Kauna’oa Beach fronting the Mauna Kea Hotel. Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Kauna‘oa Beach on the Kōhala Coast, also called “Mauna Kea Beach,” is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Big Island. Fronting the Mauna Kea Resort, this palm tree-fringed, half-mile stretch of picture-perfect white sand offers easily accessible calm, clear waters that make for great swimming and snorkeling.
Paved parking, restrooms, and showers make Kauna‘oa Beach an easy place to spend the day, and a concession offers beach gear rental.
How to get there: From Kona, take Highway 19 north. Turn left at mile marker 68 where you’ll see the walls and sign for Mauna Kea Resort. Follow the road to the end.
Hāpuna Beach (NW shore)
Hāpuna Beach offers paved parking, picnic tables, restrooms, a snack bar and more. PC: Wikimedia Commons
Hāpuna Beach is without question one of the most beautiful beaches on the Big Island. It has been ranked as one of the top beaches in the nation by Condé Nast. This beautiful, half-mile long, white sand beach offers everything you could possibly want. Paved parking, picnic tables, brick barbecue grills, pavilions, restrooms, a snack bar, beach gear concessions and showers make Hāpuna very inviting.
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Hāpuna’s clear waters make for great swimming and snorkeling, especially in the morning. The offshore currents can get strong, so it’s advised to stay within easy reach of the shore. If the waves get over three feet high, stay out of the water.
How to get there: From Kona, take Highway 19 north. Just before mile marker 69, you’ll see the sign for Hāpuna Beach. Turn on Hāpuna Beach Road and follow the signs to the parking lot. There is a $5 fee for non-resident vehicle parking.
Makalawena Beach (NW shore)
Makalawena is the place you want to go if you’re looking for a pristine, remote beach. PC: Eli Duke (Flickr)
Part of Kekaha Kai State Park, Makalawena Beach is the place you want to go if you’re looking for a pristine, remote beach. You won’t find any crowds at this white sand gem; this is mostly due to the 30- to 40-minute hike to get there.
Easily one of the most picturesque beaches on the Big Island, Makalawena Beach offers calm, tranquil waters fascinating tide pools, and lots of peace and quiet.
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There are no facilities, restrooms or rubbish cans at Makalawena, and there is little shade, so pack accordingly.
How to get there: From Kona, take Highway 19 north. Turn left at the sign for Kekaha Kai State Park between mile markers 90 and 91. Go down the unpaved road to the end and park. Walk north on the path, through the gate and towards the trees. The path goes past the north end of Kekaha Kai Beach, then continues for another 20 minutes over a lava field. Once you reach the sand dunes, turn right and head towards the ocean.
Kamakahonu Beach (Keiki Beach) (W shore)
Kamehameha I’s personal shrine is situated at the mouth of Kamakahonu Bay. PC: Wikimedia Commons
If you are staying in the heart of Kailua-Kona and have a young family, Kamakahonu Beach is a perfect and convenient place to take the kids. This small, sheltered, white sand beach, also called “Keiki Beach” or “King Kam Beach,” is a popular spot for swimming, kayaking and snorkeling.
It’s also a fascinating historical site. Kamakahonu Beach was the site of King Kamehameha the Great’s residence and though the structure is no longer there, Ahu‘ena Heiau (Hawaiian temple), Kamehameha I’s personal shrine, is situated at the mouth of Kamakahonu Bay.
How to get there:Kamakahonu Beach is located on Ali‘i Drive between the King Kamehameha Hotel and Kailua Pier. Public parking is available about 300 yards away on the opposite side of Ali‘i Drive.
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Hoʻokena Beach (W shore)
The best snorkeling is on the south side, where you’ll find beautiful reefs teeming with marine life. PC: Wikimedia Commons
Ho‘okena Beach in South Kona is highly popular for both visitors and locals. This privately managed well-maintained beach park has everything you could possibly want for a great day (or week) on the shore. Ho‘okena Beach offers excellent swimming, snorkeling and boogie boarding; however, the entry is rocky, so it’s best to wear reef shoes. The best snorkeling is on the south side, where you’ll find beautiful reefs teeming with marine life.
Ample parking, picnic tables, barbecue grills, a pavilion, restrooms and showers make Ho‘okena Beach a great place to spend the day. A beach concession offers snacks, beach gear and camping equipment rentals; you can get a camping permit at the concession stand.
How to get there: From Kona, take Highway 11 south about 20 miles until you see mile
marker 102. The next right is Ho‘okena Beach Road. Go down the windy road 2.5 miles.
Near the end of the road, turn left onto a narrow, one-lane dirt road lined with rock walls;
follow it to the end.
Mahana Green Sand Beach (SE shore)
Fine-grained deposits of olivine wash down, giving the beach its unique coloration. PC: Wikimedia Commons
Mahana Beach, also called “Papakōlea Beach,” is located at South Point and is one of only four green sand beaches in the world. The beach is often secluded and requires a 2.5-mile hike each way, though oftentimes you can find locals with four-wheel drive vehicles who will bring you to the top of the cliff trail for a fee.
This unique beach is part of an eroding volcanic cinder cone; fine-grained deposits of olivine wash down the cinder cone slopes to mix with the yellow and black sands below, giving the beach its unusual coloration.
Though the waters are usually rough, you can occasionally swim near the protected entrance; however, the currents at Mahana can be hazardous even when waters appear calm.
There are no facilities, restrooms or rubbish cans at Mahana. There is little shade, so bring plenty of water and pack accordingly.
How to get there: From Kona or Hilo, take Highway 11 to South Point Road. Follow the road towards the ocean. When you reach unpaved road, keep going towards the ocean, following the signs to the Kaulana Boat Launch. Park at the end of the road and go through the gate on the east side of the parking area. Follow the dirt track across the fields until you reach the edge of cinder cone. From there, traverse the cliff down to the shore.
Punalu‘u Beach (SE shore)
Punalu’u Beach is a stunning black sand beach and favorite sunning spot for endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles. PC: Ken Lund (Flickr)
Punalu‘u Beach on the southeastern shore is one of the most beautiful black sand beaches in the state. A favorite sunning spot and nesting ground for endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles and Hawksbill turtles, Punalu‘u has fascinating tide pools, a large, lotus-filled brackish water pond, and a sheltered sand bottom tide pool perfect for young children.
Punalu‘u Beach’s waters are usually murky and quite cold. There is some decent snorkeling past the initial shore break; however, there are often strong currents.
You’ll find paved parking, picnic benches, a large pavilion with a kitchen, restrooms and showers at Punalu‘u Beach; on the east end of the beach, there’s a row of family-run snack bars and souvenir stands.
How to get there: From Volcano, take Highway 11 towards Kona. Between mile markers 56 and 57 is the sign for Punalu‘u Beach. Turn left onto Alanui Road follow it along the loop to the Punalu‘u Beach parking lot.
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J.M. Buck J.M. Buck has been a Hawai‘i news writer and columnist since 2003. She has extensive writing experience and has served the media industry in a variety of capacities, including news editor, investigative reporter, online publisher, columnist, web content writer, graphic designer and photographer. She has lived in the Hawaiian Islands for most of her life and is a graduate of University of Hawai‘i. Read Full Bio
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