Manini'owali Beach
Manini'owali Beach
4.5
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- Face_The_ElementsEdmonton, Canada343 contributionsBeautiful waters, very popular!We visited on a Sunday late morning and it was fairly busy. There was not much space for sitting or shade but it was a beautiful beach, with nice sand and swimming area. There was a lifeguard on duty but only on half of beach. Great place to enjoy the beautiful views and soaking up the sun. There was a water fountain, toilets, and showers to rinse off.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 April 2024
- KW ConchKearney, Missouri139 contributionsNice beachReally nice beach that has been improved over the past few years. Access and shower area are fairly new. There was a lifeguard on site as the waves were pretty high. If you go early in the morning its not crowded but by 11am or so quite a few people are there and parking is at a premium. Saw some dolphins and a turtle.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 May 2024
- charlottepowell14Corvallis, Montana88 contributionsA Big Island Favorite!Kua bay is incredible!! The water is SO blue and the waves are just perfect. The beach is a bit smaller and the walk from where you park your car can get a bit long but it is worth it! There is really no shade so bring your sunscreen!Visited May 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 1 June 2024
- CADallas, Texas786 contributionsBeautiful viewsIt’s pretty. It was crowded when we were there, so prepare to search for a place to sit. There is sand right up by the water, but most of the area is surrounded by lava rock so you will need to find little areas of sand within the rocks that haven’t already been taken. Traversing up and down the rocks, you will need to step aside to let others pass if going the opposite direction. Wear good shoes. Once we found a spot and got settled, it was relaxing. The water was too chilly for us, so we hung out a few hours then went on our way. The water is clear blue and the view is beautiful.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 June 2024
- AngelKailua-Kona, Hawaii47 contributionsKua Bay from a local.l live in Hawaii and Kua Bay is one of my favorite beaches. There are some snorkeling spots where you can see lots of fish and sometimes turtles. the waves are very good for boogy boarding especially in the winter. there are basically no rocks in the water too, so it is a very good beach to swim at. the path down to the beach is rocky so I would not recommend to elderly people.Visited July 2024Travelled with familyWritten 26 July 2024
- Naomi PBroken Arrow, Oklahoma19 contributionsKua turquoise adventureMy husband and I went two times on our recent trip and stayed for morning hours. We parked along the road that leads to the upper area. Go early to get a place to park- any place. The afternoon sees the tide rise and part of the available beach disappears due to that rise. We happen to see the naturalist out watching a mother Hawaiian seal. It was magical and part of beach roped off to protect the 400 pound animal. Water is turquoise and clear. Be careful of landing on rocks in the water. I was stung once by sea urchin. Always bring a safety kit- and a way to dig out urchin spines from your foot. Other than that enjoy—— bring food or a snack, water, beach towel - and an umbrella. If you have them- beach chairs are handy.Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 1 September 2024
- DieBewerterinCanada310 contributionsRecommendedBeautiful long stretch of beach. Sea paradise. The way to the parking lot is very well concreted, looks quite new and is very well drivable with a low laid car. The beach is from the parking 2 minutes walk. However, the beach is not barrier-free if someone wants to come with a wheelchair. You have to walk down a rocky path to get to the beach. There are toilets, showers and a drinking water tap. There is no shade, most of them brought their own parasol. We stayed there on a Friday between 10:00- 15:30 and it was very crowded and touristy.Visited November 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 November 2024
- NorthStar2943849231815 contributionsThe lifeguards have to rescue 81 people per year on average at this beach!An incredibly beautiful and picturesque beach with turquoise waters and white sands. It also has the most dangerous waves and powerful surf I've ever been in. The waves are calm and small, then out of nowhere a giant one comes crashing down and wipes everyone out. I was thrown off my body board and almost broke my neck as it tumbled me into the ocean floor. The next wave got me again and took my hair tie out of my hair, and it was securely up in a bun! My husband and I were both shaken by how deceptively powerful the waves were, and we didn't stay in for long, even though we're both experienced swimmers. I wouldn't let children in this water, and be very careful yourself. The lifeguards have to rescue 81 people per year on average at this beach! Make sure you know how to deal with waves and protect yourself in the water, or better yet just stay on the pristine beach and enjoy the view.Visited December 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 6 December 2024
- Taylor P13 contributionsBeautiful white sandy beachWe have been to the Big Island several times now & this may be one of our new favorite beaches. One of very few completely soft, white sandy beaches on the Big Island that we have found. Quite crowded and busy but there is plenty of room for everyone. Quite a few turtles swimming around the rocks. Showers to rinse off, and bathrooms at the entrance. We’ll be back.Visited December 2024Travelled with familyWritten 16 December 2024
- Keith H11 contributionsSpectacular beachSpectacular beach with white sand among rocks. Moderate difficulty to access water but sandy bottom with few rocks. Was great for swimming first day then surf was too high the next. That day got to watch some very skilled boogie boarders.Visited January 2025Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 February 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
1,441 reviews
Excellent
1,095
Very good
296
Average
40
Poor
9
Terrible
2
Kelly R
Reno, NV88 contributions
Dec 2021
My daughter chose this beach and we went back a second time and when we chose a different beach on our third beach day, all we heard was that it wasn't as good as Kua Bay. Surf was amazing. Lava rocks on beach created cool spaces in sand to separate people. also the clarity and color of the water was unbelievable.
