ALOHA!
In general, West Maui is one of the main tourist areas to stay.
Kapalua can be considered a quieter area of West Maui.
If you’re looking for a luxury experience, there are some places you can stay in Kapalua.
Kapalua is known for being the less crowded resort town of West Maui.
If you’re looking for a low-key day or half day in West Maui away from the Kaanapali crowds, there’s a good chance you can find that in Kapalua too.
It won’t be completely without people, but you also probably won’t feel like there are tons of people either.
I spent 3 weeks on Maui, and that included time in Kapalua! I found some quiet spots in Kapalua that had almost no people, and I was on Maui during peak tourist season!
Here are the things you need to know about in Kapalua if you want to see amazing views!
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1. Kapalua Bay Beach
Kapalua Bay Beach has been previously named the best beach in America by Dr. Beach.
Kapalua Bay is also considered one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui.
If you’re staying at the Montage, this is your beach! (Read the reviews for the Montage Kapalua Bay.)
There is a parking lot near Kapalua Bay.
2. Kapalua Coastal Trail
Side note!
Things to buy on Amazon for your adventures!
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- Lightweight quick-dry hiking shorts (comfortable shorts that are good for movement!)
- for women: hiking shorts | for men: hiking shorts
- Lightweight quick-dry hiking pants
- for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
- capris for women
- Some of the best outdoor travel brands:
- When you fly: If you have an iphone, you can put an airtag tracker in your luggage so you can better keep track of it! Buy just one, or buy a pack of 4. (Read the reviews!) This also makes a good travel gift!
This is a great scenic trail that mostly runs along the coastline of Kapalua. It’s around 1.7 miles long one way, but of course you can make it as short or as long of a walk as you want!
This basically goes from resort to resort.
It starts/ends on the southern end at Kapalua Bay and the Montage.
And it starts/ends on the northern end at Fleming Beach and the Ritz Carlton.
To do this leisurely coastal walk, you can park at Kapalua Bay, Kapalua Ironwoods, Dragon’s Teeth Trail, or Fleming Beach. You can consider any of these spots to be parking for the Kapalua Coastal Trail. (Things to see in Kapalua that are next up on the list!)
See more about this Kapalua activity:
🌴
Top Maui tours
Read the reviews at partner website Viator!*
- Turtle town snorkeling tour (with photo and video)
- Lahaina ATV adventure tour
- Horseback riding tour with Hawaiian cowboys
Things you might want to pack for your Maui vacation
Read the reviews on Amazon! I'm an Amazon Associate.*
- For women: Search for a rash guard for swimming and you won't have to worry as much about putting on sunscreen!
- Search for a rash guard for men
- Water shoes for snorkeling if you won't be wearing fins, or just generally for the beach!
- Cheapo waterproof phone case so you can capture pictures of colorful fishies swimming underwater!
- I always have a camera float attached to my phone case that I put around my wrist
- Snorkeling set: mask and fins
- Fins allow you to propel further faster (aka see more in less time and energy!)
- Go cheap if you accept that you need to come up for air frequently: regular swimming googles. They are not as fashionable but if you get swimming goggles, make them the clear kind so you won't be seeing dimmed colors of the colorful fishies!
- If you are able, I recommend trying out the mask at your local lake (in summer) or pool so you will be good to go in Hawaii when there's actually stuff to see!
- Travel-friendly turkish towel for the beach (lightweight compared to regular beach towels)
- For women: Teva walking sandals (one of the best sandal brands for the outdoors, perfect for lots of walking around outside - that's not a lava field!)
- For men: Teva sandals
- For women: Merrell hiking shoes (one of the best outdoor shoe brands, perfect for walking over rugged terrain like lava fields!)
- For men: Merrell hiking shoes
- Moisture-wicking tech t-shirt for women perfect for hiking and hot days when you'll be outside a lot sweating
- tech-t-shirt for men
- For more ideas, do a search for hiking clothes or swimming clothes!
*As a Viator partner and Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission.
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3. Hike to Hawea Point
This is a nice scenic viewpoint that you’ll see along the Kapalua Coastal Trail. It’s a great place to walk across lava rocks and also watch the ocean waves crash into the shoreline. You can also look out for whales from this spot during whale season (generally speaking winter months).
