An Insider’s Guide To Turtle Beach, Maui

As a snorkeling enthusiast, one of my favorite parts about visiting Maui is all of its amazing sea turtle-sighting opportunities. And that’s why Turtle Beach — also known as Maluaka Beach in Turtle Town — is always on my must-visit list whenever I’m traveling to the Valley Isle.

If you’ve ever seen a sea turtle in the wild, you know how magical it is to see these graceful green beauties gliding through the water. If you haven’t, don’t worry, visiting Turtle Beach will change that! To help you get started, I’ve put together this guide to Turtle Beach, Maui to give you everything you need to know when visiting this famous spot.

About Turtle Beach Maui

Turtle Beach or Turtle Town is by far one of the best places to see turtles in Maui. It’s a long stretch of coastline in the southern area of Makena in between One’uli Black Sand Beach and Nahuna Point. Although the exact location of ‘Turtle Beach’ may vary depending on who you ask, most are referring to Maluaka Beach in South Maui.

Maluaka’s sandy bottom and accessible reef make this beach a snorkeler’s paradise. The coral reef is protected and uncrowded, which attracts abundant marine life and, therefore, Maui sea turtles. 

Did you know?: Hawaiian green sea turtles are natively known as honu.

How To Get To Turtle Beach Maui

It’s not hard to find Maluaka Beach, as long as you’re in the know! It’s located towards the end of Makena Road as you drive south from Piilani Highway, the main road just south of Wailea. The entrance is just off the main street — 100 meters south of a small parking lot — but because it’s not prominent, many visitors zip on by.

While a popular beach, Turtle Beach is actually less crowded than you might think — in fact, it’s still a relatively hidden gem as far as Maui beaches go. This is great news for visitors that want to enjoy space in and out of the blue water to enjoy everything that Maluaka Beach has to offer.