Ulua Beach Reviews

Good parking here with showers and washrooms. Lots of people come here to scuba.

It can get crowded. Good place to snorkel and enjoy the water.

At the end of Wailea's Boardwalk, a great place for snorkeling. There are lots of coral reefs to view many different types of fishes and even turtles. Quiet piece of sand. Lots of paddle boarders and place for scuba instructions also.

A favourite spot for snorkling and scuba diving. Many rocking spots to explore for various sea life. The Pacific Whale Foundation usually has a table set up and they keep a list of what people spotted that day. Very small parking lot, but there are showers and washroom close by. The beach area is small and therefore seems busy. Lots of good swimming and many kids playing as this bay is quite calm. There is an interesting rock structure hidden in the trees on the northern end, it is like a square block....not sure what it is. It is not a pill box.

This beach has changed a lot in 40 years. The first time we went there it was empty. Now there is a resort and all the trappings of consumerism. But the surf hasnt' changed but the divers have wreaked a lot of the coral.

This beach is a fantastic find. Complete with showers, bathrooms, sandy shores and coral reefs for snorkeling and scuba, this beach allows for a lot of activities. We snorkeled, paddleboarded, swam, body boarded all from the same beautiful sandy spot that even has shade. Great find!

Spent our last day here and did not leave disappointed! Swam with sea turtles and saw an eel! Really nice views, too. Not too crowded.

I love this beach, but sometimes is gets windy and choppy in the afternoon. It is also pretty crowded and there is difficulty parking.

Nice and small beach, we went for snorkeling. However be aware of currents. When we went it was very strong and pulled us out quite far and it was a hard swim back in. I’d go elsewhere for snorkeling, we didn’t see too much. Nice and quiet beach though and we had no trouble getting parking.

This is a smaller quiet and less crowded beach. Good for small children. Waves relatively tame compared to others.

This reef goes way out deep, and we were way out there and suddenly a manta ray appeared right next to me. I got my buddies attention and we swam along with it for 20 min. It would circle and come back around often. It would be within an arms length of of looking sideways up at us. They are the most incredibly graceful creatures. Truly the experience of a lifetime.

Ulua is just a great beach to snorkel and enjoy the Maui Beach experience. A very nice reef to the right and you can swim out quite a way following the reef and sealife. Like most South Maui beaches, your best snorkeling is before noon due the consistent trade winds.

Great beach! You can snorkel here too. There is some shade by the tree line which is great. Bathrooms an a shower available. Perfect little spot!

Free parking and easy beach access. Lots of fish diversity in the outcropping between the two beaches to the right (if you’re facing the ocean). We saw turtles within minutes. Water was a bit rough when we were there late in the day- probably chose the wrong time to go but it was still fun and was the only time we had. I am told mornings are far more mellow.

This beach was our favorite. The sand is soooo soft and golden. The snorkeling was amazing! Stay near the rocks on the right side of the beach and you just walk in put your face in the water and voila, fish! We even saw an eel wriggling through the holes. The rocks on the left side have tide pools with crabs and urchins and some tiny fish. We got there in the morning around 9 and stayed until 2-ish. It was much calmer in the morning and you could see the tide coming in later and the water getting a little rougher but still swimmable. Plenty of room on the beach even with all the resorts right there. Bathrooms and showers were a plus.

The day was overcast and extremely windy. The beach is narrow and very crowded. Good parking lot and bathrooms and showers add a lot.

This beautiful beach was in walking distance to condo. There is a path to walk along the Wailea beach front that shows off the fantastic shore line of Wailea. Waves are peaceful. You can spend the entire day here!

I like this beach because it is a little bit hidden. It is really lovely, with nice snorkeling. There are also some trees for those that don't want full sun.

Really like Ulua Beach, and the pull through allows you to drop all your equipment before parking in the good size parking lot. Was snorkeling off the north side of the beach when two scuba divers came out ot the water and said they spotteda Tiger Shark (about 12 feet long) just off the rocks at the north side of the beach. They didn't have to repeat themselves and everyone made a hasty retreat to the beach.

This little beach is a gem. Waves, rocks, snorkeling, with the crowd and away from the crowd. The water is crystal clear and waves just right!

This beach was great for snorkeling and the waves were not too bad the couple days we went. There is limited parking but we didnt have an issue when we went in the morning around 10 or 11.

Small beach area, but very pretty with some shade trees at the back. there's some snorkeling possible, though we didn't see a lot. It was fairly crowded. The negative about this beach was the thorny twigs in the sand - you just had to be careful where you sat and walked.

This is the perfect beach for families, with shade, soft sand, amazing snorkelling reef, shower and bathroom facilities and a decent size car park. Definitely one of the first beaches I would go to in South Maui for snorkelling and great swimming

close parking, nice restrooms/showers, good snorkleing and a great beach to just enjoy for a full day.

Nearby public parking makes this beach accessible to anyone and the choice between Ulua and Mokapu beaches is nice. Swimming is easy and the beach is 'ample' but not overly large for the crowd. Snorkeling was so so, with higher than normal surf creating cloudy conditions on the nearby reef. I'd call this a nice swimming and sunning beach but focus on snorkeling elsewhere.

Spending a week in south Maui with our two teenage boys. Snorkeling has been a top priority for us, and we have diligently read snorkeling blogs, travel forums, even purchased a good old fashioned guide book- all to ensure we were going to best possible location to see fish and turtles. Well, after going to three highly rated beaches (Po'olenalena, Maluaka, and edge of Chang's) and having no luck (rough surf days), headed to Elua this morning. We had been there years ago with great luck.
Wow. Super easy entry, north side of beach near rocks teeming with many different types of fish. We saw parrot fish, trumpet fish, eels, sea snakes, puffer fish, yellow and purple fish (who knows the type), etc. Highlight was a solid 10 minutes swimming next to a pretty big (100# maybe?) sea turtle which was feeding on the corral in front of us. Totally awesome.

So, this beach is mentioned as so-so by snorkeling experts. But this is our second trip to Maui where we had the best luck here. Yes, there were lots of people, yes tour companies were bringing folks into the water for scuba. But honestly, once your fins and mask are on and you are off, you don't really care if you are seeing schools of fish.

Advice: go early. Period. Yes, it's a pain and you want to sit with your freshly brewed Kona coffee. But the water clarity is so worth it due to the calm waters in early morning.

Easily accessed off Wailea Alanui driving south, sign just past Andaz on right. Big parking lot, showers, bathrooms.

Go. You're welcome.

The rocks on the right side of the beach help protect against the waves which make this a perfect beach to start your snorkeling adventure.

This is a fun beach for snorkeling and skin diving. It is also fun for boogie boarding. It connects with Makapu Beqch and then to Keawakapu beach so you can walk a very long ways on the beach. Good rest room facilities and showers

great place for some snorkeling, plenty of area for sun, some area for shade. Restroom between beach and parking.

This is a beautiful little beach tucked into Wailea before all of the big resorts. Parking is very limnited so arrive early or wait to late afternoon.

Nice beach with some shade trees. Good snorkling around the coral. Showers and parking for the public are available

We have spent a lot of time at Ulua beach while staying at Elua village. It's the perfect beach for famlies to spend the day. The waves are perfect for boogie boarding, snorkeling to see turtles and great sunsets in the evening. What more could you want.

After snorkeling with a boat/tour company, this beach offered more colorful fish than anyplace else I had gone. It was also a very windy day and yet it was very calm getting in and out of the ocean. If you want to see whales up close, go on a tour boat, but if you want to see nice coral and colorful fish, this is the beach and it's free!

Beach is usually pretty calm & there’s great snorkelling. It can get busy though, as it’s a popular place for divers as well as snorkellers. Parking is available.

There is good snorkelling here around the north end rocks. A beautiful , 1,500 ft or so stretch of golden, soft sandy beach with good entries. Great place for families with children to frolic in the surf and boogieboard and swim. A good beginners diving area offshore here. Parking is tight at times as shared with three beaches, so get there early. Lovely views here of the turquoise ocean, offshore islands, lava outcrops and sunsets. Highly recommend this gorgeous beach in the Wailea area.

A great beach for all ages. The snorkeling was awesome. We saw every type of fish in Finding Nemo except for Bruce and his buddies. I will be returning to this beach.

Quiet beach with reef for snorkeling. Not a lot of waves for boogie boarding. By Andaz hotel. No stairs

We saw manta rays 3 days in a row w/ 100’ visibility. Gradual entry near the reef with good waves to ride on the other end of the beach. A bit crowded and parking sucks so get there early or go somewhere else. Have lunch next door or bring it! Definitely worth a day or two.

This beach is very pleasant, with easy access and parking (if you get there early enough). It's a beautiful little cove with shade available, good for snorkeling, protected from waves.

This is a really nice and popular beach. Though the Fairmont resort faces on to the beach, all beaches are public. There is excellent access, ample parking and washrooms and wash station adjacent to the beach. This is a good sun bathing, walking and swimming beach with little or no snorkel opportunity. As it faces west , it is most popular in the mornings when there are some areas of shade. This is one of our favorites beaches and vey safe for kids.

Parking is crowded so get there early. Beach gets crowded quickly also, but it's a calm spot for wading in the water and snorkeling, so it's worth it just go early. We got there around 9am and did get a parking space, but it was one of two left. The reef is to the right when you get on the beach, and was amazing. Absolutely full of fish, and we did see 2 sea turtles. It was crowded, but it was also a Sunday, I imagine during the week would be less busy.

We stopped here after our visit to Big Beach. Ulua Beach is just beautiful. We snorkeled and saw lots of different fish. Great beach and wasn't too busy on a Sunday afternoon.

Enjoyed the snorkeling, playing in the waves and body boarding. It was extremely crowded, so if that bothers you maybe find a different spot.

This was my kids favorite beach. It's pretty small, but has shade if you need one. Also good for snorkeling. The week we were there the beach was usually pretty calm in the morning and the waves picked up in the afternoon making it a perfect spot for boogie boarding.

My husband, son and I dined here one evening and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Our food was good and our server even better. You can't beat the ocean views under the stars and dimly lighted beach... So close! The sounds of the crashing waves were just fabulous!

Visited this beach close to our condo for some sun and water. Was surprised with the awesome coral and varieties of fish. Parking lot is full, but spots open up in minutes. As with other south Maui beaches, best time to snorkel seemed to be in the morning. A good crowd, not overcrowded

Large parking lot with bathrooms and outdoor shower. Many snorkeling in the lava reef. Some shade but invest in an umbrella. Friendlier waves.

Quite beach, beautiful setting, shade by the trees, excellent snorkelling spots on both sides of the beach, not crowded, just at the start of a great walking path, parking, showers, pristine waters....anything more to ask?

This was our favorite beach my husband and I went to on our honeymoon in October. We went in the late afternoon after beach hopping all day down the south coast and came upon this one in Wailea. Its a nice size, not too big and wasn't too busy either. Waves were perfect that day for boogie boarding and the views were the best we had seen. They have parkiing, bathrooms, and showers for cleaning off sand. Would definitely recommend!

