Kaihalulu Beach(Red Sand Beach)

Located in the town of Hana, Red Sand Beach - also known as Kaihalulu Beach and Secret Beach - is a unique and exquisite crescent-shaped beach with red sand and rocky portions. This beach is situated at the base of steep forested hillsides and a volcanic cinder cone named Ka'uiki Head is also present near the beach. Offshore rock formations are also present in the water near the beach, along with an offshore reef. The beach is gradually expanding in size as the nearby volcanic cinder cone undergoes erosion constantly - the eroded rocky parts of the cinder cone undergo further weathering to become sand and eventually get deposited on the beach. The sand in Red Sand Beach gets its red color due to the considerably high amount of iron oxide present in it - this iron oxide comes from the eroded rocky portions of the volcanic cinder cone. Red Sand Beach has also been listed in an article by HAWAII Magazine titled "Black, Red, Green: Where to Find Hawaii’s Phenomenal Colored Sand Beaches." The beach’s Hawaiian name (Kaihalulu Beach) comes from the Hawaiian phrase "kai halulu" which means "roaring sea" in the Hawaiian language. The area near the beach has an ancient Japanese cemetery. An old Hawaiian fortress-temple called a heiau was also present on the hill above the beach and the area near the beach was also the birthplace of Queen Kaʻahumanu, who was a powerful civil leader during the early 19th century. 

Red Sand Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan accordingly. Getting to Red Sand Beach can be extremely difficult and also occasionally hazardous - in order to reach the town of Hana, visitors have to drive on a highway named Hana Highway – which is also locally known as the Road to Hana. This highway has winding roads on steep cliffs with many sharp turns that can make many drivers nauseous. In addition, certain portions of this highway are also very narrow and this highway also passes through dense jungles and century-old bridges. It takes more than two hours to drive to Hana from the town of Kahului on the Hana Highway. If you are planning to drive from Kahului to Hana, we recommend possessing a considerable amount of driving experience in order to drive safely here. From Hana Highway, you need to turn towards Uakea Road - you can park along the street near the end of Uakea Road. Once you park here, you need to then walk on an access trail to reach Red Sand Beach. We recommend being extremely careful while walking on this trail as it goes through steep and rugged hillsides on its way to Red Sand Beach. A portion of the trail was also recently damaged due to a landslide, which makes this trail even more dangerous - many cases of grievous injuries have been reported by visitors attempting to walk on this trail. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes while walking on this trail. In addition, please note that the street parking spaces near Red Sand Beach can also get filled up easily - in case these spaces get filled up, you can park at the parking lot of a nearby recreational facility named Hana Community Center and District Complex and Ball Park (also known as the Hana Ballpark) and then walk to the access trail for Red Sand Beach. In addition, another important point that you need to know while visiting Red Sand Beach is that a portion of this trail goes through private property - you may need the owner’s permission for walking through this portion of the trail in order to avoid trespassing.

Red Sand Beach offers many fun activities including hiking, sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, wildlife watching, swimming, boating, and snorkeling. The water near the beach is protected from extremely powerful waves due to the presence of an offshore reef and rock formations - this makes the beach ideal for swimmers with slightly less experience. Snorkelers also enter the water here to explore its vibrant biodiversity - depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of fish in the water near Red Sand Beach. Adventurous locals also occasionally dive into the water near Red Sand Beach from the steep hillsides present around the beach. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Red Sand Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable and strong rip currents, especially near the northern part of the beach. In addition, the rock formations around the beach can also inflict grievous injuries. If you enter the water near Red Sand Beach, we recommend staying in the portion of the water behind the offshore rock formations as the water is significantly calmer here than other portions. If you are a beginner swimmer, we recommend avoiding going into the water near the beach. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds around Red Sand Beach including the koae kea (white-tailed tropicbird) and ‘Iwa (tropical frigate). Red Sand Beach is also used as a visiting spot by clothing optional visitors due to its difficult access. However, if you are planning a clothing optional trip to Red Sand Beach, we recommend being careful as nudity is prohibited under local regulations. If you are planning to fish in the water near Red Sand Beach, we recommend following the local fishing regulations.

