Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
4.5
About
One of the nicest sand beaches on the Kohala coast.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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- Crystal HefnerWest Hollywood, California117 contributionsPlease check out Hapuna, the sunsets from here are surrealThis beach is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with water like blue Gatorade. I highly recommend visiting this beach at least once in your lifetime. I believe it’s listed as one of the best beaches in the United States. Dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals. I had my little dog with me for a bit but felt uncomfortable having her there because they aren’t really allowed.Visited August 2023Travelled soloWritten 4 March 2024
- Caitlin MNew York City, New York65 contributionsGreat beach!Amazing beach—do not miss! It’s just as beautiful as everyone says. Gentle waves means you can stay in the water through sunset. One of my favorite beaches on the island. Also, we came in the afternoon and were able to find parking.Visited March 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 22 March 2024
- Troy HWest Jordan, Utah44 contributionsGreat beachThis beach is very picturesque. We went 3 times during our stay. The body boarding is great and the sand is soft. There is no food close by so bring your own. You do have to pay $10 per vehicle and an additional $5 per person. That seems outrageous given that the bathroom facilities are poor.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 29 March 2024
- Sara L4 contributionsBeautiful family friendly beachMost beautiful beach we’ve ever seen. The water was so clear and we even saw a giant sea turtle swim by. Sandy beach with optimal space to set up. Family friendly and a great day tripVisited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 31 March 2024
- Traveller_123San Francisco, California939 contributionsOne of the few swimmable beachesGreat place to swim in the open ocean. The ocean can get choppy sometime - hence best to go in a group. Once you get used to the waves, it’s so much fun. Easy to get parking and lots of shady trees.Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 April 2024
- AngelKailua-Kona, Hawaii47 contributionsHapuna: from a local!this is one of my favorite beaches. it has 2 public showers, bathrooms and pavilions. the water is nice it's not rocky at all. the waves are a good size, good for boogy boarding and swimming. this is not a surfing beach. the walk to the beach is easy and there is good parking. this would be a great choice for a beach day!Visited April 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 26 July 2024
- Marie FMinot, North Dakota301 contributionsBeautiful beach with lots of space, sand and great sunsets.This beach is one of the best on the Big Island and the parking and path to the beach has had recent improvements. Easy access to beach area and clean restrooms at the beach area and showers to rinse off the sand and salt water. The beach has fun waves (which can get pretty big) and is a fun body and boogie board beach. Each time we visit the Big Island, we make a point of spending a day at this beach. Make sure to pack a cooler with drinks and snacks (unless you want to make your way to the beautiful resort and find food there.)Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 10 August 2024
- islandlovingtwosomeLake Forest, California125 contributionsA Pretty And Well Maintained BeachWe wanted to go to Mauna Kea Beach, but the parking lot filled up by 8:00 am, so we opted for Hapuna Beach which had plenty of open parking spaces. The beach was pretty, but not as gorgeous as I expected after reading about it. The water was a little rough and the snorkeling was not very good. Wear shoes if you're going to walk around cuz the sand gets very hot. We were lucky enough to find a spot under a big, shady tree which we shared with the resident chickens. The restrooms were clean and well maintained.Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 September 2024
- JBN1958Highland Park, Illinois137 contributionsBeautiful white sand beach with parking and facilities.Outstanding white sand beach with great facilities, lots of parking, and decent snorkeling. Wind was howling so blowing sand was a bit of a nuisance but that can’t take away from how spectacular this beach is. Definitely worth a visit.Visited October 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 October 2024
- BradAlbuquerque, New Mexico421 contributionsGreat white sand beachProbably the best white sand beach on the Big Island. And man is it crowded! We were very glad we went. Waves were fun for boogie boarding and body surfing. Lots of nearby restrooms.Visited January 2025Travelled with familyWritten 5 January 2025
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4.5
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Jennlk
Roanoke, VA123 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
The water is on!!
If you read the other reviews you’ll see the biggest complaint was the water being off, but it is now on so don’t let that deter you from going.