Which happened to be attached to our condo. Well tended with enough surf for boogie boarding and interesting and safe snorkelling at either end make it a great family beach.

It also doesn't get ridiculously busy considering the resort beach next door that is just wall to wall people - the smart people from the resort hotels come here !

Rob

Beautiful beach, with showers and restrooms. Surf was gentle but fun. Water was clear blue, shore was not rocky.
We found parking easily at 10 AM but could see that it would be challenging if you show up later.
There was some decent shade in parts but best bring an umbrella

Our second time at this beach. Many of the other beaches were rough but this one was good. Parking can be a challenge but if you get there early you should be ok. In the Wailea area, just look for the sign. A bit tough to see as you travel north.

We tend to spend most of our beach time here. The reef is full of fish (an turtles, if you are lucky), the sand is soft and beautiful, and the waves are fairly tame. The Marriott and the Andaz are within easy walking distance should you require a refreshment. There isn't a huge amount of shade, so arrive early. The beach tends to get busier after 10am.

This beach is close to the Ulua condos and offers a reef that sometimes shows off with having turtles around (not our day though) :( however, we did get to see a variety of sea urchins and tropical fish from the colorful humuhumunukuapua’a (trigger fish) to a spotted sea snake. The area has a place to pull up and drop your beach things and then go park. There are bathroom facilities and a information person on site to answer questions. We snorkeled for a while, and then just chilled in the shade in our chairs with our snacks and water. Great morning spent and left the rest of the day for another adventure in Maui.

We love this beach. It doesn’t seem very busy. It is beautiful scenery. Parking is nearby. It is a great place to catch a sunset. As a matter of fact, we have a picture of a postcard worthy sunset from April hanging in our house that includes this beach. The views are picture perfect.

Ulua beach is a great stretch of beach with parking, beach facilities (toilets and showers) and a some natural shade if you are early enough to get a shady spot. It is popular for shore diving and snorkelling around the reef at one end of the bay. The reef creates a small protected area that is a bit calmer and good for kids and weaker swimmers. Like all beaches along the west coast, it is much calmer in the morning before the afternoon trade winds pick up.

Free parking, showers and restrooms and plenty of options to rent snorkeling and scuba equipment with lessons at the Marriott next door. There are a lot of trees so if you want to sit in the shade, there's room for a lot of folks to sit there.

Lots of room on the beach and in the water.

Shallow water, easy entry, lots of coral, fish and anemones. Once in a while you might see a turtle here.

We love visiting Ulua because it usually always quite calm for swimming. We also like to take a little walk along the path that goes infant of the gorgeous Wailea hotels.

You can also snorkel on this beach. The visibility is varied depending on the day, but is an easy snorkel because of the calm water.

The beach was nice. The sand was nice. The snorkelling was fair today. Visibility was poor near the beach, but it was better 200 ft (approx) out where there were some coral. Some tropical fishes to see.

We found that the beach seemed to cater to the guests/residents who live nearby. There was very little parking for a beach that is apparently rated one of the top 10 beaches in Maui. There's a tiny lot near the beach, and then nothing. You can't park on the streets near the beach, and there are many residences/resorts in gated communities around the beach.

Not what I expected. I doubt we would be back.

easy parking, short walk to the beach, cozy little beach with some shade trees, good snorkeling, bathroom & outdoor showers, what more can you ask?

Great family beach for beginner snorkelling where you can see lots of interesting fish and swim with turtles. Be sure to respect the rules of the coral and sealife including not touching the turtles.

This is one of the beaches that has public parking. It's not crowded and a lot of visitors don't know of its existence. Has lots of fish for the snorkelers and an area to just play in the waves. Nice sandy entrance for beginning snorkelers. Really enjoyed ourselves. They were setting up for a wedding on one of our visits.

We stayed at the Marriott next door and while Wailea Beach is lovely, it was a bit too rough for my young boys to get out far. I paddled one morning over to Ulua (caught a couple of fun little waves) and saw that the far reef looked perfect for calm snorkeling. As a result, I got both my kids their first snorkeling adventure and needless to say they were completely stoked!

There is not a huge variety of fish as most of the reef is pretty shallow and there can be a lot of people but for easy accessibility and people new to snorkeling it is perfect.

This is a small beach fronting a few properties with a small public access. It's not as well maintained as Wailea right next door, but is more private

Nice beach for snorkeling. A lady who looked like a beginner did get caught in the shallow coral and banged up. Just be aware of the current. We also have 2 friends that got stung by jellyfish this week. We had some stinging sensation near the point today so swam back in. We haven’t had that before at Ulua. A lady there also said that there was also a tiger shark sighting a couple of weeks ago!

Great beach near the Wailea condos/hotels. Limited parking so get there early. Get's western sun, so if you are sensitive to the sun get a seat under the trees for shade. Showers and restrooms are on site. Great swimming beach in the morning...in the afternoon waves/current pick up. Good snorkeling on the right hand side, particularly in the morning. Afternoon current/waves makes snorkeling deep off the reef a little dicey. Definitely gets crowded, but not too crazy. Lots of sea life/wild life. We saw lots of turtles every day :).

Great beach. Awesome snorkelling on the right hands side when you enter the beach. First day was awesome, with calm waters, next two days were wavy so the snorkelling was not as good, but still a very enjoyable beach to spend some time. Showers and washrooms very close. I would highly recommend this beach.

Great for snorkelling or swimming. There is a good sized parking lot to park at and a drop off area to drop the family and gear off at. Showers and bathrooms are at the entrance. Nice sandy beach and it’s easy for snorkelers to get in the water and see fish not to far off shore. We have been here several times. Always beautiful.

We were staying at the Grand Wailea and this beach was a 10-minute walk along a great, scenic beach adjacent sidewalk.

Calm waters and small waves make it great for families and kids. There are some shade options offered by trees which is better than most other beaches I saw in Maui.

The snorkeling was very good. Entry is easy as it's a sandy bottom and very small waves. You see the first reef system (enter on right side of beach) less than 50 wards from shore. About 150-200 yards from shore, you have a reef system that you can swim on top of reef which will be 2-5 feet below you. The ocean floor is 15-20 feet deep so you have a great shelf system. Visibility was great and variety of fish was great. I saw all the usual suspects plus puffers, couple of turtles and a spotted morey eel. I saw a few scuba divers swimming past below me as well which is also kind of cool to see from the surface of the water.

This is a lovely, sandy, crescent-shaped beach. I view it as a mini Wailea Beach -- not as wide as Wailea, but also without the cheek-by-jowl rows of hotel beach chairs and umbrellas.

There are shade trees towards one end of the beach and a nice clean shower area on a grassy knoll. The snorkeling is very good and the water quite calm. A good place for families.

The parking lot is relatively small, but that being said, we've always managed to find a spot the numerous times we've been there. Our experience has been to either go early or go late morning/mid-day when the morning people are leaving. After 3 pm is also good as the beach was almost completely deserted by 4 pm (My theory: people want to get back to their hotels and condos to shower and get ready for dinner).

Not to big, not to small, just the right size beach for sun, surf, snorkeling, boogie boarding, or just relaxing on the beach, it’s got it all and permanent restrooms

This is a nice spot to introduce the kids to the pleasures of snorkeling. The reef is accessible from shore with a walk-in sandy shore and a plentiful variety of sea-life. Also nice to recline on the grassy knoll behind the beach and watch the sun go down.

Nice and quiet place to relax, swim and sunbathe. There is no hotels and no organized large groups of tourist like at Wailea public beach, but if you need food or drink you will have to go to Mariott or Four seasons at Wailea beach park.

This is a great beach for swimming and snorkeling. One end has a lot of shade in the morning. The waves are gentle. The snorkeling is wonderful. I snorkeled every day. I saw turtles on three days and manta rays two days! There is parking, but beware it is full by 9am or earlier in the high season. If you wait, people will leave eventually. We didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for a parking spot.

We loved this beach, about 5 minute drive from Kamole Sands, well protected swimmimg on windy days, about a third of the beach offers shade, easy access, clean area, good for seniors and families with small kids, great snorkeling right off the beach, we saw lots of Turtles every time. Our kids (13/15/17) wanted to go back as they really enjoyed what this beach had to offer.

Great snorkeling right off the beach. Beautiful Moorish idols, butterflyfish, ornate wrasses, and sea turtles. The water was calm.

I went here on a fairly calm ocean morning after snorkeling at Ahihi Cover (which i highly recommend). I saw on videos where is it rated highly forsnorkeling. Maybe I had to go out even farther than i did, which was pretty far, but not too many differnt kids of fish. The beach itself is lovely, parking lot is close, there is a rinsing station and bathrooms, and several areas of shade on the beach.

I am in the minority but this was actually my least favorite beach to spend time on--though it did rank up there as a top snorkeling spot. This beach is fairly sheltered from the trade winds which contributes to water clarity and calmness but can make it really HOT by Maui standards. It is also VERY crowded with families and children since it is neither overly wide or long. However, the facilities provided were nice. Still worth a visit--I mean, how bad can any beach on Maui really be??? LOL

I like this beach because it is smaller, shallow, has coral and fish for great snorkeling, trees that provide shade, a bathroom close by. Also easy free parking or convenient pick up/drop off area. There are a lot of shells. We saw lots of fish and at a distance turtles and far off whales. Clear water, soft sand and great sunsets!

Lava rocks and a picnic/park area above the beach sets it apart from many. I wouldn't quite rank it as high in beach itself part as Wailea but well worth the stop

Dude. The snorkeling here is like being in a nature documentary. Go in the beach and then swim over toward the rocks on the side - it's a CORAL REEF, and an amazing one. I saw so much life here.
If you have only one day at Maui, come snorkel here.

One of our favorites to play in along the Wailea-Kihei area. Wide sand and easy waves to play in or walk along

We end up coming here every trip at least once. Great beach for swimming. Great place to take beginners snorkelling. There is a nice lava formation on the right side and you don’t have to go in far to see fish and turtles. Nice sandy beach. Parking can be tricky in the afternoon and the lot is a nice walk away but you can drop passengers off close to the beach. There are showers and bathrooms here.

the beaches in Wailea are world class and this one is especially good for snorkeling. go on a calm, sunny day.

This beach was next to our hotel. Nice quite option compared to Wailea. Great to start hear and continue down the beach for an awesome beach walk

Like the beach. Reasonable amount of parking. Bathrooms and a little outdoor shower. Sometimes you can even pick up a free wifi signal from hotel. Oh and I saw a dolphin pod there today.

The reef here is lovely and if you are patient enough you may see eel, octopus, and schools and schools of fish. The coral is more healthy than I have seen it in previous years. Go early for the best views!

We made several trips to Ulua Beach on our vacation, and it did not disappoint. There was easy snorkeling and moderate waves that made it a great place to take the young kids. Lots of people have found this spot though. By mid-morning, it is hard to find a place to put your beach towels down that isn't on top of someone else.

I saw a review below that there is a large parking lot available. That is true but if fills up... FAST! Get there early if you want a spot because there's nowhere to park on the roads if the lot is full.

