Kua Bay Beach Park

When I lived on the Big Island ten years ago this was my favorite beach. After visiting again that hasn’t changed.
Beautiful white sand, moderate surf and it’s not nearly as busy (or far from Kona) as Hapuna Beach.

Bring your short board and surf at dawn.
Soft sand, not a lot of rocks to face-​plant when you get crushed by the waves.
Green giant turtles that sun next to you. Look but don’t touch.
Mahalo.

Really nice beach with bathrooms and showers. Surf can get a little rough but overall a killer never tooo busy beach.

Kua Bay has a beautiful white sand beach and the water is a glistening turquoise blue in color. This is a great beach for swimming, snorkeling, boogie and body boarding. There isn’t any shade on the beach, so pack your umbrella. You will find showers, big picnic shelters and restrooms nearby. Paved road to the area with parking facilities. There is a separate parking area for handicapped permits. If I remember correctly, we paid $ 5 per car to access this area.

I want to know who has been to Kua Bay in the 90s. Before the access road, the mile long hike that put you off the map, when it was only accessible by foot or 4WD. When it was unknown and you may have seen ONE other Hawaiian family camping on the beach. Only knew of it by word of mouth. Crazy how this place has changed.

Didn’t visit many beaches while on the big island but I have to say, if you are looking for a white sand beach with the crystal clear waters you always imagined in Hawaii then look no further. The beaches at the resorts like hapuna beach and Mauna Kea are nice but Kua Bay is a bit more isolated and the water was just amazing and clear. It was smaller than I imagined it to be but as long as you go when there aren’t as many people, then you are good to go. The waves at Kua Bay can be a little overwhelming but nothing like Big Beach on the island of Maui. There could be limited parking as well, so get there early or you may have to park on the side of the road and walk further down to the beach. There are restrooms available if needed. So if you want to make a trip to a beach on the big island, then this is a definite stop to do just that.

On my fifth trip to Kona looking for a nice beach that is closer to downtown I finally got on Unilocal and found Kua Bay beach. It’s about 15 – 20 minutes from downtown Kona exit directly across from the veterans cemetery sign. Great beach, close parking, white sand turquoise waters. The waves are not too big (wouldn’t be great for hard core boogie boarders) but enough waves for some quick rides. Some areas for snorkeling and nice showers. Does get crowded but great for those staying in Kona that don’t want a long drive to get to a white sand beach.

This is the most beautiful water in all of the Big Island’s beach areas. The beautiful white sand makes for tropical blue water. It is very salty water here but I loved that the turtles was so easy to see when we were diving into the waves they just swim around you. It is also the most popular beach in the area for locals and tourists. I loved it here, the waves are high and my little girl kept jumping into them as they came down on her. Bring the snorkeling gear there’s lots to see if you can manage the current. Luckily we packed some snacks to tie us over, there isn’t anything to eat around here. There are showers and bathrooms near the parking lot.

We visited three beaches this week while on vacation. Mauna Kea, Kua Bay and Hapuna. All three were fantastic beaches, we swam in the clear, cool water and watched the turtles, enjoyed the sun and had a great time. The most remote and limited people was Mauna Kea-​you have to get there early or there’s no parking. Kua Bay was busy and rocky but the boys enjoyed the snorkeling. Hapuna was busy, there was a fee, but fun like the others. All three different but enjoyable.

Don’t follow Unilocal address. Google map Kua bay and you will get here! So beautiful! Best place to watch the sunset!

Very nice beach, though pretty crowded. I went on a Friday morning at 10 am and the place was already pretty busy. The ocean was filled with families boogie boarding on the manageable waves. Still, very relaxing with powdery sand and a beautifully colored ocean. The water fountains at the bathroom didn’t work, but I was a-​ok drinking the sink water from my water bottle!

My favorite beach on the big island. Crystal clear, Caribbean like waters. Light white sand. Black rocks. Perfect!
The water was so clear you could see turtles swimming.
We hit this beach while waiting for our flight back– pretty close to the airport.

