Fourteen spots on this coast are snorkelable straight off the sand, and nothing on the list sits more than 45.5 miles from downtown Kailua-Kona. Five of them front Kohala resorts: ʻAnaehoʻomalu, Makaiwa, Honokaope, Pauʻoa and Kaunaʻoa. Every one of those is public, but the access roads cross resort land and look like private entrances.
The list runs south to north, from Two Step at Hōnaunau to Koaiʻe Cove at Lapakahi, about 60 miles from one end to the other. Most of them need a flat day to be worth the drive out. Start with Kaunaʻoa on a calm morning. That lot is small and the free parking is gone early.
Table of contents
- Map of snorkeling spots near Kona
- List of snorkeling spots near Kona
- Snorkeling tours
Three of the 14 spots (Two Step, Kealakekua Bay, and Kahaluʻu Beach Park) are our top island-wide picks and are covered in depth on our best Big Island snorkeling spots guide. Their entries here include location and distance from Kona but not the full treatment. For gear rentals and snorkeling near Hilo, see our Big Island snorkeling guide.
14 Shore-Entry Spots: Map and Distance Table
The table keeps the same south-to-north order and gives the driving distance from Kailua-Kona for each spot, from nothing at all (Kamakahonu is downtown) to 45.5 miles at Lapakahi. The map shows how far apart they really are.
Details and map locations below last verified May 2026.
| Name | Miles from Kona | Entry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Two Step (Details ↓) | 23 miles | Lava ledge | Experienced snorkelers |
| 2Kealakekua Bay (Details ↓) | 17 miles | Beach/boat | All levels (boat recommended) |
| 3Kahaluʻu (Details ↓) | 4.9 miles | Sandy beach | Beginners, families |
| 4Laʻaloa Beach Park (Magic Sands) (Details ↓) | 3.7 miles | Sandy beach | Casual, low-effort |
| 5Kamakahonu (King Kam) (Details ↓) | 0 miles | Sandy beach | Quick hotel dip |
| 6Honokōhau Harbor (Details ↓) | 3.7 miles | Lava + beach | Dog-friendly, no facilities |
| 7ʻAnaehoʻomalu (A Bay) (Details ↓) | 25.6 miles | Sandy beach | Easy, sunset-watching |
| 8Makaiwa Bay (Mauna Lani) (Details ↓) | 29.6 miles | Sandy beach | Resort, easy, good reef |
| 9Honokaope Bay (Details ↓) | 29.6 miles | Lava cliffs | Advanced, unspoiled reef |
| 10Pauʻoa Bay (Fairmont) (Details ↓) | 29 miles | Sandy beach | Beginners, protected |
| 11Waialea (Beach 69) (Details ↓) | 31.3 miles | Sandy beach | Calm water, good reef |
| 12Hāpuna (Details ↓) | 31.8 miles | Sandy beach | Calm days only |
| 13Kaunaʻoa (Mauna Kea) Beach (Details ↓) | 33.6 miles | Sandy beach | Excellent, arrive early |
| 14Lapakahi (Details ↓) | 45.5 miles | Coral rubble | Marine sanctuary, no sand |
List of best snorkeling spots off the Kona coast
- Hōnaunau (Two Step)
- Kealakekua Bay
- Kahaluʻu Beach Park
- Magic Sands
- Kamakahonu (King Kam)
- Honokōhau Harbor
- ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay
- Makaiwa Bay
- Honokaope Bay (49 black sand beach)
- Pauʻoa Bay
- Waialea Beach
- Hāpuna Beach
- Kaunaʻoa Beach
- Lapakahi State Historical Park
Four of these, Kahaluʻu, Magic Sands, Kamakahonu and Hāpuna, also make our list of best Kona beaches, so they work as a beach day with snorkeling attached rather than a snorkeling trip.
Two Step at Hōnaunau
Clear water over a lava ledge, and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau is right next door, so this one doubles as a park visit.
Hōnaunau bay directions and snorkeling info
Distance from Kona: 23 miles (40 minutes by car).
Two step (Paeʻa) in Hōnaunau Bay is one of the best places to snorkel on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Two step is named after two steps in the lava rocks that allow access to the ocean.
Kealakekua Bay
Best reached by boat tour, though a kayak or a tough hike will also get you there. Kealakekua bay directions and snorkeling info.
Distance from Kona: 17 miles (34 minutes by car).
Nāpōʻopoʻo Beach is a small rocky beach in the Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. Image credit: Nnachappa64 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Kahaluʻu Beach Park
Popular with local surfers as well as snorkelers. Stay at the left (south) side of the beach while snorkeling, and don’t step on the coral. Kahaluʻu bay directions and snorkeling info.
