Kahoiawa Bay

Kahoiawa Bay Beach is a seldom visited spot on the North Kona Coast between Makalawena Beach and Kua Bay. The fact that this “beach” is hidden and hard to get to keeps the numbers down to almost zero. The other beaches nearby are pretty sweet compared to this one, but if you are into snorkeling then add this one to your list.

There is not much of a sandy beach on this small bay, but it does have one decent water entry that is sorta sandy. You’ll want to check surf forecasts before going here if snorkeling is your thing. It wouldn’t be easy to get in and out of the water in rough waves.

This is not your typical sunbathing beach. There’s even a chance that a local crew driving a 4×4 rig with huge tires might get right down to the beach and force you to move your towel. It’s super hard to get to the shore of Kahoiawa Beach with a vehicle so it’s not a common problem even though you’ll probably see tire tracks in the sand. Chances are that you won’t be driving one of those crazy off-road rigs so we recommend that you don’t even try to drive. Even with a rental Jeep Wrangler you’ll only get about as close as the nearest parking lot which is on the Kua Bay Access Road. See our map below for the location of that suggested parking lot. It’s the same lot for hiking up to the summit of Pu’u Ku’ili, a tall red cinder cone that has excellent views of the area (a hike we highly recommend). You’ll find this parking lot on the left 0.7 mile down the Kua Bay Beach Road from Highway 19.

From that parking lot look for a crude foot trail that heads straight toward the ocean. When you reach the dirt road behind the beach turn left and walk about 1000 feet to the sandy beach and the best water access. A lot of this coastal path is on broken bits of white coral with a few pieces of black lava scattered in.

If you want to drive the 4×4 road, look for the first road south of the Kua Bay Access Road. When you get to the first intersection go left (the right fork goes up to the top of Puu Kuili). At the second intersection go right for Kahoiawa Bay. The crux point in the drive is where it splits into four different options which are all rated double diamond. It’s possible you might get down one in a Jeep, but getting back up is another story. Walking is faster than driving so it’s not worth the risk of trying to get your rig to the shore and risking damage or requiring a rescue.

Address

Kua Bay Access Rd
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Phone

808-961-9540

Park Name

Kekaha Kai State Park

Other Names

Kahoiawa Point, Puialoa Point

Owner

State

Pet Details

Technically this is state park property and dogs are not allowed on beaches

Fees

Free parking

Activities

Hiking, Snorkeling, Off-Road Driving

Amenities

Trails, Cinder Cone