Running southeast from the pier at Halepalaoa Landing is the reef-protected and shaded Halepalaoa Beach, which seems to have come from desert-island central casting. It's tricky to get to and only accessible with a 4WD, but you'll have it to yourself. In winter the number of whales breaching offshore may outnumber the humans basking on the sand.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.36 MILES
This spot offers a scenic overview of the Kalaupapa Peninsula, formerly an isolation zone for sufferers of Hansen's disease (leprosy), from the edge of a…
17.73 MILES
If you’ve seen just one photograph of Maui's lush interior, odds are it was of the magnificently phallic 2250ft ʻIao Needle, the green pinnacle that…
9.54 MILES
Home to West Maui’s liveliest beach scene, this gorgeous stretch unfurls alongside Kaʻanapali’s resort hotels, linking the Hyatt Regency Maui with the…
8.38 MILES
The island's main beach is kept looking beautiful, with manicured lawns and clean restrooms, thanks to Pulama Lana‘i‘s legion of groundskeepers…
25.58 MILES
From break of day to twilight, this sparkling stretch of sand is a showstopper. Extending from south Kihei to Wailea’s Mokapu Beach, Keawakapu is set back…
14.8 MILES
For a long day on the beach, it’s hard to beat this crescent-shaped strip at the southwestern tip of Kapalua. Snorkel in the morning, grab lunch at the…
9.24 MILES
Tucked in the shadows of the iconic banyan tree, Lahaina’s 1859 courthouse is a repository of history and art. Its location beside the harbor is no…
16.2 MILES
'Ili'ili'opae Heiau is Moloka'i's biggest and best-known heiau, and is thought to be the second largest in Hawaii. It also might possibly be the oldest…
Nearby attractions
0.15 MILES
Just under 2 miles southeast along the road from Keomuku you'll reach Halepalaoa Landing, from which the sugar company planned to ship out its product…
1.4 MILES
The center of a short-lived sugarcane plantation, Keomuku is 6 miles southeast of Maunalei. The highlight is the beautifully reconstructed Ka Lanakila o…
4.77 MILES
Four miles south of Halepalaoa you'll come to Naha, which is both the end of the road and the site of ancient fishponds just offshore. This is a dramatic…
4. Lanaʻi Culture & Heritage Center
6.65 MILES
This engaging small museum is the best place to start before exploring the rest of Lana'i. It has displays with cultural artifacts covering the island's…
7.63 MILES
You can stroll along this blustery shore for 7 miles looking for flotsam and shipwrecks, and taking in the views of Molokaʻi and Maui. This area is the…
7.74 MILES
Near Shipwreck Beach a 0.5-mile trail leads directly inland to the Pōāiwa petroglyphs – a cluster of more than 20 fragile carvings on dense basalt-lava…
7. Manele-Kapakuea Heritage Trail
7.91 MILES
East of Manele Habour is a 0.6-mile trail that leads to the 8m-wide, 2m-high Ka Hana Lawa'a (Fishermen's Temple), stacked with boulders. Fishermen would…
8 MILES
This harbor, off Hwy 440, is where the ferry from Maui docks. There are bathrooms and a few sheltered picnic tables here, plus a convenience store. During…