Sugar Beach Reviews

Lots of activities on Sugar Beach. But not too crowded. The beach is very small- in some places the waves push right up to the property lines. However, it is a sandy beach and in a great location.

Great swimming option. Good sand. Only problem is the waves come up pretty high so you cannot always sit on the beach. But you can sit in the grass. Not very busy because of that which is nice .

The sand is definitely like sugar. It's superfine and sticks to everything. Minimal crowds when we visited. UluLani's shave ice is right across the street.

This is a narrow beach, but if you want privacy this is the place to go. Very romantic! The water was so clear I barely needed my mask. Gorgeous fine golden sand.

This is a great stretch of beach with no rocks or shells and great swimming! Beautiful views! It happened to be right outside our resort and the location of this beach is perfectly Central to all activities on Maui!

We stayed on Sugar Beach our first time in Maui. It was beautiful too, honestly what beach in Maui isn’t beautiful! We saw whales breaching from our lanai and people in canoes early in the morning, you could walk every morning for an hour down that same beach! It was quite beautiful!

Love this beach. We stayed at the Sugar Beach Resort and were just steps from this beautiful beach. While the water was a little cool we were still able to enjoy some time playing in the waves. I loved the fact that we didn't have to deal with rocks or seaweed. We were able to watch the whales from our chair which was a nice surprise. Although we didn't have children we say many on the beach and it looked safe for them. Very quite and lovely week spent on this wonderful beach.

The location is very convenient to several neat places to shop. We walked a short distance on the beach from our condo and went to the Farmers Market. Next to it was an ABC Store and the Sugar Beach Bake Shop. The treats vary daily but they have fantastic individual pies that are a must to eat as well as their tiny banana bread loaves. Next door was a very popular Shaved Ice Shop with covered picnic tables (with holes in the tables) to set your shaved ice while enjoying it. There was often a line of people waiting for the shaved ice. The other small shop was a boutique called Unique Boutique of Maui with gifts made by local artists and Pandora Charm Bracelets. The beach is home to several shell crews so we often saw them in practice in the mornings and even competing. Some of our family observed live turtles on the beach which was clean and easy to walk no matter the tide level. The sunsets while on the beach and beachfront condo were a favorite photo opportunity. Artists used the area to paint.

We attended a family wedding in Maui and the majority of our group chose Sugar Beach Condominiums as our place to call home for our time on the island. We were not disappointed as the location is ideal for access to all locations in Maui. Our unit was very clean and modern and we really enjoyed the Ocean front view and access to the beach for our walks in the mornings and evenings. We are really looking forward to our return trip some day!

Not as scenic as some of the more rugged beaches like Makena or Honolua, but still beautiful and much calmer for swimming than the others. We stayed at some vacation condos on the beach and loved the views and lack of crowd.

Spent most of my trip to Maui at sugar beach. Relatively private and had a great view of the windmills. Close to many places to eat/shop etc. would definitely stay at sugar beach again in the future. Can get crowded depending which side of the beach you are located on.

We have been staying in the same condo building on North Kihei Road on Sugar Beach since 2005, usually in May as was the case this year.

Sugar Beach is flat, sandy and easy to walk on. Morning walks along Sugar Beach are very popular, but it never seems crowded. The ease of walking there, made even more comfortable in May by the warm ocean water, can make you lose yourself in thought.

Sugar Beach's sand stretches into the water. It is a smooth sand bottom, at least in front of our condo building. No need for water socks here.

All of the things mentioned above can make you forget that you are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. We received a very strong reminder of this on a Sunday night when very strong tides, high winds and a strong cross-current eroded much of the beach in front of our building. Part of the divide between the condo's property and the beach had the sand washed out from under it and collapsed onto the beach.

We are renters so we have no say in what happens on or near the property but the condo owners will be working with the State of Hawaii's Natural Resources people (All beaches in Hawaii are state land) to hopefully restore this part of the beach.

Absolutely, we hope to be back again next May.

