When people dream of visiting Hawaii, I think it is safe to assume that the thing they dream mostly of is lounging endlessly on the beach and playing in our warm waters. I know the first thing I would be researching would be what the best beaches on Maui are!

I have traveled to some gorgeous places in the world but nothing compares to the beauty of Maui! Below is my personal list of beaches, in no particular order, that I take friends from out-of-town to when they visit me on the islands. I even threw in my all time favorite beach I am not going to tell you which one it is though You will have to visit them all and try to guess!

North Shore

1. Ho’okipa Beach

Ho’okipa is one of the world’s most famous windsurfing destinations. I suggest visiting Pa’ia to pick up a picnic to bring along to eat while enjoying the view.

East Shore

2. Hamoa Beach

The next beach is one I sadly don’t visit enough! Hamoa is located near the town of Hana and is one of my favorite spots on the entire island. Dr. Beach even named it number 5 in his “Top 10 List of America’s Best Beaches.” Sadly most tourist do the drive to Hana and back in one day. One of my biggest tips on how to best enjoy Maui is to spend at least one night in Hana. You can’t really appreciate this towns quaint charm when you just fly by it one afternoon. So spend the night in a treehouse and wake up early buy some fresh fruit from one of the local farms and spend the day at Hamoa!

South Shore

3. Po’olenalena Beach

Same places are just so picturesque that when you visit them you sometimes feel like you are in a reality show. Po’olenalena Beach (aka Secret Beach) is one of those places. At sunset this beach is swarmed with couples taking their wedding photos. Maybe it is just me and the fact that I was raised in Hawaii but I don’t see the appeal of dragging my white wedding dress through the sand but hey if gorgeous beach wedding photos are what you are after than join the masses at sunset and get yours. Otherwise do like me and come late morning before the crowds come walk to the end cove and get your tan lines erased if you catch my drift.

4. Keawakapu Beach

Keawakapu is a long beach that runs from the end of Kihei town to the start of Wailea. The middle section is commonly referred to as ‘sidewalks’ by the locals. I personally prefer the Wailea side of the beach. The water is usually calm there which makes it a great swimming beach for the keiki (children). It is also a great beach to run on as it is very long and flat.

5. Makena Beach

If there is one beach in Maui that fits the ideal fantasy beach it would be Makena. This beach is 2/3 of a mile long which enables you to always find a piece of it to call your own. One word of cation I must tell you because I care about you is, “If the waves are big please enter with extra caution!” Even us locals stay out of those waves when they are firing, the waves might not seem to big but the shorebreak is strong and will throw you onto dr sand if you aren’t careful. Don’t let this scare you the water is more often than not calm and beautiful. Makena Beach Park has two parts the parking lots are attached to what is referred to as Big Beach. At the north end of the beach is a cliff that can be easily climbed to find Little Beach which is the islands only practically official nude beach.

West Shore

6. Honolua Bay

While Honolua Bay is known for its surf when it is calm it is a great place to snorkel. The area is part of the Mokule’ia Bays Marine Conservation District so while this beach doesn’t have the best sand to lounge in it is a great beach to visit when you are craving some ocean activities.

7. Napili Bay

The final beach on this list in a little beach that is surrounded by condos. It is probably the most crowded of the bunch but I wanted to include it because I do think it is still beautiful and if you can catch it in the slow season it is really a great place to spend the day. There is great snorkeling and lots of amenities so if you are traveling with a family this might be a good choice for you.

Do you have a favorite beach on Maui that I didn’t include? If so please plead its case in the comment section below!

This post is brought to you by my new site MissMauiAli.com. This is a new project I am working on that will be mainly a destination guide of the island of Hawaii. I will be reviewing activites, dining and entertainment options on the island. Additionally I will be revealing all my local insider tips on how to enjoy the island on a budget and well as tips on some of my favorite secrets spots to really get away from it all. I hope you enjoy the new site!

Alexandra Pucherelli

Alexandra Pucherelli is a Maui native who is flirting with adventure and shenanigans one country at a time. She is an island Girl, hammock lover, travel writer, gin drinker, lover of cheese, travel photographer, and daydreamer. A full time nomad since April 03, 2011 and is sharing her musings, budget, and frolicking tips with you. She is bad with learning new languages but FLUENT IN FROLICKING