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It’s been over a year since we have traveled to Hawaii and not a day goes by where we don’t talk about that trip! It was truly amazing in every way you dream about a 3-week trip to this magical state. For me, the biggest highlight of the vacation was the incredible Big Island beaches.
A vacation to Hawaii took a lot of planning and I wanted to get the most out of our time on each island. I am so indebted to all the great blogs I read (check out my Hawaii Pinterest board for all things Aloha) and as always to Fodor’s Hawaii for helping me plan our activities. I am so excited to share our best tips and help other folks plan their awesome Hawaiian adventures! Since launching this site, I have written about the best Maui activities, and a great itinerary if you are traveling the Road to Hana. In this post I am excited to share the best Big Island beaches.
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The Best Big Island Beaches
Hubby and I visited the Big Island with some friends over 10 years ago. The island of Hawaii is so interesting, with the strange juxtaposition of the gorgeous beaches and the black lava rocks that fill much of the terrain. It’s a rugged paradise and the unique landscape is the main attraction.
We were excited to return to the Big Island with the kids, especially my son who is so interested in science and nature. When you first arrive at the Kona international airport (read my best tips to save money on your inter-island flights here) and pull out of the car rental lot, this island is definitely not what you envisioned when you picture the south pacific. But don’t worry, there are a ton of incredible beaches to explore. Here are our favorites, and some helpful hints so you can plan your best Big Island trip!
Best Big Island Beaches
Best Kona Beaches
Kahaluu Beach Park– We stayed in a townhouse in Keauhou (read my best tips for booking a vacation rental and what to bring to your beach house rental) and this beach was located less than a mile from our house. On the big island, this was the first beach we visited. With all of our beach gear, we drove over and parked in the small lot. If the lot is full, there is street parking available.
This beach is also known as the Salt and Pepper beach. The sand is a mix of tan and black sand. Definitely unique.
The sand is super cool, but the best part of this beach is the rocky shoreline where, when we went, we saw a ton of sea turtles! Remember, sea turtles feed off algae so rocky formations are generally a good place to try to see them.
Because of the rocks, getting into the water was a little tricky, but once you were in you could stand, swim and snorkel right along side the sea turtles. We brought our own snorkeling equipment to Hawaii, but you can rent gear through various outposts, including right at this beach.
I highly recommend stopping off at Kahaluu for a chance to see the sea turtles up close. But remember – in Hawaii, it is illegal to touch the turtles!
Kua Bay – This was one of the top beaches I have ever been to. It was gorgeous! Beautiful views, clean sand, crystal clear water and a great boogey boarding spot.
This beach is a little tricky to find. It is part of Kekaha Kai State Park. From Kona you take Highway 19 North and look for the turn off between mile markers 88 and 89. A one a half mile paved road will lead you down to the water. There is a parking lot (we were lucky enough to find a spot) but if the lot is full you can park along the side of the access road. There is a turnaround near the bathrooms so you can drop off your family (and stuff) and then go park.
To get on the sand, you have to descend a rocky area and a narrow path. Not a stroller or wheel chair friendly area. But if you can manage the walk, you will not be disappointed!
Magic Sands – Not to sound redundant, but this is also one of the top beaches I have ever been to! The sand is so white and soft, it lives up to its magical name! And it was very close to our condo in Keaheau located right on Ali’i Drive. There is no formal parking lot, but on our August visit, we easily found street parking.
At this beach we spent almost all of our time in the water, boogy boarding. The waves were big enough to be fun, but not too big. We literally spent hours on the boards!
After riding the waves, baby girl and I spent some time off on the north side of the beach, in the tide pools. Here we saw a few sea turtles (from a distance) and lots of fish. I want to head back to Kona just to return to this beach, it is one not to be missed!
Hapuna Bay – Hubby and I visited this beach back in 2005 and we were eager to return. Again, this is a gorgeous beach, and one of the biggest on the island. This beach is located in a state park, 25 miles north of the airport. There is a parking lot ($5 per vehicle), concession stands, and picnic tables.
Hapuna Bay has beautiful white sand, and is great for swimming and boogey boarding. This was also the perfect sand castle building spot. We had a great time digging and building here!
Pro-tip: When you leave Hapuna Bay, head 3.8 miles north to the Original Big Island Shave Ice located in a tucked away trailer! The perfect post-beach treat!