Great long beach with low crowds. Good place to snorkel with sea turtles when the waves are calm. Small parking lot but does have a porta pot.

A very beautiful place to pull up a beach chair and watch a wonderful Hawaiian Sunset. So beautiful and so orange. Can't wait to do it again. The view is great, easy to access. Ignore a negative review some people are never happy.

5 miles of beautiful beach from Ma'alaea to north Kihei. Great stretch of beach to see whales, boats and locals fishing. Maybe the longest beach on Maui...

We loved the long sandy beach in Kihei, where you can stroll as far as you want. The condo buildings along this area are all good and the people are friendly. Sugar beach is toward the upper end of this long stretch.

We stayed on Sugar Beach and we enjoyed sitting on the beach every morning watching the stars, the sunrise, the outriggers and canoes, paddle boarders and turtles. Perfect beach for walking miles in both directions.

I wish I could have stayed here all day! The sand is so soft and nice. It was cool how everyone took off their flip flops at the grass and just left them there to step into one the way out. Almost like the sand is too precious for shoes.

Awesome stretch of beach to watch amazing sunsets. Also lots of whale watching opportunities from the shore, sometimes the pods get quite close. Many times sea turtles come to rest on the shoreline, good photo opportunities but you are not allowed to get too close. Some windsurfers, paddles boarders and fishermen but not too crowded. Bathrooms across the road.

We stayed within walking distance of Sugar Beach, so this was an easy & simple place to go. The water does get a bit cloudier by afternoon, however, the peace & relative quiet is worthwhile. We visited some other beaches further south that have clearer water but were absolutely crowded. Sugar Beach is lovely for an early AM stroll and lovely for swimming in morning to early afternoon. Late afternoon/evening is still beautiful but the beach becomes limited and (like everywhere) it gets windier. It stays shallow for a good while here, just be cautious of some coral and rocks in areas. Certainly one of the quieter and simpler beaches in and around Kihea. Spent all day in and out of the water here and reading our books with plenty of space to ourselves.

This 5 mile long public beach is virtually deserted most of the time. A few fishermen and sunbathers but most people walking. We walked the full length every day - a real treat. Great location for viewing sunsets.

Have been coming to the Sugar Beach area frequently since the mid 1980's. My Hawaiian vacations always include beach walks and this beach ranks high on my list of all time favorites. Sometimes it's extremely windy so be forewarned and sometimes there are swarms of no-see-ums, but most of the year you can enjoy your beach stroll w/o such annoyances. The views are beautiful, the sand is easy to walk on, and if you are lucky you might spot some sea turtles and whales.

Not the first beach that comes to mind during your Maui visit, but if you are staying in the Kihea area it is definitely a destination worth visiting.

Mostly bordering condo properties, this lightly populated beach is ideal for a romantic sunrise/sunset stroll or a morning run. With approximately 2 miles of unobstructed beach, Sugar Beach is the alternative to the resort area popular destinations.

If quiet serenity is the priority, this spot is worth a visit.

You don't get the actual sunset over the ocean (facing south) but it has much nicer sand than most of the Kihei beaches.

Great coffee and fresh bakery goods. We walked here every day of our vacation it was sooo good! Scones, muffins, breads and great Kona coffee

We stayed at the Kihei Beach condos in North Kihei in late June 2018. Interesting thing: Not a ton of people on this beach. The best part was that you could walk along this beach for miles and miles. It seems to never end. Walk past the condos, the folks fishing along the shore break, the ad-hoc campers , even a guy snoring in a hammock he strung between two palm trees. What an amazing slice of paradise. Get your fit bit steps in, or close your iwatch activity rings on this beach. My absolute favorite on the island.

Absolutely loved this beach! We stayed at the Kihei Holiday condos across the street from Sugar Beach!! It was so beautiful there!! Our balcony faced the beach, so we got some awesome sunset views.

