Ka'anapali Beach

Ka'anapali Beach is Maui's most famous stretch of coastline — a 5-kilometre arc of golden sand along the sheltered leeward west coast of Maui that was the first purpose-planned resort destination in all of Hawaii. Developed from a sugarcane field in the 1960s, the beach is backed by a continuous line of major resort hotels and the Whalers Village shopping complex, yet the natural backdrop is genuinely spectacular: golden sand, warm clear Pacific water, the island of Molokai on the horizon, brilliant sunsets, and a dramatic volcanic black rock promontory at the northern end of the beach known as Pu'u Keka'a — Black Rock.

Black Rock is the defining landmark of Ka'anapali — an ancient volcanic cinder cone that juts into the sea at the Sheraton Maui Resort. In Hawaiian tradition, it is a sacred cliff where the souls of the dead leap into the spirit world. Today it is one of the best accessible snorkeling spots in all of Hawaii — the rocky underwater structure creates a vibrant marine habitat with abundant coral, reef fish, and frequent sightings of Hawaiian green sea turtles and Hawaiian spinner dolphins. A nightly torch lighting and cliff diving ceremony at sunset is one of Ka'anapali's signature experiences.

The beach is also prime whale watching territory. Humpback whales spend November through May in the warm waters of the Au'Au Channel between Maui and Molokai, and from the shore at Ka'anapali it is possible to observe them breaching, tail-slapping, and blowing without leaving the beach. Sunrise on the beach, when the early light catches the water and the distant volcanic Molokai, is genuinely among the most beautiful scenes in the Pacific — and the relative quiet at that hour contrasts sharply with the bustling resort activity that characterises mid-morning onward.