4. Oneloa Beach (Ironwoods Beach)
This is a quieter beach in Kapalua.
This is also along the coastal trail, and it’s also possible to drive to Oneloa Beach (aka Ironwoods Beach) as there’s a parking lot right nearby.
See more about this Kapalua activity:
5. Dragon’s Teeth Trail to Makaluapuna Point
This is another great spot to walk across lava rocks with great scenic views.
You’ll take the Dragon’s Teeth Trail where you will see unique rock formations that are said to look like dragon’s teeth.
You can keep walking along to get to the area that juts out into the ocean. You can also walk the ocean waves crash into the shoreline here too.
This is basically a side trail from the Kapalua Coastal Trail, and it’s also possible to drive straight to the start of the Dragon’s Teeth Trail as there a parking lot nearby here too.
See more about this Kapalua activity:
6. Kapalua Labyrinth
You will pass by this labyrinth shortly after you see the first dragon’s teeth as you continue to make your way to the tip of Makaluapuna Point.
7. DT Fleming Beach Park (Honokahua Bay)
Fleming Beach is a pretty popular beach in Kapalua, and it’s known as being good for boogie boarding. This also means the waves can be a little rough.
You can buy boogie boards when you get to Maui, for example at Walmart or the ABC store (convenience store) in Kaanapali.
If you’re staying at the Ritz Carlton, this would be your beach! (Read the reviews for the Ritz Carlton Kapalua.)
8. Burger Shack
Also right nearby the Ritz Carlton and Fleming Beach is a daytime dining option to eat with ocean views!
You can go for an oceanfront lunch or snack that’s located pretty much at the beach.
9. Honolua Store
This is basically the ABC Store of Kapalua.
If you’re unfamiliar with ABC stores, they are basically the convenience store chain of Hawaii that you will find in tourist spots across the Hawaiian islands. Aside from regular Hawaii-style convenience store items, you can find Hawaii souvenir gifts and quick eats here.
They have a full menu with more food and could make for a nice lunch stop (menu and reviews).
10. Kapalua golf courses
You can make your stay at in Kapalua Maui golf vacation too, with golf courses nearby the Ritz Carlton. You’ll find one of the best golf courses in Hawaii and a PGA Tour site here, the Plantation Course. The above photo is the Bay Course. You can book tee time here.
Parking in Kapalua
To recap, here are some spots where you can find a parking lot nearby in Kapalua, from south to north:
- Kapalua Bay
- Kapalua Ironwoods
- Dragons Teeth Trail
- DT Fleming Park
Kapalua is in the northern area of West Maui
The list above generally started right from Kapalua Bay in the southern area of Kapalua and then generally went north, taking you to a few more things to do near Kapalua to the north… and then a few more things further onwards if you want to keep driving!
There is one main road that runs parallel to the coastline.
On your way to the main area of Kapalua is the downtown Lahaina that burned down, Kaanapali, and Napili Bay.
Kapalua is far north (relatively speaking) of downtown Lahaina, so the fire did not reach Kapalua.
👆 What Lahaina used to look like.
👆 Kaanapali.
👆 Napili.
Kapalua resorts
For the luxury experience in Kapalua…
The Montage Kapalua Bay is the big name resort on the southern side of Kapalua. Out in front of the Montage is the small beach of Kapalua Bay.
The Ritz Carlton Kapalua is the big name resort that’s on the northern side of Kapalua. Out in front of the Ritz Carlton is Fleming Beach.
And then…
There are more things to do in West Maui if you keep driving further along, that you may consider to be things to do near Kapalua!
- Slaughterhouse Bay (boogie boarding beach)
- Honolua Bay (Maui marine conservation district snorkeling spot)
- Nakalele blowhole (famous blowhole)
- Ohai Loop Trail (short hike with ocean views)
- Olivine Pools (famous tide pools)
- Kahakuloa Bay overlook (backroad of West Maui – you can walk to it instead of driving it!)
👆 You can see the interactive map of Kapalua.
HAPPY VISIT TO KAPALUA!
