Hawaii’s Big Island Beaches & Parks

It’s pretty much a given that you’ll be hitting the beach on your Hawaii vacation, even if it’s just to have your picture taken.  Some of our visitors are not fond of sun and sand, but wouldn’t dream of going back home without some semblance of a natural tan.

Our beaches rim all our islands, and all of them are accessible to you.  (Even at the posh resorts and private estates, where the beaches appear to be private, the beaches are public.)  Keep in mind that few of them are patrolled and you swim at your own risk.  Never swim alone, and heed any warnings that may be posted.  Not all beaches are suitable for swimming, but there’s plenty of other stuff that makes them appealing.

Among the islands, the Big Island usually gets a bad rap when it comes to “great beaches.”  You’ll hear that the best beaches are on Maui and Oahu, but that’s like saying the best sunsets are seen from Kauai.

The Big Island actually has more than 80 beaches, and more than a few of those are spectacular and unique.  Most are on the Kona (west) side, which is sunnier and where the weather is more consistently mild.  (That’s where most of the impressive new resorts have been developed.)

The beaches listed here can be found around the island counterclockwise on the map, starting at the northernmost point.  Remember, this is a BIG island!  You won’t find it easy to hop from beach to beach on a given day.

Keokea Beach Park.  This black-boulder beach is suited for fishing in the calm summer months, but heavy surf makes it a hazardous swimming beach.  It has picnic tables, rest rooms, showers, drinking water, electricity and a campsite.  (Off Highway. 270, near Pololu overlook. 808-961-8311.)

Mahukona Beach Park.  Here in the Kohala District, where sugar was once shipped by rail to be loaded on boats, Mahukona Beach’s old docks and buildings are a happy find for photographers.  Divers and snorkelers can view both marine life and remnants of shipping machinery in the clear water.  Surf is heavy, often prohibiting swimming.  The picnic area has rest rooms, showers, and a place for camping, but no sandy beach. Off Hwy. 270, Mahukona.  808-961-8311.

Spencer Beach Park.  This spot is popular with local families because of its reef-protected, gently sloping white-sand beach.  It’s safe for swimming year-round.  You can snorkel with the sea turtles here (No touching!), and large shade trees hover over cooking and camping facilities.  It has showers, empty tennis courts and a large covered pavilion with electrical outlets.  The entry road is off Hwy. 270, uphill from Kawaihae Harbor.  808-961-8311.

Kauna’oa Beach at Westin Mauna Ke’a Beach Hotel.  It’s a toss-up whether this or neighboring Hapuna is the most beautiful beach on the island.  Kauna’oa unfolds like a white crescent, and it slopes very gradually.  It’s a great place for snorkeling, but in winter the powerful waves can be dangerous.  The beach amenities are hotel-owned and public parking places are limited.  Enter through the gate to Mauna Ke’a Beach Resort, off Hwy. 19.

Hapuna Beach State Park. This beach, part of a 61-acre park, forms a 1⁄2-mile crescent of white sand guarded by rocky points at either end.  The surf can be hazardous in winter, but in summer the gradual slope of the beach can stretch as wide as 200 feet to the ocean.  This is a terrific beach for swimming, snorkeling, and body surfing.  Find it between Mauna Ke’a Beach and Mauna Lani resorts, off Hwy. 19.  808-974-6200.

Holoholokai Beach Park. A rocky beach of black-lava formations and white-coral clinkers is fine for surfers and snorkelers, and a small grassy area is available to sunbathers. Bathrooms, picnic tables, and barbecue grills are nicely maintained. Just before the beach park, you can explore historic Puako Petroglyph Park: Malama Trail meanders [7//10] miles through brush and kiawe trees to an area of lava covered with the ancient etchings of Hawaiian figures and animals. Off Hwy. 19 at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows.

‘Anaeho’omalu Beach, at Outrigger Waikoloa Resort.  This is an expansive beach is perfectly suited for swimming, windsurfing, snorkeling, and diving.  Some equipment is for rent at the north end.  Follow Waikoloa Beach Drive to the Royal Waikoloan Resort, then follow signs to the beach.

Ki’holo Bay.  Be aware that your access via an unmarked road across a vast lava field requires a 20-minute hike, so take plenty of water.  Private homes are built along the oceanfront.  The huge, spring-fed Luahinewai Pond anchors the south end of the bay, and the three black-pebble beaches are fine for swimming in calm weather.  At the northern end, Wainanali’i Pond (a 5-acre lagoon) is a feeding site for green sea turtles, off-limits to swimmers.  You’ll find good swimming here, but no facilities.  Hwy. 19, Mile Marker 81.

