Visitors and residents want their share of Hawaii’s beaches. What just happened on Kauai and how that contrasts with the latest Maui beach plans.
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167 thoughts on “Visitors Confused: Kauai Beach Protests + Maui Beach Rules And Fees”
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Looks like tourists will have to rent cars from residents to take advantage of the residents’ special sticker.
Cottage Industry is born!
30 years ago my wife and I honeymooned in Hawaii, spending time on both Oahu and Maui. Next month we are scheduled to celebrate our anniversary on Kauai at the Kauai Shores. We live in Santa Cruz, CA, and as a beach town, understand some of the issues that come with the tourist trade. We really want this trip to be special. So, if there are locals reading this, would we be better off going elsewhere? Is there a sense of tension and understandable irritation that will impede our enjoying our visit?
I grew up in Santa Cruz,lhave lived in Hawaii since I graduated from Santa Cru high in ‘75 –
You will have a relaxing visit on Kauai because Santa Cruz has a similiar vibe snd mindset. Take care and I hope you have a fantastic vacation!!!
The Kauai Shores is a relaxing spot -you will feel welcome and relaxed
Is this just a parking fee or does it also affect people who walk to the beach from a hotel or Vrbo rental? Is this the Kam I, II and III beaches only or Charlie Young as well?
It’s bad enough the hotels taxes have about doubled and car rentals cost almost as much as the hotel rooms, now add this! Seems to me like they’re biting the hand that feeds them ….
Thanks for all your helpful information.
Hi Janet.
We’ve not seen mention of Charlie Young being on the initial rollout list.
Aloha.
Is it just for the parking lots or to walk onto the beach?
Hi Janet.
Just parking.
Aloha.
-I used to rent a car when traveling inter island but now I rely on public transportation and it’s fun,cheap-liberating. Hopefully more people will adjust and embrace this alternative
I guess next year will be our last time going if we have to pay extra for the beaches other fees – We pay enough just to go there – can’t effort Hawaii no more – it was nice while it lasted- bye 😔
If anybody local who lives here really believes that this state is looking out for you, you need to go get your brain checked. These islands are not for you or for your children or for your children’s children. These islands are for tourists and nothing else. This state cares only about how many hotels they can jam on the beaches .These islands are all smoke and mirrors.
I’m typing this while waiting for a bar seat at Kalypso in Hanalei. There are about 2 million people walking around this small pace on November 2nd at 4:30 pm. Most bar seats are local haoles, like us, not tourists. But less tourists would be great, so big mahalo to those of you saying you’re not coming back.
Ps, it pays to be good tipper, because way better to wait with cold beer in hand.
-I used to enjoy going to Hanalei-I’ve lived on Kauai close to 40 years-but not now,because that insular attitude is the prevailing vibe I get when I’m there-I travel-I welcome fellow travelers because I am one too —and your like minded folks are probably rejoicing-yes! But ultimately it’s Hanalei’s loss,the loss of diversity,hospitality,energy that different people bring to an area
Your commenters have captured the feeling I get: visitors are not welcome, or are viewed only as a cash cow to be milked
I mean yeah. It’s not like you’d want a million people invading your city and trashing it, disrespecting locals and making it seem like your request for a lavish vacation outstrips their demand to live peacefully.
Tourists provide money. And that’s the extent of their use. There is no other benefit. So yeah they’re a cash cow. They don’t contribute to community, aloha, or the preservation of the islands.
I’m not even a local and I get it. Anyone who doesn’t get it is just mad they can’t afford it anymore and can’t brag about their oh so lavish and impressive trip, where they really “felt a connection” to the island, to their 9-to-5 cubicle mates.
I support the residents’ efforts to reclaim some control over how their state.
Thank you Sarah!!
As a local I can say you are spot on!! Do we need some tourism…of course we do. But the excessive number of people visiting now are unnecessary and unsustainable.
We don’t enjoy the numbers we are seeing.
Please don’t say we need all the tourism we have because Hawaii was a state for decades able to survive on half the tourist numbers we see now.
If even 10% of you saying you are not coming back actually follow through I would be surprised.
Hawaii is beautiful. However, we do not plan to spend our money going to a place that hates us and penalizes us for being visitors.
They can keep it.
We have become pretty disenchanted, unable to enjoy so many activities, especially on the big island. Probably our last trip.
