When it comes to camping locations in paradise, Waianapanapa State Park remains an unspoiled gem.  Low, volcanic cliffs envelop the sparkling black sand lagoon below. Located at the end of Waiʻanapanapa Road off Hana Highway, this park offers a wide range of scenic views, tropical hikes, and tons of unique recreation opportunities. Those looking for solitude and respite from the day-to-day grind of modern life are sure to enjoy this secluded campground. 

Waianapanapa is unique in that it’s one of the few places where you can enjoy dark, volcanic sand beaches. Even cooler, throughout the year the various tide pools throughout turn a deep shade of maroon-red. Scientists attribute this to the shrimp colonies that visit throughout the year. However, locals say it’s a due to a haunting from the blood of Popoaleae, a mythical princess who was killed by her husband Chief Kaakea in a cave nearby. We’ll let you decide what you want to believe. 

The campsites here are spacious enough to accomodate any tent or van dweller, but RVers aren’t going to find much accomodation here. The campground includes bathrooms, drinking water, an outdoor beach shower, fire pits, and tons of hikes nearby. In addition, the park grants access to shore fishing, snorkelling and scuba destinations nearby. Waianapanapa is also known for it’s natural blow-holes scattered through the park, and its world-class sea-bird watching.

Waianapanapa State Park is massive, featuring over 122 acres of unspoiled volcanic terrain. However, parking is limited and the campground itself is on the small side. If you’re looking to camp here, reservations must be made at least 3 days prior to your check-in date. For HI residents, fees are $12 per night for up to 6 people, and $2 per night for every person thereafter. If you’re not a resident, fees are $18/night, with an addition charge of $3 per additional camper. Additionally, the park also offers Cabins on reservation at $60/night for residents, and $90/night for visitors. That being said, if you’re planning on camping in a cabin be aware there is a 2 day minimum. If you’re the type to procrastinate, definitely take care of your reservations in advance as they are strict about permitting here.

Waiʻanapanapa State Park Campground

This was probably our favorite campground in a state park on Maui. We camped in a campervan, and there's a separate section for RV/campervans and tents. Campervans park in a mostly dirt (so it does get a bit muddy when it rains) lot adjacent to the bathrooms/beach shower and the grassy area for tent camping. The black sand beach is small and has rough waves but it is absolutely beautiful, and there's an incredibly lava tube (a cave, basically) that you'll have to do a little searching for (when you walk down the stairs that lead to the beach, look to your right when you get to the bottom and search along the rocks for an opening. You'll have to duck in, but once in the lava tube opens up far above your head and leads to an opening that touches the ocean). 

  

You \*definitely\* need to get a reservation ahead of time for the park - it's easy to reserve online, but you must do it as soon as possible and print out your reservation to show once you're camping - they do have people come around and check. 

  

The campsite for campervans has no picnic tables and just one old grill made out of bricks that looked a bit gross, but there's picnic tables near the parking lot where day visitors park, and near the trail along the coastline. There's a bathroom building at the center of the campground that includes separate women's &amp; men's rooms with running water toilets (2 stalls in the women's), a changing area (basically just a bench) and 1 sink (with no soap or mirror). Outside of the restroom are soda machines and an open-air shower. The shower has multiple showerheads so 2-3 people can shower at a time, but they're all connected to one main rod so it is a bit awkward to be showering so close to strangers. During the day, day visitors use it a lot to shower off after the beach, but once evening comes around we saw a lot of campers use it just like a regular shower, just keeping bathing suits on. Considering the other state parks on Maui (like Kipahulu) even the beach shower was pretty nice to have to be able to shower off. There's also a water fountain next to the bathrooms and another very low-to-the-ground water faucet that many use to wash their pots and pans, and we used to fill up a large water jug. 

  

The beach was great, as were the hikes along lava rocks - though they were definitely not super well maintained, and at times you were kind of guessing whether you were still on the same path. Overall a great place to camp!

beautiful campground next to black sand beach

I was here in December, which is the rainy, rough season in Hawaii. The park is very large, and is the quintessential black sand beach of Maui. Jutting cliffs, blowholes, fine black sand surrounded by lush greenery. Even on a rainy day it was beautiful. 



A great destination on the road to Hana

Super out of this world green against a black sand beach.  Beautiful little stop and stay when taking the drive out to Hana and Haleakala National Park Kipahula Coastal area.

Close to Hana and deep relaxation

This is a beautiful, well kept campsite!  There are plenty of things to do once you set up and a beautiful black sand beach!

Absolute Perfection!

At least a drop in for a hike on the way to Hana.  Why not stay a night or two?  Beautiful green against black rocks.  Close to the coastal section of Haleakala National Park.  A true win!

Team Green

a tropical paradise, what else could you want

bit of heaven

Since the big resorts are on the opposite side of the island, most visitors to Maui travel the Hanna Highway as a day trip. Camping on the eastern shore along the highway at Waianapanapa State Park  means you get to wake up early, watch the sunrise, and get a start on your day's adventures before the rest of Maui's visitors arrive for the day.

