Makena Beach
Makena Beach, also known as Big Beach, is one of Maui's most dramatic stretches of coastline, where a wide crescent of golden sand meets powerful, rolling surf against a backdrop of dark volcanic rock. The contrast between the deep blue water, golden sand, and rugged lava cliffs gives you strong compositional elements to work with. Shoot from the northern end near the rocky outcropping for the best framing of the full bay, or climb the lava hill separating Big Beach from Little Beach for an elevated perspective looking down across the shoreline. Golden hour is ideal here, especially late afternoon when warm light rakes across the sand and the surf catches the color. A wide angle lens works well for dramatic foreground wave motion, while a longer focal length lets you compress the cliffs against the water. Parking is available in the lot just off Makena Alanui Road. (Wailea-Makena, Maui, Hawaii, United States)
