Data-driven beach plan with water quality checks
| Duration | 10 day |
| Island | Big Island |
| Beaches | 10 beaches covered |
| Best For | All experience levels |
Neighboring Kohala Coast beaches just 5 minutes apart. Hapuna is a wide, open half-mile with shore break; Mauna Kea (Kaunaʻoa) is more sheltered in a crescent bay. With 10 days, visit both on separate mornings. Hapuna has a $5 lot; Mauna Kea limits public access to 30 passes daily at the hotel gate (7 AM). If the passes are gone, walk in from Hapuna via the Ala Kahakai coastal trail (15 min).
A-Bay is the accessible, full-facility option on the Kohala Coast with calm water, gear rentals, and free parking. Kua Bay is the wild, stunning contrast — white sand surrounded by black lava, no shade, no services, gates 8 AM–7 PM. Summer brings turquoise calm water; winter can produce dangerous shore break at Kua Bay.
Reef-protected and calm, with full facilities and a large lot that rarely fills. Below the historic Puʻukoholā Heiau. The most family-friendly beach on the Kohala Coast. Worth a full relaxation day during a longer trip.
Punaluʻu’s black sand is iconic but the water has strong currents — visit for turtles and scenery, not swimming. Richardson in Hilo has swimmable tide pools and sea turtles in the shallows. The Hilo side receives more rain, so check conditions. Both are each about 2 hours from Kona — combine Punaluʻu with Volcanoes NP and Richardson with a Hilo exploration day.
| Kona to Hapuna | 30 min north on Hwy 19. $5 parking, fills by 10 AM weekends |
| Mauna Kea passes | 30/day at 7 AM. Walk from Hapuna if sold out (Ala Kahakai trail, 15 min) |
| Kua Bay gates | 8 AM–7 PM. ~50 parking spaces. Bring all supplies — no services at the beach |
| Kona to Punaluʻu | 1.5–2 hours south via Hwy 11. Pair with Volcanoes NP (30 min further) |
| Kona to Richardson | 2 hours via Saddle Rd. Different climate — bring a rain jacket for Hilo side |
After heavy rain, wait at least 72 hours before entering the ocean. Check each beach’s water quality page for live advisory status.
5-7 days minimum — the Big Island is huge (4,028 sq mi)
Start on the Kohala Coast (resorts), then Kona, Volcano, Hilo, and back. Do not underestimate driving distances.
Rain alternatives on Big Island: Volcanoes National Park, Hilo farmers market, Kona coffee farms, Imiloa Astronomy Center. Also check our brown water advisory guide — avoid the ocean for 72 hours after heavy rain.
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Free alerts when advisories change at your beach.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Safe to Swim Hawaii is an independent passion project — it is not affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Health, any entity mentioned on this page, or any government agency or hotel brand. Water quality ratings on this site are estimates based on publicly available testing data and geographic analysis. They are not real-time measurements and may not reflect current conditions.
Always verify current water quality conditions with the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch before entering the water. This site is for informational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for any swimming decisions.
This site does not recommend or advise anyone to swim at any beach. We share government data and geographic analysis so you can make your own informed decisions. By using this site you accept full responsibility for your own safety. See our Terms of Use for full details.
When in doubt, donʻt go out. 🤙