The dry, sunny leeward shore of Hawaiʻi Island: white-sand beaches set against black lava, the temple of Puʻukoholā, ancient fishponds, and the green cliffs of North Kohala.
See the beachesPlan your visitThe Kohala Coast runs along the northwest shore of Hawaiʻi Island, from Kīholo and Kekaha Kai in the south to Kawaihae, with North Kohala continuing to Hāwī and Pololū.
It lies leeward of Maunakea and the Kohala Mountains, which hold back most of the trade-wind rain. Waikoloa, near the middle of the coast, averages only about nine inches of rain a year, so the days are usually clear. Lava flows reach the shoreline almost everywhere, and the white-sand beaches fill the bays between them.
The result is a coast of strong contrasts: black rock and turquoise water, resort lawns and open lava fields, and Hawaiian heiau, trails, house sites and fishponds that are still visited and cared for today.
Leeward position means clear skies on most days. Winter brings occasional rain and larger surf; summer is the driest season.
Old flows form the shoreline, the trails and the fields between the highway and the sea. The ground is hot and sharp, so wear closed shoes.
Hāpuna, Kaunaʻoa, Spencer, Kua Bay and Anaehoʻomalu give the coast several distinct beach days within a short drive.
From the long crescent at Hāpuna to the lava-framed cove at Kua Bay. Always verify fees and hours.
The largest white-sand beach on Hawaiʻi Island, set below the highway south of Kawaihae. The 62-acre state park has lifeguards and picnic areas. In calm seas it is a swimming and bodyboarding beach; in high surf it has a pounding shore break.
A white-sand crescent in front of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, north of Hāpuna. The beach is public, reached through the resort entrance gate, where only a limited number of spaces are set aside for visitors.
A Hawaiʻi County beach park (ʻŌhaʻiula) just below Puʻukoholā Heiau, with shade trees, picnic pavilions, outdoor showers and drinking water. Lifeguards are posted on weekends and holidays.
Kua Bay (Maniniʻōwali) is the northern, paved-access section of Kekaha Kai State Park: white sand and clear water against black lava. Mahaiʻula, to the south, has its own access road, and a 4.5-mile stretch of the Ala Kahakai trail links the two.
A curved public beach at Waikoloa Beach Resort, popular for swimming, paddling and sunsets. Behind it lie the historic Kuʻualiʻi and Kahapapa fishponds, which are protected and are for viewing only.
Hāpuna for space, facilities and lifeguards. Kua Bay for scenery and clear water on calm days. Spencer for shade and a short stop after the heiau. A-Bay for a beach beside the resort area. Kaunaʻoa for a quieter crescent if parking is available.
| Beach | Setting | Access | Lifeguards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hāpuna | Wide white-sand crescent, state park | State lot; nonresident fee | Yes |
| Kaunaʻoa | White-sand crescent at a resort | Through the hotel gate; limited public parking | Ask at the gate |
| Spencer | County park with shade and pavilions | Park entrance off Kawaihae Road; gate 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Weekends and holidays |
| Kua Bay | White sand framed by black lava | Paved road off Hwy 19; nonresident fee | None |
| A-Bay | Curved beach beside fishponds and resort | Public beach access at Waikoloa Beach Resort | Ask locally |
Kohala was a center of Hawaiian political and spiritual life. These places are still cared for as sacred and historic sites.
Visiting with respect. Heiau, house sites and petroglyphs are sacred and fragile. Stay on marked paths, do not climb walls or move stones, and never touch or make rubbings of carvings. Follow signs and the guidance of park staff.
Kamehameha I had this large temple to the war god Kū built on the hill above Kawaihae around 1790. According to the National Park Service, the kahuna Kapoukahi prophesied that war would end if Kamehameha built a heiau to Kū at Puʻukoholā. Keōua Kuʻahuʻula, his rival, was killed here in 1791, and Kamehameha went on to unite the islands.
The park also protects the John Young homestead and the shoreline below. A short trail leads from the visitor center to the heiau, and the Ala Kahakai trail begins nearby.
A large field of carvings in the lava, reached from Holoholokai Beach Park by the Malama Trail, about 1.2 to 1.4 miles round trip over uneven lava with little shade. Go early or late, and stay behind the fence.
Stone remains of an ancient coastal Hawaiian settlement, with a self-guided village trail. The offshore waters are a marine preserve where activities are regulated.
Kamehameha I was born in North Kohala. Kohala Historical Sites State Monument protects Moʻokini Heiau, a National Historic Landmark, and the birth site nearby. In Kapaʻau, the original Kamehameha statue, cast in Paris and lost at sea before it was recovered, has stood at the North Kohala Civic Center since 1912.
Hawaiians built walled loko iʻa (fishponds) along this coast. Kīholo has one attributed to Kamehameha I; Kuʻualiʻi and Kahapapa sit behind Anaehoʻomalu Bay, and Kalahuipuaʻa is at Mauna Lani. Look from the shore and do not enter the ponds.
The coast works well as a base for beaches, short hikes and day trips north to Pololū and inland to Waimea.
Snorkel on calm days at Hāpuna, Kua Bay and Anaehoʻomalu Bay, and check conditions first: the state advises that waves over three feet are for experts. Green sea turtles (honu) rest on shores and in tide pools such as Kīholo. Keep at least 10 feet away.