This was a great full day of fun, sun, snorkeling and swimming! Perfect place to just park your butt for the day! Bring a cooler, chairs, umbrella and snorkel gear and have a full day of fun! The waves were soft and mushy on this flat sand beach. Lots of lava rock formations all around to see sea life...even turtles!!! Parking is near by, but not plentiful. We circled twice and were able to find a free spot!

Go near the rocks and you'll see lots of fish - with or without a mask! We even had a sea turtle swim near us! Better than Wailea beach which was quite crowded.

It's a smaller beach, but it has its own reasonable sized parking lot, which is accessed off Wailea Drive. From the parking lot it is a short walk to the toilets and outdoor shower stands and then down to the beach.

A small beach, but it is well sheltered from the almost constant trade winds. They have a row of palm trees at the back providing shade, so we found a very nice shady alcove to set up the chairs.

Entry into the water is easy and we had nothing more ripples coming ashore. Great beach for our 1 yr old grandson. Great snorkelling over b the rocks, saw lots of fish and turtles. Good, safe location for beginners.

Nice, off the beaten path beach, great snorkeling the reefs on the north side. Nice and mellow surf for the kids in the morning.

This little beach is easy to get to. It is sandy and calm, but with an area of rock and corals ideal for beginner snorkeling.

Great beach -- especially if you are at one of the hotels in Wailea. You can walk to it and not have to worry about parking. The snorkelling is awesome and this is just a great place to teach the young ones how to snorkel. If you do go, try to go relatively early so you can catch a shady spot (towards the northwest side of the beach.)

A definite must while in Maui

Sam

This is a great family friendly beach with great snorkeling. We were able to find a place in the shade and just hung out for hours.

Don't pay for a snorkel trip...half the time they just take you to this beach and drop you in the water.

Easy place to snorkel right off the beach and also see some turtles! Not a lot of parking but we got lucky!

Ulua beach is a very nice beach that has some shade from trees. There are lots of fish, and it is easy to get into the water. Good family spot.

This is one of the best beaches on Maui to enjoy snorkeling and a sandy beach. The beach is made out of soft sand, same when you actually walk into the water, so you don't need beach shoes. There is some good snorkeling along the reef, whith lots of fish, including Picasso trigger fish, some pufferfish, a big school of goat fish, some eels, cornetfish, trumpet fish, Moorish Idols, Tobies, squirrel fish etc.

This beach was a fabulous beach for snorkeling. Local scuba tours were using it to make sure their customers had a good experience. We saw pretty much everything except turtles. The calm water made visibility excellent and the minor currents made swimming easy even for me, and I am far from a great swimmer. Highly recommend this beach for beginners like myself!

Ulua is a great beach. It in not overly crowded and the snorkeling is great. It is best in the morning until about 1:00.The winds pick up and the waves get bigger.

This beach is AWESOME for beginners! Just a few feet into the water in the shallow area you can put your snorkel gear on and see fish right away! We saw a huge variety as we snorkeled out around the rocks. Friendly people, local families go there and it is fun to watch the little kids on their boards. We go there every time we come to Maui, Ulua is one of my favorite beaches!

Great snorkeling here, this location is conveniently located. The waves are gentle here and bathroom is available for changing and washing after.

Ulua Beach has everything: shade or sun, snorkeling. swimming, or bobbing in the surf, nearby restrooms, and easy entry/exit to the water (no excessive drop-offs). Oh, did I mention the view?

Soft sand, great snorkeling for fish, eels and turtles and good waves for boogie boarding.We were even able to spot many whales in the distance. Short walk from the public parking lot and bathrooms close by.

We enjoyed our morning here, there is lots to look at. It is more popular, so there are a lot of families and snorkelers and scuba divers around. The sand is much more coarse at this beach, almost small pebbles.

This beach was so wonderful. Very clear water which makes for great snorkeling. Waves were larger at one end... so something for everyone. Go early to pick a spot!

This is a really nice beach. It is a public beach but has very easy access from some of the Wailea resorts including Elua Village. The water is clear, the sand is clean and the water gets deeper very slowly so it's should be good for children. The part I like the best is that you can snorkel right off the beach and the area to the north end of the beach has lots of coral and you will always see classes going on for snorkeling and scuba diving. There are no lifeguards but it feels really safe. Best time to go is in the morning since the wind picks up a lot after lunch.

I frequently stay at the Wailea Marriott, and this beach is a three minute walk to the right (when facing the ocean) of the Marriott property. The snorkeling is great, but be sure to go relatively early in the morning when the fish are out and the water is calm.

During my visit to Hawaii, we spent time on Oahu and Maui. On Oahu we snorkeled in Hanauma Bay. In Maui, we were looking for snorkel spots close to where we were staying, in Kihei. One of the free maps we obtained showed that this was a place to visit.

The beach is public access, and parking is free, but space is limited. However, people are always coming and going so it shouldn't be too difficult to find a spot.

We went two days in a row. The first day, the water was so calm and clear that we saw so many different fish, sea urchins, coral, and eel. The next day, we returned to enjoy more snorkeling, but the wind had picked up and the sand was stirred up in the water, making it harder to see. However, I did spot a sea turtle there on the second day.

This place could hold its own against other snorkel spots that charge admission, but you take your chances with the wind and water conditions since the area is more open. Still, it remains one of my favorite places to go snorkeling.

Stopped by with the family after having dinner at a nearby restaurant. Parking (at that hour, which was sometime after 630PM or so) was easy and close by. Gorgeous water and soft sand. Enjoyed the sunset.

The park facilities and walkways were clean, well laid-out, and looked brand new. It featured convenient beach showers. Note that the buttons have to be pressed very hard before the water will come out.

Very impressed with this beach park. I would have liked to have spent time there during the day and do more than dip our feet in the edge of the waves. Would plan to go back upon another visit to Maui.

My kids (11&8) really enjoyed this beach. They thought it was the best place for snorkeling and boogie boarding.

Our stay at Ulua Beach was incredible.
The ocean view was amazing,
We enjoyed the beautiful beach and surfing along with the snorkeling adventure.
Best vacation ever.

Pretty beach. Public Parking, restroom & outdoor showers.

Not known for surf so don't expect body boarding, surfing or boogie boarding. Some locals fish at west end rock jetty.

We snorkelled in quite a few areas. Ulua had some of the best, especially given the easy access. Head to the rocks on the right hand side of the beach.

I think a lot of the local outfitters who do group shore dives come here, makes sense as it's very easy to get in as a novice and start snorkeling without having to get too deep too fast. The further out you go the bigger the reef gets and the bigger the fish. I've never noticed much of a current here although I've read in other forums that sometimes when the swells come in this place can get nasty so be aware of the water conditions. I usually find myself sitting on the Ulua side, but both Ulua and Mokapu are nice, both have access to the same reef (one from the left and one from the right) and I never noticed much of an advantage as they share a public parking lot. Do note that since the Andaz is now on Mokapu, it's gotten quite a bit busier, and I seem to find my happy place easier over on Ulua. But again you can't go wrong with either. Great views of West Maui too.

We went several times here to snorkel after we did a two tank dive. The shallow side of the reef seemed bleached and unhealthy (we had to tell several people to stop standing on the coral). However, the reef looked a lot better as you got further from shore. We saw a lot of interesting sea life here (turtles, Octopi, harlequin shrimp, several types of eels, Frogfish, and plenty of reef fish).

The beach itself is fairly small, so it seems to get crowded fast. The parking lot is large. Early morning is filled with divers, and the entry into the water is easy. When we went (on two occasions) the surf came up some as the morning turned into afternoon.

Ultimately, this beach felt like it had good snorkeling with easy access. However, the reef felt over-snorkeled and we found other spots in South Maui that we liked better, even if they were a bit harder to get to.

Ulua beach is located in Wailea. It is one of the few beaches from the Maui’s west coast were you have a chance to find a parking place in the free parking area near the right side of the beach. I think that this beach is usually used by the tourists that live in the big condos complex nearby having their cars parked in front of the condos.
The beach is long (300 meters) and large enough so it is not crowded.

The right side is very good for snorkeling but when there are no waves. There is an extended reef about 100 m off the shore, but the water over the reef is shallow and snorkeling could be dangerous even were the waves do not appear to be too big. Also there is a traverse current pushing you to the right towards the emerged rocks that are limiting the right side of Ulua beach.

In that day there were disturbing waves so we tried to snorkel only on the left side of the reef were the water was deep enough. We had two rounds of snorkeling (about 2.5 hours in total) but we struggled al the time against the lateral pushing current and it is not quite a peaceful snorkel time.
Also the water was not very clear. Not so many fish but an interesting underwater landscape.

On my snorkeling marking scale in that day the score for Ulua Beach were 4 from a maximum of 5 point. In good weather conditions it cut be a 4.5 snorkeling area.

We came to Ulua Beach in the late afternoon for a swim, beach time, and to watch the sunset.

The beach is wide with soft sand, beautiful views and good snorkelling among the lava rocks. There is a parking lot and we were lucky to find a spot late in the day. The beach area also has facilities (outside showers and bathrooms). It was a short walk from the parking lot to the beach and ample room to set up chairs. There is little shade unless you can find room under the trees on the right side, otherwise bring an umbrella. It was clear, easy entry into the water and gentle waves when we were there. It was so relaxing and easy to stay for hours.

As light started to fade, several people came to the beach, many with chairs, to watch the sunset. The sunset was gorgeous and a great end to an amazing day.

Ocean beach only 1/2 mile from Residence Inn Hotel, great snorkeling for all ages, beach sand okay for everyone!

Very pretty beach with 7-10 feet waves and not very deep...the shore breaks can be intense.amazing sunsets

Great place to play in the sand or the waves. My husband loves to snorkel here. Lots of fish and turtles to see around the rocks. Best on a calm day or early morning. Shady in the mornings

We got here late in the day so the waves were stronger. However the water is amazing and warm. There were other people on the beach but it was not crowded at all. Bring beach chairs and an umbrella because there are no shade on the beach. There is a grassy area with plenty of shade away from the water if you prefer to lounge there. There is a bathroom plus an area to rinse off the sand. There is a parking lot and we found parking easily. We were told that this is a great place to snorkel early in the morning. We will be coming back this week to do that. Definitely recommend!

It's a nice little beach but there are no facilities. There are rocks underwater on the south side and plenty of snorkelling to be done. There are turtles in the area

This is a small beach with an excellent snorkeling area for beginners/inexperienced snorkelers. You can see all sorts of fishes, coral, and other sea creatures (not turtles) just about 20 feet from the beach on its right side. Great spot and easy parking.

Easy to get to and not too crowded. Great variety of fish around the rocks and clear water. Not the best on Maui, but so accessible and friendly that it's hard to beat. Good bathrooms and showers, plus free parking.

Came to Ulua Beach a day after DT Fleming and would have to say this one is my preference. It is not as large as DT but it is diverse. There is a strip for swimming, enough waves for boogie boarding in the middle part and a really great place for scuba diving at the northern most end...near the rocks (south side of the spit). Would definitely return if I had the time.

