Hapuna Beach State Park

Located in the island of Hawai'i (popularly known as Big Island), Hapuna Beach - also known as Hapuna Beach Park and Hāpuna Beach - is a large and popular half-mile-long beach with light brown sand nearby and dense forests. Hapuna Beach is situated along a portion of the Hawaiian coastline named "Kohala'' after the nearby Kohala Mountain. This beach is a part of a state park named Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area. A rocky promontory is also present near the beach - this promontory is named Ihumoku. The beach and the nearby bay (named Hāpuna Bay) are named after Leina-Hāpuna, who was an ancient Hawaiian noble.  This beach changes its size depending on the season - during summers Hapuna Beach can become very wide (reaching up to 200 feet in width), while in winters, Hapuna Beach can see a massive size reduction. Hapuna Beach is a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach. The name of the beach (Hapuna) means "spring of life" in the Hawaiian language. A coral reef is present in the water near the southern end of the beach.

Hapuna Beach has many amenities including lifeguards, concession stands, pavilions, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, and water fountains. Dogs are not allowed in Hapuna Beach. Hapuna Beach offers access to people with disabilities. 

Hapuna Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, fishing, wildlife watching, picnicking, swimming, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, bodyboarding, skimboarding, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, boating, and snorkeling. The water near Hapuna has a gradual depth and the water here is also calm during the summer, which makes the beach ideal for beginner swimmers. The water near the northern part of Hapuna Beach is calmer and shallower than its other parts, which makes it a particularly great swimming spot. Intrepid visitors also jump into the water near the southern portion of Hapuna Beach from the towering cliff-tops present nearby. The water near Hapuna Beach is also the spot where a popular annual competition named the Hapuna Roughwater Swim is organized. The water near Hapuna Beach offers powerful and consistent surfing waves during winters, which makes it ideal for experienced surfers - the water near the southern part of the beach is especially ideal for surfers. During calmer water conditions, snorkelers also enter the water near Hapuna Beach in order to explore its vibrant biodiversity - depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of aquatic animals in the water near Hapuna Beach including sea cucumbers, migrating whales (between December and April), and many kinds of fish including Hawaiian goatfish, snapper, and tang. Visitors can also view Hawaiian Green sea turtles on rare occasions in the water near Hapuna Beach, especially during summers – sea turtles are protected in the United States under the Federal Endangered Species Act 1973 and harming them can result in a fine up to $ 25,000, along with possible imprisonment.

If you are planning to enter the water near Hapuna Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable and dangerous rip currents and strong waves, especially during winters. The water here is also known to have sharks and jellyfish. If you are planning to snorkel in the water near the beach, please note that the visibility near the beach can occasionally be low. If you are planning to fish in the water near Hapuna Beach, we recommend following the local fishing regulations. Hapuna Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Kohala shoreline and the Pacific Ocean,especially during sunset. There are two large rocks present near both ends of the beach - these rocks can also act as lookout spots and you can get amazing Instagram-worthy views of the shoreline around the beach from here. The beach is also part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, a 175-mile long trail that offers a unique insight into Hawaii's vibrant landscape and natural and cultural history.

Getting to Hapuna Beach is easy - from Hawai’i State Route 19 (which is a part of an island-wide circular road called the Hawaiʻi Belt Road), you need to turn towards another road named Hapuna Beach Road. The entrance station for Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area is easily accessible from Hapuna Beach Road. Please note that you need an entrance fee to access Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area. Once you have paid the fee, you can drive to the paid parking lot for Hapuna Beach. It is important to note that when you visit Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area, you need to pay separate fees for parking and entrance. We also recommend visiting Hapuna Beach early as it is known to get very crowded.

There are many attractions near Hapuna Beach. Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is a federally-protected historic site which has a temple-fortress (also known as "heiau" in Hawaiian) called Pu'ukohola Heiau (meaning "Temple on the Hill of the Whale'' in Hawaiian) - this heiau was one of the last of its kind and was constructed in the 18th century. This heiau was built by the legendary Hawaiian king Kamehameha the Great and it is a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. While the Pu'ukohola Heiau is closed off for visitors, the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site also many other historic landmarks including Malikeni Heiau (that was built in the 16th century), Hale O Kapuni (a submerged heiau dedicated to Hawaiian shark gods) and the Homestead of John Young, who was a British sailor and was appointed as a military advisor by King Kamehameha. Hapuna Golf Course is a beautiful 18-hole golf facility that offers a fun and challenging golf session, along with views of the Pacific Ocean, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Kohala Mountains. If you are looking for another attraction near Hapuna Beach, Puako Petroglyph Archeological Preserve has more than 3,000 specimens of Ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs (locally known as kii pohaku) that date back to the 13th century - while the meaning of these petroglyphs has still not been deciphered, it has been assumed that they were used to keep track of significant events by the Ancient Hawaiian people. The preserve also has a kiawe forest and a beach and it also offers a unique hiking experience, along with a unique insight into the local history. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Hapuna Beach. Brown's Beach House is an oceanfront fine-dining restaurant which has received a four diamond rating from the AAA. This restaurant offers delicious gourmet dishes which exhibit Hawaiian culinary influences including tempura ahi and Big Island ka‘u coffee venison - the restaurant also offers live Hawaiian music. Merriman’s Hawaiian Restaurant Big Island offers amazing gourmet dishes that exhibit local Hawaiian culinary influences and are prepared from locally sourced ingredients. A-Bay's Island Grill offers amazing dishes for breakfast, lunch,and dinner including eggs, pancakes, pupu platter, salads, burgers, tacos, sandwiches, Korean dishes, and loco moco. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Hapuna Beach, Hawaiian Style Cafe - Waimea offers amazing Hawaiian-inspired dishes for lunch and breakfast including loco moco, burgers, sandwiches, stews, pork dishes, poultry dishes, steaks, French toasts, and fried rice.

If you are looking for a hotel near Hapuna Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star Fairmont Orchid - Hawaii offers many amenities including six restaurants, ten tennis courts, two 18-hole golf courses, a spa, a large pool, and wa fitness center. The 4-Star The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort is another upscale hotel that offers many amenities including three restaurants, a bar, a gym, a spa, an infinity pool with a hot tub, and an 18-hole golf course. A more affordable hotel is the 3.5-Star Kings Land by Hilton Grand Vacations Clubthat offers many amenities including five pools (including ones with waterfalls and waterslides), a cafe, a lounge, a bar, a fitness room, arcade games, a table tennis facility, weekly hula performances, kids’ activities, a gift shop, and a convenience store. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Hapuna beach, the 2.5-Star Waimea Country Lodge has 22 rooms and offers many amenities including a nearby restaurant, a microwave, and complimentary morning coffee. As another modestly priced option, Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area also offers A-Frame shelters for accommodation. If you are planning to stay in these A-Frame shelters, you can visit Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area’s webpage at the Division of State Parks’ website (which is a part of the Hawaiian state government’s Department of Land and Natural Resources) for more information regarding the shelter fees and amenities.