Written 2 January 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.
hhclemrn
Navarre, FL299 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
This is a beautiful, clean beach with clear water, great waves for body surfing and boogie boarding, and plenty of sand for sunning. Bathrooms are clean. The park now has a shower area for rinsing off salt water. Snorkeling is ok here off to the protected edges. Waves can get crazy, so know your limits. Visibility not the greatest. Occasionally see a sea turtle and a few fish. This is the only beach we visit every single time we go to the Big Island. We went 3 times this visit if that gives readers an idea of how much we love it and recommend it.
Written 27 April 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.
Chris W
Budapest, Hungary538 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
Great beach, white sand, good facilities. Hot tip, go as early in the day as possible to avoid the crowds and get a park close to the beach. We got there around 930am and by the time we left at midday, the beach was absolutely packed (too full). @cwenzel_
Written 16 April 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.
Jeff C
Sandy, UT258 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
It would be a misnomer to call this beach a hidden gem as it can get very crowded, especially on the weekends. It’s easy to find, it’s the turn off on Hwy 19 directly across from the access to the Veterans Memorial Cemetery which is well marked.
This beach is popular with boogie boarders and body surfers. There were some nice waves yet somehow on windy days it’s protected from the strong gusts. It has a unique combination of white sand and lava rock which makes it very picturesque. However, when crowded you have to get creative in picking a spot. The water is clear and warm.
This beach is popular with boogie boarders and body surfers. There were some nice waves yet somehow on windy days it’s protected from the strong gusts. It has a unique combination of white sand and lava rock which makes it very picturesque. However, when crowded you have to get creative in picking a spot. The water is clear and warm.
Written 2 March 2020
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.
tori
Los Angeles, CA52 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Beautiful clear water, soft sand. Lifeguards on duty. Some days there are big waves here, some are more chill. Not a ton of space. Parking lot & bathrooms on site. Saw some goats here once. We had to get out of the water one day we went because there was a shark! Rare occasion but you have to stay out of the water for 2 hours until the lifeguards can confirm there are no sharks around. Cool to experience that!
Written 7 November 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.
Chandra S
Texas356 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
Our family of five from Texas and Oklahoma visited Oahu and the Big Island for Spring Break! After a day of touring the island and visiting one of the National Park sites we took our grandsons to Manini’owali Beach to play for a little while. The beach has a lot of lava rock and some sand (not a sand beach). The waves were very big coming in so we did not let the boys get in the water much, but they loved playing in a little cove between lava rocks! They met several new friends while there! We were treated with the most spectacular sunset, the Best one of our entire trip!! Absolutely gorgeous!! We did see a couple whale while we were at the beach!! There were working bathrooms at this beach! Would definitely recommend this beach for the views and scenery, not so much as a beach if you have little ones with you!!
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.
Dave D
Anchorage, AK11 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
Easy to get to, parking is limited, but people are always leaving so it’s not terrible if you arrive a little late. The right side of the bay fills up fast and generally gets pretty crowded. The left side is awesome, better views and piece and quiet. We went six times out of twenty-one days and it was always the same, no one on the left side. Some of the best coral and shelling on the island as well. Very defined finger corals, no lava rock attached so you don’t have to worry for Pele’s curse. Walk a little bit further to the left on the lava field and there are many small tide pools to explore.
Written 20 January 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.
