Puako Beach

Located on the northwestern shore of the Kohala Coast on the Big Island, Puako Beach - also known as Puako Bay Beach - has a three-and-a-half-mile long but narrow white sand beach with many rocky portions.  Puako Beach is situated on the shores of Puako Bay and near the Puako Petroglyphs Park, which is the largest collection of petroglyphs (carvings in rocks) in Hawaii.  There are more than 3,000 of these ancient drawings, which are engraved onto enormous boulders. 

Although Puako Beach does not have lifeguards, it only has a few amenities including portable toilets and a nearby boat ramp.  Dogs are allowed on the beach if they are on a leash, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Puako Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, snorkeling, tidepooling, scuba diving, surfing, and beachcombing. Swimming is not recommended here as it can be difficult due to the rocky ocean bottoms and unpredictable rip currents. Snorkelers can explore large coral reefs and see a large variety of colorful tropical fish, manta rays, dolphins, Hawaiian honu, and other Hawaiian marine life. The outer edges of the reef are a perfect place to snorkel, but we recommend being cautious and monitoring ocean conditions carefully before entering the water. Puako Beach is considered an ideal spot for fishing, and you will find many goatfish, bluefin trevally, iridescent cardinalfish, gold saddle goatfish, blacktail snapper, crevalle jack, and black side hawkfish, but please make sure that you are in compliance with the local fishing regulations. Visitors can book fishing charters, boat tours, and snorkeling toursfrom a nearby kiosk. If you like tidepooling, there are tide pools, inlets, and coves near the beach that can be explored during low tide.  Visitors can see sea urchins, hermit crabs, starfish, and other marine creatures that get temporarily trapped in these tidepools of water for a few hours until the tide rises again.  If you enjoy surfing, this beach is popular for surfing due to its frequently windy weather. In addition, the beach is frequented by scuba divers due to the vast reef. In addition, Puako Beach is perfect for visitors seeking a quiet experience as this beach sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.

Getting to Puako Beach is easy - the beach has free street parking located near Puako Beach Drive, which is easily accessible through Mile Marker 70 on Highway 19 in Kailua-Kona. It is important to note that visitors have to choose between six different public access trails to the beach, which are located near telephone poles 106, 110, 115, 120, 127, and 137.

There are many attractions near Puako Beach.  Puakō Petroglyph Park is an archaeological preserve with over 3,000 ancient petroglyphs (carvings in rocks), lava rock carvings etched into stones, dating back to 1200 A.D.  It features carvings of humans, canoes, and turtles, which are thought to be records of births and other significant events in the lives of the people who once lived on the island of Hawaii.  It is important to note that the site is unpaved and goes through a kiawe forest with thorns on the ground, and we recommend wearing comfortable shoes.  Kiholo Bay has a black sand beach that offers many fun activities including snorkeling, swimming, hiking, camping, and fishing – and visitors can spot green sea turtles near the beach.  If you are looking for another attraction near Puako Beach, Holoholokai Beach has a rocky shoreline made up of black lava and white coral that offers many fun activities including tidepooling, sunbathing, hiking, relaxing, picnicking, and beachcombing. In addition, it offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, barbecue grill facilities, and shady areas.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Puako Beach.  Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill is an upscale restaurant that offers amazing Hawaiian-inspired dishes including salads, steaks, chops, and seafood.  A-Bay’s Island Grill is a beachfront restaurant that offers amazing salads, tortillas, sandwiches, steaks, loco moco, burgers, and seafood.  Waikoloa Shrimp Co. serves shrimp-based dishes, steaks, poultry dishes, and desserts.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Puako Beach, Foster’s Kitchen Waikoloa serves shrimp, bruschetta, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, flatbread pizzas, poultry dishes, steaks, chops, tacos, and desserts.

If you are looking for a hotel near Puako Beach, there are many great nearby options.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection is 15 minutes away by car and has many amenities including three outdoor pools, hot tubs, a lap pool, tennis courts, two golf courses, a spa, a fitness center, an oceanfront restaurant.  Another upscale option is the 4-Star Hilton Waikoloa Village which offers many amenities including three outdoor pools, hot tubs, a spa, a fitness center, two golf courses, tennis courts, and several restaurants.  In addition, it also has other amenities including a black sand beach, a swimming lagoon with green sea turtles, kayaking, paddle boating, and a dolphin encounter experience.  A more affordable hotel is the 3.5-Star Hilton Grand Vacations Club Kings’ Land Waikoloa which offers many amenities including a fitness center, tennis courts, five outdoor pools, hot tubs, a gift shop, a convenience store, and a restaurant.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Puako Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Kona Seaside Hotel offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, a sundeck, a hot tub, tropical gardens, and a barbecue facility.