Best Hilo Beaches
Unfortunately, in the three visits I have made to the Big Island of Hawaii, I have never been to the Hilo side! Clearly I need to change that. An avid cruiser and travel agent who loves planning cruises, I do have my eye on the Norwegian Cruise Line Pride of America cruise – which docks on both sides of the Big Island!
If you are visiting Hilo, either as a day trip from the Kona side, or staying for a few days, here are some great Hilo beaches to check out. Again, Hilo is not really known for its beaches, but there are some good ones on that side of the island.
Coconut Island (aka MOKU OLA) – Coconut Island has a beach with a rocky shoreline with some sandy spots. A popular activity is to jump off the tower into the waters of Hilo Bay. The park is accessible via footbridge from parking lot.
Onekahakah Beach Park – Onekahakah Beach is a popular beach park at the end of Onekahakaha Road that has a sandy swimming lagoon and a rocky shoreline. Be careful though, there are hazardous waves and currents outside the protected swimming area.
Carlsmith Beach Park – Also known as “Four Mile” Carlsmith Beach Park is a favorite among locals as the lava rocks create an almost pool like swimming spot. Great for snorkeling, sea turtle spotting, or swimming. A top choice for families with younger children.
Black Sand Beaches on the Big Island
Punalu’u beach -We spent a day doing a day trip to the Volcano National Park and hit up Punalu’u beach on the way back. This beach is located on the southern end of the Island, about an hour and 40 minute ride from Kona.
This is definitely the most famous black sand beach on the Big Island. Unfortunately on the day of our visit it was pouring rain, so we tried to spend some time on the beach, but we were soaked! But this is definitely a cool spot to check out – I mean I know had never seen a black sand beach before! The kids did get in the water, and on a sunnier day this would be a nice spot to spend a couple of hours.
Pololu Valley Beach – Pololu Valley Beach is located on the northern tip of the island, about an hour and 20 minutes from Kona. Not a swimmable beach, but more a place to hike and take in the natural beauty.
Best Places to Snorkel Big Island
One of the best things we did in our three weeks in Hawaii was alot of snorkeling time! My kids pretty much stink at breathing underwater, but for little ones, they can just use the mask to stick their face in the water!
Personally, we found great snorkeling at Kahaluu Beach Park. This was the best beach to see sea turtles again since the rocks that the turtles love to feed on were right there!
Another great snorkeling beach, about 17 miles south of Kona can be found at Kealakekua Bay. Kealakekua Bay is a state historic park with free admission. This location is home to a coral reef, which also brings in many fish, making this park a great Big Island snorkeling spot.
Book a snorkeling trip to Kealakekua Bay
Lastly, another great Big Island snorkeling beach is Honaunau Bay, or the “two-step” beach. On our recent trip, we had this beach on our must-see list, but sadly never made it. So much to do, so little time!
The Travel Channel named Honaunau Bay one of “America’s Best Beaches 2004”. This beach is great for snorkeling because of its coral reef, abundance of fish, and clear water that is sunlit for easy viewing. The water here is deep, so consider a using personal flotation device when snorkeling here.
Lastly, one thing I regret NOT doing on our Big Island trip (I blame it on having little kids) is doing a night time Manta Ray snorkel! This sounds like an incredible experience, and is unique to the Big Island of Hawaii.
Click here to book your night time Manta Ray Snorkeling trip.
Big Island Beach Pro-Tips:
The townhouse we stayed in came equipped with everything you might need for a day at the beach – beach towels, chairs, sand toys, even boogey boards! This is definitely a compelling reason to stay in a rental verses a hotel. Just check the rental’s listing to make sure they include these amenities!
Our beach rental also provided coolers of various sizes. In Keauhou we stocked up on groceries at the KTA and Safeway. To the beach we brought our own food – lunch, snacks and drinks. Some beaches had small concession stands, but some did not. I’d rather have my own food and not worry. Plus I am sure we saved money by packing our own food and drinks!
There are several places on the island where you can rent snorkeling gear. We brought our own to keep the cost down, and to guarantee we had clean equipment. The snorkels do take up some room in your luggage, but this was worth it and we always had our gear for whenever a snorkeling opportunity came up!
SHOP THIS POST: (Snorkels need not be expensive!)
Again when you arrive by air, its easy to wonder where the glorious beaches are, because all you can see are lava rocks for miles and miles! But this island has some of the best beaches in the world – warm and calm water make these choices perfect for families, couples, or anyone who loves a great day at the beach!
What are your favorite Big Island beaches?