We got there early, about 8:30am, and it was pretty empty. There is a lot of parking available though. We did pay the fees, not sure if anyone really checks to make sure you do, it’s a self pay system, but we did pay for parking and entry. It was $10 to park and $5 a person.
There were only about half a dozen people on the beach when we got there so we did get a nice shaded spot under a tree. I had never snorkeled, and my husband only had once, so we picked this beach because of how calm it is. We had a great time, saw lots of fish right off the beach, and enjoyed the smooth sand. There were a few families that came later, and it seemed a good place for the little ones to play in the water safely. If you are a more advanced snorkeler you can easily go further out and see more fish. There were plenty of people who went out past the rocks and said it was great.
I highly recommend this beach for families with small kids or people who are not advanced snorkelers. If you like smooth sandy beaches with less lava and rocks this is the beach to go to!
If you read the other reviews you’ll see the biggest complaint was the water being off, but it is now on so don’t let that deter you from going.
We got there early, about 8:30am, and it was pretty empty. There is a lot of parking available though. We did pay the fees, not sure if anyone really checks to make sure you do, it’s a self pay system, but we did pay for parking and entry. It was $10 to park and $5 a person.
There were only about half a dozen people on the beach when we got there so we did get a nice shaded spot under a tree. I had never snorkeled, and my husband only had once, so we picked this beach because of how calm it is. We had a great time, saw lots of fish right off the beach, and enjoyed the smooth sand. There were a few families that came later, and it seemed a good place for the little ones to play in the water safely. If you are a more advanced snorkeler you can easily go further out and see more fish. There were plenty of people who went out past the rocks and said it was great.
I highly recommend this beach for families with small kids or people who are not advanced snorkelers. If you like smooth sandy beaches with less lava and rocks this is the beach to go to!
Written 16 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kyzrdg
Millville, Ca149 contributions
Aug 2023
Hapuna Beach will get its 5th star back when they fix the water situation. As of August of 2023 the bathrooms are still closed, the showers are off, and the snack bar is closed.Don't think they will be repaired until Spring of 2024 from what I've heard. Having said that, it's still a premier white sand beach in the South Kohala coast on the Big Island.
It is a very large white sand Beach that has calm shore break most of the time. Make sure to always pay attention to conditions as they can change. Hapuna can get large surf occaisionally so always be careful. There is an entry fee for the park as it is a State of Hawaii Park. When you arrive you will drive by the old pay shack that is torn down and find a parking spot. Walk over to the parking pay station fronting the old sack shack and buy your parking pass. It's $10.00 per vehicle and $5.00 per person on top of that. (Residents with Hawaii ID are free). Take the receipt and place it on the dash of your car. Then go and enjoy this pristine beach. Oh, please, don't complain about that, most other states charge a vehicle fee of some sort for entry to state parks so Hawaii is just catching up. If you need to, you can walk over to the Hapuna Beach hotel and resort and get a cocktail or a bite, otherwise, pack it in and pack it out.
Snorkeling is limited to the area near the point at the Hotel, otherwise you're just looking at sand and maybe the occasional turtle cruising by. Don't harass the turtles and stay away from them. Don't touch coral and stack rocks. Leave it as it was when you arrived.
During the day the sand can get hot so be advised. Little to no shade so bring the sunscreen and shade with you. Don't put umbrellas and tents up in front of people already there, that's just rude.
It is a very large white sand Beach that has calm shore break most of the time. Make sure to always pay attention to conditions as they can change. Hapuna can get large surf occaisionally so always be careful. There is an entry fee for the park as it is a State of Hawaii Park. When you arrive you will drive by the old pay shack that is torn down and find a parking spot. Walk over to the parking pay station fronting the old sack shack and buy your parking pass. It's $10.00 per vehicle and $5.00 per person on top of that. (Residents with Hawaii ID are free). Take the receipt and place it on the dash of your car. Then go and enjoy this pristine beach. Oh, please, don't complain about that, most other states charge a vehicle fee of some sort for entry to state parks so Hawaii is just catching up. If you need to, you can walk over to the Hapuna Beach hotel and resort and get a cocktail or a bite, otherwise, pack it in and pack it out.
