Big Island Beaches

Big Island Beaches

The Big Island’s beaches are concentrated along the Northwest coast. As the youngest Hawaiian island, the Big Island’s beaches are smaller than its neighbors, not having had the time to develop. However, as our beach guide shows they are unique in their beauty and it’s a mistake for beach lovers to dismiss the Big Island. The most popular beaches are Hapuna beach and Mauna Kea beach. Two of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii are Kua Bay (Maniniowali) and Makalawena beach. The Big Island has the best snorkeling in Hawaii because the water off the Kona coast tends to be very clear. Favorite snorkeling locations include Honaunau Bay, Kealakekua Bay, Kahaluu beach park, Maikaiwa Bay and the Kapoho tide pools.



Anaehoomalu Bay thumbnail
Anaehoomalu bay, or A-bay, offers good swimming year round thanks to offshore reef protection. This is also a popular windsurfing location with a few other tourist activities offered by the hotel ...

Fairmont Orchid Beach thumbnail
This small but picturesque man made beach fronts the Fairmont Orchid hotel.

Hapuna Beach thumbnail
One of Hawaii's premier beaches with clear water and beautiful golden sand. Good snorkeling when it's calm, and excellent boogie boarding when the waves pick up.

Mahukona Beach Park thumbnail
A great place to stop for a swim or snorkel with very clear water. The seal seen in the photos has taken up residence in the bay (July, 2007).

Makaiwa Bay thumbnail
Good snorkeling and diving and a pretty beach

Mauna Kea Beach thumbnail
One of of the island's best beaches with good swimming, snorkeling, and sometimes boogie boarding.

Mauumae Beach thumbnail
One of the more secluded beaches on the island with good swimming when the ocean is calm.

Pololu Beach thumbnail
Beautiful scenary and a nice area to walk, but strong currents and a lots of rocks make it a poor location to swim.

Spencer Beach Park thumbnail
Popular with locals, the beach offers safe swimming but poor snorkeling due to cloudy water.

Wailea Bay thumbnail
Excellent snorkeling when the ocean is calm. Crowded on weekends but suprisingly quiet during weekdays.

Four Seasons Beach thumbnail
This beach front the four seasons resort. Limited swimming.

Kahaluu Beach Park thumbnail
An unimpressive beach but very good snorkeling and a nice surf break to the right of the bay.

Kekaha Kai Beach Park thumbnail
This beautiful beach is a 5 minute walk north of the the unimpressive Kekaha Kai State Park main beach. Usually uncrowded with good swimming. Access is via a terribly maintained but drivable dirt ...

Kikaua Beach thumbnail
A beautiful man made beach fronting a protected bay. With limited parking the beach remains uncrowded.

Kukio Beach thumbnail
A long beach with many turtles, but rocks and murky water make it less suited for swimming and snorkeling.

Makalawena Beach thumbnail
One of a small handful of beaches in the state with fine white sand. Boogie boarding is often good here. Access is via a 15 minute hike on a lava path from Kekaha Kai Beach

Maniniowali Beach thumbnail
One of the few beaches in Hawaii resembling a Caribbean beach with it's beautiful white sand. Lovely swimming when the ocean is calm. Some snorkeling around the rocks. Busy on weekends.

Old Kona Airport Beach Park thumbnail
A popular picnic site, the beach and ocean here are less interesting. Farther to the north is good snorkeling (in the panorama, the fisherman facing 2 small snorkel tour boats marks the location).

Wawaloli Beach thumbnail
Featuring a large tide pool perfect for children. (In these photos the tide pool has not been refreshed by the ocean is some time)

White Sands Beach Park thumbnail
Good boogie boarding when the ocean co-operates.

Kehena Beach thumbnail
Kehena Beach, one of the few nude beaches on the Big Island

Turtle Bay Resort Beach Malaekahana State Park Goat Island Hukilau Beach Park Laie Beach Park Kokololio Beach Park Punaluu Beach Park Kahana Beach Park Kualoa Beach Park Kailua Beach Kailua Beach Park Lanikai Beach Waimanalo Beach Sandy Beach Hanauma Bay Waialae Beach Park Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park Sans Souci Beach Ala Moana Beach Park Waikiki Beach Central Waikiki Beach South Kapiolani Beach Park Ko Olina Lagoon 1 Ko Olina Lagoon 2 Maili Beach Park Makaha Beach Park Papaoneone Beach Makua Beach Yokohama Beach Mokuleia Beach Park Turtle Beach Waimea Bay Pupukea Beach Park Ehukai Beach Park Sunset Beach Park Kawela Bay Salt Pond Beach Park Kahiliwai Beach Pali Ke Kua Beach Kiahuna Beach Baby Beach Lawai Beach Poipu Beach Park Brennecke Beach Shipwreck Beach Mahaulepu Beach and Trail Kalapaki Beach Nukolii Beach Lydgate Park Waipouli Beach Park Kealia Beach Anahola Bay Aliomanu Beach Molo'oa Bay Larson's Beach Pilaa Beach Rock Quarry Beach Secret Beach Anini Beach Anini Beach West Sealodge Beach Puapoa Beach Hideaways Beach Ke'e Beach Haena Beach Park Tunnels Beach Lumahai Beach West Lumahai Beach Waikoko Beach Hanalei Bay Kekaha Beach Park Polihale Beach Palauea Beach Polo Beach Wailea Beach Ulua and Mokapu Beach Keawakapu Beach Kamaole Beach Park 3 Kamaole Beach Park 2 Kamaole Beach Park 1 Secret Cove Big Beach Little Beach Makena Black Sand Beach Maluaka Beach Poolenalena Beach Hamoa Beach Red Sand Beach Tavares Beach Baldwin Beach Park Mokuleia Bay Kaanapali Beach Black Rock Kahekili Beach Park Napili Beach Kapalua Beach Oneloa Beach DT Fleming Beach Park Pololu Beach Mahukona Beach Park Spencer Beach Park Mauumae Beach Mauna Kea Beach Hapuna Beach Wailea Bay Fairmont Orchid Beach Makaiwa Bay Anaehoomalu Bay Four Seasons Beach Kukio Beach Kikaua Beach Maniniowali Beach Makalawena Beach Kekaha Kai Beach Park Wawaloli Beach Old Kona Airport Beach Park White Sands Beach Park Kahaluu Beach Park Punaluu Black Sand Beach Kehena Beach Kohala Ranch Makaiwa Bay Fish Pond Kiholo Bay Kealakekua Bay Honaunau Bay Place of Refuge South Point Kilauea Crater Kilauea Iki Crater Thurston Lava Tube Chain of Craters Road MacKenzie State Park Ahalanui Warm Spring Kapoho Tide Pools Paradise Park Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden Waipio Valley Akaka Falls Sharks Cove Valley of the Temples Lanikai Point Lanikai Hill Pali Lookout Makapuu Lookout Spitting Cave Diamond Head LaPerouse Bay Haleakala Crater Haleakala Backside Seven Sacred Pools Wailua Falls Hana Kahanu National Tropical Botanical Garden Nahiku Road Lower Puohokamoa Falls Iao State Valley Park Olivine Pools Ohai Trail Acid War Zone Trail Honokeana Bay Kapalua Coastal Trail Honolua Bay Pihea Trail Spouting Horn Wailua Falls Opaekaa Falls Okolehao Trail Kilauea Lighthouse Queens Bath Kalalau Trail Napali Coast Waimea Canyon