The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175-mile coastal corridor around Hawaiʻi Island. Local sections include Kawaihae to Anaehoʻomalu Bay and the 4.5-mile route between Mahaiʻula and Kua Bay, which is dry and hot with no drinking water. A side hike up Puʻu Kuʻili, a 342-foot cinder cone, gives a view of the coastline.
Resort courses along the coast are cut through the lava fields with views of the ocean and, on clear days, Maunakea. Book tee times directly with each course.
The Maunakea Visitor Information Station sits at about 9,200 feet and is a well-known place for stargazing. It is cold and thin-aired; bring warm layers and check the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo's Maunakea site for current hours, conditions and programs before you drive up.
Highway 270 runs north past Lapakahi through Hāwī and Kapaʻau to the Pololū Valley Lookout at the road's end. The trail to the valley floor is about half a mile each way and drops 420 feet; it is steep and slippery after rain. Swimming at the beach is discouraged because of strong currents.
Waimea (Kamuela) is a ranching town in cooler green uplands, about 12 miles inland from Hāpuna. Highway 250, the Kohala Mountain Road, links Waimea with Hāwī, so the two day trips combine into a loop.
Humpback whales are generally seen in Hawaiʻi from November through April, with the peak from January through March, according to NOAA's Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Whales can sometimes be seen from shore, including at Hāpuna.
Federal law prohibits approaching within 100 yards of a humpback whale in Hawaiʻi, by boat, kayak, drone or while swimming. Watch from land or choose an operator that follows the distance rule.
Opening hours change often, so this section describes where to look rather than naming individual restaurants.
The resort areas at Mauna Kea, Hāpuna, Mauna Lani and Waikoloa have restaurants and shops. Check each property's hours, and reserve for dinner in high season.
Outside the resorts, eat in Kawaihae near the harbor, in Waimea, or in the small towns of Hāwī and Kapaʻau on the way to Pololū. Plan lunch in town before a long beach or trail day.
Hāpuna's food concession is listed by the state as temporarily closed, and Kekaha Kai has no drinking water. Bring water, snacks and a cooler to the beaches.
Restaurants are deliberately not named: opening status changes often.
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA) is the closest airport. Hāpuna Beach is about 30 minutes north by car, and Kua Bay is just up the highway.
A rental car is the practical way to reach the beaches, trailheads and historic sites, which are spread along the highway.
| Place | Miles |
|---|---|
| Kua Bay | ~7 |
| Anaehoʻomalu Bay | ~20 |
| Hāpuna Beach | ~26 |
| Kawaihae and Puʻukoholā | ~29 |
| Waimea | ~38 |
| Hāwī | ~47 |
| Pololū Valley Lookout | ~55 |
Distances are rounded routing estimates (OpenStreetMap-based routing). Allow extra time for traffic and stops. Payments at Hāpuna and Kua Bay use QR codes, so a phone with data and a credit card are needed.
Hāpuna and Kua Bay both carry state warnings about dangerous rip currents and pounding shore breaks during high surf, which is most common in winter. Swim where there are lifeguards when you can, and stay out when waves are over three feet. Kua Bay has no lifeguard.
Lava and sand get very hot and there is little shade on the trails. Wear closed shoes on lava, a hat and sunscreen, and bring more water than you expect to need.
Hawaiʻi law (Act 104, in effect since January 1, 2021) bars the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription. Choose a mineral sunscreen and apply it before entering the water.
Stay at least 10 feet from honu, 50 feet from monk seals and 100 yards from humpback whales. Do not take sand, rocks or coral from state parks, and leave heiau stones and petroglyphs untouched.
Always verify fees and hours with the official pages linked in the footer.
Hawaiʻi Division of State Parks notices have listed Lapakahi State Historical Park and the Waialea section of Hāpuna as closed after storm damage, and camping and cabins at Hāpuna and camping at Kīholo as closed. Read the latest notice at dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/important-park-notices before you travel.
| Place | Hours | Fees | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area | 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; gates close 8:00 p.m. | Nonresidents: $5 per person (age 3 and under free) and $10 per vehicle; card only. Hawaiʻi residents free with ID. | Lifeguards. Day use needs no reservation. |
| Kekaha Kai State Park (Kua Bay) | 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; gates close 7:00 p.m. | Nonresidents: $5 per person and $10 per vehicle at Kua Bay, card only. | No lifeguards. Mahaiʻula section has no drinking water. |
| Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily; parking gate closes 4:00 p.m. | Free; no entrance pass required. | Guided tours for groups of 10 or more cost $2 per person. |
| Lapakahi State Historical Park | 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; gates lock 4:00 p.m. | None. | Self-guided village trail. |
| Kīholo State Park Reserve | 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. | No entrance fee. | Camping closed. No drinking water at campsites. |
| Spencer Beach Park | Gate closes 8:00 p.m., reopens 7:00 a.m. | Camping requires a county permit. | Lifeguards on weekends and holidays. |
| Kohala Historical Sites State Monument | Daily, daylight hours | None. | Rough dirt access road; four-wheel drive recommended. |
Reservations are not required for day use at Hāpuna or Kua Bay; the state charges entry and parking fees there instead. State park camping is booked through Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi. Fees and rules change; the official park pages are the final word.
Select a pin for details and directions in Google Maps. The numbered list below works without the map.
The interactive map needs an internet connection. Use the numbered list below for directions.
Map tiles © Esri, with data © OpenStreetMap contributors and others.
Start early, keep the middle of the day for the water or shade, and check the park notices the morning you go.