This beach has free parking and the parking is located close to the sand. Affluent people frequent this beach.

This was the best spot for the kids to swim especially if the tides and waves aren't rough. You can snorkel and see fishes and turtles near the rocks as well. There are some areas covered or shaded by trees so its great if you want to get a break away from the sun. It has a bathroom and shower to rinse. Parking is ample if you arrive early (first right from Andaz hotel).

It is North of the Wailea Marriott where we were staying. NEVER crowded and a short walk. Water was beautiful, snorkeling great and body boarding when some waves came in. Still cannot believe that it was never overcrowded, even on the weekends. Highly recommend going to it if you are in Wailea or Kihie.

This was the 3rd beach we went to of 8. We were staying in a condo in the area so it was a quick drive, good enough parking. The beach was smaller, more quiet, less people, but just as beautiful as many others. There is a good and easy area to snorkel, good for beginners who can snorkel. The waves are not too big so safe to swim in for kids. It was very relaxing as it wasn't as busy, no rain, no wind, all sunshine and smiles. We stayed for over 5 hours, 4x adults, 2x young kids.

Although the beach has a wide sandy area, it's a great spot to watch the Hawaiian green turtles which can weigh up to 500lbs and can swim with you. The marine life is so rich that you can observe almost all Hawaiian fish species in this small beach. There is a public access spot to drop visitors as well as showers for everyone.

Stopped at Ulua Beach twice during this vacation to snorkel. The beach has two shower ‘towers’ and a set of restrooms. Parking is just enough, there always seems to be a spot or two available. The snorkeling along the rocks at the north end of the beach is great. Visibility can vary depending on ocean conditions. One of the better snorkeling beaches on Maui.

We had this beach to ourselves every day of our stay - well not if you include all of the sea turtles and fish near the lava reef. Excellent snorkeling!

We left around 8:00am from Lahaina for the 50 minute drive to Ulua Beach so that would be able to find parking in the small lot. Though a small beach in an elegant residential area, it was a terrific place to snorkel with a volunteer-manned table on the beach offering tips on what to see in the water and respectful ways to enjoy the marine life. There were two outdoor showers and bathroom facilities, making Ulua Beach a great place to begin our day...after snorkeling for awhile, we showered and headed out on a short drive to Big Beach.

This is one of our favorite beaches. At Ulua Beach, you'll see a ton of snorkelers and scuba divers on the far right by the rocks, but there's also plenty of space for sunbathers and kids who want to boogie board or build sandcastles.

There is a small public parking lot that fills up quickly, but like other popular beaches, it's usually open if you're there by 7 am. One of our other favorites is Wailea Beach because it's wider and has more sandy beach, but it often gets crowded with lots of resort guests. Ulua has the same nice sand but doesn't have obnoxious guests or the same number of guests.

On our most recent trip, we all enjoyed different aspects of Ulua Beach. While my 7 year old and I dug a big moat and "bathtub" in the sand, my husband, his sister, her husband, and their mom took our eldest out snorkeling. They saw lots of fish and enjoyed themselves immensely.

Sigh ... another gorgeous beach amongst many that are worth visiting. Great for snorkeling and seeing turtles . Nice for swimming. .

This soft sand beach is protected by stunning trees so you can hide from the noon day sun.

The snorkeling is fantastic. My 10 year old son doesn't like snorkeling, but even he waded out in the water to view the scores of fish and colorful coral. And without swimming anywhere, we saw a turtle as well.

There is parking, but get there early to find a spot. A bathroom and rinsing showers are nice amenities.

It is easy to spend the whole day at the beach.

I hesitate to recommend this beach, because it has become very popular, and now, sadly, crowded. Go early, if you want parking, quiet and shade.

Me and my 11 yr. Old loved snorkeling here. The North side of the beach is the best for snorkeling. Lots of fish and turtles to see. Gentle waves in the morning and clear water. Loved it.

Wailea Beach, just to the south, was a bit crowded. This one was quieter and very pleasant for walking the wet sand.

We loved this Wailea beach because you can literally walk into the ocean and see fish and other creatures when you are standing in shallow water if you are beside the rocks! Swim out along the rocks of the reef to see more fish. Remember to go in the morning before the trade winds pick up for better visibility.

Convenient to many condos, but get there early , or late as limited parking available. Good snorkeling, good waves, occasional turtle too

We snorkeled down here a couple of times. The water seemed to be calmer and it is very sandy and easy to get in and out of the water. Saw octopus, eels and a large school of fish. Best time is in the morning before the winds pick up. There are facilities here also for rinsing off afterwards. Parking can be tricky, so better to get there earlier in the day.

We sat in the shade of some trees on the left side of the beach - it was a short walk from the Marriott. Not too crowded - loved it!

We thoroughly enjoyed a morning at Ulua Beach. We thought we were arriving Darlington we got to the parking area around 10am but were lucky to find a parking spot! Once in the beach we easily found a spot in the shade where we enjoyed reading, swimming and relaxing for several hours. Based on conversations with other people there, we plan to return with snorkel gear

Nice beach with easy entry for snorkeling. Even first time snorkelers can see fish and turtles among the rocks without having to go very far into the water. Limited parking so go early! We arrived about 8:30 each of the 3 days we snorkeled there, and there was still space available. Nice beach to sun on, easy to swim from the beach, showers to rinse in, and restrooms.

I went scuba diving a Ulua four times and saw lots of colorful and interesting fishes, several moray eels, and many sea turtles. I also went snorkeling there a couple of times and a huge sea turtle swam right up to me in only about seven feet of water.

I recommend getting there early (6:00 am) in order to get a parking space and get into the water before the novices kick up the sand and ruin the visibility and scare everything away.

We tried this beach after the conditions at Makenna weren't ideal that day. We were pleased there was parking and easy shore access down at the right end. A nice quick snorkel area.

Beautiful beach with nice snorkelling for beginners. The grounds are nicely maintained with all the amenities.

We have used this beach for years and think it's the best beach in the area. Only drawback is its popularity now! There is large parking lot but it can fill up quick. If you don't get in by 930, logically out of luck on most days.

Beach area has great toilets/showers and easy access. Sand and surf here are perfect, great place to unwind for short or long periods. I think it has some of the best snorkeling and reefs with easy access. Lots of fish, turtles and reefs in various depths. I've seen everything here for fish and even rays, eels, octopus as well as lots of turtles.

This beach has it all, great for all ages , highly recommended!

I have heard this beach can get kind of rough for kids. But the day we were there, it was perfect. My oldest daughter whose 8 got to go snorkelling with her Dad and got to see so many fish and even a turtle. This beach has showers and a bathroom. Sand was nice and it had a nice gradual drop in the water. Snorkelling here was amazing! Lots of fish and turtles!

brought out of town family and has a great day at the beach. Clean and refreshing bathrooms were clean and well stocked

We loved this little beach. It is down a short access road in between 2 large hotel complexes. Parking lot can fill up but we were always able to find a spot. Restrooms and showers on site. Nice small crescent beach with great snorkeling off to lava rocks on the right side-turtles, eels, large variety of fish. Water was much calmer and better for snorkeling in the mornings, but even with rough water in the afternoon very good.

Ulau beach is our favorite Maui beach. There's a parking lot, bathroom and outdoor showers. There's a walking path that goes for miles and the scenery is spectacular. There's trees for shade if you prefer. There's a coral reef at the shoreline so the snorkeling is great. The water is calm in the morning and tends to stay calm enough to paddle board all day. If it gets windy you get to watch the kite surfers go at it and that's pretty amazing to see. The beach is mostly sandy so you don't have to worry about rocks. Great beach.

Nice family beach, protected from the wind for the most part. Wasn’t too crowded but parking can be a pain, especially in the first part of the day. Restrooms are ok but not the cleanest. Shower spray to wash off the sand, but no food or drink facilities. Decent snorkeling, good body surfing, popular spot for scuba lessons.

Beach closest to our resort (easy walk). Clean, sandy, gentle shelf in sea. Gets quite busy but not overwhelmingly so. No resort services here. Public restrooms at the north end. Dogs are a regular feature. The wind seems to blow in every day around 1pm, leading to run-away umbrellas!

We stayed right next door at Wailea Beach resort- this was 'our' daily spot for swimming and snorkeling! We saw so many marine animals while just swimming here....we swam here every day,usually sometime in the morning hours but afternoons also. One memorable day we just swam and hung out with a couple of sea turtles right by the shorelne! They weren't in any rush, just hung out and swam while they nibbled on seaweed. My son snorkeled all around the reefs here, he liked the left side heading south best for animal viewing- he saw so many colorful fish,and lots more turtles all along the edge...it was magical. Also sat on the edge one day and watched whales out in the water....that was amazing!The water is perfect,clear,warm,and not too choppy for even myself, a not great swimmer with goggles! The public restrooms are nice have right there also. There's even plenty of shade for those trying to avoid the sun.

We stayed at the Andaz which was a small walk to this nice little beach. A lot of sea life near the lava rock.

I chose this beach over the much busier Makena beach, and we wound up spending four of our five beach visits here during our stay on Maui. We were fortunate to be able to utilize the hotel shuttle to get here, so we did not have to worry about parking. Beach has nice sand to lay and walk on. We were able to find suitable space to relax on our visits without being squeezed next to someone else. One can quickly get out to deeper water without scratching their feet on coral or rock. Only our last day, were the waves crashing hard onto the shore, but I was still able to get deeper water to relax for 45 minutes to peacefully float like a blob in the water.

There are two outdoor shower poles near the washrooms to wash the sand of your body or feet, before tracking it into your car or hotel room.

Even my simple pictures, make me envious of getting back here to enjoy this beach again.

Our hotel offered a free shuttle here. Lovely small beach with shower facilities. Velvety golden sand, clear waters. There is even some shade available for white haoles like me.

Ulua beach isn't a huge beach, but it offers many great experiences. The snorkeling is fantastic on the north end near the black rocks. We snorkeled there 4 days of our trip. On 3 of those days, we swam with turtles. There are always fish in the area to view. The best time to snorkel is in the morning. The only downside is you can have others in the area including divers who dive near the rocks (it seemed like more of a training dive). The area is big enough for everyone. The earlier you arrive, the less crowded the beach. We arrived around 8 AM and were one of the only groups snorkeling. It gets more crowded around 9 AM, but there is still plenty of room for everyone. We also rented a SUP at this beach and enjoyed using it in the morning. The water gets a little rougher in the afternoon, but this makes other experiences better. We focused on snorkeling and SUP in the morning and boogie boarding and swimming in the surf in the afternoon. The beach was never crowded even on Memorial Day weekend. There is shade on the North side of the beach. The beach is mostly sand with a few large black lava rocks dispersed on the North and South ends. Our family really enjoyed this beach the most of the several we visited.

Easy to park, short walk, showers and facilities, shady beach area, sandy area for swimming and a rock outcropping for some great snorkeling. Saw 3 turtles, small schools of fish, and even spent 20 minutes mesmerized by an octopus.

Highly recommend this spot.

