This place is incredible! People of this island hqve so much aloha. The native Hawaiians from the…read morefishing village were so friendly. Mahalo

Just visited from Oahu and I found that the water was very dirty and very murky. This is a lot…read moredifferent from when I came a while ago. It used to be a very cool town but now it seems like it is run down and almost abandoned. I am a marine biologist and I tested the water and found lots of fecal matter in this water. Would not go until they find a solution...

Caught my first travala fish on the pier! Great sunrises and beautiful people! Say aloha to Mike…read morethe disabled veteran that fished with me! Give what you can to him he really needs it! He is very helpful knowing about the kinds of fish to fish for and he gave me a plastic bag for my fish to bring it home! I miss them already! I always meet great friends while I fish. Bring the family to hang out at the beach resort while you have some drinks. Eat shaved ice and check out the palace! Everything looks so preserved you really feel the history there and what they saw in the past!

From the owner: Leave the pressures of life behind and relax at this one-of-a-kind vacation retreat on the South…read moreKona Coast of Hawaii. Puhala Hale offers spectacular ocean views from nearly every room and the spacious, tiled lanais and pool are perfect for relaxing while enjoying the coastal sea breezes. Accommodating up to 10 guests and offering expansive spaces including a billiard room, this home is perfect for families or a couples paradise.

This beautiful beach is well hidden and parking is very limited. We arrived about 10:00 and that…read moreseems to be a good time if you are not one of the first to arrive earlier in the day. Cars who have been here for a few hours will start to leave and spots open up. There is no fee to enter and the showers are nicely sun warmed. But do note that these black sands are HOT and either wear sandals or remain in the shade of the trees. Your feet can burn quickly. There are random picnic tables in the shade for anyone to use but bring a sun umbrella and sand chairs if you have them for sitting on the beach. Bring snorkel gear and watch for the turtles and fish who enjoy the shoreline reef. But also be aware that the tide is strong and you can be swept along and scraped by the reef and rocks by surprise. The underwater view is lively and fish abundant so take your time and float with open eyes. There are camp sites for those who wish to do so. And watch for dolphins who rest near shore during the day. It is a lovely beach that is worth visiting.

My husband and I were married in Hawaii, and we've been back three times since. This has always…read morebeen our fav beach. My husband snorkeled with dolphins there. It's just a magical little place! Make sure you arrive early to secure a parking spot and a great spot on the beach.

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

Pebble Beach is very unique and such a beauty on the Big Island of Hawaii though it is not super…read morebig. About a 40-minute drive south of Kailua-Kona, it's totally worth checking out even though this is not your typical white sand beach. It was interesting walking on all the smooth stones and seeing some other beachgoers and surfers as well. Waves can get rather rough at times of the year. It is a very steep drive down to and back up the hill, so best to use the lowest gear on your vehicle to minimize wear and tear of your brakes. There is parking at the end of the road that leads you right out to the beach.

This beach was amazing with the large, black lava pebbles. You're walking on smooth stones and…read morethere is no sand. Beautiful sunset. It's beautiful and amazing, and definitely not a beach I am used to. There are hardly any people there, and it's actually very hard to get to, and I am glad my friend can go up and down steep hills. Did you see LisaMarie M.'s review, "Beautiful, but it's all rock," and she gave Nature a 2-star for making a beach made of rocks?

MUST STOP HERE! Quick and easy drive off the highway…read more Parking is a little limited. No restrooms. A local entrepreneur selling shave ice and smoothies. But you're here to be at the southern most part of the great United States! Walk out and enjoy the sights and sounds. Enjoy the epic large waves crashing! Stay back cuz if you go in, well, you won't get back out. Respect Mother Nature. I felt good here. I felt humbled here... like you realize how small you are on this planet. Visit this spot and make it another memory from your Hawaiian vacation! 10/10

Southern most part of the United States!…read more I was blown into this special spot by a strong wind from the west. Whistling breath of the Pacific Ocean was unrelenting and awesome to experience. The sea was too rough and full of volcanic rock to swim for me. There must be some date entry points somewhere. A special spot that is paved most of the way. Such a nice drive too. Past horses, cows and small farms. A much drier and grassier part of the Big Island.

A far far drive, but well worth every minute! Punalu'u Beach is a gem, wonder of the Earth!…read more The black sand beach is absolutely stunning! I appreciate the the boundaries they have in place to protect the turtles from tourists and keep their environment as sacred and safe as possible. It's truly a spiritual experience and a must visit!

We stopped here for just a bit while we were on our way to volcanoes national Park. We were with a…read moregeologist with Hawaiian GEO tours. You can climb the lava rocks and enjoy the amazing waves that are coming in or you can walk over to the black beach. We were told the black beach is formed as the lava from volcanic eruptions hits the water it ends up, exploding somewhat, and creating this black sand beach. It's warm to the touch. The green sea turtles love to come here and lay in the sand as it helps regulate their body temperature so the beach has cordoned off an area for them so they have a safe spot to rest. There are restrooms here as well as a pretty large picnic shelter as this seems to be a stop on many excursions on this island. It's free and everything was fairly clean. We really enjoyed this amazing part of the world.

Such a sweet little park to take a break from a long drive. Lots of picnic tables, plenty of shade,…read moreand a beautiful view of the waves rolling in. We saw a few locals fishing and even a couple of brave swimmers, but it's not really meant to be a swimming beach. This is more of a peaceful spot to relax for a few minutes.

You'll find this little gem on the Mamalahoa Highway between Volcano and the Kona Coast. I enjoy…read moreevery opportunity I get to say 'Mamalahoa', btw. Dont expect to find a sandy beach here - its a rocky shore, but breathtaking! Lots of grassy areas to throw down a blanket and enjoy some longan and rambutan, you know, that you picked up at the Hilo Farmers market. There is a pond here with 'something' underwater swimming around, maybe its the Loch Ness cousin, Billy. If you're adventuresome walk or drive down the dirt road to the east. There are remnants of a WWII pier - according to local historians it was intentionally destroyed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor to discourage a potential Japanese invasion force.

Amazing snorkeling! Free parking within walking distance…read more Our son loved the tide pools. You'll see so much ocean life here. Not too busy either when we went, this was a very family friendly spot!

Snorkel spot. Get it done. No sand, no beach just lava rock and reefs with lots of fish and sea…read moreurchins. Proceed with caution but once in the water it's pretty amazing down there. Watch for the signs that tell you where to get in and out of. There is actually a slimy step to use. Coming out I accidentally slipped and cut my finger on the slimy rock. Scared me as I thought I might have touched a sea urchin. Parking is interesting but we were lucky and found a spot on the street. You are greeted with signs that say Pharmaceuticals detected in the water please use restroom before entering water. Ewww yuck! That kind of freaked me out.

This park is beautiful and sacred. You can learn indigenous Hawaiian history & culture here and…read moreexperience serenity in this very special place. I especially enjoyed walking on the lava rocks to the protected areas where I saw fish everywhere! The water is clear and perfect. This park is large and I recommend that you have at least two hours here to soak it all in. There are hiking trails and picnic areas too. There are clean bathrooms, water fountain & a small gift shop as well. Note: For visitors concerned with accessibility, it may be a little tough to access the beach areas as the terrain is sandy, rocky & uneven. I did read that beach wheelchairs are available at the visitor center though. Mahalo.

This is the most sacred of the Hawaiian Parks, which was used as safe harbor during wars between…read moreislands. Many of the historical warrior chiefs were buried here and represented the proud heritage of healing those seeking refuge from the fighting. The rehabilitation first included healing wounds and feeding the starving warrior back to health. Next, the mental spirit was revived and trained how to live in peace.