MauiGuidebook.com Rating: 
In a nutshell: Less touristy extension of beach past Ka’anapali beach.
Minuses: Crowded on weekends.
Sound-bite: [roar of a jet ski]
Hanaka’o’o Canoe Beach
QUICK SUMMARY:
Connected to the south of Ka’anapali Beach. This beach park is where outrigger canoes launch (hence the nickname.)
Hanakaoo is a long thin strip of sand.
There is good swimming, but poor visibility for snorkeling. This beach park has plenty of parking, covered tables, BBQs, showers and bathrooms so it is much more popular with Maui residents who are forgiving of the marginal beach in favor of facilities and less tourists.
Ancient Grinding Stones
There are basalt boulders by the lifeguard stand and the bathrooms that were used in ancient times as grinding stones to shape stone tools. Look for eight depressions and a small plaque that marks the area.
Read the Plaque
Hanakao’o and Ka’anapali Beaches connect, end to end they are 1 1/2 miles long. So if you like long beach walks, you may have just solved the finding a parking place problem in Kaanapali Beach.
This beach park is one of only seven on Maui with lifeguards. A testament to government logic, much more crowded Kaanapali Beach, site of more drownings than any other beach, sits at the other end of this same stretch of sand unguarded.
Info:
Mile Marker: #23.4 (Hwy 30 aka Honoapiilani Hwy) – See Google map below for exact location.
GPS Coordinates: 20.910616,-156.689882
Facilities: Lifeguards, Showers, Bathrooms, Picnic Tables, Pavilions, BBQ
Get directions
View Hanaka’o’o Beach Park (aka Canoe Beach) in a larger map
DT says:
This is a ‘local beach.’ The canoe clubs use it for canoe practice. Not a good idea to scuba or snorkel when the clubs are paddling.
Jessie says:
We checked out this place while we were visiting, and I have to disagree with the water quality and snorkeling. We saw many sea turtles here both days we went, and if you swim out around the point to the left side (facing water and your back to the beach) you can get some pretty stunning views. Perhaps it was better for us during this time of year than it has been for others, but this place consistently had many turtles and good visibility IMO. It is also much less crowded than some other popular snorkeling areas.