Ka'anapali Beach on the Island of Maui is a very popular and many times, crowded stretch of sand. Just up the coast from Lahina, Ka'anapali Beach is easily the new Waikiki Beach of Hawaii. The hotels sit right on the sand and run for miles up the beach line - any simple Internet search on Maui hotels will bring up numerous choices, along with time shares, private owner vacation rentals - the choices range from ultra lux to cheap digs.
The views off shore are incredible - the water quickly gets to a deep blue, as the depth of the water drops fast and in the distance the Island of Lanai is just beautiful. Inland from Ka'anapali Beach, the pineapple fields run up to the mountains in a quilt pattern of various hues of green. By and large this is a safe destination for families or those not looking for a high energy Hawaiian vacation - there are plenty of pools, choices of hotels, restaurant, golfing, spas, etc.
The good and the bad of Ka'anapali Beach is the sand. The texture is wonderful and it is a pleasant color, but there is not much of it. At times the beach can seem downright narrow, especially with all the tourists during the peak travel times. Since the beach runs a long ways up the coast, you would think you could find a nice place to hang out, but there is so much hotel, restaurant and shopping development, that a lonely spot is tough to come by.
The one spot that we were able to find was at Black Rock, which is the lava outcropping at the northern end of the beach. Sheraton has a huge, sprawling complex right at the sand, but it is the last of the hotels on Ka'anapali Beach and a bit of a walk for many of the tourists to get up to this location. At this position, the beach is just a bit wider and can accommodate more folks.
The beauty of Black Rock is what the lava creates - safe waves and a mini aquarium. Since the lava juts out into the Pacific with a bit of a hook to it, it creates a natural shelter from the surf and any currents. When I first went into the water, with a local buddy, we were just 'whomping' in the smaller shore pound waves - these sets had some strength to them, but nothing compared to the pounding 100 yards south on the shore. The blocked swells were just right to body surf up to the sand and then slide right back with the returning water!
When we got our fill of the waves, we grabbed a couple of masks and swam out about 10 yards past the shore break - I was at first curious about what we were going to see, because I thought the wave action and force of the water would push everything out - but was I wrong. When we got under the water, the amount of fish and undersea activity was amazing - probably magnified because I was not expecting not much. There were fish everywhere, of every size and color imaginable! The natural shape of the lava had created a perfect shelter for all the fish to call this spot home and were to be seen from the wave line, all the way up to the lava at the ocean - Just amazing.
If you are avoiding the touristy stuff, which we tend to do, then Ka'anapali Beach on Maui should not be one of your destinations. But, if you do like your vacation to be a destination with no surprises and want to see something other than tourists on the beach, head north to the big Black Rock at the north end of Ka'anapali Beach!
The views off shore are incredible - the water quickly gets to a deep blue, as the depth of the water drops fast and in the distance the Island of Lanai is just beautiful. Inland from Ka'anapali Beach, the pineapple fields run up to the mountains in a quilt pattern of various hues of green. By and large this is a safe destination for families or those not looking for a high energy Hawaiian vacation - there are plenty of pools, choices of hotels, restaurant, golfing, spas, etc.
The good and the bad of Ka'anapali Beach is the sand. The texture is wonderful and it is a pleasant color, but there is not much of it. At times the beach can seem downright narrow, especially with all the tourists during the peak travel times. Since the beach runs a long ways up the coast, you would think you could find a nice place to hang out, but there is so much hotel, restaurant and shopping development, that a lonely spot is tough to come by.
The one spot that we were able to find was at Black Rock, which is the lava outcropping at the northern end of the beach. Sheraton has a huge, sprawling complex right at the sand, but it is the last of the hotels on Ka'anapali Beach and a bit of a walk for many of the tourists to get up to this location. At this position, the beach is just a bit wider and can accommodate more folks.
The beauty of Black Rock is what the lava creates - safe waves and a mini aquarium. Since the lava juts out into the Pacific with a bit of a hook to it, it creates a natural shelter from the surf and any currents. When I first went into the water, with a local buddy, we were just 'whomping' in the smaller shore pound waves - these sets had some strength to them, but nothing compared to the pounding 100 yards south on the shore. The blocked swells were just right to body surf up to the sand and then slide right back with the returning water!
When we got our fill of the waves, we grabbed a couple of masks and swam out about 10 yards past the shore break - I was at first curious about what we were going to see, because I thought the wave action and force of the water would push everything out - but was I wrong. When we got under the water, the amount of fish and undersea activity was amazing - probably magnified because I was not expecting not much. There were fish everywhere, of every size and color imaginable! The natural shape of the lava had created a perfect shelter for all the fish to call this spot home and were to be seen from the wave line, all the way up to the lava at the ocean - Just amazing.
If you are avoiding the touristy stuff, which we tend to do, then Ka'anapali Beach on Maui should not be one of your destinations. But, if you do like your vacation to be a destination with no surprises and want to see something other than tourists on the beach, head north to the big Black Rock at the north end of Ka'anapali Beach!
