Extremely easy to reach, well-developed with facilities and amenities, and very lovely, Kamaole Beach Park is one of the go-to South Maui seashores. Accessed along South Kihei Road, the three beaches it includes are popular among locals and vacationers alike.
The trio of beaches—the three “Kamaoles”—are known as Kamaole I, Kamaole II, and Kamaole III. (You can call ‘em Kam I, II, and III for short, as residents do.) Little rocky points separate them.
Plentiful (and free) street, lot, and overflow parking along South Kihei Road serve the beach park. Their roughly 1.5-mile swath of combined sand and plentiful facilities make the Kamaole beaches especially attractive. Each individual beach has restrooms, showers, picnic tables, grills, and lifeguards. Shops and eateries are close by. And you’ll have views out to Lanai, Molokini, and Kahoolawe to enjoy from the shore.
Kam III, the southernmost, is the most used of the three beaches (especially on weekends). Although it’s a narrower beachfront than the two others, it offers a sprawling “multipurpose field” ideal for games, kite-flying, picnicking, and general-purpose lounging. It also offers a kiddo-friendly playground.
And there’s a consistent little shore break here that makes Kamaole III one of the best places in South Maui for body-boarding. (It’s especially great with strong south swells, which are more common in the summertime.)
Kam II is wider than Kam III, and has pretty good snorkeling around the rocky points bounding it—especially the northern one separating it from Kamaole I.
But Kam I is wider yet: the biggest—and arguably the nicest—of the three. The northern reach of Kamaole I is also known as Charley Young Beach, and off this part, you’ll find just about the best snorkeling at the whole beach park.
Sunsets are great at all three of the Kamaole beaches. And they’re generally fine places to take a dip, because the waters are typically mild-mannered and because they’re among the relatively few Maui beaches watched over by lifeguards. But be cautious if south swells or Kona storms have kicked up the surf off these beachfront, as swimming can be hazardous then.
With all the amenities and the normally calm water, Kamaole Beach Park is a great choice for family beach days.
So if you’re keen on sand-between-your-toes R&R and snorkeling, Kam I’s your best bet. If you want to picnic or toss a ball around, Kam III with its big lawn best fits the bill. And Kam II’s a bit of a best-of-both-worlds.
Insider Tips:
-Snorkeling around the productive rocky points of the Kamaole Beaches is usually best in the morning. Winds here tend to increase from late morning into the afternoon.
-Periodic brown water and seaweed can be a problem in the Kihei area, particularly from Cove Beach Park northward. Fortunately, the Kamaole beaches lie outside this zone, so they’re a good place to head when those more northerly waters are off-putting.