Kaanapali Beach
Kaanapali, HI
Kaanapali Beach runs for roughly three miles behind a wall of resorts, the beachfront boardwalk connecting hotel after hotel from Whalers Village down toward Black Rock. Hawaii's public beach laws mean anyone can walk the whole thing and swim the same water as the guests paying resort rates to stand on it.
Genuinely good swimming and snorkeling for a beach this developed, but the resort crowds and scarce public parking keep it from feeling like a local's beach most of the year.
How we score beachesSnorkel off Black Rock (Puu Kekaa) near the Sheraton in the morning before the cliff jumpers and pool crowd show up. The fish and turtles there are as good as anywhere on this coast.
Public parking is limited and scattered among small lots near Whalers Village and a few resort access points, most charging by the hour. Arriving before mid morning makes a real difference.
A paved beachfront walkway runs the length of the beach, flat and easy, with soft sand between the walkway and the water.
Summer keeps the water at its calmest for swimming and snorkeling, while winter can bring bigger swells and stronger currents, especially near Black Rock's point.
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