Keawanaku Beach, South Maui

This is a beach in south Maui hidden south of the lava fields of La Perouse Bay. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Death Beach’ by my wife due to the large, dead, bleached pieces of coral that she thinks looks like skulls against the beach’s black and green sand. It’s very secluded here; not many people visit this beach since it’s only accessible by hiking in or by boat. The people who do go here usually appear later in the day it seems. I’ve been to this beach at least half a dozen times and have only seen a small handful of people in the morning hours, when is when I usually go (since the winds really pick up around La Perouse Bay after 10am or so). Chances are if you come here early, you’ll be by yourself. That can be a good thing or bad thing – good if you just want to sit quietly in the sun or shade of the trees, or bad if you try to swim here. Fact is, of all the times I’ve been here I’ve only seen the water calm enough to enter once. Unfortunately, I did not have my snorkel gear with me. Too bad, because the underwater topography and fish you can see from up on the rocks to the left side of the beach look like it would make for amazing snorkeling. The right side, though, I wouldn’t go near even if the water was calm seeing how one rogue wave would smash you against the jagged rocks. (The wave action tends to push water into the rocks on the right and drives that energy across the beach – not safe! And, if you get in trouble out here, help is a long ways off.) Still, I love going to this beach since it is quiet and secluded and even mostly protected from the trade winds that blow through this area 99% of the time. If you want to see a nice slide show video of this beach, click here for Hawaiian O’Brian’s site.

 

Directions: From La Perouse Bay, hike along the shore to the south/left. You’ll eventually come to a lava field where ahead of you, you will see some trees WHICH IS NOT KEAWANAKU and a rock wall on your left. Turn left through the wall before you walk into that tree-y area (which hides its own rocky beach, fyi) and about 100 feet in turn right at the sign so that you’re on Hoapili Trail/King’s Highway. This rocky ‘highway’ can have loose footing but believe me, it’s nothing compared to walking through the lava field itself. (You did bring footwear you don’t care about, right?) Go about .75 miles on this trail and to your right you’ll see the beach. You can’t miss it; it’s an oasis in the lava field. Turn right on one of the worn paths to the beach. Oh, one more thing, BRING WATER and maybe some food. There ain’t no civilization out this way.