Kohala Coast, HI at a glance
- Resort areas
- Waikoloa Beach Resort, Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea (with Hāpuna)
- From Kona airport
- About 25–35 minutes north on Highway 19
- Hāpuna Beach fees
- Non-residents $5 per person + $10 parking (card only)
- Waimea (Kamuela)
- About 2,670 ft, roughly 20 minutes uphill
- County
- Hawaiʻi County, Hawaii (South Kohala district)
The resort coast
About 25 to 35 miles north of Kailua-Kona, Highway 19 crosses wide black lava fields to reach the Kohala Coast. This stretch of South Kohala holds the island's three big resort communities: Waikoloa Beach Resort, Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea. It is the driest, sunniest part of a sunny coast, and it has most of the island's white-sand beaches. Behind it rise Mauna Kea and the Kohala Mountains, and the sunsets fall straight into the Pacific. Kona airport is about 25–35 minutes away.
Most homes here are resort condos, townhomes and villas. Many include pools, golf views and, at Mauna Lani, a beach club pass, so check what each listing includes. For the town side of the coast see Kailua-Kona & Keauhou, and for the whole island see the Big Island guide.
Waikoloa Beach Resort and ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay
Waikoloa Beach Resort is the southernmost and busiest of the three. It has two shopping and dining centers, two golf courses and hotels around ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay ("A-Bay"). The bay is a sandy, usually calm beach backed by ancient Hawaiian fishponds, good for swimming, paddleboarding and sunsets.
Inside the resort, the Hali'i Kai villas sit on the golf course above the ocean. Their private Ocean Club has a lagoon-style pool with a waterfall and a keiki (children's) wading pool. Halii Kai 10E looks onto the course's signature hole. Waikoloa Colony Villas and the Waikoloa Beach Villas, such as this three-bedroom villa, are short drives or walks from A-Bay.
Mauna Lani
A few miles north, Mauna Lani is quieter. It's built around golf courses, lava-rock fishponds and small coves, and many of its condos and homes come with access to the Mauna Lani Beach Club. That's a sheltered cove with a restaurant, and each listing says whether a pass is included. Homes run from golf-course villas like Mauna Lani Fairways 801 and Mauna Lani Islands D3 to oceanfront condos like Mauna Lani Terrace D302 and private houses like Hale Maluhia. The Shops at Mauna Lani cover groceries and dinner.
Puakō petroglyphs. From Holoholokai Beach Park at the north end of Mauna Lani, the Mālama Trail crosses open lava to the Puakō Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, one of the largest collections of Hawaiian rock carvings. The walk is hot and shadeless, so bring water and closed-toe shoes. Stay on the trail and behind the barriers, and never touch the carvings or take rubbings.
Hāpuna, Mauna Kea Beach and the north end
Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area is a long white-sand beach, often called one of Hawaii's best. Conditions as of October 2026: DLNR's October 13 notice said the Waiʻalea section would reopen on October 17 after Hurricane Nolo and Lowell recovery work, and the camping and A-frame cabins stay closed. The park is open 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Non-residents pay $5 per person and $10 to park, by card only. Hāpuna has lifeguard service, but DLNR warns of dangerous rip currents and pounding shore break in high surf. If waves are over about 3 feet, only experts should go in. Check the DLNR Hāpuna page before you go.
Hapuna Beach Residences B47 sits right above the beach. Next door, Kaunaʻoa (Mauna Kea Beach), at the Mauna Kea resort, is a crescent of white sand with public access through the resort and limited public parking. Arrive early.
North of the resorts, the harbor town of Kawaihae leads on to North Kohala. Hāwī and Kapaʻau are small, green, old plantation towns, with the original King Kamehameha statue in Kapaʻau. At the end of the road is the Pololū Valley lookout. The trail down to Pololū's boulder beach is steep and slippery, and the surf there is dangerous. Parking is limited and DLNR sometimes closes the area for maintenance, so check its notices first. As of October 2026, Lapakahi State Historical Park is closed because of fallen trees. CielStay has no homes in North Kohala yet.
