Kapalua is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. A resort development by the Maui Land & Pineapple Company extends inland from Kapalua Bay and Honolua Bay. The population was 495 at the 2020 census. Geography Kapalua is located along the northwest coast of Maui at along Route 30, known as the Honoapiilani Highway. The Hawaiian name for this area was Honokahua. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 17.41%, is water. Kapalua has a view of the islands of Molokai and Lānai. Climate Recreation and leisure Kapalua Resort offers accommodations, a variety of restaurants, a shop, and several golf courses. The area has several beaches. Kapalua Bay is the resort namesake at . The name kapa lua means "two borders" in the Hawaiian language. Oneloa Bay at and Honokahua Bay are also backed by the resort. Mokuleia Bay and Honolua Bay are to the north in Honolua and Nāpili is to the south. Kapalua Bay was named "Best Beach in the World" by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine, "America's Best Beach" on the first annual list of Stephen Leatherman's Top 10 Beaches in America, and the "Best Beach in America" by the Travel Channel, among other honors. During the plantation era, the Kapalua beach was known as Fleming Beach but was renamed after the resort. A public access site on Honokahua Bay about half a mile to the north was named D.T. Fleming Park in 1975 to keep the tribute to David Thomas Fleming (1881–1955), Honolua Plantation manager of the area before the resort was built. Transportation The small Kapalua Airport was built to the south in Honokōwai in 1987, replacing the even smaller Kaanapali Airport. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 467 people, 186 households, and 132 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 831 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 59.31% White, 0.43% African American, 11.35% Asian, 13.28% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 15.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.43% of the population. There were 186 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female