Co-authored by Hawaii Guide founders Tori C. Derrick and John C. Derrick.
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Ka’anapali Beach is three miles of white sand on West Maui’s resort strip — the kind of beach that gets put on magazine covers. Chronic and extreme seasonal erosion has also damaged the Beachwalk and changed the amount of usable sand along parts of the resort shoreline.
That event made national news and put a sharper edge on a problem West Maui had been dealing with for decades: chronic shoreline erosion. The question it forced was harder than it looked: what do you do when the ocean starts reclaiming land under a major resort corridor?
What the Beachwalk Damage Showed
West Maui’s coast has always moved. The state’s current restoration record describes chronic and extreme seasonal erosion at Kāʻanapali over the previous four decades, with shoreline damage worsening as sea level and record water levels rise.
The Ka’anapali Beachwalk — the paved path running along the resort properties — sustained major structural damage. Sections were undercut and broke off. Ka’anapali Aliʼi Resort, which owns portions of the walkway, faced the question of whether to rebuild in the same location as the shoreline continued to move.
Sea-level rise and record water levels add pressure to a beach that already experiences chronic and extreme seasonal erosion. That does not make every narrow stretch permanent, but it raises the stakes for rebuilding fixed infrastructure at the water's edge.
The broken walkway made the immediate problem visible, but rebuilding in the same place does not resolve a shoreline that continues to move.
Where Things Stand Now (2026)
The clearest current official record is the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources' Kāʻanapali restoration project page. DLNR describes four decades of chronic and extreme seasonal erosion, with damage accelerating as sea level and record water levels rise.
The proposed regional project would place about 75,000 cubic yards of compatible offshore sand into the Hanakaʻōʻō and Kāʻanapali beach cells. DLNR presents nourishment as a mid-term buffer while managed retreat remains a longer-term process. The agency page still hosts the environmental review, plans, and 2022 procurement documents; it does not say that the full regional restoration project has been completed.
For visitors, that means old photographs are not a reliable map of today's sand width or walking route. Kāʻanapali changes with seasonal swell, and localized erosion or repairs can alter beach and Beachwalk conditions. Check current ocean conditions and follow any resort, county, or DLNR detours when you arrive; never climb over a closure to preserve a shortcut.
Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.
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Heavy rain from the past day is clearing out tonight. You'll see scattered showers Friday morning—lighter and less frequent than what came through—then dry trade winds move in and stick around through at least the middle of next week.
Windward and upland areas will still catch occasional brief showers even as things dry out, but leeward sides turn partly cloudy to mostly clear. Moderate surf holds on south, north, and west-facing beaches through the weekend, close to warning strength. Winds stay gusty through Friday as the system pulls away, then ease once the trades lock in.
Beach days and snorkeling on leeward shores start looking good Saturday. Summit trips and exposed hikes are best waited until winds ease this weekend.
0:000:55
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Heavy rain from the past 24 hours is ending tonight. You'll catch scattered showers through Friday morning—lighter and thinner than what just passed. Trade winds take over after Friday and hold steady through the middle of next week, bringing drier conditions and partly cloudy to mostly clear skies on the leeward side.
Windward areas will still see brief showers even as things dry out. Moderate surf hits south, north, and west-facing beaches through the weekend, close to warning levels on the south shore but not quite there. Gusty winds persist tonight and Friday, especially near mountains and exposed coasts, then ease once the trades settle.
Leeward beaches and snorkeling spots turn prime starting Saturday. Save the summit drive and ridge hikes for when winds ease this weekend.
0:000:49
Voice
Read the transcript
Heavy rain from the past 24 hours is ending tonight. You'll see scattered showers through Friday morning, but they're tapering off and becoming lighter. After Friday, dry trade winds settle in and hold through at least the middle of next week. Windward and upland areas will still catch occasional brief showers, but leeward sides turn partly cloudy to mostly clear. Moderate surf is on south, north, and west-facing beaches through the weekend—close to warning levels. Winds stay gusty through Friday as the system moves away, then ease once trades settle in. Plan leeward beach days and snorkeling for Saturday onward. Summit trips and exposed hikes are best waited until winds ease this weekend.
0:000:54
Voice
Read the transcript
Heavy rain from the past 24 hours is ending tonight. You'll catch scattered showers through Friday morning—lighter and brief—then trade winds move in and dry things out through at least the middle of next week.
Windward and upland spots will still see occasional showers even as conditions clear, but expect partly cloudy to mostly clear skies on leeward sides. Moderate surf holds on the south, north, and west-facing beaches through the weekend, close to warning levels but not quite there. Winds stay gusty tonight and Friday near the mountains and coast, then settle once the trades take hold.
If you're planning beach time, leeward shores are your best bet starting Saturday. Summit trips and exposed hikes are best waited until winds ease this weekend.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out