There is a decent amount of public parking and showers here which is always appreciated. The water was calm when we were here we were able to snorkel all the way around the point to Mokapu Beach. Tons or fish and saw several turtles. Took breaks from snorkeling in the shade provided by the trees at the north end of the beach.

This was a recommended snorkeling beach for us from friends.It turned our to be our favorite beach for snorkeling. The parking lot is not huge but we were able to get a plum spot as it opened up for us just as we arrived otherwise we may have been out of luck. There is also a nice walk that you can take advantage of between your times snorkeling. It has good facilities although not a lot of shade, oh well things are tough

Shade - great snorkeling - bathrooms
these three features make for a great day at the beach. This is a popular spot so plan on being there early to get a parking spot. The sand has a lot of junk that has blown down out of the trees so watch out for the spiky branches.
The wave action here is pleasant if you want to just jump the odd waves, swim or relax on a floatie which was my favourite activity.

Shhhh - don't tell too many people about this spot;)

We walked here from our Wailea resort and saw more fish here than Molokini boat trip that was in the AM! Very nice for beginners and little kids learning to snorkel. Saw at least 20 different fish. Less busy than Wailea beach. Some shade on north side.

Came here because of the reviews on TA saying this was a good snorkeling beach and that the waters were calmer... And they were! There is a rock reef that breaks the waves that make snorkeling easy. That said, i didn't think there was that much fish, we saw more fish and turtles at Black Rock.

That said, this is a nice beach. Not as crowded as some of the more popular ones and parking is really easy. Nice way to spend a day.

Went here with friends who live in Kihei and had a great time snorkeling. The trick is to get here before 9:00AM because the parking lot fills up. There is also shade trees to lay out on the beach as well with showers by the parking lot to wash off with. The snorkeling was very good and spotted a few turtles as well.

Pretty beach and good for early morning snorkel. Better snorkelling at Makena, Turtle Beach or further on still in the national park but this is still a nice spot. Good waves for kids with body boards. Not much shade. Much better than Wailea beach.

I'm not entirely sure how we stumbled across this little gem of a beach, but I'm glad we did! The surf was wicked at "Big Beach" this day, so we drove around looking for an alternative for boogie-boarding and snorkeling. This public beach had ample parking, showers and restrooms, a nice shady spot to set up your chair/towels, and fantastic snorkeling right off shore! The sand was also soft and fine, unlike some other local beaches with coarse gritty sand. Ulua had all that and more! Highly recommended, especially for families with smaller children.

If you or your group like a nice, easy sandy entrance for your snorkeling this is a good option in the Wailea area. Like the other beaches in this area, the surge is going to kick up later mornings and into the afternoon, so snorkeling is best if you go early and often.

There is some great snorkeling to the south of the beach. We saw more turtles here then we did in any other locations on the island.

I was out at 8 in the morning snorkeling with many others. Suddenly I turned around and the dam shark was right there... less than 5 feet away and in 4 feet of water. It mush different seeing one in the water next to you. It was a white tip reef shark. Only a few left and usually don’t bothering or hunt humans. Well I didn’t know that. I swam to shallow waters and fought my breath. Then swam back to others near me when I turned back to look and yes it’s was behind me.. that’s when I took the pictures and watched it go deep.

A great place to drop in in the morning for a nice snorkel. Also great for night dives. No lifeguard but has parking, showers, restrooms. Please be warned not to wear full face snorkel masks as they cause a build up of carbon dioxide in the chamber and have been linked to the uptick in snorkelling deaths on Maui-research it online. You will love Ulua

This beach has a rocky area that has tons of fish to see in the water. It is a great spot for snorkeling and playing in the water. There are bathrooms and showers.

A great spot for snorkelling, the water's calmer and clearer then Wailea beach, the sand here is also more golden.

The are toilets and a beach shower.

We got to the beach around 8am; there was plenty of parking. As we sat on the beach, it did fill up rather quickly. Also when we first got there, there was a gentleman swimming that came back up out of the ocean that shared with us that his sunglasses and hat were stolen while he was in the water. He eventually found his sunglasses a few yards away in the weeds from where he left them. He said they were prescription and whoever took them must have tossed them once they realized it. This whole ordeal when we first got there made us a little leery to leave our stuff while in the water so we locked it in the car when we snorkeled. With that being said this beach had nice snorkeling to the right on the reef. I got to see the resident turtle which was cool. It also has nice restroom facilities and outdoor showers to rinse off. We also enjoyed walking the pathway past all the Wailea resorts and walking in the Grand Wailea since we were not staying there.

This is a nice small beach with gentle waves but great snorkeling. We swam next to sea turtles and enjoyed the warm waters.

What a wonderful reef on the North side of the beach. Especially when it is calm. I would suggest going early in the morning 9-12 before it gets rough in the afternoon. We stayed at the Marriott and every afternoon the water was a little rough to snorkel You do need to swim out about 50 yards to see the reef come to life, but it is amazing.

This location has easy entry and good facilities. It is a walk from parking but there is also a drop off area works well. It is swim to the reef. There is little color but good sealife.

Ulua beach is easy to park at before 9:30am. Access is just past the Wailea Marriot and before Andaz. The beach has showers and bathrooms. This is where most people come to snorkel and there is great snorkeling. The bay is protected and just beyond the bay we saw many paddle boarders. Great inlet for families with small children. There is not a ton of room on this beach, so I imagine it can get crowded. But if you come for an hour to do snorkeling, you will not be disappointed.

The title says it all, and once you've been here you'll want to come back again, and again. Paradise at its best

Located right in the heart of the Wailea resort area, this is a nice beach but it can get crowded. Nice little snorkeling area on either side.

Was a great place to our last scuba dive on Maui. Two reefs to explore. Turtles, eels, many fish, and coral. Will do this one again next time I am there.

Great beach and snorkeling. Bathroom and showers. Parking area. A great place to hang out or snorkel

Hand down this was one of our favorite beaches on the south side! Great for kids, beautiful back drop and views of the ocean. The parking can be tricky so grab what we can get. They have showers and restrooms available.

Great spot for getting super close to the action with snorkeling or under water diving. Beach itself is not too busy but the parking lot looked full. The water was a little rough today. Just be careful when swimming out to the point, waves can push you hard up against the rocks. It then becomes a maze trying to exit and proves to be challenging when more waves force their way in.

Lovely beach with showers/bathroom facility and free parking. Can find good snorkeling from the beach.

We visited the speech several times while we were in Maui. The parking is close by and it gives a easy access to the Wailea walking path. We took several beautiful pictures of the sunset from this area. The only downside is that the walking path is a bit crowded. The beach never looked all that crowded. The water is a fairly calm. I think it would be a nice place to just relax.

Parking is close. There are restrooms and outdoor showers. Good for snorkeling. But there are small stones along the beach.

Love that this public beach has PARKING... Great venue to people watch ... Two weddings were happening as we walked the area... Shade and sun available

We visited Maui in the fall for a family fun/diving trip.

We are hard-core divers and underwater photographers, so we came to Maui (as we've done many times over the last 25 years) to dive with turtles and other reef fish.

We visited in November for Thanksgiving and found the area where we stayed (Honokeana Cove) was getting pounded by HUGE surf. We've snorkeled in the cove in years past and know it's a great spot for turtles, but no chance of that this year.

We know Maui well enough to understand that when the swell rolls out of the north, we can run to the south end of the island and find a different ocean. This year, we decided to check out Ulua Beach Park, which we'd talked about in the past but never visited.

We dove it three times and found it was a great spot. The reefs are very shallow (10-20 foot) on the inside. There is a second reef a bit farther off shore in about 30 feet of water.

There are a bunch of local dive tour guides and instructors that bring some groups in. We noticed if you didn't arrive before 9 AM, there wouldn't be any parking left.

There is a small staging area where you can ditch gear then park, but parking was at a premium so we jumped on the first spot we found, suited up in in the lot, and hoofed it to the water.

You have to dodge snorkelers (there are a lot) and dive classes, but once you get away from the groups it's quite a peaceful reef. We saw turtles, eels, a bunch of nudibranch species, and on our last day, we spent more than an hour diving with 3 (yes 3) Manta Rays!

All the instructors were talking about the Mantas (they had seen them the previous day, but we missed them) so I think their appearance was somewhat unusual.

No shortage of turtles here. I didn't find any good caves with the local "cute and freindly" whitetip reef sharks, but they might be there.

In addition to great diving, the sight has restrooms, I nice grassy area for lunch, and conveniently located showers for gear/people rinsing.

At the water entry point, there is a really nice sandy beach and I think a large percentage of the beach-goers were actually locals who were simply enjoying a day at the beach!

Ulua Beach located just south of Kihei in the Wailea area is going to please you for your beach activity almost every time. We love to snorkel and I rate it one of the top 10 places on Maui that is easy to find AND easy to get in the water and get out. There is a beautiful sandy beach and a nice reef. There is also a great parking lot, rest rooms and showers right by the beach. You need to get there early if you want to find a place to park - early means before 9 and before 8:30 when it is crowded. If you go around 11am and wait in the parking lot you probably will get a spot before long with the early beach goers heading home.

The snorkeling reef is on the north end of the Beach (right where you enter the beach from the parking lot). Good variety of fish and often good clarity. In my 30 years of snorkeling on Maui this is the only place I have seen the smaller Manta Rays - have seen them there twice. Also, we have seen spotted Eagle Rays as well as a good variety of sea life.

Of all the spots to snorkel in the Wailea and Kihei area that we tried this was by far the best. Nice drop off spot to unload the car before parking. The reef goes way out and around to the right of the beach and has beautiful coral and many fish to observe. It can get crowded so go early. We were they by 8 am and only a few people there. But by 10 there are many, many, people.

Private beach, beautiful little reef for snorkeling, mild wave action wonderful for body surfing, near Wailea Shops

This was a very nice beach. My friends' wedding was held here. It was not crowded and picture perfect for a sunset wedding.

The snorkeling here is fantastic. The only problem is the people on the right side of the beach looking at the ocean, who get too close to the turtles and dive into schools of fish. On a calm day you can snorkel and see wonderful fish and turtles even in the afternoon. If you are a good swimmer there are lots of turtles on the left side of the beach.

This is a must visit beach in Wailea. Soft sand, gentle waves and a warm breeze wafting through the palm trees. Snorkel the reefs or catch a wave on a boogie board. Bring sunscreen, because you'll stay all day.

Amazing snorkeling. No wait seriously awesome snorkeling. The beach is small and felt way more crowed than other beaches but the snorkeling... oh I said that already.

Snorkeling is awesome here. One of my all time favorites to dive/snorkel. Plenty of fish and turtles. The coral is bright with color. The best place to snorkel is to the right as you come onto the beach. Go in the morning... the water is calmer then.