Also, the variety of fish at restaurants has declined shockingly in our experience- overfishing??
It’s getting time to find a new vacation destination. Hawaii clearly still hates tourists. 💔 I’m going for New Years, but after that, who knows? Sad.
We won’t go there any more. We will take our money elsewhere.
Travelled to Maui this season and beaches were great. Had no parking issues. Was lucky enough to see a resident monk seal relaxing on the beach. Maybe Kauai should take Maui’s example. Went snorkeling at Owalu beach and found a public beach access. It was free and we enjoyed the surf all day. Also surfed at Kihei, parking was by meter and that worked.
No tourists during COVID was revealing.
We adjusted and were fine.
I totally agree with making it more expensive for visitors. Eliminate low budget tourists that are 80% of the problem.
The free money is gone… only a moron would think Covid without tourists is sustainable
I am sad to see the parking fee not implemented on the west side of Maui. During the pandemic we were able to go to Baby Beach and find parking and a place on the sand. I have not been back to a beach in over a year. I have lived here for over 11 years and its rare to be able to find free beach parking at Ka’anapali areas. Baby Beach and Canoe Beach have little to no parking just like Wahikuli and Napili Bay. It’s not that tourists are not welcome, it is that there needs to be a balance so those of us who actually live here and serve the tourists in one capacity or the other, get to enjoy the place we work multiple jobs to call home.
I am only a transplant. I can only imagine the frustration felt by those born and raised here.
My daughter born an raised Maui. Begged to leave because of how tourists took over beaches with no regard so we left an this coming from a ten yr.old sad
Looks like Hawaii is turning into an a la cart. Charging for every little thing, to make more money to put in their own agenda. . Discrimination against people going there. Yes, Discrimination. Charging one group of people not the other. That is Discrimination. No matter how you look at it. Punishing, people that bring in more money then the locals that reply on them. You say, you would hope the fees collected would go to improve the beaches. I thought that. Your government will end up with their hands on that money and use it for their own agenda. Like they always do.
Just got back from a quick hike out to Hanakapi’ai beach. Our home is exactly a 2 mile walk to/from the trailhead. Because my residence state is Wyoming, I have to reserve a walk-in pass. These are only $5, but they sell out nearly a month in advance, right after they become available. This is a PITA, since I need to remember to continually book them even though I may not know whether I’ll be on island, what the weather will be like, and so on. No shortage of cars being turned around at the gate. People must not know you can’t park there without prepaid reservation, or they think the rule does not apply to them?? Parking lot was mostly empty, but trail was crowded. Lots of people must be taking the shuttle buses.
I’m an annual visitor but I get it. We live close to Yellowstone Park.
Lots of empathy.
FACTS:
$188 per capita for small business assistance during COVID. Not much from that point of view.
We have always loved the Hawaiian Culture, Islands and people. In all my visits to the Islands we have never had a problem or incident with locals and I think it is because we are there with a heart to learn. But after reading many of the articles here,why do I want to go and spend my hard earned money somewhere I am not wanted and frankly it sounds like Hated. I guess Hawaiians need to decide if they are going to do it on their own or do they want our tourist dollar? And trust me I see some tourists I would love to see eaten by a shark, but you can’t fix stupid and if you have been there more than once I would hope you are not in that category. I hear Aruba is nice.
Okay, the umbrella and chairs thing on Kauai. This is a local business. It feeds off of Haoles mostly. But seriously, it’s a Local business out of Lihui, not some tourists who ‘fly in’ and set up shop. Why blame the tourists for local entrepreneurship? It’s business, just like hotels and t-shirt shops! But yes, it needs to be controlled.
As for parking fees, this could get out of hand and expensive ($30-$35/day???). Also, if you are not going to charge Kamaaina for parking, make it a State, not county permit, like handi-cap placards. Residents of the islands (all of HI) should get a sticker for their car, and a placard to take when visiting other islands. They could possibly be issued when the vehicle registration is renewed.
Proposed visitor fees, proposed beach parking fees, general disdain by locals for tourists who keep the Islands economically viable. Quite the business model! If we did not have family on Island, I doubt there would be a long time interest in returning multiple times per year. Don’t shut down those
“Tubes full of money” landing on your island each day. Your friends and family depend on them.