The location is the best thing that Waianapanapa has going for it. It's a pretty basic campground which looks more like a park set right along the coast. There's some small beach inlets you can explore, but it's mostly lava rock and cliff with the campground set up high. 

You'll need a permit to camp. The cost is $18 per night for up to 6 people, and  there is a discount if you're actually from Hawaii. You can get the permit online and  you'll need to print it out and attach it to your tent once you arrive.  The process is super easy but requires a little bit of pre-planning.

There aren't many (if any) actual sites- but there are a few grills scattered around that people tend to make camp around. We picked a "site" near a couple of trees so we could sleep in our hammocks of course.  The campground does have bathrooms and cold outdoor showers. 

My favorite part of camping at Waianapanapa was waking up in the morning to watch the colors of the sunrise and then exploring the park while it was still pretty quiet. There are blow holes, lava tubes, some caves you can swim in, and a hike up and around the coastal cliffs.  And of course, there is everything else on the Hana highway just a super short drive away. 

Wake up to watch the sunrise before the tourists arrive!

Amazing campsite! Perfect place to watch sunrise and enjoy the hot sandy beach early in the morning before the tourists start rolling in. Reservations can only be made online. 
Plenty of short hikes in the area easy to medium skill level. 

Wainapana/ black sand beach. 

This campground is AMAZING. Right next to the ocean, and black sand beaches. You hear the waves all night long! Someone comes around each night to check your permit so do not try and squeeze in here last minute! Restrooms are readily available and fresh fruit is everywhere! As this is a park as well, there are many tourist walking around so I packed up each morning just in case :)

Excellent views, convenience of clamping 

Amazing little spot right before Hana! Fall asleep listening to the waves with a ocean breeze to cool you at night. Parking is limited and you do need a permit before you go. There is a small parking lot and short walk to the lawn where you set up your tent. Some people set up hammocks to camp in. We rented a van so had to park next to the parking lot. 

Black Sand Beach Camping

This campground has nearby bathrooms and outdoor showers. It is located with a beautiful view of the black rock beach and the nearby blowhole. Lots of grassy areas for tents. A very family friendly location.

Remember, if you book online, which you should, you need to print out your permit and display your permit on your tent. Rangers come around daily.

A beautiful campground near Hana

I enjoyed the views, hike down to the black sand beach.  

Accessible via Hana Road, this is a must stop!  Beautiful oceanside waves pounding onto the cliffside.  Blowholes, hikes and a black sand beach.  Register in advance.  Not quite car camping, only a public cold shower, bathrooms, and a soda vending machine.  Bring your own tent and camp out with everyone.  It is a big place and just so you know, it is also a tourist destination, so prepare yourself for buses.

Some of the best scuba diving I have ever done is right next to this State Park. We scuba dived in the morning and then hung out on the beach at this park afterward. We had a late dinner/early dinner and enjoyed people watching and relaxing by the beach. We ate lunch at the picnic area in the park, enjoying some fish and chips we bought at a restaurant nearby. The picnic area was really nice, and had about 12 different tables. Some were under cover and some were not. There is a big grass area too where we saw some people laying on towels and others playing frisbee. We ate our lunch, grabbed our chairs and stayed by the water for awhile. We actually stayed longer than we thought we were because we caught the beautiful sunset. The park was pretty busy, but as the day went on there were less people. Highly recommend scuba diving, that was the highlight of my trip. This was adjacent to the park entrance. Had a blast here, and the weather was perfect.

Best scuba diving!

Located along the Hana Highway this campground is located within Waianapanapa State Park. This is an open campground, easy to access (very short walk from parking lot). Bathrooms and an outdoor shower are located just a hundred yards from campsite. Don’t forget to get your permit in advance online otherwise I’m sure you can get it from park office. And post it on your tent while you’re there, I heard they checked for them. 

I think this campground is best suited for people who are hoping to hang around Waianapanapa State Park all day, and there is no shortage of things to do at the park. Park offers black sand beach, hiking trail, blowhole, tidepooling but also lots of tourists too. I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving tent and belongings alone with as many people that come back and forth. Altogether, this site suited our needs, had good amenities, and offered beautiful scenery with many things to do. 

Accessible open campsite amongst beauty

We were lucky enough to get a cabin for one night at Waiʻanapanapa State Park, allowing us to spend more time hiking at this end of the island without worrying about driving back to the other side the same day. The black sand beach is lovely, but when we went in February, it was a bit too dangerous to enter the ocean. There are definitely rocks all around, and it's the side of Maui where the waves are larger, so be careful. The high surf did let us see the blowhole in action - great fun to watch the wind carry the sea spray for yards into the park. 

Campground: The campsites we saw don't really have vegetation between them, but you're here for the location and the beach, and there aren't any other economical overnight options in the area, so that is neither here not there. Would definitely recommend staying at the park if you'd like to spend more time in this corner of the island.  