Our 3rd time in Maui and 3rd time on Sugar Beach. It is a nice quiet beach with a very long stretch of soft sand. My husband snorkles most mornings, seeing many turtles. You can also see lovely sunsets everynight.

My husband and I were fortunate to be staying in condo's right across the road from Sugar Beach. It is a great beach! Less crowded. Very walkable in the mornings - and I believe it is 6 km long. Nice sand. We enjoyed the fact that there was a mother whale and her baby in the bay - and we would see her most of the time while we were on the beach frolicking with her baby! It was great! Would definitely recommend the beach!

Quiet beach town, pristine sand, not crowded week of March 25. Many accessible restaurants, rentals for surfing and snorkels, close to anything else in Maui.

Our condo was on sugar beach, and we enjoyed very long walks with the gentle waves accompanying us. Right in front of our condo complex it was great for swimming and boogie boarding. Lively place for sunsets too!

This beach was along the area we stayed and so it was convenient. We spent many hours here. It is not a beach we would seek out if not for the convenience. The water was often rough for our littles and as a result much sand was churned up affecting the water's clarity.

The office closes at 5 so if you arrive after that you just use the phone. The condo was clean, a little outdated but all was great. They didn’t indicate which building our condo was in so that was frustrating. We never did find the access code for the pool. Make sure you have that. No contact with any cleaning people. We were on our own and that was just fine. It was a great ocean view. It’s quite windy so you might want to make sure you are on the inside rooms. The little excursion desk is very helpful. Talk to Mary. We were in the middle of it and so our trip was a great. time.

nice sandy beach with a a lot of shells and a terrific view. a great place to watch the outrigger races on weekends. best part is it is never crowded.

It is 3 miles long and nice views and also you can see the whales , depending on season. We did see whales playing

Quiet walk anytime of day. Commune with nature. Watch the whales shows, turtles and birds. Sugar Beach is absolutely beautiful.

This beach isn't really a beach you can tolerate. It is located at the most dramatic bend on the west side of Maui. As a consequence, the current drags everything, seaweed, and trash and leaves it this bay. Just the smell is intolerable. I don't know how anyone could stand to be in a hotel anywhere near this so-called beach.

We stayed on Sugar Beach in December and there is so much to see and do, but without all the foot traffic of Lahaina. Good food trucks nearby, and great activities. Wonderful place for a family vacation.

You can walk for miles on this sandy beach without bumping into anyone. If you go snorkeling there are lots of turtles to visit with.

We stayed at a condo on Sugar Beach and loved to take walks on Sugar Beach. No crowds, beautiful views of North and South Maui, few large buildings, two outrigger clubs out canoeing in the morning.

Quite outstanding long beach to walk. There are few people on the beach although some are there for family gatherings and fishing. A bit of a rough water compared to the beaches along Kihei but way less crowded and no less beautiful for a walk or a swim

This is our second year staying at Kihei Beach Resort Condo's which are right on the beach with each unit having a beautiful view of the ocean which is about 50 feet away. Sugar beach is beautiful, clean, and never over crowded, great for a walk on the beach when the suns coming up and setting.

Lovely walk along the shores. Not as busy as many of the beaches, lots of people out for a morning stroll. Stop at Sugar Beach Bakery before or after your walk!

Too windy and if it isn't windy there are millions of tiny bugs. Located in north Kihei and not 'where the action is. The condos are nice but expensive.

The further south you go on that side of the island, the clearer the water, and, less loud music (unless you go to little beach where it can be very loud). Better air on sugar beach then years ago, because no more sugar cane burning, which would blow across north Kihei. The neighborhood looks like it's picking up.

Lets face it many of the beaches near resort areas are crowded. Sugar Beach is a rare exception. While some condos and join the beach most of the beach is completely open. The morning walks as well as evening sun sets are amazing. The beach is used by locals for paddling with a number of local boast clubs that use this section of the beach. Great place to swim.

Our favorite part of Kihie. Not very many people and easy for swimming. As the afternoon turns to evening, the water comes very close to the dune so not the best option for walking the shore late in the day but great from morning to late afternoon.