I had a 10 day trip planned 5 days Oahu and 5 Maui. It’s just not worth it anymore.
We returned from our vacation at the Marriott Kauai Beach club where we are owners and witnessed the daily docking of cruise ships followed by an invasion of cruise ship passengers taking over Kalapaki Beach. We witnessed them ignoring the resort signs and using the lounge chairs for resort guests. Resort employees were regularly reminding the cruise ship passengers of the posted signs about the lounge chairs. A few cruise passengers did rent chairs and umbrellas from Kauai Beach Boys.
We have been vacationing at Kalapaki Beach for a number of years, and have never seen the number of cruise ships we have this year. There was a noticeable increase in the number of visitors.
The people who think going to Hawaii for 20 years makes them some sort of expert is ridiculous.
No, not all think they are ‘experts’, but they have seen the change. I started in 1975, and a few years later, bought into a small condo unit north of Kaanapali Resorts (looking for something quiet and away from the crowds). I’ve seen the traffic, the lines outside the resteraunts, the increase in prices, etc.. We who have been coming to HI for some time are sympathetic with the locals, and we do understand their concerns, which in many cases we share. But there is no easy solution to the problem of ‘too many houles’. Cheap airfare, available funds, Europe still not ‘open’, where can they go? Unfortunately, HI is on the bullseye. Hopefully things will change for the better.
Really, I think 20 years as a tourist shows a Lot of change! Cruise ships eventually wreck every paradise, in my experience.
I have been swimming at Kalapaki Beach for close to 40 years,daily I witness how the polite hard working staff at Kalapaki Beach Boys interact with visitors and I see how happy visitors of all ages are.
I was there Sunday-the beach was crowded,but there were still “spots”,maybe not the spot a person wanted or felt entitled to but plenty of space
Instead of sitting with flags facing happy visitors,perhaps those people should have set up a spot,put on a pair of fins,or jumped on a body board and joined in on the fun -today the beach is empty/plenty of” spots” your spot”
My takeaway from this is that the concessionaire is restricted to placing beach chairs only after they have been rented. This stipulation precludes them from pre-claiming public beach, which seems to me reasonable.
I understand their point. But also tourism is what pays their bills. The industry on the island depends on visitors. Look what happen to Maui during Covid. Shocked to see everything out of business. Depressing and the lack of rules being enforced. There two weeks. Drinking on beaches, drunks loud music and people smoking and throwing cigarettes on Beaches. They did show no respect for island or people. Made us disgusted. Not going back this year.
Whether or not the locals like to acknowledge the fact, many, many folks who live on the islands are directly or indirectly involved in employment that is supported by tourism. Shop workers, resteraunt workers, cab drivers, hotel staff, gas station attendants, etc., are all impacted by tourism. When I was on Maui last April, I was taken by how many businesses were closed due to the pandemic. A lot of them, most, are still closed, largely because of the tourist drought during the pandemic. You can’t have it both ways: full employment and fewer tourists. Don’t know that there is an equitable solution to that problem. Knocking down a bunch of hotels would be a start!
Kauai and Kalapaki, should be first come first serve, just as at Pools, where placing towels on chairs 3 hours early is a No-No, I get the Beach Boys deal, but they should not be taking spaces before people show up, not cool!
Maui, only having been to Kapalua, Kaanapali and Wailea, none of this applies, but the ‘attitude’ is hardly in the Aloha spirit, also, regarding Lahaina without Parking, would never try and fight the battle, used to have Accounts there as well as Lahaina Grill since 1990 originally as David Paul’s, Avalon going back to 1988, up the road Freda’s and Honu, but they have Parking. People have choices and sadly, there seems to be a blockage between Government, and Service Industry folks being compensated to stay home!
Sounds like visitors are no longer welcome. Sad. But Mexico has some beaches as well.
So many taxes and fees with hotels and car rentals. Taxes on all groceries. Now this inconvenience. So stupid and irritating. Aloha Hawaii!
Yikes! We’ve been here for over a week now and the beach at Kalapaki has been chair free… just sand. Your pic looks awful! Lounge chairs/tables for KBC & Sonesta guests are on the grass as usual.
This is like going back to the 50’s and 60’s when the tables on the public beaches were painted different colors for locals, in the shade, and the visitors in the sun!! Sounds like Hawaii is going backwards.
