Waikaloa Beach

Located on the western side of the Big Island on the Kohala Coast, Waikaloa Beach is a long and wide crescent-shaped beach with white sand.  This beach is situated near the western edge of an upscale hotel named the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.  There are many high-rise buildings along the shoreline, including luxury hotels, restaurants, and motels.  The beach is located on the shores of Anaehoomalu Bay and adjacent to Anaehoomalu Beach and offers amazing, Instagram-worthy views, especially during sunset. The name of the beach, "Waikaloa," means "near the sea" in the Hawaiian language.  Waikaloa Beach is home to two championship golf courses, historic petroglyph fields, and ancient royal fishponds.  The two ancient Hawaiian fishponds, Ku’uali’i and Kahapapa, which are located right behind the beach.  These ponds were originally used by Hawaiian royalty to raise mullets and other small fish, which were maintained by local fishermen and only given to the royals. 

Unfortunately, in March 2011, a tsunami wave devastated the beach and the surrounding area, slicing Anaeho'omalu Bay in two pieces and destroying the wall of the ancient Ku'uali'i Fishpond.  As of early 2022, repair work is still in progress.  Although the beach's 100-foot gaping hole has been repaired, the ancient rock wall has yet to be reconstructed.  The fishpond has been severely impacted by this devastation. 

Although Waikaloa Beach does not have lifeguards, the beach offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic areas, water fountains, and a beach gear rental kiosk.  Waikaloa Beach welcomes dogs on a leash, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset. 

Waikaloa Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, kayaking, boating, canoeing, windsurfing, surfing, scuba diving, hiking, and tide pooling.  Waikaloa Beach is considered an ideal family-friendly beach.  It is protected by a coral reef that forms a shallow lagoon offshore that deepens gradually, making it a popular spot for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving.  In addition, Waikaloa Beach offers amazing snorkeling opportunities, especially near the northern edge of the beach - snorkelers can explore coral reefs and a variety of colorful fish, including triggerfish, yellow tang, needlefish, pufferfish, blue parrotfish, yellow trumpet, and sea turtles.  A kiosk named A’ bay Beach Hutis present right on the beach and offers beach gear for rental, and provides lessons as well as guided tours, including outrigger canoe rides and daily catamaran cruises.  It is important to note that the water near the southern part of the beach is often murky, which makes the underwater visibility poor, so we recommend being cautious.  If you like tide-pooling, tide pools are present near the beach and can be explored during low tide.  In addition, there are many informational plaques present near the beach and its neighboring areas that offer interesting insights into Hawaiian history.  Hikers can explore the nearby King’s Trail, which leads to a historical park featuring rock shelters, petroglyphs (rock carvings), and other ancient artifacts.

Getting to Waikaloa Beach is easy - the beach’s free parking lot is located at 69-275 Waikoloa Drive and provides easy access to the beach.

There are many attractions near Waikaloa Beach.  Puakō Petroglyph Park is an archaeological preserve with over 3000 ancient petroglyphs (carvings in rocks), and 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.  Dolphin Quest Hawaii has a 4-acre saltwater lagoon filled with filtered seawater that creates a natural dolphin habitat.  It offers amazing interactive encounters and experiences with dolphins.  It also features a learning center that conducts educational programs, camps, and classes on marine animals for kids of all ages.  If you are looking for another attraction near Waikaloa Beach, Kiholo Bay has a black sand beach that offers many fun activities including snorkeling, swimming, hiking, camping, and fishing.  Visitors can spot green sea turtles near the beach. It has a few amenities including portable restrooms.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Waikaloa 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.  Lava Lava Beach Club Restaurant is a waterfront bistro that offers outdoor seating, live music performances during the evenings, and serves delicious soups, salads, shrimp, nachos, tacos, burgers, steaks, and Hawaiian-inspired seafood.   If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Waikaloa Beach, Waikoloa Shrimp Co. serves shrimp-based dishes, steaks, poultry dishes, and desserts.

If you are looking for a hotel near Waikaloa Beach, there are many great nearby options.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection is ten 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, and an oceanfront restaurant.  In addition, it also offers complimentary cultural activities, including hula dancing and lei-making classes.  Another upscale option is the beachfront 4-StarWaikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa which offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, hot tubs, a spa, a fitness center, a golf course, and several restaurants.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star The Bay Club, a Hilton Grand Vacation Club which offers many amenities including a fitness center, tennis courts, two outdoor pools, hot tubs, a golf course, and picnic areas with a barbecue grill facility.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Waikaloa Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Kono Islander Inn Hotel offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, a sundeck, a hot tub, tropical gardens, and a barbecue facility.