The town of Hana (also known as Hāna) is an isolated yet beautiful town that still has many characteristics of a typical "Old Hawaii"-style community. The town is known for its spectacular coastal scenery and amazing natural wonders (including exquisite waterfalls and a red sand beach). The town also has many interesting cultural landmarks in and around it – one of the most iconic landmarks is the Wananalua Congregational Church (which is a nine minute walk away from the street parking spaces for Red Sand Beach). This church was built in the 19th century and it is currently a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. Another landmark near Red Sand Beach is the Hana Community Center and District Complex and Ball Park - this recreational facility has many amenities including baseball/softball fields, a playground, restrooms, and tennis courts. This facility and the area around it also host many fun events including the East Maui Taro Festival (which is dedicated to the cultural significance of the local taro crop) and the Canoe Regatta.

There are many attractions near Red Sand Beach. Hāna Culture & Museum has interesting exhibitions and artifacts which offer a unique and memorable insight into the daily lives of the Native Hawaiian people - the museum also has old photographs and it also offers information about local historic figures. The center’s premises also include the Kauhale O Hana (which is a replica of a Hawaiian Chief’s compound from the Pre-Columbian era) and the old Hana Courthouse which was constructed in the 19th century and is a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. Kahanu Garden focuses on exhibiting plants that are considered significant by Hawaiian people and the people of Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia - the garden is set in one of the largest native Hala forests in Hawaii and it offers a unique insight into the cultural significance of "canoe plants" which were brought to the Hawaiian islands by Polynesian explorers. The garden also has a historic site named Pi’ilanihale Heiau - this humongous lava-rock structure is presumably the largest ancient man made structure in the Polynesian region and it is also a part of the United States National Register of Historic Places. If you are looking for another attraction near Red Sand Beach, Waiʻānapanapa State Park has a beautiful coastal landscape - you can explore the park’s vibrant landscape and biodiversity via the hiking trails present here - one of the state park’s trails is a part of a former historic pathway (which spanned across Maui’s shoreline) that was used by Hawaiian royalty. The state park’s interesting natural features also include multiple black sand beaches, unique caves with anchialine pools (these pools and caves have immense local cultural significance and are currently closed to visitors), and a unique blowhole (which is a coastal geological formation that routinely shoots up water). The state park also has many historic sites - one of the most prominent historic sites in the state park is the Ohala Heiau, which is thought to be a shrine for a Native Hawaiian fishing god.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Red Sand Beach. The Preserve Kitchen + Bar offers amazing views of the Maui landscape and it also serves amazing dishes for brunch and dinner prepared from locally sourced ingredients including breakfast dishes, sandwiches, salads, steaks, seafood, poultry dishes, pork chops ,pupu platters, pastas, and burgers. The restaurant also offers live music performances on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. The Hāna Ranch Restaurant offers amazing dishes infused with local Hawaiian culinary influences for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including burgers, sandwiches, pastas, steaks, seafood, salads, and pork chops. Hāna Farms Roadside Stand & Bamboo Hale Restaurant is set in a unique bamboo structure and it serves amazing dishes displaying local culinary influences including pizzas, barbecued dishes, and salads. Da Fish Shack serves amazing seafood, burgers, tacos, wraps, and lunch platters. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Red Sand Beach, I Lava Tacos serves amazing Mexican dishes including tacos, tamales, and enchiladas. As another moderately priced dessert option, Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream is known for its amazing vegan ice cream.

If you are looking for a hotel near Red Sand Beach, there are many great nearby options.  The 4-Star Hana-Maui Resort offers many amenities including a pool, a Hawaiian restaurant, two tennis courts, and a spa (that offers treatments for a fee) with steam rooms and a lava rock hot tub.  The hotel also offers many fun activities including fishing, outdoor yoga, ukulele, and cookery/cocktail classes. A more affordable hotel is the Bamboo Inn on Hana Bay which has Polynesian-inspired architecture along with a rustic ambiance.  This hotel also has many amenities including a courtyard, a gazebo, complimentary breakfast, and a stone barbecue - this hotel offers amazing views of Hana Bay and it has also been awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence in 2017. As another moderately priced option, Hana Kai Maui offers many amenities including sun loungers, and a gas barbecue grill.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Red Sand Beach, Hana Inn offers many amenities including a common food storage area, a common microwave, and a barbecue grill. In addition, this hotel is situated conveniently close to some of Hana’s most popular attractions and food trucks.