Kona Coast Beach Park (Kekaha Kai).  This sandy white beach nestles in a bay whose surf is gentle.  It has a few picnic tables shaded by coconut trees, but no drinking water.  Portable toilets are the only additional facilities.  You’ll see the sign about a mile north of Keahole-Kona International Airport, off Hwy. 19, then there’s a rough 1- 1⁄2-mile road to beach.  808-974-6200.

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park.  Just down the road from Honokohau Harbor, this is Part of a new 1,160-acre park.  You’ll find two beaches, rich in archeology and good for swimming.  Honokohau Beach, a 3⁄4-mile stretch with ruins of ancient fishponds, is north of the harbor.  The park is being developed as a cultural and historical site.  (For information about the park, visit its headquarters, a 5- to 10-minute drive away. The park is off Highway 19, at Honokohau Harbor; or use the park access between Mile Markers 96 and 97.  Park Headquarters: Kaloko New Industrial Park, 73-4786 Kanalani St., #14.  808-329-6881.

Old Kona Airport Park.  The unused runway — great for jogging or running — is still visible above this beach at Kailua Park, which has picnic tables, showers, bathroom facilities, tennis courts, and palm trees strung out along the shore.  The beach has a sheltered, sandy inlet with tidal pools for children, but for adults it’s better for snorkeling than swimming.  An offshore surfing break known as Old Airport is popular with Kona surfers.  It’s at the north end of Kuakini Hwy. 808-327-4958 or 974-6200.

Kamakahonu Beach.  The "King Kam" beach is a popular spot for visitors and locals alike.  This beach is conveniently tucked away between the Kailua pier and the King Kamehameha hotel, right on Alii Drive.  The surf is calm, so this is a great beach for children. The sand is white, the trees are shady, and the snorkeling is good – especially outside on the cove.  This is also a popular spot for SNUBA, dive instruction, and swimming.

Kona Magic Sands Beach.  Also known as La’aloa Beach, White Sands, or Disappearing Sands Beach Park.  Now you see it, now you don’t. Overnight, winter waves wash away this small white-sand beach on Ali’i Drive just south of Kailua-Kona.  In summer you’ll know you’ve found it when you see the bodyboarders and surfers.  A volleyball net, restrooms, showers, a lifeguard tower, and a coconut grove create a favorite and convenient summer hangout. This beach is officially called La’aloa Bay Beach Pak.  4-1⁄2 miles south of Kailua-Kona on Ali’i Dr.  808-961-8311.

Kahalu’u Beach Park. This is one of the best snorkeling spots on the Big Island, with a huge variety of fishes in clear shallow waters.  The north end of the beach is where the waves break and is best for body boarding and surfing.  Check the water conditions; with ocean swells, the water can be murky.  Facilities include a pavilion, rest rooms, showers, a lifeguard tower, and limited parking.  A narrow path takes you directly to the resort’s Beach Bar & Grill, which serves sandwiches and plate lunches. 5-1⁄2 miles south of Kailua-Kona on Ali’i Dr. 808-961-8311.

Napo’opo’o Beach Park.  The best way to enjoy this marine preserve is to take a snorkel, scuba, or glass-bottom boat tour from Keauhou Bay.  A 27-ft white obelisk indicates where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779.  While this six-acre beach park has a picnic pavilion, the beach consists of rocks, making access into the water difficult.  It’s Located at the edge of Kealakekua Bay.

Ho’okena Beach Park.  When Mark Twain visited, 2,500 people populated the busy seaport village at the northern end of Kauhako Bay. You can still find gas lampposts dating from the early 1900s.  This dark-gray coral-and-lava-sand beach offers good swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing.  Rest rooms, showers, and picnic tables are available at the park.  The access road is narrow and a bumpy two-mile drive by the remains of a stone wall off Hwy. 11, 23 miles south of Kailua-Kona.  808-961-8311.

South Point
Here’s a beach area where jumping into the surf isn’t the first priority.  South Point on the Big Island of Hawaii is the southernmost point in the United States – reason enough for a visit.  The drive through rural – and volcanic – Hawaii is unusual in itself, but the South Point area, where the first Polynesians are thought to have landed, is amazing.  The cliff near South Point Park drops forty feet to the ocean‘s surface.  The concept looks inviting, but don’t jump, even though there are ladders to return and you may see daring young people doing it.  A swift current runs along the shore that could carry you straight out to sea.