The Island of Maui, crafted in splendor, formed by lava melding to sea, rocks the world of many. From daybreak to dusk you can choose your pleasure. Sip on a fruity cocktail in rainbow hues or examine sea creatures feeding on coral. Walk along a bracelet of hotels hugging the shoreline where beauty speaks indulgence, celebrity dictates decorum—where formality is no stranger. Yet—yet this chiseled landscape belongs to you. This multicolored postcard, this endless stretch of ocean is my Home.
And I hope to see you here soon!

The sand here is firm and easier to walk on than some beaches. There is enough room for children to play and build sand castles. Watch areas beneath overhanging branches for long, sharp thorns that may land on the sand in one or two places.

Nice clean calm beach with beautiful views of the mountains and the volcano. Lovely sunsets as well. Water's a bit murky and has some hidden rocks but other than that it is a good place for a swim swim.

Very nice white sand beach in North Kihei. Clean, family friendly and with restrooms and showers closer to the South end of the beach.

Sugar Beach seems to go on forever and has some of the most beautiful views on the island. It’s tucked into the bend of the coast, about half way between Lahaina Harbor and the town of Kihei. The mountains to the north protect the beach from high winds, storms and choppy waves that effect other parts of the Island at times. Sugar Beach is a great place to stay for families.

I have been told it is about 5 miles to the habour walking along Sugar Beach. All I know it is a lovely beach for walking. I have not gone swimming as the water is rocky and doesn't look appealing but I have seen kids swimming. the kiteboarders use this area and it is fun to watch them. The outrigger canoes go out from Sugar Beach early in the morning and I have done the paddling every time I am in Maui. there is a fee for the paddling and it is so worth it!

Nice condo, nice view, well maintained, location gives it a relaxed feeling. Great for beach walking.

On an island where the really popular beaches are crowded, Sugar beach is three miles long and the perfect place to take a walk with the wife and have privacy. There are nice vistas all around.

A long stretch of beach, not at all crowded, with clean packed sand along the edge of the water offers a lovely long walk or a nice, relaxing area for reading and resting!

This is a beach for walking, as the sand is soft and relatively free of smaller rocks intermingled in the sand. It's ideal for kids to play in the water, normally free of big waves breaking on the beach. During our stay, the sunsets viewed here were incredible, and we saw whales every day during our beach walks! One particularly nice aspect is the uncrowded nature of the beach.

Spent half a day here. Cool black sand, great swimming. Kid friendly, did some boogie boarding. Parking out on street in front of Kihei Event Centre.

Amazing little beach - largely private (some tourists show up - mostly locals and local condo owners). Great place to put in for kitesurfing and windsurfing - excellent for sunbathing privately and swimming uninterrupted.

Just look out for rip tides, I almost ate it after getting ripped a quarter mile out and came back to shore almost half a mile away.

Semi-secret place, super local, great beach - just pay attention!

We stayed at a condo on Sugar Beach and thoroughly enjoyed it. Soft, silky sand to walk miles on with no crowds. Best walking time was in the morning as the wind picks up in the afternoon. Across from the canoe club [right off the beach] is a wonderful local bakery (super breakfast yummies), farmers market & an ABC store with just about everything you might need for the day. So convenient and chill.

Sugar beach is a beautiful, clean beach. The water isn’t crazy clear because the sand gets really churned up here but the water is calm and inviting. It’s also a long beach and perfect for walks!

The sand is just like fine sugar, soft underfoot but perfect for walking miles. It’s safe and lovely. The water is nice for a dip as you walk to cool off. Just watch out for a few rocks here and there. But it doesn’t get too deep too fast. It’s nice for families. And you can get great shaved ice right by the canoe club. And the bakery close by is fantastic too. So all in all a great place to pop by and explore.