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Beautiful thank you for sharing
I can’t wait until the kids are old enough to take a Hawaiian vacation! It’s on my bucket list!!
My kids were 4 and 7 – especially with the long flight(s) from the east coast and the time change (6 hours in summer) this was about the youngest we were ready to do it!
After seeing these beach photos, it makes me want to plan a trip of my own!
Sarah | http://www.sugarmaplenotes.com
I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii! I am so saving this for future use.. for when my dreams have finally came true. Lol!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
All of those beaches look amazing! I appreciate that you warned of places that are hard to reach with strollers or wheelchairs. Thank you!
Kua looks absolutely gorgeous! I love Hapuna though 🙂
We live at the beach and this made me want to pay to go to another beach haha!
Beautiful photos! I am now in summer mode for sure. And even if we are not traveling to the beautiful beaches of Hawaii, I absolutely believe in packing your own food-cheaper and healthier!
totally! we do that when we go to our local beach. We might do an ice cream treat at the concession stand, but we bring our own lunch, snacks and most importantly the waters that are like .20 each at costco! I keep a big case in my extra fridge.
This sounds like an absolute dream!!
I’ll have to save this! My sister and I just got back from a trip to Oahu, but I’d love to go back one day and visit the different islands!
Looks amazing! I second bringing your own snorkel equipment – particularly with kids, it can be tough to find the right fit and it makes such difference to have properly fitting and comfortable masks without spending half an hour at a rental hut sorting through it all!
Thats a good point! The “funny” thing is, on our snorkel boat tour to Molokini Island my snorkel broke off of my mask and I had to use their funky equipment (I was able to fix it later with a rubber band) and I was so grossed out but wasnt going to miss out on the snorkeling of a lifetime because of germ fear! Plus we had our kids practice with their own eqipment before we went to the boat tour and the big snorkeling destinations!
Did I tell you how much I love, love, love reading your posts! What an amazing adventure to have with the kids!
Thank you! This was such an amazing trip – a hard one to top!
ahhh! We are going to Hawaii this year and I am getting so excited finding all the posts on it!
I’ve been to Hawaii multiple times but I’ve never managed to go to the Big Island. If I ever make it to the Big Island, I will definitely visit the beaches you listed.
its so unique! when we first arrived in 2005, my husband was a bit like WTH (I had been there as a kid) because of how filled the landscape is with black lava rocks!
It seems like a beautiful place to be and photograph. I will surely add it to my bucket list! Thanks.
you would love it! I bet you would get stunning pics, Roman!
Great list! I need to get back to the Big Island, it’s been too long 🙂
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Beautiful sharing. Hawaii beaches are just love! <3 . I enjoy that you go detailed in writing such as sharing that some beaches has small concessioners, so it's one big tip to actually bring your own food.
Thanks and God Bless!
JM Kayne
Dream destination for me!
So blue! Such lovely shots! The salt and pepper sand looks interesting. Never seen that before.
This makes me want to go to Hawai! Lovely pictures and useful tips, thank you!
Such a beautiful destination.
I have heard that the snorkelling off the Big Island is just magical. While I have been to Hawaii several times I haven’t yet made it to the Big Island. It is on my list though!
I can’t wait to finally get to Hawaii and know when I return, like you, I will talk about nothing else, who knows for how long. Great post.
It’s crazy how many beaches there are there. I didn’t go to any of those but went to some amazing ones, I am currently trying to compile my own list, in my Guide to Big Island, from when I went in June. These are some great choices. If I had had more time there I am sure I would’ve stumbled across them.
I loved Hapuna beach too !
Beautiful just beautiful. This is a great list of beachy hot spots! Thanks for sharing with the #wkendtravelinspiration!
This made me miss Hawaii so much!! I used to go a lot as a kid growing up in Seattle. Hapuna Bay was one of my favorite beaches 🙂 Wonderful post!
So glad you guys had such a blast in Hawaii. This is a great guide because there are so many beachhes in Hawaii so it can be hard to find the right one. Thanks!
Oh wow. Would love to visit Hawaii. Thanks for the inspo!
I have traveled to specific destinations to see sea turtles and have missed them several times. I should have looked closer when I was in Kona years ago.
Beautiful and Super Post
Thanks for sharing…
Have been to Maui two years ago and I was amazed already. If I ever have the chance to visit Hawaii again and have enough time for an Island hopping, I definitely will check out some of these beaches.
I haven’t been to Hawaii yet, but after seeing your pictures, I’m itching to! Thanks for sharing!