Snorkeling is limited to the area near the point at the Hotel, otherwise you're just looking at sand and maybe the occasional turtle cruising by. Don't harass the turtles and stay away from them. Don't touch coral and stack rocks. Leave it as it was when you arrived.
During the day the sand can get hot so be advised. Little to no shade so bring the sunscreen and shade with you. Don't put umbrellas and tents up in front of people already there, that's just rude.
Written 21 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JoMich
Alma, MI299 contributions
Feb 2022
There is a reason that this beach has been called the most beautiful in the country. Part of a state park, Hapuna is a long, gentle expanse of soft golden sand, affording views of Mauna Kea and Hualalei volcanoes. We happened to go on a day when there was a high surf warning, so only the most intrepid were out body surfing or boogie boarding. The waves were as high as 10 feet, and it was thrilling to watch them crash against the rocks or even just break along the beach. The lifeguards were truly impressive as we saw them pull a couple of people out of the surf, including a young girl who became terrified when the undertow started pulling her, and the older people around her were unable to help. There is a truly magnificent hike—the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail—that is easy to walk and provides absolutely breathtaking views from the bluffs, especially during high surf! Hapuna Beach also includes clean bathrooms and a shaded pavilion with picnic tables. There are a few shady spots on the beach, but they fill up early. There is a charge both per person ($5 for residents and $7.50 for non-residents) and per vehicle ($10), but it is well worth the fee to experience this gorgeous beach.
Written 16 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erika S
12 contributions
Feb 2025 • Family
This was the first beach our family visited on our vacation - it was a great beach to start with! It is beautiful and large enough to accommodate the amount of visitors that draw to it. Parking was a bit expensive as they charge for the car + passengers, however, I felt many beaches in the area do the same to some extent. Our boys had a blast boogie boarding, but be VERY aware of riptides and the lifeguards warnings. Our oldest learned that the hard way and it was a bit scary!
Written 15 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chandra S
Texas356 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Our family of five from Texas and Oklahoma Oahu and the Big Island for Spring Break! We quickly learned that the Big Island is not known for its kid friendly sandy beaches.. as in there are hardly any there! We did research and decided to take our 6 and 10 year old grandsons to Hapuna Beach for an afternoon and were so happy to see a beautiful sandy beach that they could play in the water and not worry about them getting washed away by strong currents or getting beat up by lava rock! We were disappointed that they did not have working bathrooms..only port-a-potties.. The boys played for hours in the water and sand, while my husband, daughter and I watched them and the whales!! We watched the whales for over an hour and they were putting on quite a show!! So amazing to see!! The sunset was not the greatest because of it being so cloudy that evening but still got some really cool pictures!! If you are looking for a sandy beach while on the Big Island, definitely would recommend Hapuna!
Written 20 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelinhaoli
Tempe, AZ107 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
This is a truly world class beach in every way!
The water was amazing. The sand is clean. The facilities are outstanding.
There are a couple of life guard towers on this beach, making this beach possibly safer than others.
The only downside to going to Hapuna is that you have to pay for parking and for each individual visitor. The charges make this is a pricey beach for sure.
The water was amazing. The sand is clean. The facilities are outstanding.
There are a couple of life guard towers on this beach, making this beach possibly safer than others.
The only downside to going to Hapuna is that you have to pay for parking and for each individual visitor. The charges make this is a pricey beach for sure.
Written 18 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angela C
Heber City, UT233 contributions
Aug 2022
The beach is very nice with lots of sandy areas to build sandcastles. Snorkeling and/or boogie boarding is hit and miss depending on the weather that particular day. You need to bring your own equipment as there are no rentals so unless you can snag a picnic table you will be in the sand in the sun. For me the biggest downside is that there is a charge for using the beach. $10.00 parking and $5.00 per person. There are plenty of gorgeous, free beaches in Hawaii so if you want to save a little money, go elsewhere.