You can't go wrong in staying at a condo at Sugar Beach. Keep checking prices though since the rates go up and down with the seasons. Alii Resorts provides a good value and the customer representatives are there to please. They want you to enjoy your stay and be welcomed here. Stay for at least 1 week to enjoy the surrounding areas including my favorite, "whale watching". Best time to visit for viewing is Dec through April. April slows down a bit but your rates for the hotel will be a bit less spendy. Enjoy your stay and come back to Maui often for some true R & R.

Had to walk aways but enjoyed the beautiful beach. We hit a very nice day and it was a highlight of our trip to Maui.

Clean white beach, ideal for sitting on a towel and watching people in the water, or just taking a long, leisurely stroll.

Beautiful beach with plenty of trees. I would go again. Boogie board and snorkel. Lots of waves. Lots of places to park and visit.

The beach stretches along a natural preserve area so you can walk without any buildings next to you. Great for long walk or run. I gave it a three because of the bugs. Little nat like things. They aren't always there. It seems they like the winter time. Nasty. If your running and breathing hard its easy to suck them in.

Sugar beach resort is 10 feet away from the beach proper, so we walk it in the morning as often as our vacation here allows. The beach has a fairly steep slope down to the surf line, but is free of rocks or shells.. just miles of sand. As noted by others, there are some large reef sections under the near tide line, so care must be taken if you wade out into the surf.

Turtles, an occasional whale sighting, porpoises and this week a small hammerhead shark appeared. Whales like the bay for birthing their young which we saw on year quite close in to shore. The baby needs air and the shallow water allows the mother to quickly get it to the surface to breathe.

There are 2 outrigger canoe clubs along the beach, and they will take you along for the ride if you like to paddle ($40) and enjoy the water a bit further out from the shore line. A great beach for little kids to play in the sand and for adults to take long walks enjoying the sounds of the ocean and the palm trees that line a lot of the resorts that face the ocean here.

Bring a sand chair, umbrella, some towels and a lunch, relax without crowds of people and enjoy nature at its best.

We love stopping by Sugar Beach, It is the most relaxing beach to walk and relax. After our walk we get some Shave Ice. Such a beautiful Beach. We do not swim here, but it is perfect for walking and seeing some Turtles and other wildlife.

For our trip to Maui we stayed at the Sugar Beach Resort which was right on Sugar Beach. The beach was very nice and we enjoyed taking walks on it! One of our favorite beaches.

Loved Sugar beach, never too busy, and the sand and waves are perfect for even small little ones. curl up to a book, watch the waves, snorkel, and boogie board.

Great sunsets from Sugar Beach. A little north of all the chaos of Southern Kihei, this is an ideal retreat!

Love this beach. We walk it every morning and evening when we visit. The water is a bit murky towards the very north end because of the empty cane fields blowing dirt across the highway. It gets great sunsets in the winter and even the summer ones have some colour to behold. We have seen whales, turtles and dolphins from the shore. The canoes are out racing at first light and the fishermen are about all day. Not real rocky except the reef areas and thats where you see the turtles. Wander along south and stop for baked goods or shave ice or pick up some wine. You can rinse your feet at the canoe club before crossing to the shops.

Our group booked Sugar Beach's event site for a private luau. Having lived in Hawaii growing up and visiting a dozen times or more since moving back to the mainland I've been to a fair few luaus.

Sugar Beach does it right with some great semi-traditional food and entertainment. Just enough of the true Hawaiian culture while providing a modern take on both the dance and food. No poi....Kahlua beef was done well, poke station, salad station and tiki bar all came off great!

Would recommend and do again!

We always stay on Sugar Beach during our trips to Maui. Great for swimming, enough surf for playing in the waves but not too rough for kids. It is never crowded.

Not a lot of reefs for fish snorkeling although there are some. Also able to see some turtles typically after 1 p.m. or so. This area is perfect for sunbathing as many of the beaches are covered in rocks. Nice wide beach, plenty of room to spread out, well maintained.