Oh man, I’d kill to be back in Hawaii right now. Those beaches look dreamy!
AHH stop. I already wanted to go to Hawaii so bad. this is not helping! 😛
I went to the Big Island back when I was a young girl. Such a beautiful island but unfortunately our whole family took turns being sick the whole time! One after another we all got sick… But still such a magical experience! All these beaches make me want to go back so bad!! 🙂
Must have been an amazing trip! Beautiful photos!
Sounds great! I visited Kauai in 2003, and I remember the beach sand being very rough and tore up my knees while trying to swim in the tides. These look much softer! #Wkendtravelinspiration
Great post! Must have been an amazing trip! Gotta try this very soon too! Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
Wow, the beaches are spectacular! It has been a while since I’ve been to Hawaii. Might be time to go back. #WeekendWanderlust.
I always wanted to go to Hawaii . I almost moved there few years ago when I was single. My friends told me how beautiful Hawaii is. These is a great post and picture.
My friends always wanted me to visit Hawaii. Hawaii is on my bucketlist to go. I heard si much about how beautiful Hawaii is. Great post and photos , thank you for sharing.
It’s really beautiful beach. thank you for your information!
Looks so incredible! I’ve never been to the Big Island, but I have been to Oahu several times since my sister and her husband were stationed there for several years. while he was in the Navy.
Its really interesting and very different from Waikiki! I highly recommend!
You’ve made me want to escape the dull English weather. Thanks for sharing! Safe travels.
I know, hasnt been so great here in NY!
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Such a dreamy place. I have never been but I would love to! Lovely pictures, thanks for sharing at the weekend blog hop.
Great post – I’ve been to Oahu, but not Big Island before. Need to check it out!
We love the Big Island! It’s such a great and diverse landscape. Love the beaches you mentioned here. The only one we visited on this list was Hapuna. It was beautiful but a bit too crowded during our visit a couple of months ago. We also really liked Kiholo Bay where we saw some sea turtles and Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. Great tips too. Here’s hoping we both go back to Hawaii soon.
we went to Punalu’u but it was pouring! We really didnt get to appreciate it!
I hope to go to Hawaii someday. My parents did an eleven-day cruise there a couple of years ago. Their pictures were so beautiful. These beaches are lovely. Thanks for writing about them!
I can’t wait to go to Hawaii! It’s on our list, but maybe 2-3 years out. So many places, so little time!
I’m so jealous! I want to go to Hawaii so badly… especially now that I have read this post!
I have never been to Hawaii but it is on my want to list!! So beautiful!
Hawaï just looks awesome and the kids look like they had a lot of fun! My big one also loves nature and science, am sure she would love to go!!
I just reread this and it makes me want to packfor Hawaii TODAY! The beaches are so gorgeous. I like the idea of staying at a townhouse. Being able to cook saves so much money!
I know! Im recording a podcast tomorrow, about Hawaii, so prepping today! Just what I want to think about when Im buried in snow!
Wow, Kua Bay looks amazing! I would also love to snorkel at the first beach with the sea turtles! Were any of these beaches crowded? Seems like such beautiful places might be full of tourists.
no, they really werent!
Thanks for the tips! We’re planning for our first visit to the Big Island this spring. We will definitely check out your suggestions.
These are all beautiful beaches! I also loved the Black Sand Beach on the southeast coast and the Green Sand Beach at the southern tip. There are turtles at the Black Sand Beach, but the water is quite cold!
we did go to the black sand beach, but it was pouring! we had to stop though, although we did not stay long!
I hope that one day we can stop in Hawaii en route from Australia to the US!! it looks fantastic.
Bring me there now!! It looks beautiful and I’d love someday to visit. Thanks for all the info for hopefully a trip in my future.
Wow! Funny how I’ve been telling my friends about wanting to go to Hawaii. I love the beach. I’m excited to take my baby to all these places and for her to experience travel. Sidenote: she’s 5 months. Lol. After reading this article, I’m convinced I need to pay a visit.
yes! I took my son on his first plane trip at 4 months, and he has been on the move ever since!
Can’t wait to be able to travel again safely! Hawaii has always been on my bucket list of places to visit!
Its amazing! So beautiful, so easy going and laid back. Just wish it wasnt so far from NY
Love this! I’ve only been to Honolulu. Maybe next time we will visit Kona 😊
I cannot wait to visit the big island! I predict a serious spike in travel once this is all over.
These look so great! I cannot wait to go to the beaches!