Came here twice, where we were staying at North Kihei was windy by 9am but this place was lovely and sheltered. The snorkelling was great, saw more than one turtle on both occasions. Great to sit in the shade on the beach.

this beach is just right. easy to get to from anywhere in the south (kihei wailea makena). good for snorkeling (north end where there are rocks) , shady areas to sit when not in water and not too strong waves make it perfect for kids to do bodyboarding or swimming

Free public parking, bathrooms and outdoor showers are great. The beach is powdered sugar and the sand run all the way out into the ocean a few hundred feet. The is a little coral and rock outcrop to the north. I cannot comment on the coral as the wind and waves were pretty intense the day we vsisted. The wave energy was kicking up the sand on the bottom which made visibility limited. A turtle did stop by for a visit in about knee high water 10ft from the beach. Now that was a treat. Nice beach, well worth it.

The sand is wonderful and the waves are terrific for beginners (kids) who want to learn to body surf.

Get there either from the beach or d'ornement Kalahana drive from Wailea Alanui drive, free parking just above the park, restrooms and great showers for snorkler or dive-gear rinsing, exquisite family beach & reef.

Excellent beach if you are staying at one of the resorts or timeshares in close proximity. Arrive by 8 am to 9 am, as this hidden treasure is seemingly well known and visited often throughout the day. Gorgeous sugar sand, clear water for snorkeling and comfy beach to relax and unwind. If you are snorkeling, bring a camera and expect to see colorful fish and maybe a turtle or two, depending on the activity in the water and time of year. Beach is clean, so do your part and pick up your trash when you leave. Highly recommend at least one visit if not more.

Oh man, I almost don't want to spill the beans. This place was far superior than the others I went to (snorkeling at Kapalua Bay and diving at inner Molokini and some wreck about 60 ft deep). The reef is still beautiful, and we saw just as much wildlife as we did out diving. Parking, showers, restrooms were all really accessible and easy, although we went in the afternoon so it was less busy. I did get a TON of bug bites sitting there as the sun went down, so I recommend being prepared. The hotel also warned us about man of war jellyfish in the water, but there were many people out there and not one got stung, so we went in anyway. Luckily we were fine. Highly recommended, especially if you're down south anyway.

It's small but offers snorkling and diving. There were dive groups each day, so they must offer lessons. It was windy most of time or we would have snorkled more. It seemed like a pretty safe place for kids.

a great beach for scuba snorkel and family play time. as with all ocean activities be very aware of sets of big waves that come out of nowhere. reef is sparse but will still see a few fish

Great parking, Public Bathrooms, and a shower make this place popular. What makes it great is the ocean. The reef here is perfect for snorkeling and scuba.

Went snorkeling and while it’s not out of world, it’s pretty decent. The long foot patch offers infinite views of Wailea beach and the resorts hogging the beach at least keep the whole thing beautiful.

This perfect beach is worth the drive although parking is limited. There is a drop off area with outdoor fresh showers, bathrooms, and benches. The paved path leads to a beautiful bay with shade and lots of white sandy beach and gradual entry with sandy bottom. The reef is right there, perfect for snorkeling and good visibility. Easy entries and exits are perfect for all swimmers, scuba divers, and snorkelers. **Ideal swimming conditions are in the morning as the wind picks up around noon making the water choppy.

Ulua beach is a very nice spot. My husband and our 2 teenage daughters spent a really nice morning here. We were lucky and got a shady spot. The snorkeling was very fun - although to really see lots of fish you had to go out a ways into the ocean.

Pretty beach with rocky shore on either end. Sand felt like powdered surged. Decent shady areas to escape intensity of the sun. Snorkeling was decent - saw humuhumu, moray eel, trumpetfish, others but sadly no turtles.

Parking can be very limited at times unfortunately. But always worth the try. There are facilities and showers and gorgeous views

IN THE AGE OF MULTI-ACHIEVERS IT’S GREAT TO FIND A BEACH DOES THE SAME

MAUI’S central-south coast had better snorkelling spots so when I asked BANANA BUNGALOW’S affable guide Nick on the free snorkelling tour (for guests) why he had chosen ULUA BEACH he advanced the following salient points.
1 – Snorkeling group members always appreciate some time on the sand and nearby after their fin-flapping. The best snorkeling spot on this coast hasn’t got a beach and its surroundings are less interesting.
Good point: I found ULUA a pretty nice stretch of silica – about 250m long, wide enough except at the top of a very high tide (these vary with phases of the moon), sand pretty clean and more yellow than white. It didn’t seem to get as crowded as neighbouring beaches.
Nearby: a string of beaches reached via the fabulous WAILEA BEACH PATH**. An excellent stroll - the nicely paved path undulates (no steps/steep slopes) and twists in front of some fabulous hotels and holiday condos. Check those manicured lawns, cool pools, beach restaurants – not to mention the rather stylish guests these places attract. Nick mentioned most hotels don’t mind outsiders checking the scene – I wandered over to THE ANDAZ WAILEA** behind next beach north and toured the grounds.
If you fancy refreshments there is no shortage of cafes, bars and restaurants along the path.
The beach park at the north end of ULUA has restrooms and showers.
To the west is the blue Pacific where neighbouring islands and western MAUI can be seen. Because this section of the central south coastline faces west, it’s great for magic sunsets. The guide books say this is a good area for turtle and whale spotting but in my 3 visits (I came this way independently several times) I didn’t see any.

2 - ULUA has easier, safer conditions than the coast’s best spot. Important to Sue from Sacramento doing her first ever snorkel.
Water entry if off the sand, not rocks. Water depth around the northern point is not great for at least 50m out (there is a big drop off about 100m out where advanced snorkelers can play spot the diver), water conditions are usually more benign - fewer waves which don’t get as wind-chopped, fewer currents (most times – but occasional storms can create more waves and currents).
We are talking Ulua’s NORTHERN HEADLAND for best snorkelling. I found some okay fringing coral and plenty of fish to keep novice snorkelers happy and they can fin-flap around to the south end of MOKAPU BEACH** (the best coral and fish seemed to be on the MOKAPU side) from where it is a short walk back on the coastal path.

DOWNSIDES: - The topography to the north OCCASIONALLY turns the OFFSHORE north-east trades which blow 90+% of the time into ALONGSHORE northerlies and even ONSHORE nor-westers. These sometimes blow a bit of sand about and make the water slightly choppy. But ULUA has an advantage over neighbouring beaches in that it’s orientated slightly south which lessens the impact of this wind-sheer. MOKUPU’S orientation saw it more exposed.
- For people not staying in one of the nearby hotels, parking's limited. There's a free public lot at the end of ULA BEACH RD but it has to serve MOKAPU BEACH and those along the beach path south of ULUA and was full each time I passed. Nick managed to find some of the rare public parking spots hotels must by law keep for outsiders in their lots – but these are limited and need local knowledge.
- For out of area travellers without a car, the nearest bus stop is at at KILOHANA DRIVE, 600yards/1km/15mins north.
- There is no lifeguard.

TIPS: - I noticed the wind is more likely to veer alongshore/onshore and strengthen after 1100.
- Impact of this wind is minimised in the lee of the northern headland: Nick sat us here where there was also some vegetation for shade. Of course some people will not want to minimise any cooling breeze off the ocean although I never found MAUI too warm.
- Adjoining beaches are arguably as nice and a short walk along the coastal path.
- For budget travellers, bus #10 from KAHULLUI comes from the north – I hopped off at KILOHANA DRIVE, walked 600yards/1km/15mins south to ULA BEACH RD. $2a trip. $4 for a daily pass if you want to do more than 2 trips. Have correct money – no change given.
- Each bus has a free bike rack. I used it for my rent a wreck to return to MAUI’S north coast after one visit to avoid the rather horrendous headwinds that run down the central valley between MAUI’S east and west highlands.

MY RATING: Only 3 stars for what is a pretty nice beach? Indeed. Here’s the thing: 3 stars on TRIPADVISOR = AVERAGE and the AVERAGE beach on MAUI* is very nice. Many will argue that ULUA’S snorkelling and beach path steps it up from the average MAUI beach. I would too – except those disadvantages I mention pull it back a notch.
*I’m a beach nerd – spent time on over 20 MAUI BEACHES reportedly worth checking plus several not.

**TRIPADVISOR has separate pages on these.

This is a popular beac for families and beginner snorkelers. The rocky area is only about 3-6 ft deep and has lots of fish. Sometimes you will see turtles too

Ulua Beach was a beach we visited often, I love the flexibility of going to a beach to just sit and relax, enjoying the sun and reading or you can swim, have fun in the waves or go snorkeling all in the Same area! It is a good beach to visit, go early though to get parking!

This is a small but lovely beach with coral on both curves. Gentle enough for kids and poorer swimmers to snorkel and see fish. Stronger swimmers can go out a bit and catch site of the sea turtles

I'll admit it, I love Wailea. One of the reasons I love to visit Wailea is due to this beach, as I'm an avid snorkeler, and it's walking distance from one of my favorite hotels. Now, I do what they tell you never to do...snorkel alone. However, I only do that at the far rocky end of this beach where the fish and eels are amazing. You can see giants rays here on occasion, and also sea turtles swimming about. It's a great way to spend an afternoon.

I can't tell you about nearby parking, bathrooms or showers because I always stay at a hotel that is a brief walk away, so those aren't amenities that I pay attention to when I'm here. I can tell you I've never noticed any. However, if you are staying at one of the nearby villas or hotels, and you like to snorkel, I do recommend the far end that is rocky and hook shaped. You can leave your bottle of water and shoes up under the trees, and enter the water there with your snorkeling gear. It's a great way to spend an afternoon.

Keep in mind that snorkeling alone is never a good idea, especially since it's the number one cause of death for tourists in the Hawaiian islands. Make sure you're physically fit before you enter the water here. It's beautiful, but it can be exhausting. Bring your underwater camera if you have one.

Small beach in Wailea. Good sized parking lot. You should drop your family off at the washroom shower area as you have to park a short walk away. Snorkeling is good on the right side of the beach. Watch out for the sharp needles that fall off of the trees on the right side of the beach though.

There is a decent size parking lot that was never full during our visits on multiple days. We rented stand up paddle boards for the week and really liked the location as we could drop them off very close to the beach. This beach is very kid-friendly and often has groups of divers that explore the reef and rocks. I found the snorkeling to be better on the south end towards the Marriott.

Great beach for families. Water is relatively calm so good for families to play in. Snorkeling is great right off the beach, good variety of fish and chance to see turtles. Clean washrooms and showers.

This was just an ok dive, nothing exciting. Entry was easy and of course you saw some things but just average.

Ulua Beach is gorgeous and is connected by the beach path to Wailea Beach. It is often less crowded than Wailea Beach and has good snorkeling conditions. It is an easy stroll away from most hotels in Wailea. Enjoy!

I've been to all of the Hawaiian islands multiple times, and Ulua Beach, in my humble opinion, is the best beach in all of Hawaii.
Pros:
- Generally not terribly crowded (except on weekends and holidays), and sometimes not busy at all
- Soft sand with few rocks including in the water
- A gentle incline into the water, small waves
- Well kept by the local hotels
- Has bathrooms/showers
- Great snorkeling area (lava rock) on the north side of the beach
- Incredible backdrop on the mauka side of palm trees, clouds (generally), and Haleakala
- Incredible backdrop on the makai side Molikini and Kaho'olawe
- Due to the shallow channel, you can sometimes spot whales in whale season, and can often hear them when you are snorkeling

It literally has everything you can ask for in a Hawaii beach (unless you're looking for surfing or boogie boarding). This beach is what you picture Hawaii to be.

