The Maui
wedding professionals have all agreed that larger weddings are not
appropriate on this beach. But that doesn't mean that won't be a lot
of weddings taking place at the Cove. Therefore, we only go to this
beach under rare circumstances.
Wailea Beach Knoll
In the past,
Wailea Beac
h
has been rated as the world's number one beach. Yet for weddings, the
beach is often crowded with bathers from the Grand Wailea Resort along
with lots of beach chairs.
Probably the
best location at this site for a wedding is the grassy hill
overlooking the beach. The slope is gentle as you approach the crest
of the hill, but steep on the ocean side offering an impressive view
of the beach, the west Maui mountains and the ocean below.
The paved
pathway that heads down to the beach circles this knoll, so it is more
likely to be secluded on the top than at many other public sites. Keep
in mind that there really is only one wedding site on this hill, and
because this is a public area, it is possible that sunbathers might
hold onto the location for picnicking or there could even be another
wedding at the site.
You'll find
public parking for 30 cars here, and a public restroom at the bottom
of the hill. To reach the beach, take Highway 31 (Piilani Hwy.) south
past Kihei to Wailea Alanui Drive. Turn left and the beach is found
just past the Grand Wailea Resort but before the Four Seasons.
Ulua
Beach
Ulua is another
beach which is a popular public swimming locale. Located between the
Renaissance and the Outrigger Resorts) there is a nice spot on the
beach next to where the hill reaches the ocean and forms a small sandy
area near the water.
Weddings can be
done on the beach or up on the narrow grassy hill overlooking the
beach (pictured above). This second site is a favorite of our couples
for their dinner on the beach because of the romantic overlook of the
ocean and easy accessibility for our chef.
There are
public restrooms and 40 parking spaces available. To reach the beach,
drive south down Highway 31 (Piilani Hwy.) past Kihei until it makes a
"T" at Wailea Alanui at the Shops of Wailea. Turn right at the signal,
going back north. Quickly look on the left for the sign to Ulua Beach.
Charley Young Beach
Just past Cove Beach is another long and sandy
stretch of sand popular with swimmers. But at its right hand side, you
will come upon a section where the lava rocks jut off of the hill and
form some rather dramatic sites for a secluded wedding. There are
several sandy spots amidst the lava rock where a wedding can be
performed in a nicely secluded location.
To reach the beach, turn south on Highway 31 (Piilani
Hwy.) towards South Maui. When you reach Kihei, turn right on South
Kihei Road as it heads along the coast until you pass Cove Beach. It
is the next right hand street. There are 25 parking spaces close to
South Kihei Road and no restrooms facilities at this beach.
Po'olenalena Beach
This is a
popular beach (both with bathers and wedding companies) and it is much
more crowded with locals on weekends. There is room for about 30 cars
in a dirt parking lot and the only bathroom facilities at this be
ach
is a single uni-sex portable potty. The beach is long and sandy with a
hill and lava rock outcropping to the right with palms trees
overlooking the ocean.
Because of the
wide expanse of sand, this beach is often used for larger wedding
groups. The beach stretches up to the left and eventually comes to the
first Makena Surf beach. On the right hand side of Po'olenalena, you
can walk over the lava rock hill to find another beach with many other
wedding sites available. The Maui wedding couple in this picture are
standing on the far side of the hill.
To reach the
beach, take Highway 31 (Piilani Hwy.) south past Kihei to Wailea
Alanui Drive. Turn left and drive past the Kea Lani Resort until you
see the small sign leading to the beach. Then walk over the hill to
the left to reach the more secluded spot.
Makena Surf
Makena Surf is a location that is a little harder to find, because
the beach access is in a gated parking lot at the Makena Surf
Condos. This Maui beach wedding site actually has two great beaches
on either side of the lava outcropping (which you can see in the
photo on the left).
Because of the difficulty finding this beach,
we often have the entire beach to ourselves or possibly we will have
to share it with another wedding party. Because the beach curves
back towards Po'olenalena, other wedding parties can be using it at
the same time without there being any conflict.
We also use the other side of the hill which
is even more secluded and less used. Either of these beaches often a
dramatic background for your wedding, including a lava rock
outcropping, palm trees on the hill, and a great angle on the
setting sun. The sunsets here, as in all of Makena, are
gorgeous. What more can you want for a Maui beach wedding?
- Although I have provided a limited number of
choices on this page, you should know that I have many more Hawaii
wedding beaches that we can use depending upon your interests, the
size of your party and your personal tastes. I want you to have the
wedding of your dreams, and so I'm here to help you make the best
possible selection.
If you have a small party,
we often have our couples follow us in the car. In this way you won't
get lost and we can make a last second changes from one beach to another
based upon the conditions we find, such as rain, tourists on the beach,
other weddings going on, etc. Fortunately, most of our favorite beaches
are all nearby, so it is never difficult to find a good beach wedding
site.
So if you want a beach
wedding, call me and we'll talk about my suggestions for the best south
Maui beaches.
To return Back to the Maui Wedding Sites page, click here:
USA Toll Free:
1-800-561-4047
120 Peahi Road, Haiku, HI 96708
For a more
extensive weddings, look at our sister site:
Maui Weddings