Written 7 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg S
Olympia, WA191 contributions
Sept 2021
Hapuna Beach is a beautiful, spacious white sand beach about 25-30 minutes north of the core Kailua-Kona commercial area. There is a $5 per person entrance fee and a $10 per vehicle parking fee. There was plenty of controlled parking area when we visited. It is under state management with state employees on site so this provides a certain degree of security. I didn't notice a rental place for beach umbrellas, chairs, etc., but most people had brought theirs. You may wish to rent these in advance. We spent a wonderful 3 hours walking the beach and enjoying the gentle surf.
Written 25 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elijah H
1 contribution
Dec 2022
This is the third time we have brought family from the mainland to the famous flagship beach at Hapuna Beach state park on the big island. and it is the third time we have been totally embarrassed at the lack of washing and toilet facilities. They advertise wash off stations, toilets and change rooms. We were appalled that we could not even get into the changerooms to change our clothes or go to a flushable toilet. The port-a-potties that were temporarily placed by restrooms months ago were full by noontime and were not sanitary. Disruption around the entrance and parking area with construction ribbons have been there a long time and make it difficult to get to the beach. Why is it taking so long to make necessary repairs? There was no work being done and we were there in the middle of the week? We are losing one of our best tourist attractions on the big island by lack of action.
Written 2 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah F
Oklahoma City, OK29 contributions
Mar 2023
This beach is beautiful and has great boogie-boarding. I was not pleased that I paid $10 to park my car plus $5 per person for entry, then to find out that there are no working facilities. The restrooms are closed, there are no changing facilities (we had to change clothes outside behind a deserted building - it was either that or try to hold our breath long enough to change clothes in a disgusting and overused porta-poddy), and there was no running water to rinse off.
Written 23 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There is a hut at the beach that rents umbrellas, boogie boards, chairs etc. Also at Snorkle Bobs in the Mauna Lani Shopping Center would be cheaper.
Written 21 October 2019
There are multiple paths without steps that wind down the hill to the beach from the car park. There is designated parking close to the paths but it’s a bit of a walk/roll down to the beach. You can’t drive down. I didn’t walk the length of the beach so I can’t answer with certainty, but I didn’t see wheelchair path access across the sand to the water.
Written 17 February 2019
Yes, in Waikoloa there is one right behind the Foodland.
Written 23 March 2020
Is there a fee to enter the park!
Do they rent snorkel gear
Written 17 July 2018
$5.00 for non-Hawaii residents to enter park. I believe you can rent about anything—umbrellas, chairs, snorkel gear. I didn’t go up to the rental shed myself, but there were plenty of people coming back with beach stuff.
Written 17 July 2018
Are the waves here too strong for a toddler to play in the water?
Written 15 April 2018
It's a perfect beach for little ones! Shallow water, gentle waves. Enjoy :)
Written 24 April 2018
We are planning to stay at Hapuna Beach state park during our visit and I am wondering if the kitchen has also pots, bowl, etc. or we have to bring our own amenities?
Thank you
Vladi
Written 5 April 2018
In the A-frame shelters, there is just a table and electrical plugs. In the shelter, there is a shared cooking area with a microwave, stove and fridge but I did not check to see if they were working. I would bring my own cooking stuff.
Written 7 May 2018
Hi, I have reservations to stay in the shelters at Hapuna beach, but recent read a post from 2014 that said they were infested with centipedes, ants, and cockroaches, and in general, not maintained very well. Does anyone know if this is still the case? Thanks!
Written 20 January 2018
Can't answer this one since we did not stay there. We drove to the beach from Kona.
Enjoy your trip
Written 20 January 2018
What are the ways / public transport to reach the Hapuna Beach from Hilo Barbour? Thank you
Written 29 May 2017
I'm unfamiliar with the public transportation? Uber? I would recommend a car.
Written 3 June 2017
What time did you go if I want to snorkeling at Hapuna Beach. I heard that you have to be there in the early morning to see turtles and fish.
Written 24 February 2017
Hi there!
We usually went in the later morning for a few hours. But truthfully, we didn't see any turtles and only some fish near a rock. We were told about a snorkelling place (as we were leaving of course lol), that was on the south side of Kona, but I don't remember the name.
Ps: go snorkelling with the manta rays; it's incredible ❤️
Jen
Written 2 March 2017
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