Little Beach (also known as Little Makena Beach) is the most popular nude beach in all of Hawaii. It consistently ranks on various lists of the very best nude beaches in the United States, both because it is extremely beautiful and because nudity is freely tolerated here. Located about 10 miles south of Kihei, Little Beach is a west-facing beach near the southern end of Maui's western coast. It is indeed little—just a few hundred feet long. This crescent of sand is hidden at the base of a small cinder cone called "Pu'u Ola'i," and a rocky outcropping (lava flow, actually) that extends into the ocean from the cinder cone further secludes the beach. Little Beach is accessed by a short hike over that outcropping from a much larger textile beach known as Big Makena Beach, or just Big Beach.

Little Beach is a sandy cove set against a backdrop of coconut palms. The water is great for swimming and snorkeling. On weekends you may share the beach with 150 or so other users, so there may not be a lot of room between you and your neighbor. Weekdays usually draw at least several dozen beachgoers. There are no facilities or services here. There are restrooms at Big Beach (but no drinking water), and sometimes there is a mobile concession stand near the parking lot.

While nudity is freely tolerated, Little Beach is not an official nude beach. (There are no beaches in Hawaii where nudity is legally permitted.) After a series of court rulings favorable to nudists, authorities have not cited nude bathers since the 1980's. The Friends of Little Beach has been very instrumental in preserving the beach as a nudist haven. See the website referenced below for more about the beach and its advocacy group.

WEBSITE

VISUAL RESOURCES

GPS: 20.6349M, 156.4517W

city, island, state, country  Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, U.S.A.

classification  1 (freely nude)

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