Erosion at Ka'anapali Beach

Beachwalk Damage and the Current Restoration Record

Tori C. Derrick

03-25-2026

Tori C. Derrick & John C. Derrick

Co-authored by Hawaii Guide founders Tori C. Derrick and John C. Derrick.

We may earn a commission when you book or buy through links on this page.

Ka’anapali Beach is three miles of white sand on West Maui’s resort strip — the kind of beach that gets put on magazine covers. Chronic and extreme seasonal erosion has also damaged the Beachwalk and changed the amount of usable sand along parts of the resort shoreline.

That event made national news and put a sharper edge on a problem West Maui had been dealing with for decades: chronic shoreline erosion. The question it forced was harder than it looked: what do you do when the ocean starts reclaiming land under a major resort corridor?

What the Beachwalk Damage Showed

West Maui’s coast has always moved. The state’s current restoration record describes chronic and extreme seasonal erosion at Kāʻanapali over the previous four decades, with shoreline damage worsening as sea level and record water levels rise.

The Ka’anapali Beachwalk — the paved path running along the resort properties — sustained major structural damage. Sections were undercut and broke off. Ka’anapali Aliʼi Resort, which owns portions of the walkway, faced the question of whether to rebuild in the same location as the shoreline continued to move.

Sea-level rise and record water levels add pressure to a beach that already experiences chronic and extreme seasonal erosion. That does not make every narrow stretch permanent, but it raises the stakes for rebuilding fixed infrastructure at the water's edge.

The broken walkway made the immediate problem visible, but rebuilding in the same place does not resolve a shoreline that continues to move.

Where Things Stand Now (2026)

The clearest current official record is the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources' Kāʻanapali restoration project page. DLNR describes four decades of chronic and extreme seasonal erosion, with damage accelerating as sea level and record water levels rise.

The proposed regional project would place about 75,000 cubic yards of compatible offshore sand into the Hanakaʻōʻō and Kāʻanapali beach cells. DLNR presents nourishment as a mid-term buffer while managed retreat remains a longer-term process. The agency page still hosts the environmental review, plans, and 2022 procurement documents; it does not say that the full regional restoration project has been completed.

For visitors, that means old photographs are not a reliable map of today's sand width or walking route. Kāʻanapali changes with seasonal swell, and localized erosion or repairs can alter beach and Beachwalk conditions. Check current ocean conditions and follow any resort, county, or DLNR detours when you arrive; never climb over a closure to preserve a shortcut.

Hawai'i
Visitor Guide
2026
HAWAIʻI GUIDE

Get Your Free Hawai'i Guide

Instant access — opens immediately

  • Beaches, activities & top spots
  • Restaurant & dining recommendations
  • Maps, itineraries & insider tips

Want the full offline version? Get the Complete Hawai'i Guidebook →

Related: Maui Beaches & Travel

Tori C. Derrick

Published by: Tori C. Derrick

President & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 15+ years of experience in Hawai'i tourism.
John C. Derrick

Published by: John C. Derrick

Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.

Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you book or buy through links on this page. See our Ad Disclosures & Standards.