We come here almost 3 to 4 times a week when we are staying on Maui for the easy shore diving and great underwater views. Nice beach easy parking (come early but leave by 8 pm) No food here but showers restrooms and small grass area to sit if you want a break from the sand. Can get crowded.

We dove this spot 3x in the two weeks I was on Maui. We timed our last dive to come up in accordance with sunset. Very Memorable.

This beach is located about 5 minutes south of Kihei. The entrance to the park is very non-descript and I drove by it for years of trips to Maui before I finally noticed it. You couldn’t ask for a better shore dive spot. They have a cul de sac where you can off load your gear. Full showers and bathrooms, which close at dusk. The thing that clinches it for me is they have benches with tank holders so you don’t tie up a buddy gearing up or down.

There is plenty of parking for about 50 cars, but it fills up fast by late morning.
The beach itself is FANTASTIC. Theres shade for those who need it and long wide sandy stretches. This is a PERFECT beach for families with small kids.

The reef here is a long underwater lava finger that goes out a couple of hundred yards. There’s some sand bottom until you hit the 2nd reef.

We saw tons of interesting things on our dives here. The show stopper was a huge blue conger eel wound thru the coral. A few octopus, a frog fish, box crabs and many other creatures that we only saw here. Watch out for fire worms. I saw more here than any other place (look like a big wide flat millipede). They itch for hours after you get out of the water if you touch them.

It never got more than about 25’deep here. I managed 2x 50 min dives on one 3100psi tank one day! If you are a scuba diver or advanced snorkeller, you will love this place.

Thanks for reading and if you found something useful In here, please click helpful below. Godspeed!

AWESOME snorkeling for fish, sand pools for kids to enjoy within the lava rock. Showers and rest rooms.

This is simply the best. We have tried other beaches just for a change but we always end up thinking it is best to stick with Ulua beach. There is great beach access, the reef has a great variety of fish and there is usually an interpretive table there with someone to talk to about which sea life you just experienced. Parking is available but it is best to arrive early. We aim to be on the beach by 9 am to ensure we get a parking spot, avoid the crowds and take advantage of the calm morning waters. If you like boogie boarding, then try for lunch time or a little later.

This public beach in Wailea was a real find. We arrived around 3:00 on a weekday and had no problem parking. Short walk to a stunning beach! The beach offers shade and sun. We snorkeled, paddle boarded and swam. Beautiful place to spend some time. Showers and restrooms available. Highly recommend.

This is one of the best beaches we’ve been to in Wailea area. The people are nice and friendly they have bathrooms and showers/places to clean feet. We also went snorkeling and we saw different fish and turtles. Also felt very safe since there was a lot of snorkelers and even scuba divers there. There was also plenty of shade at the beach which was very good. Would recommend this beach!

Great beach to hang out and snorkel a little! Visibility isn’t amazing but we saw plenty of beautiful fish, reef and turtles! Careful with the waves as they tend to pull you into the rocks. We went around noon and there were plenty of parking spots still available. There were a good amount of people here, so maybe avoid it if you are looking for something more quaint. Overall good beach!!!

Go to the north of beach for better snorkeling. The sea turtles abound!!! The drop off is steep. Beware of the incoming tide and place your belongings close to the vegetation. Small beach but well worth the visit.

after spending a couple of afternoons at Wailea Beach, moved over to Ulua Beach. Parking can be a challenge in the morning mostly due to the number of spots taken up by scuba lessons. Beach is a little smaller than Wailea, but most of the same characteristics except it is less busy.

Great for snorkeling or beginner scuba. Beautiful beach to watch sunrise and sunset. Close to easy parking at The Shops at Wailea.

Convenient and with parking/showers and bathrooms. Plus its far enough south that you don't have THAT many people.

A very easy beautiful beach to access. Great snorkeling, easy entry, clean bathrooms, outdoor showers. Parking. Highly recommended.

The beach has restrooms, showers and parking. The sand is soft and white. The beach is relatively gentle and stays shallow for a while. Great snorkling by the lava rocks off to the side.

During my visit to ulua beach, the tide was unusually high due to the south swell. Visiblity was very poor for snorkelling with too much sand coming with the strong tide. However, the beach itself was so beautiful. The sand there was really soft. Also, I was able to hear whale whistling. Only bad part of this beach is that parking is limited. If you can't make it before 9 am, park at the mall and eat something after at the mall (Pint and Cork for instance). They will validate your parking ticket. For this, we avoided having to pay $25; and paid only $3.

Perfect smaller beach with some shade, free public parking, bathrooms and outdoor showers. The outcropping to the North (facing the ocean, to the right) is one of my favorite spots on Maui to share with first time snorkelers. Easy, sandy water access invites snorkelers to a well defined reef with many fish and often, turtles.

Beach park with some shade - calm water - - bathroom - outdoor shower for removing sand and salt -good snorkeling - even a place for a hammock !

Great snorkeling here and not too crowded. Very soft sand and wonderful sunsets. There was a path that continued along the beach that looked interesting.

Just got back from staying in maui and this beach never lacks. Some of the best snorkelling in the area with a beautiful calm clear beach to enjoy. Just be sure to go early to get a parking spot.

We were staying at the Residence Inn so quite a bit back from the beach and discovered Ulua by a happy accident really. We drove right down the coast, parked up in one of the carparks for beach users and walked all the way along from Keawakapu Beach trying to find a decent spot to snorkel on a very windy day (I'd recommend taking a walk along here). We ended up at Ulua and it was brilliant. Straight off the beach so good for anyone who's a bit nervous initially. Because of the chop we didn't go around the entire rocky area to the right but came back another day when it was calmer. We didn't see any turtles here (Makena Landing was the place for us for seeing lots of them) but the coral and tropical fish that are literally in 3 feet of water was wonderful. Venturing out further to the reef drop-off things just got better and better. This is also a lovely little beach with shady trees at the far end (directly in front of the snorkelling spot) - we bought food at the Wailea Gourmet Market and sat back in the shade and relaxed between snorkelling. A lovely stop for smaller kids too as they can just stand and look through a mask if they are nervous as well as play in the shore break which wasn't too big here. I'd recommend poking your head around the far right hand corner, it's a beautiful stretch of beach especially once you pass the Andaz Resort.

Approximately 30 parking stalls available. We came around 9am in December and didn't have a problem but when we left at 1pm, there was a car waiting for us to leave. We came here around 4pm too, and there were spots. So timing varies for parking.

The beach is nice and soft sandy. There is snorkeling to the right side of the beach where you see the rocks. We saw 3 different types of eels. The beach area is nice to walk on, not much shade. This beach is close to the beginning of the Wailea walking path which goes by the resorts. There is a restroom and shower facility. Bring snacks since the aren't any restaurants close by for food.

This beach is just down from the Elua Village condos where we stayed in Unit 2005. Beach access is near the main pool. really a delightful beach, perfect for families.
There are some rocky areas on the north and south end where we saw many tropical fish as well as a turtle. Mid-beach area is sandy and great for sandcastles and some very light body surfing, wave bobbing etc...the surf was light and good for kids and adults.

We love to come to this beach because of the proximity to great snorkeling. The sand is clean and white, and it's rarely crowded.

I really enjoy going here, and it's convenient to my daughter's family with whom I stay. There are facilities, it's scenic, but never seems over crowded even in high season.

There's so many nice beaches in Maui but Ulua was our favorite. It's busy enough that there's enough action to watch but definitely not crowded. Nice restrooms and clean up area, walking path to other beaches, and even section for shade if you want. Nice easy snorkeling too and sunset was just gorgeous.

Neighbouring Mokapu Beach Park, this beach was meant to be a good snorkeling beach but perhaps we arrived too late in the day as not much prettiness in the water here.

Fun waves and lovely views though.

Ulua Beach Maui Hawaii is a lovable place. It is a great place for snorkeling and swimming, as it has clear water and waves are not that big to scare. Also it has other amenities, like rest rooms, showers for bath etc. worth visiting with family. It was nearer to our hotel.

One of our favourite Maui beaches, but with limited parking facilities. On three occasions we had to abandon our plans to spend time on the beach as no parking spaces were available.

We took our beach chairs and a bottle of wine to Ulua Beach to watch the sunset. While there watching the beautiful sunset we lost count of all the whales we saw. The beach has a small parking lot and restrooms.

Have been going to this spot for 10 years. Mornings are best for water clarity, but afternoons are a bit warmer in terms of the water temperature.

This it a great beach if you’re looking for a quiet beach in Wailea. It is in front of condos with no beach seating so it’s not super crowded.

We went to this beach on a weekend so it was pretty crowded - we didn't love that part. However the beach is very pretty and there was just enough current to wake board but not so much that our 2 year old couldn't enjoy it with an adult. There are very nice showers and bathrooms here. We lucked out on the parking and had went right about lunch time so some of the morning folks were leaving. The walk to the beach is about the same at most of the beaches. We chose to grab our parking first and haul our stuff. However when we left you can pull right up to the shower area and load your car.

This is a lovely little beach, with good facilities and limited parking, so you need to arrive early. The snorkeling is decent, the sand is lovely, and the surf is moderate. Overall, a very pleasant place to spend the morning.

Very nice smaller beach fronting the Ulua condos. Good parking lot, you can drop your beach stuff off and then go park. Washrooms and showers, a naturalist on site to answer questions. We saw lots of of divers and people snorkeling near the edge of the beach. Not great for a beach walk as it is not very long. But you can take the beach walk...

This beach is just a short walk down from Wailea beach and much less crowed.. It has the softest sand and the current is very calm. Just a beautiful view of paradise.

We usually go to Ulua beach when we want to get away from the crowds at Wailea Beach. This is a good beach for beginner boogie boarding. There is not a lot of shade here so bring sunscreen.

Convenient drop off allows you to get all your stuff unloaded before you go back to find and parking place. Showers and rest rooms located very close. Good snorkeling opportunities. Lots of instructors take people here for scuba training but they are mostly gone by noon. This was our favorite beach.

One of the easiest to access beaches in Wailea , Ulua beach is a good spot to snorkel or take a diving lesson. Calm waters, plenty of marine life and a gorgeous sandy beach complete with parking, washrooms and showers. Get there early as parking goes quickly.

Great balances of snorkeling, relaxing and swimming. Seems good for kids and playing in the surf. Snorkeling was really good on the north side of the beach

First trip to Maui with family including grandchildren. We found Ulua to be a wonderful beach for our wants. My first time snorkeling ,enjoyed it. To be honest we enjoyed all the beaches in Kihei and Wailea.

This was a small, sloped beach and was even almost non-existent with high tide, but we liked it because it was quiet and it was next to our hotel There were a lot of snorkelers here and we could see the sea turtles from the rocks on the side and didn't even need to snorkel.

