Kepuhi Beach
Maunaloa, HI
Kepuhi Beach fronts the old Kaluakoi Resort on Molokai's northwest shore, a long run of pale gold sand backed by Puu o Kaiaka, the lava knob at its north end. Summer keeps the water calm enough for swimming and bodyboarding. Winter swell turns the same stretch into a serious, unpatrolled surf break.
The sand and the sunset views are as good as anywhere on this coast, but the closed resort behind it gives the whole place an abandoned feel, and winter surf shuts down swimming for months.
How we score beachesPark at the end of Kepuhi Place near the shuttered hotel building and walk the short path past it to the sand. The public access holds up even though the resort itself has been closed since 2001.
A small paved lot sits at the end of Kepuhi Place, free and rarely full since Molokai draws so few visitors to begin with.
A short paved path runs from the lot past the boarded up hotel building to the sand, flat the whole way.
Maui County's leash law applies here like every other beach in the county, dogs on a leash no longer than 10 feet.
Summer, roughly May through September, brings the calm water that makes this a swimming beach at all. Winter's north swells bring real surf and currents strong enough that even confident swimmers should stay out.
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