Surf Fun at Launiupoko Beach
Imagine groves of shady monkeypod trees, a protected kiddie pool, and the towering peaks of Iao Valley as your backdrop, with premium long boarding waves on the horizon. Sprinkle in breaching humpbacks during the winter months and green sea turtles year round. Launiupoko Beach Park brings together all these elements for the ultimate Maui beach day. While the snorkeling here may not be the highlight, everything else is fantastic! Catching a long, rolling wave with breathtaking views of Iao Valley, Molokai, and Lanai is simply unbeatable.
Family Beach Fun
Launiupoko Beach Park is an ideal destination for the entire family, offering a variety of beach activities to suit all ages. Young children can safely splash around in the shallow pool and search for crabs in the rocks, while older kids and parents can paddle out to SUP or surf the gentle waves. With plenty of tables and grills, large trees offer shade for long beach days. It’s the perfect spot to have a family BBQ or seaside picnic.
Many locals take advantage of the 6.7 acres of open area to host large birthday parties and celebrations. Sometimes they even bring bounce houses and inflatable slides! These lively gatherings contribute to the park’s welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere.
We were excited for our full beach day at Launiupoko. But first, a quick pit stop for some essential beach gear rentals.
Renting Beach Gear in Lahaina
Boss Frog’s has 9 convenient locations, covering South and West Maui. The Lahaina Cannery Mall location was just 10 minutes north of Launiupoko Beach Park. We stopped here for a whole slew of beach gear rentals: chairs, a cooler, an umbrella, boogie boards, and two surfboards. The staff were extremely helpful! The man at the front desk helped us to select surfboards based on our experience level and the wave conditions that day. He even helped us load our beach gear rentals into the car. On our way out of the mall, we stopped for some snacks at Safeway which was conveniently right next door to Boss Frog’s. NOW we had all the necessities for an epic Maui beach day!
How to Get to Launiupoko Beach Park
From Lahaina, drive south on Honoapi’ilani Highway (Route 30) for about 5 minutes. The park will be on your right, just past mile marker 18. If you are coming from Kihei, follow Honoapi’ilani Highway (Route 30) north for approximately 45 minutes. Turn left into Kai Hele Ku Street, which leads you down to the coast. The park will be straight ahead. There is a parking lot immediately next to the beach, as well as an overflow lot just Mauka (towards the mountains) of the highway. Launiupoko has all the facilities you might need, including outdoor showers to wash the sand and salt water from you and your board. There are also bathrooms, grills, and two public pay phones (yes, those still exist!).
Maui’s Best Beach Park
We arrived at Launiupoko Beach at 10:00 am on a Saturday. Weekends are busy at this popular beach park, but we easily found a secluded spot on the beach. While we usually set up on the sand, there are several alternative options. The north end of the park offers more shade and privacy, and there are 16 picnic tables scattered around the grass to select from.
We didn’t see any turtles or Monk seals on this day, but these are known to frequent the area. Turtles can be spotted from the beach, swimming along the coral or from a surf board as the water is so clear here. Monk seals prefer to hang out on the very southern tip of the beach and require plenty of personal space. Take a stroll to see if you can spot one catching some rays!
We set up all our beach gear rentals and gazed out to the ocean, admiring the skilled surfers, paddle boarders and boogie boarders. Even if you aren’t partaking in any watersports, you are bound to enjoy your time just as much by people watching from shore! I was in awe of the long boarders who elegantly cross-stepped forwards and backwards on their boards. The groms (young surfers) were spectacular, carving up and down the waves with complete confidence. Witnessing all their smiles and skill was inspiring. It was time for us to give surfing at Launiupoko Beach a try!
Surfing at Launiupoko Beach
With our surfboard rentals in tow, we ventured out into the warm water. Today was a hot one, and the water a perfect 79 degrees. When entering the ocean at Launiupoko, try your best to avoid wana (sea urchin) by staying away from the rocks and coral. Some surfers prefer to wear booties here. The water is shallow, especially at low tide, and the coral floor has plenty of urchins. Best tip: fall flat and keep your feet up! As silly as it may look, this is the best way to avoid painful encounters with coral and urchins.
We entered the water from the sandy beach on the south side of the park and got on our boards as early as possible. There is also a safe entrance through the kiddie pool when the waves are mellow. Paddling a short distance out to the lineup, we sat up on our boards and waited for the next set to roll in. If you are a beginner surfer, it is very important to observe the correct surfing etiquette. Try your best to adhere to these unwritten rules to avoid injury (to yourself and others) and enjoy your surf day to the fullest!
Waves at Launiupoko Beach
The waves were fairly spaced out and modest in size, measuring about 1-2 feet tall on the Hawaiian scale. Fun fact: Hawaiian surfers measure waves from the back of the wave. It varies by area, but most people measure waves by the face, which can be twice the height of the backside of the wave. My boyfriend and I both caught a few waves each, leaving us on cloud nine. If you have never felt the rush of catching a wave, put learning to surf on your bucket list ASAP!
The Aloha spirit is alive and well at this mellow surf location. Launiupoko Beach draws a very friendly crowd, and there were plenty of beginners on the lineup with us. The surfers around us were encouraging, throwing shakas and catching waves with big smiles. You can’t beat a surf day at Launiupoko Beach!
The Perfect Maui Beach Day
Our day at Launiupoko Beach Park was filled with sun, surf, and breathtaking scenery. From the gentle waves to the welcoming atmosphere, Launiupoko Beach is a slice of Maui paradise you won’t want to miss. With the help of Boss Frog’s gear rentals, we had everything we needed to live out a quintessential Maui surf day! Plan your visit soon and create your own unforgettable beach memories.
