Hawaii is called an island because of its numerous beaches. While some are beautiful, others are breathtaking, and you’ll be awestruck when you set eyes on some. One of such is the Red Sand Beach on Maui. Located on one of the island’s most isolated areas of shoreline, the Red Sand Beach on Maui is a perfect spot for snorkeling, sunbathing, and birdwatching.
So, why is it called the Red Sand Beach? As the name implies, the sand on the beach is red and there’s a reason for that. The beach is a partly submerged cinder cone and the sand is pulverized lava. The sand is not very soft unlike what many people assume. Rather, the texture of the sand is similar to crumbly pebbles. This means you shouldn’t spend too much time sunbathing here. The Red Sand Beach on Maui is one of the few red sand beaches in the world.
Swimming at the Red Sand Beach on Maui is not recommended because of the rough nature of the water. However, you’ll easily find a protected cove that’s good enough for snorkeling and wading. Thankfully, you can stay in this area when the water is unruffled. Don’t be alarmed when you see nudists relaxing, snorkeling, or watching the beautiful waves at the Red Sand Beach, its normal here.
How To Get To The Red Sand Beach on Maui
The Red Sand Beach on Maui is nestled in Hana on the jagged east coast of Maui. Hana is one of the less traveled paths for many tourists. Several tourists get to Hana by driving the attractive but time-consuming road called the Hana Highway. It’s a leisure drive with constricted one-lane bridges, ocean vistas, rain forests, waterfalls, and the trip is an awesome experience on its own.
Nonetheless, to give you a crystal-clear picture of how slow you really have to drive, you can spend more than three hours driving the 52 miles from Kahului to Hana. That means without stopping during the trip! Also, there’s minimal parking on the Hana highway. You should consider parking by the Hana Ballpark and walking.
Once you’re in Hana, getting to the Red Sand Beach on Maui is no easy task. The trail to the beach is steep and made of loose cinders, constricted, and slippery. You’ll need sturdy hiking shoes and sure footing to get by.
No Facilities, But You Can Rent!
It is noteworthy to mention that the Red Sand Beach on Maui has no facilities. You’ll have to rent whatever you’ll need at the beach to be comfortable. Also, you’ll have to leave with whatever you bring along and this means carrying them down a narrow and unsteady path.
You can rent anything you need to enjoy your time at the Red Sand Beach on Maui. If you’ll like to go snorkeling at the Red Sand Beach, you can rent snorkeling gears too.
You can rent a beach chair to or a compact folding chair to sit back and relax while watching the beautiful waves of the sea. You can as well go for the beach essential package or the Beach Deluxe package and both contains various things you’ll need to make your time at the beach comfortable.