Green Sand (Mahana) Beach. You need good hiking shoes — or a permit and a four-wheel-drive vehicle — to get to this truly green crescent, one of the most unusual and prettiest beaches on the island.  The beach lies at the base of Pu’u o Mahana, a cinder cone formed during an early eruption of Mauna Loa; the greenish tint is caused by an accumulation of olivine that forms in volcanic eruptions.  Swimming is dangerous in this windy, remote area, and there are no facilities, but in calm water close to the shore, the aquamarine surf feels great and you find yourself in a surreal grass plain landscape.  You can get a four-wheel-drive permit from Hawaiian Homelands (160 Baker Ave., Hilo 96720, 808- 974-4250).  They’ll give you a key to the gate for a $25 deposit.  Follow the trail 2 to 3 miles along the shoreline.  It’s 2-1⁄2 miles northeast of South Point, off Hwy. 11. 808/974-4250.

Punalu’u Beach Park.  Endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles nest in the black sand of this beautiful and easily accessible beach.  Fishponds are just inland. At the northern end of the beach near the boat ramp lie the ruins of a heiau and a flat sacrificial stone.  This used to be a sugar and army port until the tidal wave of 1946 destroyed the buildings.  Offshore rip currents are extremely dangerous, though you’ll see a few local surfers riding the waves. There are rest rooms across the road.  Hwy. 11, 27 miles south of Volcanoes National Park,

Ahalanui Park.  This three-acre beach park with a 1⁄2-acre pond heated by a volcanic steam opened in 1993 to replace earlier beach parks that were lost to lava flows.  The pond here is good for swimming, but the nearby ocean is rough. Drinking water and a few tables are available for picnicking, and there are portable rest rooms.  The park is on the Kapoho coast, southeast of Pahoa, 2-1⁄2 miles south of the junction of Highways 132 and 137.  808-961-8311.

MacKenzie State Recreation Area.  This 13-acre park shaded by ironwood trees is good for picnicking.  You can’t swim here, but there are rest rooms.  The recreation area is off Highway 137, 2 miles south of junction with Highway 132. 808/961-8311.

Isaac Hale Beach Park.  The oceanfront park facilities here include rest rooms and picnic areas.  It’s a good place for an afternoon nap, but it’s dangerous for swimming.  The park is off Highway 137, north of the junction with Highway 132. 808-961-8311.

Leleiwi Beach Park and Richardson Ocean Park.  Near Hilo, along the Keaukaha shoreline laced with bays, inlets, lagoons, and pretty parks, these two beaches are adjacent to each other.  The grassy area is ideal for picnics.  The beaches are rocky and dangerous for swimming, though you can dip your feet in the shallow areas.  Follow Kalaniana’ole Avenue east along the water about 4 miles south of Hilo. 2349 Kalaniana’ole Ave.  808-961-8311.

Onekahakaha Beach Park.  A protected, white-sand beach makes this a favorite for Hilo families with small children.  Lifeguards are on duty year-round. The park has picnic pavilions, rest rooms, and showers.  Follow Kalaniana’ole Ave. east.  It’s 3 miles south of Hilo.  808-961-8311.

Reeds Bay Beach Park.  With rest rooms, showers, drinking water, calm and safe swimming, and proximity to downtown Hilo, this cove is a great attraction on the east side of the island.  Cold freshwater springs seep from the bottom of a nearby pond and rise in the saltwater.  Banyan Dr. and Kalaniana’ole Ave., Hilo. 808-961-8311.For more information contact Hawaii Aloha Travel.

Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

1 comment November 21st, 2008

Meet Hawaii’s Dolphins

Dolphins are represented everywhere in Hawaii.  You’ll see them in murals, paintings and sculptures.  They’re on the holding ends of swizzle sticks in bars, forming the bases of lamps in hotel rooms and decorating the walls of lobbies and cocktail lounges.

It’s more than likely that you’ll see real live dolphins on your Hawaii vacation.  If you’re on a local cruise or aboard a private boat, you may see a pod of dolphins join you — riding on the bow waves or the stern wake.  While that behavior probably is adapted from the practice of riding ocean swells, the wakes of large whales or a mother dolphin’s "slip stream," it seems for all the world that the friendly mammals are socializing with you.  Seemingly carefree, they appear out of nowhere to put on a show for you.  When they do, you may feel an almost irresistible urge to get in the water and play with them.

But swimming with dolphins in the wild is illegal.  Humans and vessels have to maintain a distance of at least 50 yards.  (It’s not illegal for dolphins to approach you, but it is against the law to approach, chase, surround, touch or swim with them.)

