🏝 Kenolio Beach Park (Maui): The Complete 2024 Guide

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Written By: Adam Marland
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Kenolio Beach Park Maui blog cover image. Text overlaying an image of the ocean lapping against a golden sand beach with overhanging palm trees and the West Maui mountains in the background.

Kenolio Beach Park, also known as Kihei Wharf, is home to a golden-sand beach located on the north end of the Kihei coastline in Maui.

It is a popular destination for outrigger canoeing, as well as hunting for sea glass. Of course, the soft sand and tropical palm trees also invite beachgoers for a lazy day in the sun.

Discover everything you need to know for visiting Kenolio Park and Kenolio Beach in this complete guide. This includes photos, directions, services provided, and more.

If you are going to be spending significant time in the area, you will also want to review our guide to all 15 Kihei Beaches to discover the best of the region.

EXPLORE MORE OF THE AREA:
Complete Guide to ALL 15 Kihei Beaches

πŸŒ… About Kenolio Park: Overview

A distant view at one of Kihei's beaches
Looking south down Kenolio Beach at gold sand green vegetation.
Blue waters and gold sand fill the frame in this photo from Kenolio Beach in Maui.

🌺 SERVICES

  • Nearest Town: Kihei
  • Parking? Streetside
  • Public Bathrooms? Yes
  • Picnic Benches? No
  • Showers? Yes
  • Grills? No
  • Lifeguard? No

🌴 DESCRIPTION

Low clouds settle over the West Maui Mountains from the shore of Kenolio Beach in Kihei.

Kenolio Park, also known as Kihei Wharf, is a small beach park in north Kihei. It is located just south of Sugar Beach with a rocky outcrop separating the two.

It is the northernmost of the 15 Kihei beaches that provides restrooms and showers for visitors.

Kenolio Beach has coarse golden sand and is lined with lava rock. It is often very windy here and host to some very choppy water. At high tide, the beach nearly disappears entirely.

All of these factors make it one of the worst options in the South Maui region for swimming and lounging, but a uniquely great destination for seeking sea glass, interesting rocks, and beautiful shells.

It is also conveniently located next to the Kihei Farmer’s Market and Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice.

Additionally, the Kihei Canoe Club is based here and offers a visitor paddle program on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The visitor paddle provides an introduction to Hawaiian Culture, instruction in outrigger canoe paddling, and a discussion of the local sea life.Β 

πŸ“ How to Get to Kenolio Beach

With Navigation: Rather than searching for Kenolio Beach, input “Keolahou Congregational Hawaiian Church” into your navigation. Parking for Kenolio Beach can be found by Kenolio Recreational Complex, just north of the little green church. There’s additional streetside parking along both sides of the roads as you continue north too.

General Directions: From Kihei drive north along S Kihei Road until you spot a small green church (Keolahou Congregational Hawaiian Church) on the right, approximately 0.3 miles after Mai Poina Beach Park. Just north of the church, you will find streetside parking.

πŸ– When to Visit Kenolio Park

A young boy at Kenolio Beach plays in the sand under a handing palm tree with the West Maui Mountains looming in the background.

Whether you are going to hunt sea glass or just to relax in the sun, low tide is the best time to visit Kenolio Beach Park. This is when you will find the greatest uncovered area of beach available as well as the largest collection of treasures that have been left by the tide.

High tide, conversely, is the worst time to visit. The beach will be nearly entirely covered by water. These choppy waters are typically poor for swimming and snorkeling, and are worse still when the tide is up.

πŸ“Έ Kenolio Beach Photo Gallery

The Kenolio Beach photo gallery slideshow below shows what we encountered on our most recent visit.

  • A young boy at Kenolio Beach plays in the sand under a handing palm tree with the West Maui Mountains looming in the background.

Visitors will find a fairly secluded piece of paradise with only a small number of people. The picturesque views of the West Maui mountains to the north and palm trees overhead steal the show.

🍍 More Maui Beaches & Travel Guides

A young female swimmer waits on the shore of Red Sand Beach in Maui.
Discover the best Secret Beaches of Maui, including the incredible Red Sand Beach seen above.

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Before you go, you may want to skim some of the titles for other relevant Maui guides below to ensure you do not miss any epic beaches, sunset destinations, or noteworthy things to do during your visit to the Valley Isle!

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Written by
Adam Marland
Adam Marland is a professional travel blogger and landscape photographer from Oregon. After over a decade of experience as a freelance travel photographer, Adam found national acclaim when he became the National Park Foundation's β€œChief Exploration Officer” in 2021.
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