Are you wanting a relaxing day with minimal crowds? Go to Molokai then...just kidding. This beach…read morehas a basic bathroom and limited parking. Shade is plentiful at Beach 69 with all the trees. Bring a hammock and enjoy the day. Fishing is okay on the shoreline but there is competition with swimmers. Snorkeling is okay, you see fish small to medium size. Bottom is mostly rock so not great for walking and wading in the ocean. Depth is about 2-6' for about 40' then gets deeper.

This is one of my favorite beaches in Hawaii, but I was sad when we showed up and the parking meter…read morewas broken, so instead of paying a little hourly rate they were making everyone buy the day pass for $30. We paid it none the less, and we enjoyed our day snorkeling, swimming, tanning, picnicking and interacting with the local chickens. It's a very family friendly beach with lots of little kids laughing and families playing in the sand. This beach is unique because of how close the trees come to the water creating little amphitheaters of seating under the shade. While it makes for minimal spots for people, it is so relaxing and paradise-making to get one of the spots.

"Experience" the parts of Hawaii that few will ever get to…read more I wanted to give my scuba diving wife an unforgettable birthday present on the island. Booking with Hawai'i Island Private Charters didn't disappoint! We signed up for a two-tank all-day excursion to the northern part of the Big Island coast. As we boarded the boat, the captain explained that whatever activity you book with him--scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, whale watching, snorkeling, or a night manta ray excursion--quickly becomes secondary to the "experience" of the luxury of the boat and the breathtaking scenery. He was absolutely right! You quickly glide up the coast, taking in the last remnants of civilization and feeling like a king. By the time you reach your first dive on the edge of the wild lands, you almost don't want to get up, but the dives were worth it. The boat drops you off at location with various secret dive sites that the captain knows well. You drift along underwater, marveling at the diverse sea creatures. On our dives, we spotted sharks, nudibranchs, Spanish dancers, lobsters, hawkfish, and more. After a safety stop, the group resurfaces, and the boat that has been following you is right there to pick you up. But the real magic happens during the long surface interval after the dive. The boat moves up a coastline that rivals any in the Hawaiian islands, including Maui and Kauai. You'll be stunned by the stunning cliffs, beaches, caves, palm trees, valleys, and peaks that come one after another. The best part is that you can see them all in a culturally sensitive way--from a boat off in the water, without ever needing to hike on land that you are not suppose to, trudging through and destroying ancient Hawaiian ground. However, the excitement doesn't there. During the boat ride up the coast, we witnessed many whales breaching, spouting, and tail slapping (it was the right time of year). When we turned around to speed back for our second dive, we were greeted by bottlenose and spinner dolphins surfing our wake. We managed to get some close-up pictures of both without even trying! Our second dive was perhaps even better than the first. Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious meal, snacks, and drinks on the ride back to the dock. We were once again kings and queens, content with the fact that our cameras were full of pictures to capture this unforgettable "experience". Whatever activities you choose to book with Hawai'i Island Private Charters, you'll have an amazing time and return with wonderful memories. It will be a highlight of your trip to Hawaii and well worth it.

Wow, how lucky we are! We got a spot! Usually, they only allow 10 parking spots open but in the…read moretemporary lot, there's many more guest beach parking The security guard at the entrance will let you know if you are able to come through and he will give you a parking pass here. They will give you a parking pass if there are spots open. Currently there is construction to build a larger parking lot to allow more than 10 parking spots so you will be sent to another parking area that allows a lot more spots. Everyone is excited for the new parking lot. This beach is really fun for boogie boarding, building sand castles, and (if you like small waves )surfing . The walk from the temporary parking lot to the beach was really nice included a lot of trees, flowers, and a garden. Tucked away behind the garden a gift shop. The gift shop also sells boogie boards, but you can bring your own

In my humble opinion, this is the most lively beach on The Big Island. It's not black sand, it's…read morenot great for boogie boarding, it's also not packed with tourists. It's a gorgeous beach adjacent to Mauna Kea Resort, a pretty exclusive hotel and part of the autograph collection of Marriott. This is a great beach to walk end to end, in the water or on the beach. You can snorkel or swim out your one of the platforms or just lay and work on your tan. It's my solo go to beach while on the island. Afterwards there is a great beach restaurant to meander over to and imbibe and nibble. Not always an easy beach to gain access to but well worth the effort.

This place is magical! We parked near one of the public beach access points and last year, were…read moreable to walk out and see turtles. This time, the surf is high so no turtles to see. But, the sunset continues its beauty, especially with the partial cloud cover. Wear water shoes and be respectful of the land and sea. And, please keep your distance from the turtles.

This beach has lots of lava rock tide pools with plenty of sea life to discover. Turtle sightings…read moreare abundant. You may find a shady spot beneath a tree to hang out for the afternoon, but check tide pool charts for low tide times to enjoy an early outing. What a fun place for beachcombing!

This was our favorite beach while visiting the Waikōloa area on the Big Island. The sand is like…read morepowder, the water is warm and shallow (check tide conditions), it's clean, and the kids loved it. Besides the beach area, there is a large grassy area with canopies, picnic tables, and a large lawn area. The lawn area gave us shelter from the sun, and was a great place to take breaks and have snacks. There were a few chickens wandering around the grassy area, so watch your food. The bathrooms are decent, and there are several water spray areas to wash off. The kiddos just loved wading in the water and letting the waves wash over their legs. It's a great place for the whole family.

