We swim here regularly, year-round. IMHO this is the best all-around snorkeling beach on the…read moreisland, but as with any ocean activity the surf and tide will affect your experience, so ask the lifeguards or the volunteers for advice. This protected bay has over 120 species of resident fish, and usually has clear water. Other than urchins (7 species) there is no marine life to worry about. Turtle sitings are more likely at high tide when their salad bar (the algae on the rocks) is available. Typically from 9 to 3 daily the Reef Teach volunteers have photo guide books and other reference materials available, along with free advice, defog spray, and reef-safe sunscreen. Water access is the narrow and shallow rocky channel in front of the lifeguard station by the parking and pavilion. Swim fins or sand shoes are recommended. The locals value their feet and swim through it even at low tide when it is only a foot deep. Coming back in you can actually swim all the way back to the sandy channel. The water is usually noticeably warmer and clearer away from the entry. The bay is shallow with only a few places that are even 8' deep at high tide. Unless you really need to, don't stand on the bottom or coral - fins and feet damage it.

Great beach! It has shade and some good views. Definitely a good place to bring the family as it is…read moresomewhat protected. Parking is expensive kind of a bummer. The area itself didn't have much amenities, but definitely have palm trees and shade, which was nice in the afternoon. Happy to make it on our first day

Right off Ali HWy with marking along the street. There are waves which makes this beach perfect for…read moreboogie boards or just riding the waves. There's a lifeguard that goes on the megaphone to warn people to stay away from the rocks, watch your kids, and go under the bigger waves because those waves hit! It was so fun. It's fun watching people ride the waves too. It's not the biggest area but so beautiful. There are a lot of people so it can get crowded. I had so much fun!

The view was epic, the rocks not so conducive to snorkeling or swimming. Lots of visitors, not the…read moresolitude I need when visiting such a stunning place. Historical area, lots to learn about the fishing folks and how they treating their fishing grounds with such respect, much for us to learn from.

What a beautiful sandy beach also known as Magic Sands/Disappearing Sands due to the strong surf…read more It was packed here & we ate at the adjoining restaurant which was beautiful with a phenomenal view. (Magic Sands Restaurant). We were able to park for free just across the street. This beach is super small and busy. Note, it is thee only sandy beach near Kona. All the rest are super rocky & dangerous. It has shade, lifeguards, toilet facilities and a little shallow water. Be very careful of that surf & the lava rocks underneath. But the water is so beautiful and clear with a gorgeous turquoise hue. We were told we may see turtles but we didn't today. I'm assuming it was just too busy. I'm sure if we were there super early we may have a better shot at it. Do not miss.

This beach can get quite crowded, but it boasts an excellent restaurant right next to it. It…read morefeatures a volleyball area for family fun, pristine white sand, and minimal rocks.

Small little calm water cove next to the pier with Kona boys rental, in front of Marriott…read morecourtyard, with ABC, snacks, Ululani best shaved ice ,safe for kids to play and snorkel to see plenty of coral fish. Keep an eye for dolphin playing around the outside too. Outside shower, restrooms, very close to the street.

This beach was crowded and there were lots of rocks at the shoreline. It was convenient to get to…read morefrom the street. Not the nicest beach around.

This spot is off the beaten path, with no real signs leading to the sight. Although I had…read moreresearched it, we really arrived by accident and were just exploring. Goats wandering around, beautiful views and a little hike to get to the water across burial grounds. The views were really amazing. We came here twice, once during a rain storm and the other on a beautiful sunny morning. This is a special spot that you should not miss. B

Fantastic. Can't say enough. Quiet amazing place to eat a dinner and watch the sunset. Ocean…read morecrashing into lava rock all around you. The view is outrageous.

Aloha! Nice small…read morebeach with shower, parking, and toilets! There is a sandy and grassy area. Good for kids. Great to watch the sunset. You don't need more than that! Have fun out there and mahalo for reading this.

A pretty beach in the heart of Kona. Lots of trees and shade, but no bathrooms. The day we were…read morethere had a bit of shorebreak making entry and exit tough.

I absolutely love this place! The walking trail is level and paved while the other side is the…read morebeach. It is so pretty with all of the plants and art. We came before sunset and walked the trail. As the sun was setting we crossed over to the beach side. It was beautiful. The coolest part were some friendly locals were playing their ukulele and singing. It felt magical honestly. There is so much parking and space. I always come to this park at least once on my visits. Highly recommended

As a lover of travel, this was great to visit although we didn't have time to stop at the beach or…read moreanything. The landing strip was remade to a regular road along the pretty long drive (felt maybe a mile?) out and back. There was plenty of parking and even a walking path if I recall. I don't know what it was used for other than the obvious, planes, but maybe the walking path had some history noted.

Don't let the drive in stop you unless you have a super low riding car. The road in is both paved…read morein spots and incredibly rough in others. Take your time and it will be worth it. We didn't stay at the beach at the parking lot, choosing to park and hike into the trees and the gorgeous beach at the end of the trail. We arrived early morning and were one of only 2-3 cars already here. By the time we left at 1:00 the parking lot was much fuller. Take snorkel gear, water, and anything that will allow you to stay and relax both the water and on the beach. There are some trees for shade but don't expect them to be unoccupied. Plan ahead. We spent lots of time snorkeling with turtles, which we left a,one as much as possible. One of them seemed interested in us and we had to repeatedly trying to to avoid him for his own safety. Our swim was really enjoyable and families can bring young children as this bay area seems safely out of strong water tides and pull. There are rough rocks in areas so watch where you enter, swim and exit.

Snorkeling here was so wonderful, lots of underwater beauty to gaze at, every color of the rainbow…read more Both days saw turtles and gave them their respective wide berth while looking lovingly at them.

Great beach to boogie board or snorkel with fine white sand. When I was here there were a few sea…read moreturtles swimming around, which was very cool to see. YOU NOW HAVE TO PAY TO ENTER!!! Many reviews I see from late 2025 say it's free, but you now have to pay through credit card or Apple Cash. It's ~20 dollars for 2 people.

Almost every beach we went to on the Big Island was so rocky but we found this one on our last day…read more White sands, clear water. It was just picture perfect. It was crowded but we found a slightly isolated patch of sand to play in. Free parking, showers and restrooms.

This was a nice clean beach to settle into for the day. The water was clear and had a lot of see…read morelife to see snorkeling. I hung out for a long time following a squid watching it change to its surroundings.

As some travel experts have pointed out, Makalawena Beach is arguably the best beach on the Big…read moreIsland that cannot be reached by road. That's right, there are two ways to reach this beautiful white sand beach and gem by hiking, and the path I took was via the Kekaha Kai State Park's main parking lot, and first that is a rough 20-minute drive with 4x4 vehicles like Jeeps from Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway to that trailhead. Then it's about another 30-minute hike in each direction and you go on lots of loose lava rocks and it can get hot, so make sure you have sunscreen, a good bucket hat, and plenty of water. I don't know about the second way in, so I could not speak to that method. But in any case, it is so worth the time and effort when it was all said and done. There were a few crowds when getting to Makalawena Beach but not super busy at all. You'll find other tide pools, palm trees, and other native plants. Waves are rather rough at times, but it is still swimmable for the most part.