Kaanapali Beach Condo Rentals
Two Oceanfront Resorts on Maui's Most Famous Beach
Kaanapali condo rentals are what most people picture when they first book Maui: a long beach of white sand, catamarans pulling right up to the shoreline, and the Lanai and Molokai skyline across the channel. We manage oceanfront condos at two resorts here, and they suit different trips.
Pick by temperament. If you want the quiet end of the beach, stay north. If you want shopping, oceanfront dinners and a free hula show a short stroll away, stay in the middle.
Quick Takeaways
- Two resorts, two moods: Mahana at Kaanapali sits at the quiet north end of the beach. The Whaler is mid-strip, next door to Whalers Village.
- No resort fee at the Mahana: Many Kaanapali neighbors charge one. The Mahana doesn't.
- What we rent here: Mahana 306 is an oceanfront one-bedroom for four; Whaler 763 is a 7th-floor oceanfront studio, also for four.
- On foot: The Kaanapali Beachwalk starts at the Mahana and runs south past Black Rock and Whalers Village.
- Best for: Couples and small families who want to swim out front and walk to dinner.
The Mahana Is the Quiet North End of Kaanapali
Mahana at Kaanapali is the closest of all Kaanapali resorts to the ocean, on Kaanapali Shores Place at the north end of the beach. That's the reason to book it. Front row, every morning. Your lanai looks straight out at the water, and the Beachwalk begins at your door.
Every unit has central A/C, a full kitchen, and its own washer, dryer and dishwasher, and on the grounds there's a beachfront heated pool, a hot tub, shuffleboard and a tennis court. Free parking, too.
Groceries are easy. Times Supermarket is across the road and Farmer's Market Maui is close by, while a few minutes' walk north puts you at Honokowai's casual spots like Okazuya & Deli and Java Jazz. And there's no resort fee, which on a ten-night stay is money you'll notice.
The Whaler Puts You in the Middle of Kaanapali Resort
The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach is the pick when you want everything walkable. It sits in the heart of Kaanapali Resort, two towers of 180 units each, right on the 3-mile Beachwalk and steps from Whalers Village.
Parking along Kaanapali Beach is often hard to find. The Whaler has its own, near each tower entrance, covered by a $35-a-day resort fee (plus tax) that also includes Wi-Fi, and there's a free resort shuttle and a 24/7 front desk. There's an in-house spa, an ocean-view pool and jet spa, lighted tennis and a pickleball court.
Our unit here is Whaler 763, an oceanfront studio on the 7th floor with a full kitchen and a private lanai. It sleeps four. It books fast.
What the Kaanapali Beachwalk Connects
The Beachwalk is the best thing about staying in Kaanapali, because it turns the whole resort into a neighborhood you can cover without the car. Kaanapali was Hawaii's first planned resort, and five hotels and six condominium villages now face the beach, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Go Hawaii guide.
Walk south from the Mahana and you pass Black Rock (Puʻu Kekaʻa), home of a sunset cliff-diving ceremony in which a diver lights torches along the rocks before leaping. Keep going for Whalers Village restaurants like Leilani's on the Beach, Hula Grill and Monkeypod. Snorkel sails and the Trilogy Lanai catamaran board from the sand. Evenings are easy, too: there are free hula performances at Hula Grill and at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel's Tiki Bar, and nobody needs to drive home.
Lahaina is about 15 minutes south of the Mahana by car, and the town is still rebuilding.
Winter Whale Season From an Oceanfront Lanai
Kaanapali is one of the best places on Maui to watch humpbacks without leaving your condo. Both of our resorts here face the channel toward Lanai and Molokai, and every winter the whales put on the show from right offshore.
Bring binoculars. Our advice for the first winter morning is to take your coffee out to the lanai and count the spouts offshore before anyone starts planning the day. A lanai at the Mahana or a 7th-floor view at the Whaler beats a lot of boat decks, and the catamarans that leave from the beach are there when you want to get closer.
Kaanapali or Kapalua for Your Stay
Choose Kaanapali if you want energy; choose Kapalua if you want hush. Your call. Kaanapali gives you restaurants, shops and boat tours along one walkable beach. Kapalua, at the far north end of the coast past Kahana and Napili, trades that for golf, coastal trails and quieter bays.
We'd put couples who like to walk to dinner, and first-timers who want the classic Maui beach, in Kaanapali, and steer golfers and anyone allergic to crowds north to Kapalua instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which Kaanapali resort is closest to the beach?
A: Mahana at Kaanapali, sitting right on the sand at the north end of Kaanapali Beach where the Kaanapali Beachwalk begins, is the closest of all Kaanapali resorts to the ocean.
Q: Do Kaanapali condo rentals charge a resort fee?
A: Many do, including The Whaler at $35 a day plus tax. There's no resort fee at Mahana at Kaanapali, a saving you'll feel most on a long stay.
Q: Can you walk to Whalers Village from The Whaler on Kaanapali?
A: Yes. The Whaler sits beside Whalers Village in the middle of the 3-mile Kaanapali Beachwalk, so shops and oceanfront restaurants are a short walk away.
Q: Is parking free at Kaanapali condos?
A: At Mahana at Kaanapali, yes. At The Whaler, parking near each tower entrance is part of the $35-a-day resort fee (plus tax), which matters because public beach parking in Kaanapali is hard to find.
Q: How far is Kaanapali from Kahului Airport?
A: About 50 minutes, per Go Hawaii. Traffic on the Honoapiilani Highway can stretch that, so plan your first grocery stop for the Kaanapali end of the drive and get the cooler filled before you check in.
Book Your Kaanapali Condo
For Maui's classic beach, done on foot, start here. Tell us whether you want the quiet north end or the middle of the action, and we'll match you to the right lanai.
Reservations: Sullivan Properties, mailing address 10 Hoohui Rd, Ste 110, Lahaina, HI 96761. Book online at mauiresorts.com.