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Kamaole Beach Park I

The biggest of Kihei's three sister beaches: the longest run of open sand, a daily lifeguard, and a quieter corner at the north end that most visitors never find.

Type Sand beach parkBest for Big open sand and easy swimmingFrom the bungalows 10 minute drive
dronepicr / CC BY 2.0
TypeSand beach park
Best forBig open sand and easy swimming
From the bungalows10 minute drive
ParkingFree lot, street and overflow
FacilitiesRestrooms, showers, lifeguard
CostFree

Kamaole Beach 1 is the biggest of Kihei's three sister beaches: the longest run of sand, the most room to throw a frisbee, and the one we point guests to when they want a full, easy day on a towel. It has a daily lifeguard, parking that actually works, gentle swimming most of the year, and a quieter corner at the north end that most visitors drive right past.

What Kamaole Beach 1 does best

Sheer space. The other two Kams are lovely, but Kam 1 is the one with room: a long, wide field of soft sand where you can set up an umbrella city without bumping into the neighbors. The bottom is sandy and slopes gently, so wading in is easy, and on typical summer days the water is calm enough for laps, kids and lazy floating.

The north end is its quiet secret. Past the main crowd, the beach continues to a corner locals call Charley Young Beach, with its own stairway entrance, morning shade and a fraction of the people. Walk ten minutes and the same beach feels like a different island.

In winter the channel in front of the beach fills with humpbacks, and Kam 1 becomes front-row seating. Guests staying at our Family Favorite bungalow have come back from a morning here having counted a dozen breaches before lunch. Bring binoculars from December through March and you will not put them down.

Late light on the widest stretch of open sand in KiheiPhoto: dronepicr / CC BY 2.0

Kamaole 1 vs Kamaole 2 and 3

The three Kamaole beach parks sit in a row along South Kihei Road, and the honest answer is that you cannot pick wrong. Kam 1 is the biggest with the most open sand. Kamaole 2 is the compact middle sister with snorkel rocks at both ends. Kamaole 3 brings the big lawn, the playground and the picnic scene.

Choose Kam 1 when sand space matters: big groups, beach games, long walks at the waterline, or a toddler who needs a wide, flat runway. It is also the strongest pick for straightforward swimming, since the entry stays sandy across most of the beach and the lifeguard tower is staffed daily.

Snorkelers should note the lava rocks at the south end, where Kam 1 meets Kam 2. On calm mornings you will find reef fish and the occasional turtle working the rocks. It is a solid warm-up before you graduate to the better reefs south of town; our Kihei beach guide ranks the whole strip.

The rocky south end, where Kamaole 1 hands off to Kamaole 2Photo: dronepicr / CC BY 2.0

Parking, lifeguards and the practical stuff

Parking is about as easy as Kihei beaches get: a free lot right at the beach, street parking along South Kihei Road, and an overflow lot across the street. On high-season mornings the front lot fills by mid-morning, so come early or expect a short walk.

Facilities are full county beach park standard: restrooms with changing areas, outdoor showers, picnic tables and a staffed lifeguard tower, generally daily from morning to late afternoon. If the flags are up, ask the lifeguards about conditions before you swim. Winter swells can put real push in the shorebreak here for a few days at a time.

Food is a two-minute hop. Kihei Caffe, our favorite huge-portions breakfast, faces Kalama Park just north of the beach, and the food trucks and poke counters of central Kihei are all within a mile. Grab plate lunch, come back, and claim your patch of the biggest sand in town.

Good to know

  • Come before 9 am for glassy water, easy parking and the beach at its calmest.
  • The north end (Charley Young) has morning shade; the main beach has almost none, so bring an umbrella.
  • Swim in front of the lifeguard tower and check the flags — winter shorebreak here deserves respect.
  • Snorkel the south-end rocks in the morning, entering from the sand, never off the rocks.
  • Reef-safe sunscreen only — it is Hawai’i law and the reef fish are the reason you snorkel.
  • December through March, bring binoculars: the whale show in the channel is free and constant.

Questions

Kamaole Beach Park I FAQ

Yes — it is one of the most swimmable beaches in Kihei. The bottom is sandy, the slope is gradual and a lifeguard tower is staffed daily. Mornings are calmest; trade winds chop the surface most afternoons, and a few winter swells each year bring strong shorebreak worth sitting out.

There is a free lot right at the beach on South Kihei Road, plus street parking and an overflow lot across the road. In high season the beachfront lot fills by mid-morning. If everything is taken, the Kaiau Place lot at the north (Charley Young) end sometimes has space.

Kamaole 1. It has the longest and widest run of sand of the three Kamaole beach parks, which is why groups and beach-game people favor it. Kamaole 2 is the compact middle beach and Kamaole 3 has the big lawn and playground. They sit in a row, an easy walk apart.

Yes, at the lava rocks on the south end where it meets Kamaole 2, best on calm mornings. Expect goatfish, wrasse and the occasional green sea turtle. It is beginner-friendly but modest; for richer reef, head south to Keawakapu or join a Molokini boat trip.

Keep exploring

Beaches

Charley Young Beach
Beaches

Kamaole Beach Park II
Beaches

Kamaole Beach Park III
Restaurants

Kihei Caffe
Beaches

Keawakapu Beach
Trails

Wailea Beach Path

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