Distance from Kona: 4.9 miles (14 minutes by car).
The best place to get into the water for snorkeling is from the south end of the bay.
Magic Sands Beach Park (Laʻaloa)
A small, busy beach right on Aliʻi Drive, named for sand that strips off under winter surf and rebuilds when the swell drops. Snorkel it only when the waves are small: head a few hundred yards out and to the right for the better coral and the bigger fish.
Distance from Kona: 3.7 miles (11 minutes by car).
King Kam (Kamakahonu) Beach
The easiest water entry in central Kona, and the one to use for an early morning or late afternoon snorkel.
More information on King Kam beach.
Distance from Kona: 0 miles (downtown Kona).
Kamakahonu (King Kam beach) is a small, family-friendly beach in Kailua-Kona
The beach at Honokōhau Harbor
There is a small beach directly north of Honokōhau Harbor with good snorkeling and not much else.
There are no lifeguards, no bathrooms and no trash cans. Getting down means picking your way over about 65 meters of lava rock, which is not sharp but is awkward underfoot. Locals call it “Kona Dog Beach” and you will meet dogs running loose, so skip it if that puts you off.
Worth knowing before you bring your own: this beach is inside Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, where dogs must be on a leash of six feet or less at all times, including in the water. The rule is widely ignored here because nobody patrols it, but the fine is $80.
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park runs north from here and is worth an hour on its own. It has its own shoreline at Honokōhau Beach that you can snorkel from, entry is free, and vehicle access on Kaloko Road runs 8:00am to 5:00pm. There are no lifeguards anywhere in the park.
More information on Kona Dog Beach.
Distance from Kona: 3.7 miles (10 minutes by car).
ʻAnaehoʻomalu (“A”) Bay
An offshore reef takes the punch out of the surf here, which makes the swimming easy and the snorkeling merely okay. Come for the sunset instead: the beach faces west with the fishpond behind it.
More information on A Bay on our website.
Distance from Kona: 25.6 miles (37 minutes by car).
The Kuualii fishpond at the southern side of the beach. Credit: Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau (IHVB) / Kirk Lee Aeder
Makaiwa Bay (Mauna Lani Resort)
Small beach on the south end of the Mauna Lani resort property. Easy entry and exit, shallow reef with immediate payoff of reef fish, coral heads, octopus, and eels. Further out the water clears and more coral and larger schools of fish can be seen.
Distance from Kona: 29.6 miles (42 minutes by car).
Honokaope Bay, the 49 black sand beach (Mauna Lani Resort)
Small, black(ish) sand beach with lava rock cliffs and a shoreline fisherman’s trail. Clear water and healthy reef. Pinnacles and reef in shallower water to the left (south), deeper reef to the right (north).
Distance from Kona: 29.6 miles (42 minutes by car).
Pauʻoa Bay at the Fairmont Orchid Hotel
Pauʻoa is the easiest water in this group for a weak swimmer. Large lava rocks ring the beach, and the entry is sand rather than rock. On a low-surf day the snorkeling outside the rocks is good too.
Distance from Kona: 29 miles (41 minutes by car).
Waialea Beach (Beach 69)
The best reef is on the southern side of the bay, with more coral around the rocky prominence inside the bay and off the point at the north end. It’s called Beach 69 because you turn between telephone poles 69 and 70. Visibility is the weak point: an intermittent stream feeds the bay, and fresh water in it will kill the clarity for a day or two. Go on a calm day after a dry spell.
More information on Waialea Beach.
Distance from Kona: 31.3 miles (44 minutes by car).
Waialea Beach is a somewhat “off the beaten path” beach in between the Waikoloa resorts and Hāpuna beach
Hāpuna Beach
Hāpuna is one of our favorite white sand beaches on the island, and the snorkeling is good when the water is calm. Work the small cliff at the north end or the rocky point at the south end. This one is a State Recreation Area rather than a free county beach: non-residents pay $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, and Hawaiʻi residents get in free with a state ID.
More information on Hāpuna beach.
Distance from Kona: 31.8 miles (43 minutes by car).
There is little shelter from the sun at the long white sand beach at Hāpuna Bay. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson
Kaunaʻoa (Mauna Kea) Beach
Snorkeling here is excellent when the water is calm. There is easy access into the water with a sandy entry point, the best fish and coral can be found next to the rocky points at either end of the beach. Parking at Mauna Kea beach is limited and fills early, so come first thing.
