Ka'anapali Beach

kimca
kimca
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
8
Reviews
17
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Kaanapali Beach

  • June 3, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by seo4752 from San Antonio, Texas
Kaanapali Beach is a nice sandy swimming beach. When looking for a place to stay I knew that I wanted to stay at a location on the beach and of course the island is surrounded by water. But not all beaches are swimming beaches. Some areas are rocky with a lot of lava and coral, making it difficult to walk on or swim in. I spent 2 evenings just sitting on the beach and watching the sunset—it was magnificent! I took about a roll of film just on the sunset. You could see two islands in the distance. Truly spectacular sight!

We did visit other beaches but this is the only beach that we truly went swimming in or lazed around on.

From journal December in Maui

Ka'anapali Beach

  • December 11, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ymc from Manchester, United Kingdom
An amazing beach just a bus ride away from Lahaina. There is an upmarket shopping area with many designer/brand name stores just before you reach the beach with a number of restaurants and dining options. You can get to the beach by walking through the shopping area. The beach is big and very clean, although it can get busy depending when you go. The sea is clear and inviting.

From journal Maui Paradise

Kaanapali Beach

  • November 7, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by quiltergal from Jacksonville, Oregon
Kaanapali Beach

Ka'anapali Beach is a huge beach. It is fronted by a dozen or so resorts, along with Whaler's Village shopping mall. It can be quite crowded at times, so this isn't the beach for relaxing. It's also known as Dig Me Beach, if that tells you anything.

There is great snorkeling at Black Rock at the north end by the Sheraton, but like the rest of the beach it can get very crowded. I swam out around the point and saw two sea turtles snoozing on the bottom. On our last day we snorkeled there and a spotted eagle ray swam right under me. That was pretty cool.

At times this beach has a wicked undertow and big swells. It can be challenging getting in and out of the water without getting knocked down. With a little practice and patience, it can be done without filling your suit with sand!

People watching is great here. Think of it as free entertainment. This is also a great beach for watching those amazing Maui sunsets. There is a paved path that fronts the beach and goes past all the resorts. It's a very nice stroll in the evening, but again can be crowded depending on the day of the week.

From journal Marvelous Maui

Ka'anapali Beach

  • January 12, 2004
  • Rated 4 of 5 by thestickman23 from Saddle Brook, New Jersey
There is a nice reef right off the beach -- plenty of marine life, including eels and sea turtles. I was snorkeling with a bunch of scuba divers who paid $200 to dive in the same exact area. The very calm water makes this a relaxing place to snorkel. Although this is an active beach with honeymooners and people watchers, I did not find this a distraction.

From journal My Honeymoon In Maui

Editor Pick

Nightly Ceremonies at Black Rock

  • September 7, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by smmmarti guide from Lahaina, Hawaii
Nightly Ceremonies at Black Rock

Earlier in the week during my walks along Kaanapali beach I'd watched as young, mostly male, tourists climbed one after the other to the top of Black Rock where they would promptly loose their nerve. Once at the top they'd sit, then stand, fidget, then face the other direction. When no recourse was left they would finally take the three story leap into the swirling brine below. It was not a pretty sight; the fear, the anticipation, the wobbly knees, the stalling.

I suppose that might have been how the cliffdiving pros of the Sheraton's nightly torch lighting and dive ceremony started many years ago. Yet, it is hard to imagine they ever wavered when you watch them now so skilled, strong and graceful at their task.

The other day we watched the show once again under the glow of a sudden burst of sundown breakthrough light that followed a long day of overcast skies. The Melemele, that stupendous golden, honey rich light that drapes itself over Hawaii with almost unreasonable regularity drove us once again to witness the ritual. Always a thrill, the sun setting over the Pacific beyond Lanai from Kaanapali captivates everyone with an unceasing array of colors and patterns across the sky. On nights of the melemele the vast kaleidoscope whirls all shades of gold, fuchsia, crimson, violet against brilliant blue patches of sky and sea.

But that's not the only WoW! of sundown at the Sheraton. When the sun gives out, leaving behind only dim silhouettes, distant sails and a beach littered with newly inspired souls, a distant sound of chanting and the wail from a conchshell turns all eyes mauka.

As if from out of nowhere, a sarong clad torch-bearing runner thunders toward the beach. With swift and sure footed leaps, steady as a gazelle, he gracefully bounds up the craggy lava rocks. With great flourish and uncanny accuracy he lights the torches lining the path in a ceremonious gesture to honor all the souls that had reentered the great beyond from this point. (Legend states that at Black Rock the souls of the departed pass from the land of man into the hands of God.)

Once the final torch is lit, the bare chested warrior silhouetted at the top of Black Rock by the only remaining light the sun would cast that day, raises his arms high in salute to the earth, the sky, the sea, the souls...and then plunges into the waves below.

I would guess this is how those young tourists envision themselves when they climb Black Rock, all bold and confident and powerful. It is a wonderful image that would inspire just about anyone to do anything.

The Black Rock torchlighting and dive is a nightly event at Kaanapali. Sundowners at the Sheraton offers the best views, but you can also bring your own libation, nab a lounger in the sand and enjoy all this for free. Daily.

From journal Maui - Hikes and Upcountry Delights

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