One of America's most famous beaches, the 3-mile-long sandy Kaanapali in the town of the same name, is located on the west coast of the island.

Although it's surrounded by the most expensive hotel resorts, it's open to the public for free. But the fact is, it's far from quiet. It is under siege by hundreds of visitors practically all day long and especially in the evening, when it is easy to watch the sunset from here.

Top 10 beach resorts on Maui

Swimming and beach facilities

At Kaanapali Beach, you can enjoy fine golden sand, palm trees providing nice shade, and smaller hotel complexes separating the beach from the town center and road. A pedestrian promenade with benches also runs along the entire beach.

The hotel complexes offer sunbeds and umbrellas for hire, but prices are as high as 50 usd per day. You won't find cheap restaurants and beach bistros here, so be sure to bring plenty of supplies. Kaanpali Beach offers spectacular views of the islands of Molokai and Lanai as well as sunsets.

Kahekili Beach next door offers a slightly quieter but very similar setting.

Beachfront accommodation

If you want to enjoy a beach vacation on Maui with all the amenities, then Kaanpali Resort is a good choice. There are many beautiful 4* and 5* hotels right on the beach.

The top rated hotels without compromise are:

But Kaanapali is generally one of the most expensive places in the Hawaiian Islands. You can find accommodation for about half the price in the nearby towns of Lahaina and Kapalua.

How to get there

Kaanapali is very easy to get to by car on the main island road number 30. The beach is about 47 km from Kahului Airport. Free parking is available in the public parking lot at the south end of the beach.

You can also get here by bus line number 23 (Lahaina Villager) from Lahaina about once an hour. From Kahului, bus number 29 (West Maui Express) also runs along the entire west coast once an hour. For schedules and route maps, visit mauicounty.gov.

Book a car at Kahului Airport