Kāʻanapali Beach Tops Hawaiʻi Magazine’s 2026 Best Beaches List After Rising From No. 5
Updated
Updated · Hawaiimagazine.com · May 20
Kāʻanapali Beach Tops Hawaiʻi Magazine’s 2026 Best Beaches List After Rising From No. 5
4 articles · Updated · Hawaiimagazine.com · May 20
Kāʻanapali Beach took the No. 1 spot in HAWAIʻI Magazine’s 2026 Best Beaches ranking, climbing from fifth place in 2025 in the reader-voted annual list.
Three miles of white sand on Maui’s west side, clear water, coral-reef snorkeling and regular sightings of honu, reef fish and winter humpback whales helped lift the beach to the top.
The beach also offers a daily sunset cliff-jumping ceremony at Puʻu Kekaʻa, or Black Rock, adding to its draw beyond swimming and snorkeling.
Waikīkī Beach ranked No. 2, followed by Lanikai Beach, Hanalei Bay and Poʻipū Beach, rounding out the magazine’s top five statewide favorites.
As Kāʻanapali is crowned best beach, can Maui's tourism boom survive its controversial short-term rental ban?
Is Maui's tourism recovery on a collision course with its community's housing needs?