We came to see if there were waves for surfing. I saw a lot of Boogie Boards in the Beach. I…read morebrought mine from home. But no waves today and incredibly crowded. Not much shade , bring your own. Lots of paid parking And shade area s to picnic. A nice big big area for families.

This is a beautiful beach with clear blue water where you can spend the whole day sheltered from…read morethe sun in the shade of the trees. The beach is equipped with a shower and toilet. While swimming on this beach we met a turtle. Parking on the beach is paid. Also, non-residents of Hawaii must pay $ 5 each. But the beach is worth it!

This is a State run beach. It costs $10/vehicle + $5/visitor to be admitted to this beach…read more It has barely any shoreline, barely any open beach, and a lot of rugged rocks and coral. Not the place to swim, nor frolick in the water. I would say, if you're very careful, snorkeling is nice here because of the rocks and reef. You don't have to go out far to find rocks, reef, and sea-life here, o snorkeling in this location is nice. The 10 to 15 feet of shoreline is suffocated by overgrown and uprooted (root exposed) rotted trees. There is a smell that overwhelms when you're on the beach, It comes from those trees. Sand spots are few and far in between because of the trees. Shade, however, is very prevalent here. I do not recommend this beach, especially if you have children with precious feet, arms, legs, and bodies that can be scraped, scratched, or cut by the rocks and coral reef.

We went on a snorkeling and whale watching tour with Liquid Hawaii for our wedding anniversary, and…read moreit ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. Matt, the owner, was incredibly knowledgeable about the island's history and marine life, and he was kind enough to honor our tour even though they didn't have the minimum group size of four passengers that day. That alone says a lot about the kind of business he runs. He also made our anniversary feel extra special by providing a fresh seafood lunch with fish he had caught himself, which was such a thoughtful and unexpected touch. The tour was about 3.5 to 4 hours total. From the marina, it was roughly a 10 minute boat ride to the snorkel spot. The ride itself was very comfortable. There is some shade on the boat, but it's not fully covered, so definitely bring solid sun protection. A long sleeve rash guard or sun shirt is a good idea. On the way out, we saw a few whales in the distance and once we were in the water, we could actually hear them singing. It was surreal and honestly kind of magical. The snorkel location itself was beautiful, with several sea turtles, tons of fish, and colorful coral. There was only one other boat nearby, so it felt remote and almost private rather than crowded or rushed. Hunter, our snorkel guide, was relaxed and helpful, and we were able to move at our own pace which made the whole experience feel unhurried and personalized. We didn't get to see any whales up close unfortunately, they just weren't cooperating that day, but even hearing them underwater was something we won't forget. Matt was friendly, down to earth, and clearly passionate about what he does. He offers both land and water tours, and we appreciated the local perspective woven throughout the experience. If you're looking for a more intimate, locally run excursion instead of a large crowded boat tour, I would absolutely recommend Liquid Hawaii.

Our manta ray night snorkel was honestly disappointing from start to finish. Trips had been…read morecanceled all week due to high winds, and in hindsight, this night should have been canceled too. It was extremely windy and choppy -- even the boat captain & guide commented, "this is windy," which didn't exactly inspire confidence. We didn't see a single manta ray, and the conditions made it hard to even enjoy being on & in the water. The ride back was rough, freezing, and completely soaked us. It felt more like surviving the ocean than experiencing it. I understand wildlife sightings aren't guaranteed, but guest safety and overall conditions should come first. I wish the company had made the call to reschedule rather than pushing forward in clearly poor weather.

Tucked away and not too crowded even at peak season this is a little golden nugget of a beach. Some…read moresnorkeling opportunities just off the beach too, explored a few small coral reefs with schools of tropical fish and even a large sea turtle.

This little beach is a hidden gem. Ask for a parking pass at Mauna Kea resort or walk the 1/4 mile…read morecostal trail in from Spencer Beach Park. You won't find more than a handful of people here. Sandy crescent shaped beach where the waves gently crash against the shore, a few people take paddle boards out, and everyone generally relaxes and enjoys the Kohala Coast without the masses of people you will find at more popular beaches like Hapuna. Well worth checking out!

Went whale watching first charter of season, 12/22/25, got plenty of action!…read moreSpouts, humpbacks and tails too. Crew dropped a mic in water and listened to singing whales! Gorgeous sunset was a bonus! Kids were enthralled! Capt Ty and Mo & Jessa were the best crew! So much information wrapped up in excitement, and music, mahalo! Can't wait to fish, dive, whale watch, snorkel & hang out with Kohala Divers again!! Da Hess Ohana

Great people! Went out of their way to help my keiki granddaughter with a life jacketread more

Hands down 5 stars for everything! Best Beach on the big…read moreIsland in my opinion. Perfect spot if you have a person in your group that is not a strong swimmer. Bathrooms are so clean & plenty of them. This place is one of my happiest places on earth, for real! Snorkeling is great here too. Enjoy!

Definitely one of my favorite spots on this island. The fish ponds are fun to walk around and…read moreexplore during a break from the beautiful snorkeling in the inlet or swimming and sand castle making. I like that this beach has a grass area above in the shade to be or on the sand or on chairs/cabanas. There is a seating option for everyone, but it can fill up quickly! Overall it's just such good vibes here and the staff is very helpful and friendly.