Wailea vs. Kihei vs. Makena: choosing your location.
Three neighboring South Maui coastlines, three very different looks.
BY LAURENCE BALTER · FOUNDER & LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER, WAILEA PHOTO
All three are beautiful. They're just beautiful in different ways.
Wailea, Kihei and Makena sit back to back along Maui's south shore, but each has a distinct personality shaped by its coastline, reef structure and level of development. After twenty-five years photographing all three, here's how we help families choose -- and honestly, we work across all of them depending on your session's needs, not just the neighborhood in our name.
Calm, sheltered, and the most reliably turquoise water on the island.
Wailea's beaches -- Ulua, Mokapu, Wailea and Polo -- sit in reef-protected coves that keep the water unusually calm and clear even when other parts of Maui are choppy. A paved beach path connects them, backed by manicured resort landscaping rather than open lava rock or commercial buildings. This makes Wailea our first recommendation for portrait sessions where color, calm water and a polished backdrop matter most: engagements, family portraits, and most of our sunrise and sunset sessions.
More public access, a livelier, low-key beach-town feel.
Just north of Wailea, Kihei is Maui's most accessible stretch of coastline, with dozens of public beach parks and a casual, local energy. The water is a touch less sheltered than Wailea's coves, and beaches can be busier with kite surfers, paddleboarders and beach volleyball games. Kihei works well for families wanting a more relaxed, candid, "everyday Maui" feel, or for sessions timed around a specific Kihei vacation rental.
Wide open, dramatic, and ideal for weddings and larger groups.
South of Wailea, Makena's Big Beach is Maui's largest undeveloped stretch of sand -- nearly two-thirds of a mile of wide, golden coastline framed by the volcanic silhouette of Pu'u Ola'i cinder cone. There's no path, resort landscaping or buildings in the background, just sand, sea and sky. That openness is exactly why we recommend it for weddings, vow renewals and large multi-generational family sessions that need room to spread out and an uninterrupted horizon behind them.
Not sure which fits your group? Tell us your session type and travel dates, and we'll recommend the location -- it's part of how we plan every session.
Location questions we hear most.
Is Wailea or Kihei better for photos?
Wailea generally offers calmer water, manicured beach paths and fewer crowds, making it ideal for portraits. Kihei has more public access points and a livelier, more casual beach-town feel.
Is Makena good for a wedding or large family photo?
Yes. Makena's Big Beach offers wide, dramatic stretches of sand with fewer structures in the background, which suits large groups, weddings and sessions wanting an unobstructed, natural backdrop.
Which South Maui location has the most turquoise water?
Wailea's beaches, particularly Ulua and Wailea Beach, are known for exceptionally clear, turquoise water thanks to their sheltered, reef-protected coves.