Beach Attributes from evaluations of Maui beaches
 
 
How to rank beaches?

Intensive internet search resulted in descriptions and photographs of most beaches on Maui Island.  Some websites already
had beach rankings according to different aquatic activities and beach characteristics.  These were re-evaluated based on other rankings by other websites, and then finally compared to beach photographs and available GIS data from the State of Hawaii.  In total over 100 photographs of beaches were used.  To view beach images click on beach name in the table.


 
Maui maps:
West Maui
North Coast
East Coast
South Coast

 
Ahihi - Kina'u Reserve 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 2 30
Airport - North Ka'anapali 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 3 1 2 0 2 7
Awalua 1 0 0 1 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 0 2 56
Baldwin 2 3 1 0 1 1 1 5 2 1 2 1 2 40
DT Fleming 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 5 2 2 3 0 1 4 full amenities
Hamoa 2 0 3 1 2 2 2 5 3 1 2 0 2 48 grey sand
Hana 0 0 1 1 3 2 1 3 2 2 3 0 0 45
Hanaka'o'o Beach Park - Canoe beach 0 1 1 3 2 2 1 5 3 2 3 0 1 9
Honokohau Bay 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 3 0 1 1 3 1
Honokowai Beach Park 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 2 0 2 52
Honolua / Mokule'ia Bays 0 0 0 2 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 0 3 3 Marine Life ConservationDistrict
Honomanu 1 0 0 0 1 2 3 2 3 0 0 1 3 42
Ho'okipa 3 3 0 0 1 1 3 3 2 0 2 0 2 41 popular surfing spot
Ka'anapali / Canoe 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 1 3 3 0 0 8
Kahakuloa 34 typical north shore cliffs
Kahana 1 0 2 1 2 3 1 5 1 2 3 0 0 53
Kahekili 0 0 0 2 3 3 1 5 1 2 2 0 1 54 park
Kamaole I, II, III 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 5 3 2 3 0 0 18 Kihei city beaches
Kanaha 1 3 0 0 1 1 1 3 3 2 2 1 2 39 by Kahului Airport
Kapalua Bay 0 0 1 2 2 2 0 5 3 2 3 0 0 6
Ke'anae Penninsula 2 1 2 0 1 2 3 2 2 0 1 0 2 43
Keawakapu 1 1 1 0 2 2 1 4 3 2 3 0 1 19
Koki 1 0 2 2 1 2 2 3 3 2 1 1 3 47
La Perouse Bay 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 2 31
Lahaina 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 3 3 3 3 0 3 11 Lahaina city beach
Launiupoko 1 0 0 0 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 0 2 13 Park
Little 0 0 3 2 3 2 2 5 3 2 1 0 2 28 nude beach
Ma'alaea  / Sugar Beach 1 2 0 0 3 2 2 5 2 2 3 0 1 16 park
Mai Poina Oe Ia'u 1 0 0 1 2 2 1 5 2 3 3 0 0 17 in Kihei
Makena / Big beach 0 0 1 2 3 3 2 5 3 2 2 0 2 29 very long
Makena Landing 1 0 0 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 2 25
Malu'aka 0 0 1 3 2 2 2 4 2 2 2 0 1 26
Mokapu 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 0 2 21
Nakalele Point 0 0 0 2 0 2 3 0 3 0 0 0 3 32
Napili Bay 1 0 1 1 3 2 1 5 2 2 3 0 0 51
Nu'u Bay 1 0 0 3 1 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 3 49
Olowalu / Ka'ili'ili 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 0 2 0 2 14
Oneloa / Ironwood 2 2 2 0 2 2 2 5 3 2 3 0 0 5
Oneului 0 0 0 3 0 2 2 3 2 0 1 0 3 27 black sand
Palauea Beach / White Rocks 0 0 1 3 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 0 1 24
Papalaua 2 0 0 3 2 2 1 4 3 2 3 1 2 15
Polo 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 4 2 2 3 0 0 23
Puamana 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 3 1 3 2 0 3 12 Lahaina city beach
Red sand (Kaihalulu) 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 3 3 2 0 0 3 46 nude beach
Secret 0 0 0 1 2 3 2 3 3 1 0 0 3 50 near Makena
Ukumehame 1 0 2 1 2 2 1 4 3 2 2 0 2 55 park
Ulua 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 3 3 3 2 0 2 20
Wahikuli 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 3 2 2 3 1 3 10 State Park
Wai'anapanapa Park / Pailoa Bay 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 3 3 0 2 1 3 44
Waiehu 38 park
Waihe'e 37 park
Wailea 1 1 2 2 3 2 1 5 3 3 3 0 0 22
Windmills (Punalau) 2 1 0 0 0 2 3 3 1 0 0 1 3 2

                                                                      Colour-coded table with legend...

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