Hapuna
Beach State Park - Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii
Pictures and visitor info from a snorkeling
trip to Hapuna Beach State Park in Kamuela, Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii.
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By Paul B. Michaels Author & Photographer Auto Mechanic Since 1989 |
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 Hapuna Beach Parking Lot |
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| Hapuna
Beach is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches on the
Big
Island of Hawaii with golden brown sand and excellent snorkeling
just off the shore. We drove about 45 minutes (30 miles) to reach Hapuna Beach from our vacation rental in Kailua-Kona. The entrance to Hapuna Beach Road is located just before mile marker # 69 on Hwy 19 (Queen Kaahumanu Highway) on the Kohala Coast. The parking lot is large and there is no entrance fee for this state park. Visitors are welcome at Hapuna Beach from 7 AM to 7 PM every day of the year. Just steps from the parking lot is a gorgeous half mile stretch of sand that is light gold to golden brown. The beach is about 200 feet wide from the water's edge to the tree/grass line. |
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 Paved Path To Beach |
 Picnic Shelter & Tables |
 Palms & Shade Trees |
| There are
lifeguards on duty, but take care during the winter as the waves can become
dangerous with strong rip tides.
We visited in June so the water was calm and the visibility while snorkeling was excellent. |
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| Hapuna Beach is not
known for being an excellent snorkeling spot, but the scenic beauty of the
beach more than made up for the modest amount of sea life in the area.
Although we did see a green sea turtle just before exiting the water! The best snorkeling at Hapuna Beach is a long swim out along the rocks on the southern or northern ends of the beach. But to play it safe, we never swam out of the calm protected waters of the bay which is out of sight of the lifeguards. |
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 Lifeguard Tower |
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 Golden Brown Sand |
| Besides snorkeling,
other recreational opportunities at the 61 acre Hapuna Beach Park include
sunbathing, swimming, body surfing, board surfing (winter), and picnicking.
Sunset watching is also very popular at Hapuna Beach since it faces almost due West. Yet another fun thing to do at Hapuna is to explore the lava tubes and caves that are on the cliffs at each end. |
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| Some of the amenities at Hapuna Beach State Park include concession stands, restrooms, showers, shaded picnic pavilions with tables, lifeguards on duty, a snack bar, cabins, chair rentals, umbrella rentals and BBQ pits. | ||
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| A few of the hotels
or resorts close to this park in the Kohala Coast region are Hapuna Beach
Prince Hotel, Mauna Kea Golf Resort, Hilton Waikoloa Village,
The Fairmont Orchid Hawaii, Paniolo Greens, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, and the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. |
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 Coral Formations |
 Snorkeling Off Beach |
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| To see the rest of the underwater snorkeling pictures from our trip to Hapuna Beach State Park, click on the "Next" or "Last" buttons below to visit Page 2 of this gallery. | ||
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