Beaches in Central Maui

Central Maui's north shore trades calm swimming for wind — this is where the trades funnel across the isthmus, and the beaches belong to kiteboarders, windsurfers, canoe clubs and locals.

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Kanahā Beach Park

Maui's kiteboarding and windsurfing arena, a sail's throw from the runway.

<p>Long, tree-backed and reliably windy by late morning, Kanahā is where the island's wind-sport scene lives — mornings for lessons and calmer water, afternoons for a sky full of kites. Swimmers should come early; by noon it's a launch zone, and watching from the shade is half the show.</p>

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Waiehu Beach Park

A quiet local strand under the green wall of the West Maui Mountains.

<p>North of Wailuku past the golf course, Waiehu is a low-key neighborhood beach — reef-protected shallows at the south end, fishermen and canoe paddlers, and mountain views the resort coasts can't match. Not a snorkel destination; come for the setting and the calm.</p>