Beaches :: Anaehoomalu ~ Spencer Beach
From Anaehoomalu to Spencer Beach, these are the beaches of Hawaii Big Island's South Kohala Coast. Read this "Star-Bulletin" article about beach safety in Hawaii.
Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay)
Southern Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii. This postcard-perfect span of white sand, also known as A-Bay, is the first beach after nearly thirty miles of coastline characterized almost exclusively by the inky blackness of Kohala's lava flows. Featuring freshwater springs, a sky-blue lagoon, and copious groves of coconut trees, Anaehoomalu is a welcome respite from the monochrome black of the Kohala coast.
Location :: Just south of Kohala, off of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Access :: While traveling north on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, between mile markers 76 and 77, a well-marked access road will appear leading to the bay.
Services :: Lava stone showers/bathhouses.
Notes :: The sand is admittedly coarse and grainy, but the swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, and scuba diving here are all above average. If you walk north from the beach, you'll stumble upon a series of superb tidepools.
Holoholokai Beach Park
Southern Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii. Little used and little visited, the beach at Holoholokai is pretty to look at, but of all-around poor quality. Composed mostly of coral and boulders, the park's waters are hard to get to, and once reached, are found to be nothing special. On the plus side: the beach features a number of excellent tidepools.
Location :: Near the Mauna Lani Hotel, off of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Access :: Follow a well-marked side road off of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Services :: Picnic facilities, a restroom.
Notes :: Open to the public 6:30 AM to 7:00 PM.
Hapuna State Recreation Area
Southern Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii. Usually thought of as the second best beach on the Big Island, the beach at Hapuna is as long as seven football fields and during the summer, can be as wide as seventy yards. In addition to its sheer size, Hapuna boasts superb bodysurfing at the southern end, and spectacular cliffdiving (recommended only for those intimately familiar with the area) from the slick cliffs high above. Not in the mood for anything so adventurous? A sheltered pool at the north end of the beach offers safe year-round swimming and is ideal for families with smaller children. Swimming is generally excellent throughout the entire area, but during periods of rough weather, especially during the winter, the water can grow torrid, the rip currents strong.
Location :: Approximately eight miles north of Anaehoomalu Bay, between Mauna Kea Beach (see below) and Mauna Lani Resorts, off of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Access :: Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Services :: Snack bar, overnight camping (see NOTES).
Notes :: Six A-frame cabins with screens are available for an overnight stay. The cost for one night's stay is $20. Each cabin comes equipped with a sleeping platform (no bedding), toilets, cold water showers, and electric outlets. More information about the A-frames can be obtained by contacting the Division of State Parks at 808-974-6200.
Mauna Kea Beach (Kaunaoa Beach)
Southern Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii. Undisputably the best beach on the entire island, Kaunaoa Beach (also known as Mauna Kea, because of the nearby resort) was also named by National Geographic Traveler Magazine as one of the five best beaches in the entire country. Like its slightly inferior cousin Hapuna, Mauna Kea Beach is both long and wide, and offers excellent swimming in addition to some of the island's best bodysurfing during times of high surf.
Location :: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, off of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Access :: Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Services :: Showers, restrooms.
Notes :: Though the beach is officially open to the public, access to the beach is still very much controlled by the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Only ten parking spaces are available for non-guests. Parking/beach passes are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. On weekends, be sure to arrive early in order to pick up a pass. A parking/beach passes entitles you to one of the ten parking spaces and allows you tp spend the day at the beach.
Spencer Beach County Park
Southern Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii. Though it is somewhat overshadowed by the reputations of its southern cousins Hapuna and Mauna Kea, Spencer is gradually acquring its own reputation as not only the safest beach on the entire coast, but the best swimming beach as well. The shallow water here is protected by an offshore coral reef that makes the water gentle and quiet, yet at the same time, well populated with marine wildlife. The park is popular not only with local families with small children, but with snorkeling enthusiasts and local fishermen as well.
Location :: Just south of Kawaihae, off of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Access :: Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Services :: Cold water showers, restrooms, pavilions, electricity, picnic tables, tennis courts, tent/trailer camping (with county permit).
Notes :: The beach is named after long time Big Island resident, Samuel Mahuka Spencer, who would serve as the county's mayor for twenty years before passing away in 1960.
