhibitions per year, ranging from native Hawaiian arts to contemporary local artists…

7. Maui Nui Botanical Gardens

3 MILES

For botanophiles interested in native Hawaiian plants, this garden on the grounds of a former zoo has a wealth of knowledge. An excellent new audiotour (…

8. HA Baldwin Beach Park

3.21 MILES

Bodyboarders and bodysurfers take to the waves at this palm-lined county park about a mile west of Paʻia. The wide sandy beach is lovely for sunbathing…