Some tour boat operators have developed acceptable self-regulating guidelines and offer small group tours with guides who are trained marine mammal naturalists.  There are rules, generally including the following:

•   Let the dolphins approach you and stay relaxed.  Swim quietly alongside them
   and when they swim away, don’t follow them.

•   Don’t try to feed them.  That would be harmful to their health as well as their
   social behavior.  They’ll find all the food they need on their own.

•   Don’t try to get them to play with a toy.  They can find their own toys in the
   ocean.

Another way to get to know dolphins is to participate in the Dolphin Quest interactive program at the Kahala Hotel and Resort on Oahu or the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island.  The program provides a variety of fun and educational encounters with dolphins.  At the Kahala, the staff works with a small pod of dolphins training them to, among other things, interact with people.  One staffer there says the dolphins are like Golden Retrievers because they love meeting new people.  At Hilton Waikoloa Village, the dolphins reside in a protected area of the resort’s four-acre, saltwater lagoon.

Sea Life Park, on the east shore of Oahu, offers interactive dolphin experiences, too.   The park’s Dolphin Adventures is a deep-water experience that allows you to swim with and among dolphins, and you’ll get a personal lesson from Sea Life Park trainers with a chance to view dolphins underwater and up close.

Such adventures are enormously popular, and expensive.  At Sea Life Park, you can get a kiss on the cheek from a dolphin, a dorsal fin ride and a foot push (That’s when you get thrust across the water from the bottom of your feet from a dolphin’s bottle nose.)

Sound like fun?  It costs almost $200 per person and will go up to $215 after the first of the year.  (There are less expensive encounters, starting at about $100 for adults and $70 for kids.)

Plan well.  At all the venues, the encounters are booked months ahead.

If you want to work a dolphin encounter into your vacation, Hawaii-Aloha.com can package one for you that accommodates all your other plans, and we’ll find you the best rates available.  Pick and agent from our Web site at  hawaii-aloha.com, or call 1-800-843-8771. 

Posted by Jim Winpenny

Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

Add comment November 10th, 2008

Hawaii Vacation Decisions to Make

 

You’re looking ahead, planning your next vacation (or is it your first?)  You’re considering where to go:  The U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Far East, South America, Africa, the South Pacific?  Maybe you’re considering taking a cruise.  You’re debating whether to take the whole family.  You’re studying your finances.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Okay, you finally decide on Hawaii.  But where?  Oahu and Waikiki, the Big Island and the volcanoes, Kauai and its splendor, Maui and Haeakala and the super resorts, or one of the smaller islands with their isolation?  You should even consider visiting more than one island.

Once you’ve decided on Hawaii, what kind of accommodations are best for you?  Imagine, to begin with, traveling by yourself.  Do you simply determine where you’re going to be and book a hotel room?  The decision — especially if there will be more than one of you — takes more thought than that.

Do you want and appreciate the creature comforts of a nice hotel where the staff become familiar with you and anticipate your needs and all you have to do is pick up the phone and they “bring it”?  Do you like being surrounded by an array of activities and attractions and upscale restaurants with imaginative menus?  In Hawaii we have grand resorts and fine hotels at all prices ranges in great locations on all the islands with eager, professional staffs.

Or do you anticipate a laid-back, quiet, away-from-it-all vacation?  You can keep to yourself, do what you want when you want, do most of your own cooking, have space among several rooms, bask in the ideal weather and recharge?  There now is a huge inventory of condominium apartment vacation rentals where the accommodations are lovely, the included rooms are furnished according to the taste of the owners, the conveniences are at hand, but you pretty-much fend for yourself.

And there are compromises between those extremes.  If you like the idea of sharing your vacation with some hospitable local people who gladly will offer advice and friendship as they put you up, consider a bed and breakfast.  If you want to combine luxury hotel service with upscale apartment living, we have condo-hotel properties that offer both … at a price, of course.

That’s what we do at Hawaii Aloha.  We help you with those decisions.  We make suggestions, track rates and facilities for you, determine what you would enjoy seeing and doing, and put together a package for you that exploits all the deals, special offers, discounts and hidden bargains available.  Then we book everything for you, keep in touch with you, and solve any problems you might encounter on your trip and while you’re in our islands.  (Be sure there will be problems wherever you go in the world.  Trying to get satisfaction yourself directly from an airline, hotel or car-rental company can be a time-consuming, frustrating adventure.)

So as you’re doing your vacation planning, pick an agent from our Web site home page (hawaii-aloha.com), or call 1-800-843-8771.  You’ll have found a loyal friend with clout to be there for you every step of the way.

Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

1 comment October 21st, 2008