Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kailua-Kona to be closed several days at beginning of May

Hawaiʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation provides the public with advance notice that it will temporarily close Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kailua-Kona for several days during the first part of May.

The park, beach and its waters will be off-limits May 1-10 to protect the annual spawning of cauliflower coral.

Kahaluʻu will reopen May 11.

The Kohala Centerʻs ReefTeach program and Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources ask and urge the public to refrain from swimming, snorkeling and surfing in Kahaluʻu Bay during the closure to support the successful reproduction, settlement and recruitment of new cauliflower coral, as well as give Kahaluʻu this brief — yet essential — time for rejuvenation.

“Kahaluʻu is home to a unique and vital nearshore coral reef ecosystem that requires careful stewardship,” said Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda in announcing the upcoming closure. “By taking time to let this special place rest, we can do our part to ensure its recovery and protection for future generations.”

Cauliflower coral — an essential species for Hawaiian reefs — once thrived in the shallow waters of West Hawaiʻi, including Kahaluʻu Bay, according to Division of Aquatic Resources and Eyes of the Reef Network.

Catastrophic marine heatwaves in 2015 and 2019 caused severe coral bleaching, resulting in the loss of more than 90% of the cauliflower coral population in the bay.

In response, annual rest periods were established in 2018 to support the reef’s recovery.

The Kohala Center’s ReefTeach program has documented steady progress since: in 2021, dozens of new corals were observed, and thousands of juvenile corals were found repopulating the area by 2025, with some even spawning for the first time.

While these signs of recovery are encouraging, continued vigilance and stewardship are essential as the reef remains in a fragile state.

“Witnessing our community unite to care for Kahaluʻu over the past 9 years has been truly inspiring,” said The Kohala Center ʻĀina Advocacy Director Cindi Punihaole in the closure announcement. “Seeing the bay at rest and new corals thriving is a testament to the power of collective stewardship for our ʻāina.”

Parks and Recreation with its partners thank the community for supporting this essential period of coral recovery and renewal.