The best snorkeling beaches in southern Maui

Snorkeling lover and on a trip to Hawaii? Put on your goggles and dive among corals at the best diving beaches southwest of Maui.

One of the wonders of the Hawaiian island known as Valley Island is that its underwater world is just a stone's throw from the sand.

Ready for the splash? 🙂 🙂

Why south of Maui?

Because what you have in front of you is first-hand information.

Is there no snorkeling in other areas of the island?

Of course it is.

Maui's west coast is dotted with a multitude of good diving spots. For example, in the north, Kapalua Bay and Back Rock Beach are famous for their snorkeling.

However, due to their geography, northwest and southwest are far apart. And if you don't believe me, take a look at the map at the bottom of the page.

So, due to lack of time, bad weather (I'll tell you about it...) and "he who embraces too much is not enough", we only swam in the south.

Below I describe, in order of preference, the beaches with the best snokeling in Maui that we visited during our Hawaii trip.

Chang's Beach

The jewel in the crown.

It is tiny compared to the rest of the beaches in the area, but it has one of the most spectacular reefs in Maui. Honestly, it was the best snorkeling of our experience in Hawaii.

It has only 9 parking spaces (pay attention to the opening and closing times) and is poorly signposted. Therefore, I recommend you to download the map that I have assembled at the end of this post or write down where it is located.

The reef in front of this beach is full of corals, turtles and a thousand different types of fish.

If you are an experienced swimmer and the sea is calm, you can swim to Poolanelane (to the north) and 5 Caves (to the south), from Chang's Beach itself.

5 Caves/5Graves

This area is highly appreciated for its diving, although it also lends itself to surface snorkeling.

It is not a beach per se, but an access to the water (somewhat complicated) with 5 underwater caves, where you can find turtles, reef sharks, manta rays and octopuses, among others.

To my regret, I didn't get to see them. The sea was too rough to swim there from Poolanelane, where we were spending the day at the beach.

You're out of shape, Celi... Ouch!

But you recognize your limits and know when to stop. good!

You just witnessed a self-inflicted "Give one lime and one sand . " 🙂

Poolanelane Beach

Also known as Paipu, Pepeiaolepo, Loves or Keauhou Beach. It is a beautiful white sand beach divided in two by a set of volcanic rocks.

It has two parking lots, a fairly large dirt lot (marked as number 1 on the map), and a paved lot with only 10-12 spaces and closing hours (number 2).

In addition to spectacular sunsets and trees to shelter in on sunny days, it offers two different snorkeling spots:

• To the south, it shares the type of reef and underwater fauna with Chang's Beach.
• To the north, the diving area connects to Palauea Beach.

My recommendation:

If you can only explore one, opt for the end closest to Chang's Beach and, if the sea and your physical condition allow it, reach it while floating over the coral.

That's how I fell in love with this little corner of Maui.

Palauea Beach

I have never seen so many Hawaiian weddings together as I witnessed on Palauea beach: 4 couples in the same afternoon sharing the magic hours of the sunset.

And, when we talk about sunsets on the west coast of Maui, we are talking about sunsets on the west coast of Maui:

No one beats them as romantics.

At the southern end of the beach is a snorkeling area that connects to Poolenalena. The coral is less spectacular than Chang's Beach. However, its rich marine life will make you have a good time.

To the north, it shares a reef with Polo Beach. We did not dive at this end of Palauea , although we also heard very good things about it.

There is no parking as such, but you can park your car on the shoulder of the road that passes by it without any problem.

Waimea Beach

Waimea Beach is a family beach, easily accessible. It has free parking (paved) and public restrooms.

In this case, the snorkeling area is located only at the southern end, separating it from Polo Beach.

Compared to the previous ones, this was the least graceful coral part. Diving is always fun and rewarding though, so you know: Duck into the water!

Other reef beaches

There were snorkeling spots on this coast that we did not have the opportunity to visit.

The most prominent are located south of Chang's Beach:

• Makena Landing Beach Park.
• Maluaka (or Makena) Beach.
• Oneuli (or Black Sand) Beach.

I have marked them on the map.

Video

This is just an appetizer, I assure you.

By the way, if you pay a little attention, you can hear the whales singing in the background.

Tips

Beware of the sun.

Take all the precautions you can: sunscreen, hat, swimming T-shirt, umbrella...

Get a snorkeling equipment.

If they don't provide it at your accommodation, rent one. We opted for 2 complete sets (goggles, snorkel and fins) for $9.00 per person per day at the Maui Dive Shop in the shopping center 'The shops at Wailea'.

If you decide to book 3 consecutive days, you will get them for $25 each. The material is of good quality and very well taken care of. And, at the same time, they leave you a waterproof dossier with the most common marine species you will see in the coast of Maui.

It is great fun to play to see who has seen the most goldfish when you get out of the water.

The most striking feature?

A brunette-zebra. That was new to us, and we saw her 3 times!

Attentive to the sea.

Let's see, let's be clear:

You are on an island in Hawaii.

The beaches may be dreamy and the sunsets may be the most beautiful of your life. But,

Don't underestimate the Pacific Ocean.

• Never turn your back on the waves.
• Be aware of your capabilities as a swimmer and do not exceed them.
• If the tide pulls you in, swim calmly diagonally towards the shore.
• When the sea is rough, stay out of it.
• If the water is cloudy, stay out.
• At night, stay out of it.

Capisci?

The Maui Guide in PDF format

Would you like to download aPDFwith all the information contained in this blog about what to see in Maui and, even better, how to do it?

54 pages that will help you plan your personalized itinerary and enjoy Maui at your own pace. 

Interested? Then click here and get the guide for only €1.95.

Useful Links

• Snorkeling rental.
• Hotels in Maui.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams, andMomondo.
• 5% discount on your travel insurance with IATI.

Are you putting together your personalized Maui travel route?

Then this is also of interest to you:

• 7 day tour of Maui.
• Guide to organizing a trip to Maui on your own.
• Sighting of humpback whales off the coast of Maui.
• Nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• The full description of our experience at O'hoe Gulch and Pipiway Trail.
• 3 days and 2 nights discovering the Road to Hana.

Want to see another island in Hawaii? My recommendation, take a look at Kauai:

• 9 days on the road in Kauai, step by step.
• A practical guide to organizing a trip to Kauai on your own.
• Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
• Kalalau Trail, Kauai's most challenging hike.
• Kauai's most beautiful beaches: what would you like to do today?
• Awaawapuhi Trail, the Napali Coast at your feet.
• Fly over Kauai in a helicopter... without doors!
• Discover the Napali Coast on a luxury boat.
• Queen's Bath, forbidden beauty in the Garden of Eden.
• Mahaulepu Trail, hiking, temples, and pristine beaches on Kauai.

And you know, if you have any questions or want to ask me something about my experience diving in Hawaii, leave a comment below.

Map

The areas drawn in blue are those I visited during my Maui route. Unfortunately, the ones you see in green are the ones that I missed 🙂 🙂