Makena Beach

Makena Beach — universally known as "Big Beach" — is one of the finest undeveloped beaches in Hawaii. At 900 metres long and some 30 metres wide at low tide, it is the longest stretch of pristine, unimproved sand on Maui, protected within Makena State Park and kept deliberately free from any beachfront commercial development. The sand is golden-coloured and medium-coarse, the water a deep vivid Pacific blue, and the setting is anchored at the southern end by the 360-foot volcanic Pu'u Ola'i cinder cone — one of the most dramatically beautiful natural landmarks in Hawaii, its sheer red-orange basalt cliffs rising from the edge of the sea.

Makena commands respect. The shore break here can be powerful and deceptive — the waves build steeply from deep water directly onto the sand, creating a shore-breaking action that has injured visitors who misjudged the conditions. In winter and during strong southern swells, the waves can be substantial; in summer and calmer periods the beach is safe for confident swimmers. There are no lifeguards at any point along Big Beach. The rewards for those who manage conditions respectfully are significant: the ocean is extraordinarily clear, sea turtles (honu) are a common sight in the nearshore, and the sheer scale and untouched beauty of the beach is unlike anything else on Maui.

Behind the Pu'u Ola'i cinder cone at the southern end of Big Beach, accessible via a short rocky path over the lava point, lies Little Beach — a clothing-optional beach (the only well-known one in Maui) popular with a free-spirited local community that gathers there for weekly Sunday drum circles at sunset. The legal status of nudity at Little Beach is technically uncertain but it is openly practised and tolerated by park rangers. The snorkeling around the lava point between Big and Little Beach is outstanding — the rocky reef supports a diverse marine community and is more sheltered than the open Big Beach.