We all know Hawaii is full of all kinds of unique natural beauty. On the island of Maui, you’ll find a beautiful red sand beach. Which is one of the only few in the world!

Nestled along Maui’s rugged east coast, lies Kaihalulu Beach. More commonly known as the red sand beach.

The striking crimson red sand, tinted by volcanic cinder, contrasts against the turquoise waters creating an otherworldly cove. As beautiful as this beach is, it can be hard to find for people visiting the island.

So, I wanted to make this guide for you on how to find the red sand beach yourself! It’s truly something you must have on your Maui itinerary.

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Proceed to the Beach with Caution

There’s no doubt that this is one of the most unique beaches in Hawaii. However, it definitely is not a popular place on the island and it isn’t somewhere that’s very well known by tourists.

This is because the red sand beach is technically on private property. With that being said, use your own discretion when setting out for this beach and go at your own risk. 

Although, there is no one enforcing trespassers. At least when I went, no one hassled us about going. In fact, we saw a several other people making their way down to the beach as well.

Where Is Kaihalulu Beach?

The beach is located on Maui’s eastern coast near the town of Hana. This makes the beach a common spot for visitors who are driving the road to Hana.

The red sand beach was our last stop when we took the road to Hana and it was the perfect turnaround point for us on our drive. 

How to Get to Maui’s Red Sand Beach

You can easily just type “red sand beach” into your Apple or Google Maps and it will give you directions there from wherever you are on the island.

The beach is off of a dead end road (Uakea Rd) and that’s exactly where your directions are going to take you. To the end of the road. 

This is because there is a short hike you have to do to get down to the beach which I will go into a little later.

Where to Park for Beach Access

Since this beach is more lowkey, there is no parking lot or any signs to tell you where to park. You will just have to park on the side of Uakea Rd.

There are, however, signs telling you where NOT to park. So be cautious of that because if tourists continue to park in illegal spots then I can definitely see this beautiful beach getting completely closed down to everyone.

As you’re driving down towards the end of the road, there will be a few businesses on your left and a big sports field complex called Hana Ballpark on your right.

There is no parking for the beach in the parking lots of the businesses. You can park IN FRONT of the businesses if there is room on a pull off on the side of the road. 

The photo below shows where we parked, right across from the ballpark. It seemed like a great spot, no one bothered us. 

Hiking to the Red Sand Beach in Maui

Finding the start of the trail proved to be a little challenging for us because there is no designated trailhead.

If you parked across from the ballpark, you just need to keep walking down the road almost to where it ends. 

On the left side of the road near the end and past all the buildings, you should see a yellow parking gate. This is where the trail starts.

You will see a small and narrow dirt pathway in the grass. 

This is the trail that will lead you all the way down to the beach.

The trail itself is very short, only 0.25 miles each way.

However, for people who aren’t used to hiking on rugged terrain, this may be difficult.

This trail is pretty narrow and will take you along steep cliffs that drop off right into the ocean beside you.

It is primarily composed of sand/dirt with the occasional tree root growing above the ground. You can also expect a few slight inclines on this hike.

If this trail is muddy I can definitely see this becoming more dangerous. If you can, only attempt this trail in sunny weather.

We are frequent hikers and didn’t have any issues with this part of the trail.

Once the trail opens up into a beautiful lookout over the beach and cove, it’s all downhill from here.

After taking some mandatory photos, you’ll begin your descent to the beach. 

Rock Climbing Down to the Red Sand Beach in Maui

This next part leading you down to the beach, is fully composed of lava rock so you will have to be careful going down.

It can be hard to keep your balance on the uneven and rugged rocks. You also will just have to watch your footing because not every rock is stable in its place.

But this part of the trail is still pretty easy to follow. You pretty much just hug the wall of the cove and slowly descend the lava rocks to the beach.

Once you get past all the lava rock, congratulations! You made it to the red sand beach! Take in all its beauty. 

I thought the hike down to the red sand beach was pretty easy. The rock scrambling at the end was the only part that got a little sketchy for me, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.  

Hiking boots may come in handy on this trail but I was wearing my trusty Tevas during the hike and was completely fine.

What to Expect at the Red Sand Beach in Maui

Fortunately, there are large lava rocks out in the water creating a barrier from you and the strong ocean waves.

The waves never break on the shore so the water this very calm. This makes Kaihalulu Beach an excellent area to swim and snorkel.

Looking back I wish I would’ve had snorkel gear with me because the water was crystal clear and you could see some fish swimming around from the top.

I also just want to mention that this known to be a nude beach. I didn’t know that going into it, but when we were there everyone had swimsuits on. Keep that in mind if that’s something you aren’t comfortable with.

Kaihalulu Beach to this day is one of my favorite beaches in all the Hawaiian Islands. The red sand and the surrounding rock formations are absolutely gorgeous and it doesn’t even feel like Earth.

Just remember to treat this beach with care. That means leaving no trace and leaving only footprints.

And that will conclude my complete guide on how to find the Red Sand Beach in Maui!

Whenever you get to Hana, you definitely want to make time to visit this gem. It’s such a special place and I know it’s going to be one of your favorite spots on your trip to Maui. Thank you for reading!