Kiowea Park(Kamehameha Coconut Grove, Fort Kamehameha Beach)

Located in the southern part of the Molokai shoreline, Kiowea Beach Park is a recreational park that has a narrow beach with dark brown colored sand, a few pebbles, a considerable amount of driftwood, and many nearby trees. This beach is situated adjacent to a grove of coconut trees called Kapuaiwa Grove or Kamehameha Coconut Grove. This grove is one of the oldest coconut groves in Hawaii and was either planted in the mid 19th century by high chief Kapuaiwa (who was later called King Kamehameha V) or by his manager Rudolph V. Meyer. Kapuaiwa Grove receives its name from the alternative name of King Kamehameha V, Kapuaiwa, which means “sacred one protected by supernatural powers” in Hawaiian. Kiowea Beach Park, also called Kiowea Beach, has suffered from erosion in the past and it used to have multiple freshwater springs. However, these springs are now underwater due to erosion. You can see these freshwater springs bubbling up from the ocean water at low tide. 

Although Kiowea Beach Park does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including restrooms, a pavilion, barbecue areas, and picnic tables. 

Kiowea Beach Park offers many fun activities including beachcombing, fishing, picnicking, sunbathing, wildlife watching, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, boating, surf-skiing, and jet-skiing. The water near Kiowea Beach Park is shallow and murky (because it has a lot of silt) and has a rocky ocean bottom, which makes it usually unsuitable for water activities. In addition, the water here can also have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near Kiowea Beach Park including sea turtles, migrating whales between November and March, and rare Hawaiian monk seals. It is important to note that sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals are protected under a law named the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and harming them can result in a fine of up to $50,000 and possible imprisonment. If you like birdwatching, you can see many kinds of birds around Kiowea Beach Park and in the nearby coconut grove including sparrows, finches, cattle egrets, scaly-breasted munia, and warbling white-eye. If you like taking pictures and beautiful views, Kiowea Beach Park offers excellent Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and the southern Kauai shoreline, particularly during sunsets. If you are planning to fish near Kiowea Beach Park, please ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations which can be found on the website of the Division of Aquatic Resources (which is a part of the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources.) 

The adjacent Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove originally had around a thousand coconut trees and its original size was 10 acres. However, this grove has only a few hundred trees now and walking in the grove can be unsafe because of the danger of the large falling coconuts. Nevertheless, you can view and take photographs of this grove from the nearby Kiowea Beach Park and it offers some excellent photos during evenings. In addition, you can also view the remains of a World War ll era bunker in the coconut grove’s premises.

Getting to Kiowea Beach Park from the nearby community of Kaunakakai, you need to drive one mile west along Hawaii Route 460 (also called Mauna Loa Highway) and the recreational park will be visible to you towards the left of the highway just before the coconut grove. 

There are many attractions near Kiowea Beach Park.  Kalaupapa National Historical Park is a national park that is only accessible via hiking or a mule ride and is set around the settlement of Kalaupapa, which was used as an isolation facility for people suffering from leprosy (also called Hansen’s disease). You can explore this park’s premises via guided tours, which offer a unique insight into the history of Molokai. You can also visit the Kalaupapa National Historical Park’s webpage on the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding the guided tour options and details. This national park also seeks to raise awareness about leprosy, which has been often stigmatized by the general public. Maunahui-Makakupaia Trail is a hiking and biking trail that offers an amazing way to explore the vibrant and rugged Molokai landscape and it passes through many kinds of habitats including grasslands and forests. The trail also has observation areas that offer an incredible view of the Molokai shoreline. Duke Maliu Regional Park is a 10-acre recreational park that offers many amenities including restrooms, baseball/softball fields, picnic areas, restrooms, telephones, and drinking water facilities. Kaunakakai Park is a recreational park that offers many amenities including baseball/softball fields, playgrounds, restrooms, and water. If you are looking for another attraction near Kiowea Beach Park,  Molokai Museum and Cultural Center has interesting exhibits on the vibrant and rich history of Molokai. The museum has exhibits highlighting Molokai’s time as the site of a leper colony and its premises also have a restored sugar mill. The museum has a rich collection of artifacts, photos, personal historic accounts, and videos, along with a gift shop selling goods and crafts made by local artisans. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Kiowea Beach Park. Hiro’s Ohana Grill is a waterfront restaurant that offers excellent dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including seafood, steaks, barbecued ribs, poultry dishes, pastas, salads, burgers, loco moco, and pancakes. The restaurant also offers live music performances. Paddlers Restaurant and Bar offers amazing burgers, fries, steaks, pork dishes, poultry dishes, pastas, sandwiches, and seafood. This restaurant also offers live music performances and dancing. Molokai Pizza Cafe serves delicious pizzas, along with pastas, barbecued ribs, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and chicken wings.   Kualapuʻu Cookhouse also offers delicious American and Hawaiian dishes for lunch and dinner including eggs, steaks, pork dishes, poultry dishes, seafood, lamb chops, and barbecued ribs. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Kiowea Beach Park, Molokai Burger serves delicious burgers. In addition, it also serves excellent fried chicken, sandwiches, fries, chicken nuggets, salads, and lunch and dinner platters. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Kiowea Beach Park, there are many great nearby options. The 3-Star Molokai Shores Resortoffers many amenities including barbecue grills, dry cleaning/laundry facilities, a picnic area, and a pool. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hotel Moloka’iwhich offers many amenities including a pool, oceanfront hammocks, a gift shop, restaurant, and leisure equipment. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Kiowea Beach Park, Ka Hale Mala is a bed-and-breakfast hotel which offers many amenities including a tropical garden with sitting areas, a barbecue area, nearby laundry facilities, and beach towel loaner facilities.