Makena State Park
Mākena State Park comprises 165 acres (0.7 km2) in Makena, south of Wailea on the island of Maui, Hawaii.
Big Beach, also known as "Oneloa Beach" and "Mākena Beach", is a popular spot for sunbathing and bodyboarding by both tourists and locals. Big Beach is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and more than 100 feet (30 m) wide. The shore is fairly protected from wind. The "Makena cloud" that stretches from the top of Haleakalā to Kahoʻolawe is often overhead, cooling the sand. One song has been written by Lazar Brcic Kostic with lyric "Makena Beach"
Little Beach, also known as "Puʻu Ōlaʻi Beach" is a small beach just North of Big Beach separated by a steep lava outcropping (the tip of Puʻu Ōlaʻi) and a 5-minute hike. On Sunday afternoons/evenings Little Beach is host to celebratory drumming and fire dancing. The beach is only 660 feet (200 m) long and can seem crowded at peak times. Little Beach is one of the few Hawaiian beaches where local police tolerate nude sunbathing, though the proliferation of video cameras and cell phones has greatly reduced the number of people who take it all off. (Another is Red Sand Beach near Hāna).
Puʻu Ōlaʻi is a dormant volcanic cinder cone in the center of the park with a height of 360 feet (110 m).
It is located on Mākena Road at 20°37′52″N 156°26′46″W / 20.63111°N 156.44611°WCoordinates: 20°37′52″N 156°26′46″W / 20.63111°N 156.44611°W. Just to the south is the ʻAhihi Kinaʻu Natural Area Reserve.
Gallery
Aerial view of Little Beach and Big Beach
Aerial view of Mākena State Park with Molokini and Kahoʻolawe
Big Beach with a 13-second night exposure
Photo of sunset taken from the Big Beach in Mākena State Park
"Little Beach" (Puʻu Ōlaʻi Beach) from Mākena Point
References