Big Beach
Kihei, HI
Big Beach anchors Makena State Park on Maui's south shore, three quarters of a mile of wide golden sand backed by kiawe trees and almost no development in sight. The shorebreak here runs powerful and fast, so most people come to walk, watch, and admire the view of Molokini rather than swim past their knees.
The scale and the setting are hard to match anywhere on Maui, but the shorebreak causes real injuries every year and neither lot holds enough cars for how popular it's become.
How we score beachesSkip the shorebreak and instead walk the short, rocky trail over the cinder cone at the north end to Little Beach. It's a completely different scene, quieter, and a favorite sunset spot for locals with drums most Sunday evenings.
Two paved lots serve Big Beach, one toward the north end near Little Beach and one further south, both charging non-residents $10 per vehicle plus a per person fee. Both fill by mid morning most days.
Both lots open directly onto flat sand with no stairs, though the beach itself has a steep drop off close to shore.
Dogs are not permitted on the beach anywhere in Makena State Park, aside from service animals.
Summer brings the calmest water and the easiest access to Molokini snorkeling trips just offshore, while winter's bigger south facing swells can make the shorebreak even more punishing than usual.
This isn't one entrance, it's a stretch with a few. Here's where locals actually meet up.
Big Beach Main Lot
The northern of the two Big Beach lots, closest to the lifeguard tower and the short trail over to Little Beach.
Parking: A paved lot charges non-resident vehicles $10 plus a per person entry fee and fills by mid morning.
Local tip: Park here specifically if Little Beach is the plan. The trail starts from this end.
Get directions →Little Beach
A smaller, more secluded cove just north of Big Beach, reached by a short scramble over a lava outcrop rather than by road, known locally for a more relaxed, clothing optional crowd on its far end.
Access: No direct vehicle or paved access. Reach it on foot from Big Beach's north end lot via a rocky trail that takes a few minutes and isn't stroller or wheelchair friendly.
Local tip: Go early if swimming is the goal. The cove faces a different angle than Big Beach and can have calmer water on the right swell.
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