BLACK SAND BEACH IN MAUI - WAI'ANAPANAPA STATE PARK

I knew I wanted our kids to enjoy the beauty of a black sand beach in Maui, and it only took one picture of Wai’anapanapa State Park for me to put it into our plans. Wai’anapanapa means “glistening water” in Hawaiian, and that is exactly what you will see when you stop by for a visit on your Hana Highway adventure. The beauty of the blue ocean crashing against black lava rocks covered in vibrant greens makes this gem a once-in-a-lifetime view. We stopped here in the afternoon after a full day of adventuring down the road to Hana. You can read more about our adventure using the links below. This post is the last section of our guide to the road to Hana.

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DRIVING TO WAI’ANAPANAPA STATE PARK

WAI’ANAPANAPA STATE PARK – HOME TO MAUI’S BLACK SAND BEACH

Just past mile marker 32 on the Hana Highway, Pa’iloa Beach in Wai’anapanapa State Park is just outside of the town of Hana. The beach is the result of lava flowing from Haleakala into the sea. Upon contact, the lava shattered into tiny pieces of volcanic rock that created the stunning black sand. The bay was the perfect place for the lava rock to gather, creating a beach-worthy of your visit. Explore the coastal trails a bit more to see lava arches and a blowhole. Wai’anapanapa State Park makes for a beautiful place to stretch your legs when driving the road to Hana!

OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS – RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Due to overcrowding even before COVID, parking reservations are now required to enter the park for out-of-state visitors. You can make your reservations here up to 14 days before your visit. There are no day-of reservations available, so planning ahead is key. Parking reservations are $10 for a 3-hour window, and you must leave the park by the end of your reservation window unless you purchase the next window as well. Reservations are non-refundable for any reason and do sell out on popular days. Reservations are sold in four time slots – 7:00-10am, 10am-12:30pm, 12:30-3pm, and 3-6pm. Due to the uncertainty of our timeline, I ended up reserving the 12:30-3 pm and 3-6 pm window the day of our visit. These windows allowed us to enjoy the park anytime during those hours.

On April 29, 2021, the State Parks in Maui also implemented an entry fee of $5 for non-resident visitors. Children 3 and under and free, and you can pay your entry fees online when you make your parking reservation. Having a reservation can feel a little stressful when you want to be living in the moment and staying flexible on the road to Hana with kids. We ended up arriving at 3:06 pm, so we missed our first reservation window completely. I was grateful to have the flexibility the two reservations gave us during the day. We had no intention of staying until 6 pm because we still wanted to be done with the Hana Highway before dark. You’ll want to consider your timing and plans before making your reservation. Shaka Guides breaks down the different ways to incorporate reservation times into your Hana Highway journey to help you plan.

PARK FACILITIES & CAMPING ADVENTURES

Wai’anapanapa State Park has restrooms, showers, and several picnic areas. In addition, they offer camping and cabin rentals that seem like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Although all camping and cabin rentals were closed during our visit due to COVID, you can now make reservations using this link. Camp Maui-X can set you up with all you need for your adventure if you want to camp. They have SUV, gear, and rooftop tent rentals for up to 5 people. Camping in Maui is definitely on my bucket list and a great option when traveling with older kids!

SAFETY IN WAI’ANAPANAPA STATE PARK

The park is covered in warning signs about falling rocks and the strong current in the bay. The current was strong, and I was uncomfortable with our seven-year-old swimming in the water. However, we enjoyed the views from the beach with only toes in the water. Wai’anapanapa State Park is the only black sand beach in Maui truly formed by a lava eruption, and the bay can have sharp, jagged rocks and dangerous shore breaks.

We saw some visitors running under lava rocks as the tide came out to see more of the jagged coastline, which is NOT SAFE. As the tide came up, they were soaked and trapped under the rocks until the water went back down. This can clearly go wrong during rougher waters and higher waves. Please be aware of your surroundings and watch your children carefully!

The park also has freshwater caves some visitors talk about exploring. Unfortunately, the caves have been closed to visitors due to tragedies, and I cannot recommend trying to get to them. Legend says they were the site of a brutal murder of Chief Ka’a’akea’s wife and friend. Wai’anapanapa State Park has a rich cultural history filled with ancient sites and burial grounds.

KE ALA LOA O MAUI/PIILANI COASTAL TRAIL

Wai’anapanapa is also home to a beautiful 3-mile coastal hike along the lava rocks. This trail is something I would have wanted to explore if we hadn’t just hiked the Pipiwai Trail. The trail hugs the coast, and you can take it as far up as you feel like before heading back. Good shoes are essential as you are walking on lava rock. The scenery sounds fantastic, and the lava formations create their art in the water. Staying on the trail is essential as the lava rocks can be rough, and all visitors should respect the ancient burial sites.