The Big Island of Hawaii has more coastline than any other Hawaiian island: about 266 miles total, with beaches that vary from white coral sand on the Kohala coast to black volcanic rock south of Kona to the famous green sand at South Point. Maui and Oahu get more beach tourism, but the Big Island has fewer crowds at comparable quality and some beaches you cannot find anywhere else. Here are 6 worth knowing.
Papakōlea Green Sand Beach
Papakōlea is one of four green sand beaches in the world. It rates 4.6 stars across 2,081 reviews on BeachCheck, which is the highest review count of any Big Island beach in the directory.
The green color comes from olivine crystals eroded out of the surrounding volcanic cinder cone. The beach sits in a collapsed cinder cone at the southernmost tip of the Big Island, near South Point (Ka Lae). Getting there requires a 2.5-mile hike each way across open lava fields, or you can pay for a ride in one of the pickup trucks that shuttle visitors from the parking area at the end of South Point Road. The truck ride is bumpy and informal but saves about 5 miles of walking.
The beach itself is steep-faced with strong shore break. Swimming is possible when the surf is calm, but the cove's shape can produce unpredictable water movement. Most visitors come for the visual experience rather than the swim. Arrive early: the parking area is small and the truck queue builds by 10am.
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Manini'owali Beach (Kua Bay)
Manini'owali Beach, also called Kua Bay, is inside Kekaha Kai State Park on the Kona coast. It rates 4.8 stars across 1,785 reviews. That rating puts it among the top-rated beaches in Hawaii.
The beach has about 800 feet of white sand in a protected cove, with water that is clear and usually calm during summer months (April through October). Winter swells from November to March can make swimming dangerous; the shore break at Kua Bay has caught visitors off guard. Check surf conditions before entering.
Parking is at the end of Kekaha Kai State Park Road, about 1.5 miles down a rough paved track from Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway (Highway 19). The lot holds about 30 vehicles. No facilities except portable restrooms. The park closes at 7pm. Arrive before 11am in summer to get a parking spot; the lot fills completely and cars overflow onto the highway.
There is a second beach inside the same park, Mahai'ula Beach, about 1.5 miles north. That one requires more hiking but has even fewer people.
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Hapuna Beach
Hapuna Beach is the most-visited white sand beach on the Big Island and often rated the best beach on the island in state surveys. It rates 4.7 stars across 1,448 reviews. The beach is at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, near the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the Kohala coast north of Kona.
The sand is about a half-mile long and wider than most beaches in Hawaii, which keeps it from feeling as crowded as beaches of equivalent popularity on Maui or Oahu. The water is clear, usually calm in summer, and the slope is gradual enough for swimming. Snorkeling is decent at the rocky north and south ends.
Facilities are solid: paid parking ($10), full restrooms and showers, a snack bar, and lifeguards on duty daily. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is adjacent, so the beach gets some resort traffic, but state park visitors park separately and the two populations don't conflict much.
Winter swells (November through February) can produce large surf and strong currents at Hapuna. The beach is closed to swimming during high surf warnings; check DLNR Hawaii for current conditions.
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Waialea Beach (Beach 69)
Waialea Beach, locally called Beach 69 after an old telephone pole marker, is about 3 miles south of Hapuna Beach on the Kohala coast. It rates 4.6 stars across 1,572 reviews. Access is via Old Puako Road, which turns off Highway 19: look for the small parking area at the end.
The beach is sheltered and smaller than Hapuna, which keeps it quieter. The water is calm and clear, with good snorkeling on the rocky reef at the north end. Tide pools at the edges draw kids. There are no lifeguards, no facilities beyond portable restrooms, and the parking area is small (maybe 20-25 cars).
This is the option for Kohala coast visitors who want the same clear water as Hapuna but less traffic. It works best on weekday mornings. Weekend afternoons push the parking capacity, and visitors park on the road shoulder.
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'Anaeho'omalu Beach (A-Bay)
'Anaeho'omalu Beach, universally called A-Bay, is the resort beach at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott on the Kohala coast. It rates 4.6 stars across 779 reviews. Unlike Hapuna and Kua Bay, which are state park beaches with limited facilities, A-Bay has full resort infrastructure: watersports rentals, restaurants, beach chairs, and showers. The downside is it costs money to use the resort's facilities.
The beach itself is a long arc of calm, sheltered water backed by ancient fishponds. Snorkeling is good along the rocky south end where the reef has consistent fish activity. The water is calmer here than at Hapuna because the bay configuration blocks swell.
Public beach access is required by Hawaii law: park in the Waikoloa Beach Marriott lot (fee charged unless you spend at the resort), walk to the beach. The beach is public; the chairs and services are not. If you want a beach with resort amenities but do not want to pay resort room rates, this works.
The 49 Black Sand Beach sits nearby at the Waikoloa Beach Resort, about 0.4 miles north. It has black volcanic sand, rates 4.5 stars across 631 reviews, and gets significantly fewer visitors than A-Bay.
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Mahai'ula Beach
Mahai'ula Beach is inside Kekaha Kai State Park, 1.5 miles north of Manini'owali/Kua Bay. It rates 4.7 stars across 401 reviews. The access hike from the Kekaha Kai State Park entrance is about 1.5 miles over rough lava field.
The beach is longer and less visited than Kua Bay because of the walk required. It has white and mixed sand, shade from keawe trees at the back of the beach, and usually calm water. The state park sets this area aside as a low-development zone: no facilities, no lifeguards, and limited shade.
If Kua Bay's parking lot is full (common by 10am in summer), some visitors hike to Mahai'ula instead. It takes about 35-45 minutes one way. Bring water, sun protection, and reef-safe sunscreen; the lava field has no shade and temperatures in the exposed areas can be 10-15 degrees hotter than the beach itself.
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Practical Notes
Kohala coast vs. Kona vs. South Point: The Kohala coast (Hapuna, Waialea, A-Bay, Kua Bay) has the driest weather on the Big Island and most beach infrastructure. Kona town beaches are smaller and more urban. South Point (Papakōlea) is remote and requires planning.
Seasonal conditions: Summer (April through October) generally has calm water on the leeward (west) coast. Winter swells arrive November through March and can close swimming at Hapuna and make Kua Bay's shore break dangerous. The windward (east) coast has rougher conditions year-round.
Snorkeling: Best consistent snorkeling is at Waialea Beach (Beach 69) north reef, A-Bay south end, and Kua Bay on calm days. Hapuna's rocky ends also produce fish activity.
Parking: Every beach listed here except A-Bay fills to capacity by mid-morning on weekends. Earlier arrival directly improves your experience.
Find all Big Island Hawaii beaches and current ratings at BeachCheck US.