Cabins: We stayed in a cabin, which are usually two-night minimum, but we planned our trip around a 1-night only availability to get around this rule (~$100/night). Our cabin (#9), didn't have a direct ocean view, but it did sit a bit above the tree line and nevertheless had a great view. It was also intermittently pouring, so a cabin was ideal for our February stay. For tourists, there are some hurdles to booking the cabins (you need to bring your own sheets, towels and soaps, which many folks don't fly to the island with). The cabins have 3 sets of bunks (4 beds total in a bedroom and 2 beds in the living room). We slept in the living room as the mattress condition was better and the mosquito nets on the windows in that room didn't have holes. The cabin has water and electricity, but no AC, so we just slept with the windows open and it was comfortable. No window coverings. To avoid ripping the mattress covers or scratching the floors, there is no moving the mattresses or the beds. There was a bit of a smell (maybe the drain, maybe oxidizing steel sink and hotplate) when we arrived, so I did a thorough clean and blocked the drain with a towel. The cabin will be pretty much the way the last guests left it so I'm sure conditions will vary - our bathroom and floors were clean for cabin conditions. No complaints there. The bathroom has a shower, sink and toilet. the kitchen has a fridge/freezer, microwave, hotplate?, and sink. There is a table and 4 folding chairs inside and a built-in picnic table on the porch, and a grill for each cabin. 

That all may not sound luxurious, but we really enjoyed our night here! The porch was large and each porch is designed to face away from other porches and towards the view. It was beautiful watching the sky change at sunset and sunrise. Staying here was much more economical than our other options in Hana. Most importantly, staying over night removed the time stress of doing the road to Hana. We were able to stop, hike, picnic, etc. as often as we wanted on the way out without worrying about a time crunch. We checked out the town of Hana after checking into our cabin and had a relaxed meal across the street from the entrance. We were able to add a 3-hour hike in Haleakala national park (Pipiwei Trail - recommend!) the following day and since that was a hot day, it was nice to start before the sun was too high and the parking lot was too full.

Great Location on North-East Side of Maui; Basic Cabins with Great Views

The road to Hana is a Maui Island must-do. And lots of people try to do it in a day -- sure it can be done, but why would you want to?  You’ll see so much and won’t take any of it in. So, slow down, take a minute between stops on your itinerary and stay a night or three in Wai’anapapa State Park.  We stayed 3 nights and wished we'd had 1 more.

  

This park is known for its amazing black sand beach and offers visitors a 4-hour permit to experience the beach, the cove and coastal trail through rugged a’a lava fields. However, if you camp there your permit is good for the whole day and into the next to make the most of your visit. The park closes at sunset for all the other visitors, but campers can come and go and feel like you have the place all to yourself at sunrise just before the early permit holders arrive. 

  

The current camping area isn’t much more than a big patch of grass with trees around the perimeter. Things might open up again once the pandemic regulations subside. A small area, perhaps 50 yards by 20 defines the camper van camping area and there are only 6 loosely defined sites. The bathrooms old and well used, showers are the outside beach variety with cold water and spectators. Potable water is available as well as a few Coke machines. 

  

We had a problem charging up our electronics and assumed that we might find electricity at the state park just like back on the mainland -- we were wrong. There wasn’t an outlet to be found either in the park or even in the beach park down in Hana – this one got our hopes up because they have outlets which weren’t hot.  So bring your solar panels!  Plan ahead, or go to the coffee shop five miles back up the road. 

  

The road to the SP has at least 3 fruit stands and you’ll find another dozen on your way into Hana town. There is a small grocer as well as a handful of good restaurants associated with the local inns or guest houses. Gas is also easy to find in town as well as a small hospital. There is also a spouting hole in the lava which erupts with the incoming waves very close to the main beach -- this is fun for the whole family. Snorkeling is pretty good in the cove, especially on calmer days. Body surfing is fun when it’s less calm as this beach has a black sand break rather than reef. 

  

Hiking in the park is totally worth it. The trail winds along the coastline high above the water, allowing amazing views of the lava structures, arches, tubes, coves and caves that the sea has shaped. The trail is strenuous and footing can be tricky in places, but the views, especially on a south eastern swell are amazing. Give yourself some time to check it out.

Not Your Average State Park!

Two families, total of five people reserved a cabin. We had great space with one family in the bedroom (2 bunk beds) and the other using the bunk bed in the living space.   Unfortunately in the February rain we didn’t use the outdoor living space (covered deck) with picnic table as much as we would have liked but the kitchen had a long folding table that gives room for cooking, eating, and games.    A couch or other seating would have been nice.  It was very nice to have a full bathroom with hot water we showers. You do need to bring your own kitchen wares, bedding and towels.  

  

The state park is beautiful to explore.  Definitely recommend an overnight stay over a day rip. The reservation is two night minimum unless there is a single day available.  A few of the cabins stayed empty despite full reservations prior so might be worth keeping an eye out for cancellations!