Here is the thing nobody tells you before you book: a lot of the Kona coastline is lava rock, not sand. It is dramatic and beautiful and it is not always somewhere you can walk into the water. That surprises people who pictured a wide beach outside every rental.
The sand is here, it is just in specific places, and knowing which ones changes your whole week. This is where we actually send guests, sorted by how far you are willing to drive.
Close to home: South Kona
Hōnaunau Bay, known to everyone as Two Step. Not a sandy beach at all, and still the best water on this stretch. You get in off a flat lava shelf, hence the name, and the reef starts almost immediately. The clarity is remarkable on a calm morning. Parking is the entire difficulty, so go early. Right next door is Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, which makes an easy morning of both.
Kealakekua Bay. A protected marine area with healthy reef and spinner dolphins that pass through. The clearest water sits over near the Captain Cook monument, which means a permitted kayak trip, a guided boat, or a steep hike down and back in the heat. It also carries real cultural and historical significance, so give the dolphins room, keep off the coral, and wear reef safe sunscreen.
Hoʻokena Beach Park. Further south, a gray sand beach that stays properly local and rarely feels crowded. Good for an afternoon when you want somewhere with no scene attached to it.
Near town: Kailua-Kona and Keauhou
Kahaluʻu Beach Park. The easiest snorkeling on this coast and the right answer for kids and first timers. The reef begins almost at the shoreline, which makes it forgiving in a way most spots are not. It gets busy, so before nine is the plan. Green sea turtles are regular here, and the rule is simple: look, do not approach.
Magic Sands, also called White Sands or Laʻaloa. Right on Aliʻi Drive, small, and genuinely lives up to the name, because the sand really does wash out with the winter swell and come back. Good bodyboarding when there is surf, good swimming when there is not. Check conditions rather than assuming.
Kamakahonu, by the pier in town. A small protected cove, calm almost always, and about as easy as the ocean gets. Not a destination beach, but a very good one to have five minutes from dinner.
Worth the drive: the Kohala Coast
This is where the postcard beaches are, roughly forty minutes to an hour north of town.
Hapuna Beach State Park. The big one. A long, wide sweep of white sand with facilities and easy access. It is the beach people picture when they picture Hawaiʻi, and it earns it. Surf gets serious in winter, so read the signs.
Kua Bay, also called Maniniʻōwali, in Kekaha Kai State Park. Bright white sand against black lava and water that is almost unreasonably blue. Smaller than Hapuna and often busier for it. Shore break can be strong, which is worth knowing with children.
Anaehoʻomalu Bay, universally A-Bay. Calm, protected, with palms and fishponds behind it. A good all day beach if you want somewhere to settle rather than somewhere to look at.
The black sand day trip
Punaluʻu down in Kaʻū is the famous black sand beach, roughly two hours from Kona. Turtles are usually resting on the sand, and you keep your distance. It works best combined with a volcano day rather than as a trip on its own, because that is a long way to drive for one beach.
Which beach for what
Snorkeling: Two Step first, Kahaluʻu if you have kids or beginners, Kealakekua if you are making a morning of it.
Actual swimming and lying about: Hapuna, A-Bay.
Turtles: Kahaluʻu, Punaluʻu.
Five minutes from dinner: Kamakahonu, Magic Sands.
Nobody else there: Hoʻokena.
Things worth knowing before you go
Mornings are calmer almost everywhere on this coast, so front load your water time. Not every beach has a lifeguard, and conditions change fast, so check the surf report and read the posted signs rather than the weather forecast. Winter brings bigger surf on this side. Reef safe sunscreen is not optional, it is the law and it matters. Parking fills early at Two Step, Kua Bay, and Kahaluʻu.
Take your own shade and water. Several of these have very little of either.
Frequently asked
Does Kona have good beaches? Yes, but not the way Maui does. The best swimming beaches are up the Kohala Coast, and the best snorkeling is south of town. Central Kailua-Kona is more lava rock than sand, which catches people out.
What is the best beach for snorkeling near Kona? Two Step at Hōnaunau Bay for clarity, Kahaluʻu Beach Park for ease. Both are best before nine.
Can you swim at Kealakekua Bay? Yes, though the best water is across the bay near the monument, which needs a kayak permit, a boat, or a hard hike. Most people take a guided trip.
Are there black sand beaches near Kona? Punaluʻu is the closest well known one, about two hours south. Pair it with a trip to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park rather than driving down just for it.
Staying near the good water
If snorkeling is the priority, staying south puts you close to the best of it. Casa Grateful and Casa Gratitude are in Kealakekua, minutes from the bays, and both come with beach gear so a spontaneous swim stays spontaneous. Casa Aloha in Kailua-Kona puts you nearer town and the northern drive.
More on choosing between them in our guide to the best area to stay in Kona, and the rest of the island is covered in things to do in Kona. Have a look at our homes, read about who we are, or ask us which beach suits your week.