Hāpuna is the longest white-sand beach on the Big Island, half a mile of it, with a gentle shore break that is fun at any age. Almost no rain, shade from the trees, and a lifeguard on duty year-round make it the family beach we send people to first.
Summer seas are calm enough for easy swimming and snorkeling at either end. Winter is a different beach, with waves over 3 feet and rip currents that are for experts only. The lot fills fast on weekends, so come early if you want a tree to sit under, or try Waialea (Beach 69) just south.
Table of contents
- practicalities (getting there, parking, where to get food and drinks)
- beach activities (swimming, snorkeling, and hiking)
Table of Contents
- practicalities (getting there, parking, where to get food and drinks)
- beach activities (swimming, snorkeling, and hiking)
Hāpuna Beach, Hawaii. | Photograph by Phil Price on Flickr
Getting there, parking, and food
Hāpuna is one of the easier beaches to visit on this coast: a large parking lot a quarter mile off the highway, on-site rentals, and food and drinks without leaving the park.
Overview of Hapuna Beach and Bay. The Mauna Kea Golf course is visible on the left, together with the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort (formerly the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel). Image adapted from google maps.
Food, drinks, and beach rentals
Three Frogs Cafe sits on the park premises and covers most of what you forgot to pack: a full lunch menu plus rentals of boogie boards, beach chairs, umbrellas, and snorkel gear (yelp).
Three Frogs Cafe is open daily from 10am-4pm, and you can find them a short walk from the beach at the northern side of the parking lot.
Getting to Hāpuna Beach
Hāpuna Beach is located north of Kailua Kona close to mile marker 70 of Hwy 19 in the south Kohala district. Turn Ma Kai (towards the ocean) at the sign for Hāpuna Beach State Park and continue for 1/4 mile to the large parking lot. Do not leave valuables in your car!
Hāpuna Beach parking and entrance fee
An entrance fee and a parking fee go toward maintaining the park. Both are waived for Hawaiʻi residents who show a valid state ID or driver’s license.
- The entrance fee is $5.00 per individual
- The parking fee is $10 per vehicle
You can find up-to-date information about ongoing improvements, beach closures, etc., on the DLNR website.
Things to do at Hāpuna Beach
As the largest white sand beach on the island, Hāpuna lands on nearly every “best beaches in Hawaiʻi” list, and the crowds follow. The catch is parking and shade: both go early, especially on weekends.
If you want to skip the crowds altogether, Waialea beach (also known as Beach 69) just south of Hāpuna stays quieter.
Sunbathing here is almost always an option but, depending on the ocean conditions, there are more things you can do while visiting the beach:
Swimming
During calm seas Hāpuna is a fine place to swim, and when the surf picks up you can play in the shore break with everyone else. Be careful once it gets big: waves over 3 feet (1 meter) are for experts only, with dangerous rip currents and a pounding shore break.
Hapuna is the longest white sand beach on the Big Island. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is good at Hāpuna beach if the water is calm. The best places to go snorkeling are at either end of the beach. You can either go snorkel around the small cliff to the north of the beach or around the rocky point on the South of the beach.
Visibility in the water is typically low because of mixed-in sand and an occasional freshwater layer on the surface so you’ll need to swim out a bit to get to the more interesting snorkeling parts. We recommend that you do not go alone as you will not be in sight of the lifeguards.
Read more about snorkeling at Hapuna on the Tropical Snorkeling website.
Visibility in the water is often poor close to the beach. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson
Hiking: the Ala Kahakai trail
If you would rather walk than lie on the sand, Hāpuna sits on one of the more pristine stretches of shoreline left in Hawaiʻi.
Hāpuna is part of the Ala Kahakai coastal trail, which follows the coastline over ancient trails and roads. Following it will lead you by some of the most pristine shoreline remaining in Hawaiʻi, as well as numerous anchialine ponds (a landlocked body of water with a subterranean connection to the ocean). Note that the trail is poorly signed and maintained.
If you are interested in following this trail, we suggest you have a look at the official DLNR resource: Ala Kahakai Trail (Kawaihae-Anaehoomalu).