Maui, Hawaii
Red Sand Beach (Kaihalulu)
Red Sand Beach — Kaihalulu in Hawaiian — is a small cove on the east side of Hana Bay on Maui's far east coast.
- Remote
- Hike Required
- Dangerous Access
About this place
Red Sand Beach — Kaihalulu in Hawaiian — is a small cove on the east side of Hana Bay on Maui's far east coast. The beach gets its name from the deep rust-red iron-rich sand that's eroded out of the cinder cone forming the cove's walls. A natural lava-rock wall breaks the ocean swell about a hundred metres offshore, creating a relatively protected pool on calm days. The setting is one of the most visually striking on Maui — red sand, black lava, deep blue water, and a half-circle of crumbling red cliff.
Getting to Red Sand Beach is the hard part. The unmarked trail starts at the dead-end of Uakea Road behind the Hana Community Center, drops through a tropical forest, and then runs along a narrow eroded cliff path that's caused more rescues than nearly any other access trail on Maui. Official signs warn the trail is dangerous; East Maui Ready has issued a standing advisory asking visitors to avoid it because of the strain on emergency services. The path is genuinely steep and slick — wet weather makes it treacherous. Sturdy shoes with real traction are essential.
Clothing-optional use at Red Sand has been a long-standing convention. The cove's isolation and difficult access keep visitor numbers low and have created tolerated norms that the local community has lived with for decades. Hawaii state law on public nudity still applies in theory, but enforcement here is rare. Swimming is only advisable when the water is calm and you stay inside the protective lava wall — venturing past it puts you in serious open-ocean current.
Visitor notes
Contributed by ClothingOptional.org Editorial Team
Who visits
A small, mostly-experienced crowd — hikers who've done the trail before, Hana-area locals, and travelers willing to take the access seriously. Numbers are low even in peak tourist season because most visitors turn back when they see the trail. The crowd is mixed but skews adult and outdoor-oriented; families with young children should not attempt this beach.
How to find it
Drive into Hana town on Hana Highway 360, then turn onto Uakea Road and follow it to its dead end past the community center. Park along the road. The trailhead is in the field behind the community center; the path drops through tropical forest, then traces the cliff edge for about half a mile. The trail is unmarked and unmaintained. Allow 30 minutes one way and don't attempt it after rain.
Things to watch out for
The trail is genuinely dangerous — narrow, eroded, slick, and prone to sudden drops onto rocky shoreline. Wet weather makes it markedly worse. Multiple rescues happen here each year. The official advisory is to avoid this trail; go only if you're an experienced hiker with appropriate footwear and the weather is dry. Swimming outside the protective lava wall puts you in open-ocean current.
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Etiquette & ground rules
Stay on the marked trail — wandering off the path damages the unstable cinder slopes and creates new erosion. Don't bring children: official warnings and East Maui Ready have specifically requested visitors avoid bringing kids on the trail. No photo or video of other beachgoers. Pack out everything including any food waste. Respect the Travaasa Hana property line along the access route.
From the field
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