Airport Beach in Kaanapali, Maui
The Best Beach in Kaanapali
The Hawaiian Islands are a tropical paradise and the best place in North America for scuba diving and snorkeling. One of our favorite scuba dives is at the excellent Airport Beach in Maui. Also known as Kahekili Beach Park, Airport Beach is south of the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas. This Kaanapali dive site provides one of Hawaii’s best beach entries for Maui scuba diving tours, beginner lessons, and PADI courses.
Airport Beach features a spectacular coral reef that you can see standing on the beach. The corals here are home to many different sea creatures for you to visit. Underwater, the area is ideal for scuba diving lessons because of its sandy entry and shallow descent points. The inside coral reef system extends from the shore to 25 feet deep, where you will again find sand. Here, the sand forms a channel that separates the inside and outside reef sections. The massive outer reef starts at 30 feet and slopes to 45 feet. At times, your underwater visibility at Airport Beach can be up to 100 feet, averaging 50 feet year-round.
Walking into the ocean, you first notice that the coral reef begins at the shoreline. Quickly, your depth drops from zero to five feet, the corals appear, and you gradually descend. Airport Beach in Maui is ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving because of this shallow and sandy entry! Indeed, most introductory scuba diving lessons happen at this famous beach in Kaanapali.
For non-divers, this public park also has a large grassy area with a pavilion at the center. There are barbecue pits, picnic tables, and restrooms with showers. Airport Beach has an adjacent paved parking lot that usually provides plenty of space. It’s not surprising to see families and friends gather here for first birthday and graduation parties!
Airport Beach has clear visibility and calm ocean conditions, making it the best spot to begin your Maui scuba diving lessons. Similarly, this dive site is an excellent place for certified divers to review and refresh their skills, especially if anyone hasn’t been diving for six months or longer. Overall, the location in Kaanapali is gorgeous, with plenty to experience underwater for scuba divers and snorkelers.
What to Expect at Airport Beach
When you begin a scuba diving lesson at Airport Beach in Maui, you can expect to encounter vibrant moray eels, turtles, octopuses, and various tropical fish amidst extensive sections of fringing coral. The reef is located close to shore in shallow water, making it ideal for beginner divers to experience some of the best scuba diving in Maui.
On any given day, you can observe schools of fish swimming above the reef, and you’ll likely spot a sizable green turtle grazing on the algae growing on the corals. Remarkably, Airport Beach is home to rare Hawksbill turtles. Unlike most dive sites in Maui, which lack resident Hawksbill turtles, this location offers the chance to see three of them!
Airport Beach is a fantastic spot for both scuba divers and snorkelers. The currents are generally mild; however, exercise caution as they can be strong along the Kaanapali coastline. You’ll notice that the current usually flows north or south along the coast, making navigation straightforward during your scuba diving lesson or guided shore dive. This natural highway for marine life provides opportunities for multiple dives in the area!
Humpback Whales Visit Airport Beach
If you visit Maui in December, January, February, or March, you’ll have a unique experience at the Airport Beach dive site—underwater sounds! During these winter months, you can hear the songs of male Humpback Whales that frequent the area. Although it’s rare for scuba divers and snorkelers to see these fast-moving whales, you can feel their presence through their haunting melodies.
Our boutique dive shop in Lahaina is here to provide you with a personalized scuba diving experience. Each of our instructors specializes in introductory scuba dives, private diving sessions, and PADI certifications. When you book a shore dive with Banyan Tree Divers, you can trust that our expert instructors prioritize your safety and comfort.
We operate daily with small group sizes to ensure a more intimate experience and promote awareness of Hawaii’s delicate marine life in the Pacific Ocean. We only provide guided dives, so you won’t need a boat to access Maui’s top dive sites! Instead, you can enjoy two shore dives at our favorite locations in sunny Lahaina and Kaanapali, where you may encounter turtles and sharks—all while ensuring you’re back in time for lunch.