Fred L
San Jose, CA1,350 contributions
July 2021
My family and I were on vacation in the Waikoloa Beach Resort area in July and we went to Kua Bay Beach which was a short drive away. We arrived ~2pm and got there just as someone was leaving a spot close to the bathrooms. We were relieved because there were cars parked what seemed to be half a mile away along the road to the beach. There are some stairs and some rocks you need to navigate to get to the beach. The sand was soft and white. The water was unbelievably warm and clear . It was almost like being in a heated pool. The beach was not overly crowded as it seemed like there was a constant stream of people coming and going. The waves oscillated between gentle and strong and it was great for boogie boarding. Our girls (6 & 8) enjoyed playing in the water and looking out for schools of small silver fish that would swim by from time to time near the shoreline. There were some strong winds that hit the beach from time to time that would send people scrambling for their umbrellas. There were a good number of showers and a bathroom. This is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen and one of our family’s favorites during our Kona stay.
Written 17 August 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.
wohdonkey
Newark, OH2,223 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
This was our favorite beach for swimming and sunsets from our trip. We went here twice and so glad we did. The water was beautiful and fun to swim in with the waves. We also saw the sunset which was so beautiful with so many different shades of color reflecting off the water, sand, and rocks. We preferred the smaller area to the left of the beach but the right side has more space. It seemed like a popular place but wasn’t too crowded. They do have outdoor showers which was nice. We had to park along the road to get there but the walk wasn’t far. This beach is not to be missed!
Written 8 February 2020
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.
Yolanda S
Winnipeg, Canada381 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
My husband was determined to go to a beach, even though it was the weekend, and likely very busy. The concierge at our hotel, and the internet said Manini'owali Beach at Kua Bay was good, so off we went. Very busy, with limited parking in the tiny parking lot, and then parking was all along the road, but we lucked into a good spot. We walked down toward the beach. It's very pretty, but you have to traverse a long, very uneven, rocky path, through lava fields and groups of people with their towels and umbrellas, to get there. It was jam packed, and I really don’t know how they all made it down to the beach! It just felt too unsafe to hike over all the lava rocks wearing sandals and carrying stuff, so we just left. There are washrooms by the parking lot. No shade or trees. No food or drink available.
Written 14 January 2024
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.
Do you have to walk across rocks to get to sand?
Canyon contact uber from there?
Written 2 August 2024
well in the beginning from there is a parking lot too a path by the showers then you can pick to ways, one way has a set of stairs but the beach is very rocky and smaller then the other side. the other side it starts out a little rocky then gets more rocky on that path there is a drop but you could go around that to some more rocks and get down that way. on that side at the beach it is not rocky in the water and on most of the dry land the waves are usually bigger over there, that part of the beach is bigger, there are some good spots for snorkeling too. when I go to Kua Bay I go on that side.
Written 8 August 2024
We are returning February 2020. Last February, form wiped out the second beach. Do you have any pictures that show how in looked this month? It is our favourite beach
Written 5 January 2020
Hi KenoraDiva,
We live on the Big Island and spend time at Kua Bay frequently throughout the year. I am sorry but I don't have pics from February specifically but I can tell you that although there is far less sand in February and March than in Summer and Fall, there is still plenty to make this place special.
Written 6 January 2020
Is this beach ok for small children ? Also are there any shops around or places to purchase food and bev?
Written 30 January 2019
There are no shops at the beach. There is toilets and showers but that is it. Not many beaches in Kona have vendors.
Written 8 February 2019
1)Is there any place to eat at this beach? Or somewhere close?
2)Are there taxis parked at this beach to return to my cruise ship in the afternoon? Or is Uber my only way?
Written 21 November 2018
How lomg does it take from the cruise port to this beach?
Written 21 October 2018
It's only about 13 miles north of the cruise port but the traffic is usually heavy - especially going back south towards the ships. Seems like there is always construction. Depending on the time of day I'd allow 25 minutes going north and if it's rush hour 45 minutes going south. Have fun! Mark
Written 21 October 2018
Yes- absolutely-beware of sea urchin clusters on nearby rock outcroppings- I would wear surf shoes. Enjoy!!
Written 21 October 2018
Caleb H
Atlanta, Georgia
The cruise we will be taking stops in Kona. What would be the most reliable source of transportation to this beach from the ship? Thanks!
Written 17 October 2018
Probably Uber. Don’t rent a scooter to go to Kua Bay. From a local.
Written 18 October 2018
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