Pauoa Bay

Located in the town of Waimea, Pauoa Bay has a long, narrow, and crescent-shaped beach that is surrounded by palm trees and rugged greenery on large rocks. Pauoa Bay is an incredible destination for swimming, snorkeling, diving, and rafting because of its calm waters and small waves. Pauoa Bay features one of the best coral reefs in Hawaii where you can find the incredible Hawaiian green sea turtle called Honu, eels, rays, butterfly fish, dolphins, and whales.

Although Pauoa Bay does not have lifeguards, the beach offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and barbecues.

There are many fun activities at Pauoa Bay including swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, whale watching, and beach walking.

Getting to the beach at Pauoa Bay is very easy – there is a free parking lot at Malama Trailhead at the end of Puako Beach Drive on the north side of the beach. After parking, you will need to walk 10 minutes south to the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near Pauoa Bay, you can drive 15 minutes to many nearby options.  Kalahuipua'a Historic Park is an awesome fishing spot with petroglyphs, lava tube dwellings, trails, and fishponds from ancient times.  Spread across 62 acres, Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area features many beautiful white sand beaches and is great for many water sport activities including swimming, snorkeling, bodyboarding, and whale watching.  Dolphin Quest Hawai’i - Swim with Dolphins is located inside Hilton Waikoloa Village – it features dolphin shows, swimming with dolphins, and touch tanks.  Another great attraction near Pauoa Bay is Hapuna Golf Course, an 18-hole golf course with beautiful Instagram-worthy views of the Kohala Coast and Pacific Ocean on the front and Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Kohala Mountains in the back. 

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a three-minute drive of Pauoa Bay. Binchotan Bar & Grill is a barbecue restaurant with a nice menu that includes beef brisket, chicken quarters, kielbasa sausage, beef ribs, and pork ribs.  Another good restaurant near Pauoa Bay is the vegetarian-friendly restaurant CanoeHouse which serves seafood, drinks, desserts, and vegan dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Pauoa Bay, you can drive 30 minutes to many nearby options. The 5-Star Lai Nani Oceanfront Estate offers a pool and three oceanfront villas. The Westin Hapuna Beach Hotel is an upscale 4-Star hotel with many amenities including a beachfront spa, gym, an infinity pool, an 18-hole golf course, and three restaurants.  The 3-Star Hale Kukui Orchard and Resort features three cottages, a pool, and a 650-feet-tall waterfall. If you are looking for budget-friendly hotels near Pauoa Bay, the 3-Star Waipiʻo Lodge provides oceanfront rooms and the 2-Star Hotel Honoka’a Club has a nice restaurant.