Sugar beach is a long stretch of beaches along the Kihei road and the great thing about it is that you can actually park your car along side of the road and get to the beach next door. Free parking and seconds to the beach. I must add that the water is quite shallow and if you want to get in over your hips, you have to walk a bit but it is so much worth it.

Beautiful long beach with minimal crowds, great for kids, mild shore break with snorkeling opportunities.

Sugar beach is one of the biggest beaches on Maui and still often overlooked. Many access points, there are long stretches of great beach and rock formations full of life and tidal pools. Spend an hour or the whole day, a great place for a picnic. Whale watch from the beach...

Each dawn, we walked the 4-mile beach, its dark sand dotted with black volcanic boulders. The occasional stand-up paddleboarder and several outrigger canoeists plied the calm water, and Kahoolawe island rose in the distance.

Calm clear waters for floating/swimming in the morning. Soft sandy beach for strolling, sunsets are spectacular. We just discovered Sugar Beach after staying at Sugar Beach Resort and we fell in love.

We stayed at Sugar Beach resort with a wonderful view of sunsets overlooking sugar beach. This beach is a tad windy like other reviews mentioned. But it has very fine (sugar) sand and very few rocks. The waves are gentle and it is gentle access to the water so this is a perfect beach for small children. The fine sand does cause the water to be not as clear when it stirs up. We actually found a few other beach’s about 15 minutes away that we enjoyed more for the clearer waters and better snorkeling. Keawakapu Beach was great

This beach was close to our condo so we visited with a toddler. There weren't any amenities and there were a lot of Portuguese man o wars so we had to leave and couldn't let the baby in the water. To get to the beach you have to go through some pine needle shrubbery. I wouldn't recommend it.

This beautiful 5-mile stretch of sandy beach is the best for long walks along the ocean. Listen to your iPod or just enjoy the sound of the waves. We stay on Sugar Beach whenever we visit, and consider ourselves fortunate to have this amazing stretch of beach just steps from our condo.

This is one of the best beaches on Maui. You won't be disappointed.....slather the suntan lotion and spend the day!

If you’re looking for a quieter side of Kihei to stay, this is it. It’s away from all the busyness of the main attractions in Kihei. Very nice condos, great swimming pool and outdoor Jacuzzi. Right on the beach

Great for walking, jogging. Uncrowded, limited wave action. Good for standup paddling. In addition, there are two canoe clubs that paddle every morning and visitors/tourists are welcome. Great way to experience part of the Hawaiian culture.

Sugar beach is a must when in Kihei. It is one of the most beautiful beaches you will see on Maui. It is a must to see, especially for the sunsets each evening.

We had the good fortune of staying in a condo right on this beach. There aren't a lot of condos in this area, so it has a small intimate feel, and many of the condos are occupied by year round residents, so you get to hang out with locals, which is nice. While I enjoyed some beautiful walks along this beach, my husband made this his go-to place for his morning runs. Some folks have spotted turtles, but we didn't, although we saw lots of exotic looking birds, some coming right up to us! It's windy here, but well worth the quiet solitude.

If you want to walk along the beach on sugar-like sand this beach is for you. There is nothing stopping you from walking for miles. This is right next to a lovely nature walk, boardwalk, with interpretive signs and lots of birds. Parking is limited.

Wonderful clean, long, sandy beach affords great beach walking opportunities and views. Easy to access. Occasional tidepools and parks to explore. Close to Kihei.

Classic beach, pretty flat, not allot of lava rocks, nice calm clear water, not touristy, and you didn't get smashed by waves like some other beaches on the island.

We really love hanging at Sugar Beach. We can park right next to our favorite spot. A short walk down to the sand so we're not hauling all are goods a long way only to find it difficult to find a good spot. Here we never seem to have a problem getting a primo location with nice sandy beach and very few rocks.

Took our wedding photos in Maui back in March. Absolutely beautiful, my wife and I still can’t stop looking at them and just how amazing they turned out. The photographers were great to work with and awesome people! Thank you again to Penny Palmer Photography we are so grateful! Highly recommended!!