Hapuna Beach Hawaii is a gorgeous ½ mile curve of fine white sand set between black lava points. The far (northern) end of the beach is in front of the swish Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. The hotel complex does tend to spoil the natural beauty of the beach (but if you’re actually staying in the hotel, you’ve a wonderful beach on your doorstep).
The public parking lot for the beach is just next to the sands at the southern end. A large sign on Hwy 19 marks the turn off. It can get very busy, so make sure you turn up early (or late) to be sure of a spot.
The seas off the beach are a water enthusiast’s dream. The swimming is enjoyable, the boogie-boarding exhilirating. Snorkellers will find the best sightings to be around the coral reef off the southern end of the beach.
If you’ve come to the public (State park) part of the beach, you’ll appreciate the useful facilities, including restrooms, showers, picnic tables and snack concession. There are also a number of very rustic cabins – book well before your holiday to secure one of these.
Believe it or not, some people get bored of lounging at the beach. These types might enjoy venturing along the Ala Kahakai Coastal Trail which passes through Hapuna beach. An ambitious target would be the walk to wonderful Mauna Kea beach, about 2 miles north.
Best Beach’s rating : Wilderness feel 2 stars out of 5, Warm water 4 out of 5, Facilities 5 out of 5. Happy times 4 stars out of 5.
Tags: beach, beach vacations, beach-babe, beach-bum, beach-party, beach-walking, beaches, big island, big-island-hawaii, big-island-vacation, hawaii, hawaii-photos, hawaii-travel, seashore
June 12, 2008 at 8:04 am |
I was at Hapuna Beach this past Spring for my honeymoon and did some fantastic snorkeling. Thanks for bringing me back there for a moment or two! (Here’s the link to my honeymoon write-up: http://thevacationer.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/honeymoon-in-hawaii/) .
Jon