It will be interesting to see what happens on the islands when Hawaii manages to kill the golden goose. Like it or not, tourism is the lynch pin of the Hawaiian economy and once enough tourists say “enough” its going to get ugly.
My family and I have visited Hawaii several times over the years, with last time being January 2020, just before the pandemic. However, as I have watched Hawaii navigate through the pandemic, and read about the tourist backlash, tourist only fees, parking, etc. I really have no desire to visit any time soon as there are so many other places where my vacation dollars can be spent.
How is this different then the resorts at the coves at Ko’olina every morning placing a bunch of lounge chairs and umbrellas out that guests can rent? Unless Oahu has different laws? Maybe because each cove has more dedicated open use areas?
The maui airport was practically empty when I flew to Vegas yesterday. Got through the TSA checkpoint in 5 minutes (record time). The beaches also seem to be less crowded other than Ulua beach which is always packed. At this point it’s too early to say how much if any damage will result from the anti tourist mentality of Maui County or the state of Hawaii. Maui has continued to benefit from all the hysteria over the volcano eruption talk on the big island as less tourist are traveling there and more are coming to Maui. However in the long run tourism may suffer when the parking charges actually begin.
I have been blessed with visiting the islands for the last 40 plus years and have always respected the islands culture. But after our last visit on Maui we didn’t feel welcome at the beaches and when going to Hana we were denied entrance to the park because we didn’t have a reservation? Just a negative vibe very sad.
I just canceled my multi island trip, like was said, taking my dollars elsewhere. I’m certain many of the native Hawaiians will be happy, until their economy takes a big hit. My son lived in Hawaii last summer, and it’s not a friendly place to most from the continental US.
Wondering how the locals are going to launch their outriggers into the bay through all the chairs & umbrellas. Come on “Beach Boys” get smart!
I was blessed to live on Kaua’i for many years & visited most of the other islands back in the good old days. Sadly, I have no interest in visiting there due to all the anti-aloha fees.
It is time that local Hawaiians lobby their duly elected representatives to limit
visitor travel And encourage other business entreprises aside from tourism. Anyone like to bet on that probability ?
Hawaii is a small island archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Everything physical (e.g., food, building supplies, appliances, cars, trucks, etc.) must be shipped here from the mainland. Anything “produced” here must be shipped back to mainland. Jobs that can be performed on-line still require associated affordable housing (guess how much of that is available on Hawaii?) Other than government jobs (e.g., police, teachers, county bureaucrats), there is tourism and the trades. And the only money in the trades is building/remodeling homes/hotels/roads that are owned by or cater to people from mainland. Plenty of tree cutters and landscapers.
The Maui tach center has exactly one success that I know of: Maui Brewing
We own a house on the Big Island and have been spending winters there for decades. My general impression is that the growing dislike for tourists among a decent fraction of the population makes us feel less welcome, even though we are quiet and self contained. I did volunteer at the Mauna Kea Visitor center for years and years, also, but the activities there were largely discontinued due to the same kind of feelings by many others in Hawaii…a loss for not just me alone IMO.
I understand the ideas about diversification which have been going on again, for decades, and frankly I can’t imagine that really happening. As things are, I’m still happy we have a place now, but would reconsider if we were deciding now.
Our 10:30 am November 1 Portland, OR to Maui flight, HA 39, was cancelled. We were notified by email at 3:43 am–who is going to read their email at 3:43 am? I happened to wake up at 4:00 am and check via the Hawaiian Airlines app to see flight was cancelled. I called Hawaiian Airlines and they told me that they could get me a flight to Honolulu then to Maui 2 days later. WOW! I scrambled and got our family booked on an Alaska Flight November 1 at 7:00 am (we had to scramble but made it). Called Hawaiian Airlines to ask them to process our airfare refund and baggage fees. After 50 minutes, and multiple transfers, speaking to someone in a non English speaking country, I think we got the refund to our credit card. HA is dead to me.
We have been going to Hawaii for the past 42 years. The state has made it abundantly clear that they will do everything they can to gouge visitors. We will now take our tourist dollars and go where we are welcome. It was a great place for 40 years, but no more.
Me too. After 20 years of visiting every other year, we will not return. We have found a wonderful place where we are welcomed.
Hey Debra S.
Just curious…Where is your new wonderful place?