Spent two weeks in Maui. Brought the granddaughters ( 9 and 13) to Ulua beach and they loved the water, beach and snorkeling. They boogie boarded and floated on tubes. Absolutely loved this beach. In fact, the next beach day they chose Ulua rather than try another...

We went early in the morning and saw beautiful large turtles and lots of fish. Early AM seems to be best.

This was the first beach we went to on Maui and it did not disappoint. A great beach for all levels of experience and skill but watch you belongings when its high tide as the water comes all the way up. As soon as you put your head under you see fish. It was super clear when we where there and even saw a couple of turtles. You don't have to swim out far if you don't want to as the lovely coral starts quite close to shore. There was no under tow or sweeping currant while we were there. Add this beach to you list for great Snorkeling on Maui

My daughter took me to Hawaii for my 60th birthday celebration. Hands down the best trip ever. The beach was clean, peaceful and beautiful!

Written by my 12-year-old daughter: Ulua Beach is a great place to snorkel, play, and swim. If you have never snorkeled before, or have little experience snorkeling, then this beach is great. At Ulua you don't have to go very far off the shore to see a lot of fish. We were only 20 feet off shore and we saw a humahumanukunkuapua'a! Now, this may seem like Ulua may be too easy for you if you've had a lot of snorkeling experience, but the best thing about Ulua Beach is that there is great snorkeling for all experience levels. If you go further put you see more fish, and I even saw a turtle! No matter if you have never snorkeled before, or if you have snorkeled for years, Ulua beach is a great place to go.

Ulua Beach is fairly small, popular and has limited parking. NBevertheless, it is a great beach, especially if you have small children. The beach is very protected from waves, which provides a safe place for kids even on windier days with higher surf. The reef on the north side of the beach is a well known snorkeling spot. I have enjoyed snorkeling there many times. There usually are turtles hanging around there as well.

This is a very nice beach. There is some shade, but a lot of people brought umbrellas. There is a reef structure close enough to swim out to. We saw a lot of colorful fish.

This was very close to our hotel and we enjoyed the quick walk here early in the morning. We also walked there after spending some pool time in our hotel. Its not crowded and is clean. You will see a few turtles if you are snorkeling here

I rushed out of my crummy hotel in Kihei first thing in the morning to get a gander at Ulua Beach, which had been pretty heavily promoted by a few guide books, and I parked, walked up, saw a few feet of sand, some heavy surf, a few tide pools, about 100 people, and a little naturalist at a stand, who I talked to briefly. I trotted off determined to enjoy the beach, but I could not really find much to enjoy. It's a small beach with some nice tide pools. The surf was too heavy to go into. It felt pretty residential as one side was backed by condos. After about fifteen or twenty minutes of pretending to enjoy myself, I realized I was bored, packed up my beach towel, and drove back to my crummy hotel, where the tide pools out front turned out to be actually more impressive.

Maybe it's fabulous at other times of the year, like during a plague or something? I just don't get this beach otherwise; it's just... basic. If it were the only beach on Maui, I'm sure it would be awesome. Otherwise, it's the kind of beach that is like, good if you are staying a hundred feet away from it, with kids.

I love this small beach that is on the Wailea Beach path. This beach can be accessed via the public parking lot between the Andaz and Marriott hotels. There are public restrooms with showers next to the beach. This is a great spot to snorkel as there is a spit of lava going out from the north side of the beach. Most snorkeling happens in the morning when the sea is calm. There is next to no resort use of this beach, so it is mostly locals. There is always plenty of room on the sand, and small waves offer a good swimming experience.

We visit this beach a couple of times on each trip. there is a small reef where the snorkelling is pretty good for beginners. There is limited parking here, and the facilities are clean. Go early to get a parking spot.

This is our all time favorite beach on Maui. Unlike some beaches, the waves are a little more kid friendly and perfect for boogie boarding. If you get tired of being in the water, there is a great paved coastal walk that follows the shore past some nice resorts.

This is the beach we used the most during our stay in this portion of the Mau’i. It is busy at certain times of the day, but appeared to be a little less than the other beaches. There also appeared to be more locals using this beach than a several of the other beaches. Access from the parking lot was easy and access to the ocean was easy. Shower was located at the bathroom next to the parking lot. Snorkeling was very good, including lots of fish and some turtles. It was also a very nice location to watch the sunset.

Ulua has been our our favorite beach in Maui for over 25 years. Beautiful pocket beach with white sand, calm waves and snorkeling over to the left hand side. Ulua is busier than it used to be but still quiet compared to Wailea. Parking is available for free, though parking does fill up. We usually plan the day to start early. Best play beach in Wailea!

If you are looking for a great place to snorkel without having to go on a tour, I would recommend Ulua Beach. You need to get there early as the parking lot fills quickly due to the popularity of the beach. Just a short swim away from the shoreline, you'll be swimming over an amazing assortment of fish. Unfortunately the day we went, the surf was high, but I was still able to get some great photos on my GoPro! There is a public restroom and an outdoor shower to rinse off the salt and sand.

This beach is a bit hard to find. Find the Andaz hotel and the driveway just South of the parking lot and turn in. Parking is limited so get there early. Walk down the road to the restrooms and turn right. It's a pretty sloped beach and a long beach that goes behind the houses. You can do water sports here with the Andaz Beach Crew. It's a beach in Hawaii, how bad can it be?

Go here during sunset to get great pictures. It is so beautiful and peaceful. Great are to swim as well.

This was very nice and clean, best views and good waves every day and great sunsets as well. Great to use snorkel gear

Get there early for two reasons:
1- grab a shady spot under the trees
2- calm waters makes for better snorkeling
It's not a large beach but great for swimming and snorkeling!

Snorkelled here today with others who were cautious about being out of their depth. This beach was great. Easy swim out to rocks even walking from beach works. As mentioned previously nice white sandy beach. Toilets and beach showers available. Lots of colourful fish. Only small sign almost hidden by gardens up on main road guides you down to beach. No food availability.

We've experienced lots of Maui's beaches and this is still one of our top 5!

Great for newbie snorkelers (easy entry, lots of fish and coral to see in 3 feet of water), and more advanced (go out further, lots to see).

Also great for swimming and all the usual beach stuff. We feel this is one of the more scenic beaches in S Maui.

Visibility is great especially early in the morning. Entrance is very easy with the soft sand, and compared to Mokapu, it gets deep much quicker. The reef looks very healthy and alive as you venture further out, there is a steep drop off that you can admire while swimming out and wave at divers just exploring the sandy bottom below you. Managed to see a turtle only about 15 minutes into the session, and rare cushion sea star. You could surround the rocks and continue the snorkelling to Mokapu Beach, which has more rocky, isolated reef formations. The one thing that Ulua beats Mokapu Beach is that its location and angle makes it calmer in the afternoon. The Mokapu reef takes much of the waves, filtering out smaller ones that goes to Ulua. We were advised not to snorkel at Mokapu Beach in the afternoon but conditions at Ulua were alright at the time.

The waves were just right. I usually don't like big waves and even with little ones, I get hit. So I got hit by a little one, lost my sunglasses in the surf, then found them. My son likes riding the waves on his boogie board. A very nice beach.

This is the beach that is the play beach for the Wailea Beach Resort and the Maui Elua resort. The waves here in October were minimal and it was not difficult to get in to the water. The snorkeling is best in the morning and the crowd picked up as the day wore on so go early morning for the best, least crowded snorkel experience. Also swim out to the furthest tip of the reef and beyond, mind the surge breaking on the rocks of course, but the outer point is the least crowded area and was where the turtles were hanging out feeding. Even a better idea walk past the reef through a small cluster of trees on the beach to the other side of the reef and snorkel the north side of it and head out to the point from there. You will encounter less people on that side of the reef as most of the snorkelers are coming from the Wailea Beach Resort which is on the south side. The fish were numerous (all the classic Hawaiian reef fish) and conditions in October were about 10-15' visibility and maybe
20+ further out. I saw at least 3 different turtles feeding and hanging out but it could have been as many as 7 since I had numerous sitings some of which may have been the same turtles.

Best snorkeling beach. Friendly schools of fish.Wide, space for relaxing and reading too. Public beach, fun to meet locals!

Although the closer reef looks dead, farther out the coral is better. There were quite a few turtles, more than usually seen there. Easy to get in and out, Go early, by 8:30, there is parking during low season, showers and restrooms.

If you are a snorkeler or diver, then you may want to pay, in my opinion, the #3 snorkel site in South Maui and the #6 snorkel site overall on the island. There are great corals, many varieties of local fish, and the visibility is incredible on a good day of weather. The mornings are the best. There is a bathroom facility and a shower to rinse off. Great Beach overall to relax if your not snorkeling or diving. A popular beach with the locals.

Nice beach. As others have written nice snorkeling. Not a very spacious beach area so can get relatively crowded. Good parking. Has bathrooms and shower. Would go here again anytime.

The sand here is great, and there is almost no shells, no seaweed, and no debris. Walking on the beach is very pleasant, including in the water where in other beaches you are stepping on lots of plants, hard rocks, or who knows what.

The water is a bit greenish, unlike the crystal clear water at Molokini. You can still see through it far enough to snorkel, and there are a few rocky outcroppings where you can see some pretty fish, the occasional turtle and the rarer ray. You have to swim pretty close to rocks / corral to see the most underwater activity, and the tide going in / out could cause a weaker swimmer to brush against them. There are spiny urchins covering most of the rocks under the water, and if you contact one of those it could be a big deal so be careful. There is a drop off 150 feet or so off shore and nothing much beyond except water and sandy bottom.

There aren't enough big waves for boogie boarding or surfing, but paddle boarding in the area is good, and the snorkeling is fun if you are a confident / good swimmer. The beach didn't get too crowded, which is good, but I was there off season so I'm not sure about the crowds at all times of the year.

One other important thing is that a large number of the activities to do in Maui take place up north in Lahaina or even further, and so if you stay near this beach plan on taking 30 - 75 minutes to travel to the places that do parasailing, dinner cruises, jet ski rental, etc.

There are no hotels fronting this beach, only private homes and condo developments. But the beach is excellent - no rocks, except at either end of the half mile sweep of sand (where there is passable snorkeling). The depth of the beach is excellent, with lots of room for beach chairs to be set back from the surf.

This is a very small beach with limited parking. BUT it is a wonderful place to snorkel when the winds or storms have not riled the water. if it is high tide, be careful to enter directly down from the entry and then work your way to the right to the side of the coral reef. if you enter too far to the right, it is easy to enter over the reef. there are a lot undulations of coral and you can get too close. we have seen turtles, eels, octopus, a myriad of fish...tiny and huge and colorful and beautiful yet plain. we have snorkeled here many, many times over the years. we go back each time we visit kihei.

This is a very good diving and snorkeling beach with amenities. We to a couple of dives here and several hours snorkeling. A great place to spend the day.

We spent so may afternoons chilling out here. We rented snorkel gear and floated in the crystal clear warm water and enjoyed watching little fish swim around a little rocky area. Pure bliss☀️