More information on Mauna Kea Beach.
Distance from Kona: 33.6 miles (47 minutes by car).
Kaunaʻoa or Mauna Kea Beach, Hawaiʻi | Photograph by Steve Dunleavy on Flickr under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license
Lapakahi State Historical Park
Lapakahi State Historical Park holds the partially restored remains of an ancient coastal settlement, occupied more than 700 years ago. The water off it is a Marine Life Conservation District, 146 acres reaching 500 feet out from shore. The park is open daily from 8:00am, last entry 3:30pm, gates locked at 4:00pm, and there is no entrance fee.
Stay inside Koaiʻe Cove. Strong longshore currents run just beyond it year round, and the state’s own warning is that you could be swept away from shore and drown. High surf arrives in winter, and there is a posted dangerous-shorebreak warning too, which matters even on a small day.
Inside Koaiʻe Cove there are two small coral-rubble beaches and no sand at all, and that is the easiest way into the water. The northern side has decent coral close to shore, but the coral and the fish are thickest in the southern portion. There is more life around the outcropping of rocks right of the cove’s center.
More information on the Lapakahi State Historical Park.
Distance from Kona: 45.5 miles (58 minutes by car).
Snorkeling Tours
Every spot above is reachable by car and works as part of a beach day. A boat opens up water you cannot reach from shore, but the shorter safari trips can leave you as little as 30 minutes in the water, so check the timing before you book.
- Daytime snorkeling trips that take you to more secluded snorkeling spots,
- Aquatic safaris + snorkel tours, and
- the manta ray night snorkel.
Day-time snorkeling cruise (by boat)
A boat gets you to lava arches and caves, plus sites where no breaking wave is stirring sand into the water column. The crew picks the site and the timing.
The one we recommend is Body Glove’s 4.5-hour trip on a 65 foot catamaran, with water slides and a BBQ lunch:
Deluxe Snorkel & Dolphin Watch
Step aboard a 65’ Catamaran for a fun-filled day of adventure! This 4.5 hour cruise offers breakfast, lunch, and all the comforts you would expect from being on a $2 million vessel.
from:
$180
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.For privacy, charter a small boat for half a day instead. The operator we use will run to a secluded beach, a reef site, or out to pelagic water for diving, and the destination is yours to pick. Their deck hand is a small black and white dog called Maka, who sometimes ends up in the water with the group, so skip this one if you are allergic to dogs.
Private 38ft Boat Snorkeling Charter / Cruise
Excellent for families and friend groups, this 4 hour private charter on a 38ft boat takes you anywhere along the Kona coast you want!
from:
$1,500
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Aquatic Snorkeling Safaris
An aquatic safari is half snorkeling trip, half small-boat wildlife cruise, and most run about half a day. The trade is snorkeling time: the boat spends much of it working the coastline looking for whales, dolphins and manta rays, so the cheaper and shorter trips can leave you only 30 to 60 minutes in the water.
If this sounds good to you we recommend the following aquatic safari:
The Marine Wildlife & Reef Snorkel Adventure
A 3-hour trip on a fast zodiac-style boat. The ride is fast and wet, and the stop in the water is short. Pick a slower boat if you want a long snorkel.
Marine Wildlife & Reef Snorkel Adventure
Marine wildlife safari + snorkel adventure on a Navy SEAL Zodiac Boat for the adventurous adrenaline riders ONLY. 14 guests max.
from:
$118
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.Night snorkel with Manta Rays
This is the one night activity on the island we would not skip. The reef mantas that feed off Kona run around 12 ft across and reach about 14 ft at the top end, they have no stinger and no barb, and when they are feeding under the lights they will pass within a few feet of you.
The best way to see the rays is as part of a tour, most of which depart from Kona or Keauhou to make a small cruise to one of two locations:
- “Manta Village”: south of Kona, just offshore of the OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay
- “Manta Heaven”: north of Kona, offshore of the Kona International Airport, also known as Garden Eel Cove
Our full write-up on swimming with the manta rays compares the operators. We book Sea Paradise: 2 hours for $130, leaving from Keauhou Bay, which puts the Manta Village site a few minutes out instead of a 45-minute sail:
Sunset Manta Ray Night Snorkel at Keauhou Bay
Manta rays at Keauhou's Manta Village feed within inches of the lit flotation board. Sea Paradise has operated here since 1985, making them one of the longest-running operators at this location.
from:
$130
What is a suggested tour?Our suggested tours are hand-picked tours that receive consistent good reviews, give back to the community, and work hard to minimize their impact on the environment. Read more about these tours on our website.