Incredible blue, clear water that looks like pool water. Waves were fun but not scary. Great white…read moresand space for laying out too. Best swimming beach we found in Kona! If you don't have a local ID, it does cost $20 to enter with your car. (If you park at the top it's a 1.5 mile walk down to the beach so I don't recommend that). But the beach is well worth it!

Pretty, has a life guard, shower, flushing toilets But small…read morebeach area, too many people... Taking 1 star off for being a busy beach..

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.

We stumbled upon this spot around 9AM and there were plenty of spots left! You have to check in…read morewith the security and they give you a parking pass. There are nice restrooms and showers to use all for free! Such a good spot to wade in the water or snorkel around. We even got to see a sea turtle in the bay!

Awesome place. Small quiet area Parking is limited. If you can't swim good beach to go toread more

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

Best beach to snorkel to see fish and honu green turtle Clear water, shallow, living coral,…read moreplenty of variety of fish, parking is $12 for 4 hours, volunteer to help guide you to the water, free mineral sunscreen, plenty of table under the big roof. Clean restrooms, water and shower stations, black sans beach under the palm trees So many things to like about. Adding your smiles, it's heaven. Lifeguard saw 8 ft shark in the water do they close the beach for 2 hours per protocol. Too bad.

Great place to snorkel! Bring a scuba mask and prepare to be amazed. There's so many fish of…read morevarious sizes and colors, some with unique patterns. There's also an abundance of coral, which is equally as impressive. 10/10 beach!?

Came by here since we were in the area and at first, we thought we were in the wrong spot. not…read morerealizing this beach was private but public access!!! Meaning, when you see the gated area, you can still go in when they give you one of the tags to hang on your dashboard. You drive through a very nice neighborhood and follow the sign to the public beach parking lot. It's very small so that's probably why they only let in a certain amount of cars at a time. It was super hot so definitely avoid walking barefoot on the dark "black" (more like pepper) sand because it won't feel cooling to the touch. It was pretty pleasant and nice because of the small vicinity of the beach but it was feeling a bit crowded to where you can only swim in a small section because of other people in the waters. I did like how smooth the sand was along the coast, and there's several thicker and larger rocks that haven't turned to fine sand yet like the others. Pro Tip: If you want to take pics or videos of the sand and emphasize the "black sand" portion of the beach, just adjust your exposure and lower it so it appears darker.

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.

Love Hapuna. Our fav while visiting the Big Island. Although it is a bit expensive at $10/car…read moreplus $5/pp. Get there early especially during summer. Soft white sand and crystal blue waters! Plus they have several shaded picnic areas and restrooms.

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.

Most recent update after hurricane: This beach was one of our favorites on the big island. However,…read morewe went to enter today and there is a fee (which is new from 2023). And we immediately turned around bc the gate keeper explained that the recent hurricane washed away all the sand so it's only rocky shoreline. (Not good for our toddler). Sorry we didn't drive in to see for ourselves. Just FYI if you're making a trip there

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.

Hard to get to (off-roading vibe) but secluded beaches It…read morehas multiple decent (non-flushing) toilets

This is a beautiful, smaller beach, great for little kids. It's more like a bay since there's a big…read morereef protecting it from waves. For the adventurous you can snorkel out beyond the reef. The parking lot does get full quickly, so getting there early as ideal.

Kikaua Beach is a great location to relax at when visiting the Big Island of Hawai'i. However, you…read moreneed to obtain a parking pass to access the lot, and parking passes are very limited. Best to come first thing in the morning if you can. As for the beach, there are restroom facilities and showers, and there is a protected cove so it is great for families and their young kids. It is not super big, but the sand is clean and well-kept by the grounds crew.