Waimea: upcountry
Twenty minutes uphill from the coast, Waimea sits at about 2,670 feet. It is a ranching town, home of Parker Ranch, and its post office name is "Kamuela", which is why many Kohala resort listings give that as their city. It's cooler and often misty, with good restaurants and farm stands. Waimea is also the jumping-off point for the Hāmākua Coast and the Waipiʻo Valley lookout. As of October 2026, the road into Waipiʻo is open only to Hawaiʻi Island residents, Native Hawaiian practitioners and county-permitted 4WD tours, so most visitors see it from the lookout.
Ocean and wildlife notes
- Mornings are usually calmest. The Kohala Coast's afternoon winds can be strong.
- Beaches outside Hāpuna generally have no lifeguards. On big-surf days, stay out of the water.
- Humpback whales pass through in winter and are often visible from the resort shorelines. Federal rules keep swimmers and boats at least 50 yards from spinner dolphins. Give resting sea turtles plenty of room.
- Night manta trips leave from the Kona side, from Honokōhau Harbor and Keauhou Bay. See the Kona guide.
Find your base in Kohala Coast, HI — browse stays indexed by CielStay.
Search stays on CielStay →Frequently asked questions
What is the Kohala Coast?
The Kohala Coast is the resort shoreline of the Big Island's South Kohala district, about 25 to 35 miles north of Kailua-Kona on Highway 19. It includes Waikoloa Beach Resort, Mauna Lani and the Mauna Kea resort next to Hāpuna Beach. It is one of the driest, sunniest parts of Hawaiʻi Island and has most of its white-sand beaches.
Is Hāpuna Beach open?
As of DLNR's October 13, 2026 notice, Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area was open for day use. Its Waiʻalea section was scheduled to reopen on October 17, 2026, and the camping and A-frame cabins remain closed after Hurricane Nolo and Lowell recovery work. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Non-residents pay $5 per person and $10 per car, by card only. Check DLNR's Hāpuna page for current status.
Is Waikoloa or Mauna Lani better to stay in?
Waikoloa Beach Resort is livelier. It has two shopping and dining centers and is next to ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay, a sandy, usually calm beach. Mauna Lani, a few miles north, is quieter and built around golf and lava-rock fishponds, and many of its rentals include access to the Mauna Lani Beach Club cove. Both are about 25–35 minutes from Kona airport.
Do manta ray night trips leave from the Kohala Coast?
The main Big Island manta trips leave from the Kona side. Boats depart from Honokōhau Harbor, between Kailua-Kona and the airport, and from Keauhou Bay, and the sites are Garden Eel Cove near the airport and Manta Village off Keauhou. From the Kohala resorts, Honokōhau Harbor is usually the closer departure point.
Why do Kohala Coast rentals say Kamuela?
Kamuela is the post office name for Waimea, the upcountry ranch town about 20 minutes uphill. Many Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea addresses use it, so a listing in "Kamuela" may well be on the coast.
Stays near this guide
136 homes within 12 km on CielStay · all bookable on the host's own site. These are a few of them, chosen for this guide.
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Nearby landmarks & attractions
Key destinations and attractions in the Kohala Coast, HI area.
Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area ↗ Maps
A long white-sand state beach. Camping and cabins are closed after the hurricanes (October 2026), and there are fees for non-residents.
ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay ↗ Maps
Waikoloa's sandy, usually calm bay, backed by ancient fishponds.
Puakō Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve ↗ Maps
Hawaiian rock carvings reached on the Mālama Trail from Holoholokai Beach Park. Stay on the trail.
Pololū Valley Lookout ↗ Maps
The end of the road in North Kohala. The trail down is steep, and the surf at the boulder beach is dangerous.
This guide was assembled from the local knowledge of hosts with properties throughout Kohala Coast, HI, as indexed by CielStay. The descriptions of restaurants, trails, swimming holes, and local tips reflect what hosts share with guests in their listings — not the observations of a travel journalist or guest reviewer. Photos are sourced from host listing images and are credited to their respective listings. Information about permits and trail conditions may change; always verify with official sources before your trip.