We loved this beach! The address on Unilocal is wrong but it’s right across from the veteran’s cemetery. There is free parking, restrooms, showers, and one or two picnic areas. You have to hike down a little bit of lava rock but it’s a short walk down. Bring an umbrella. We came here three times during our visit, and the first two times the water was calm and clear. The last time we saw the biggest waves of our entire trip! The shore is not rocky (except for the large formations) and the sand is soft and smooth. The water is clear and turquoise. It is a small beach, so plan to get there early to get a good spot!

My family and I have been coming here for about 7 years and it is still our favorite beach. One time, the road to the beach was under construction so we walked the entire way down to get to the beach. That’s how much we love it.
The water is beautiful and the waves are perfect for boogie boarding. However, sometimes the waves can be too big which can hurt certain people if you don’t dive into them or swim over them.

This beach was such a find.
A few short miles north of the Kona Airport.
When you see the veterans cemetery sign on the mountain side you’ll see the beach entrance across the highway. Travel down one mile on a curvy road to a small parking lot.
Beach entrance is through some rocks, nothing too bad that can’t be maneuvered. The beach sand is so soft. No rocks, seaweed, or bugs on this beach. Swimming is a dream here. No rocks in the water. My boys were able to boogie board with no scrapes on their knees and legs.
We spent two beach days here. Busier on weekends. Can be windy at times.
There are showers to rinse off.

I believe this is the beach everyone is reviewing.
. Unilocal should update the map for this location.
In any case, this beach is awesome. It is the paradise you look for in Hawaii. Soft white sand. Crystal clear blue water. Some rocks and coral complete the scenery. There are also convenient showers located at the entrance. Parking lot can get full later in the day. Opens at 9am.

Another Beach my Husband and I went to during our Honeymoon.
Hints on how to find it:
Google maps was NOT helpful and Unilocal’s address is wrong.
If you are on HWY 19 and using the address Unilocal gave you, go toward the Kona Airport and it’s across from the vet cemetery, which is between the Mile 89 and 88 mark. If you don’t know what those are, they are little markers on the side of the road. I think it was small green signs. I should have taken a picture.
Notes: Free parking, decently clean restrooms and very secluded. Bring an umbrella because there are no shade around this beach.
Also this is one of the spots where all of the white rocks came from that people used to write messages along Queen Ka’ahumanu Hwy.
Waves were a bit strong on the day we went since it was windy but luckily the beach has a beautiful view and very soft sand.
I would say it was one of my favorite beaches during our whole honeymoon experience. The water was warm and saw a few people snorkeling too but we didn’t because the waves were a bit hash.
My favorite part was the sand. It was soo soft and I loved to dig my toes in there. California beach sand can never compare to this beach. Sometimes I dream coming back here, laying in the sun and enjoying the view. I would totally recommend this place for anyone that is visiting the big island.
This was actually our last stop before heading to the airport to head home. A great spot to end our honeymoon.

The best beach we visited between 12÷24÷13 and 12÷31÷14. My daughter will never forgive me if we don’t go back!
Apparently, some big swells came through the week before we visited and washed away a lot of the sand, so right now it’s very rocky. However, that is true of just about every beach on Kona right now, and this one is still the best. We spent Christmas day there, and we got there about 9 am and got one of the best parking spots. We were amazed when we left at 1 to see how how far the cars were parked up the road.
So go early!

Gorgeous beach recommended to us by our valet at the hotel. There aren’t any cabanas/​umbrellas for rent or food and drink near by but that’s probably why it’s so beautiful and kind of secluded. I wasn’t aware but Kona doesn’t have a lot of large beaches, they’re smaller and can get busy pretty quickly.
Soft, clean sand, clear water… beautiful. I think this beach is a must if you’re visiting the island.

EHHHRRRRMAAAHHHGERRRDD!!!
Most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen. I’ve lived on the Big Island from childhood through highschool. Just now I’m finding out about it during my recent trip.
Go early if possible. Preferably 9 am. Bring an umbrella cause there’s no shade. It does get full quick on weekends and holidays. Parking is free or I thought so. Ha.
Sand is like powder, soft to the touch and your feet will be happy. Warm waters. Postcard-​esq beach.
It’s just so damn beautiful here!