Beach· Hawaii (Big Island)· Hawaii
Ho'okena Beach Park
19° 22.8′ N · 155° 53.9′ W
A gray-sand county beach at the north end of Kauhako Bay beneath a 120-ft pali, once a busy 1880s steamer landing with a wharf, courthouse and jail; today it is a quiet camping beach where spinner dolphins sometimes come in to rest in the morning.
Practical
Coordinate from To-Hawaii.com's pin. Restrooms and showers; camping available (visitor reviews also mention a concessionaire renting snorkel gear and kayaks). Rocky shore with a few sandy entry points; generally calm water but strong currents in high surf. The state Kauhako (Ho'okena) ramp is listed by DOBOR under the Honokohau office. Coast Pilot (October 2026): anchorage in 15 fathoms (90 ft), sandy bottom, about 300 yards off Ho'okena; the old landing near the north end of the sand beach is in ruins and unusable. Ho'okena Beach Road down from Highway 11 (about 23.5 miles south of Kailua) is narrow and winding.
Best for
Quiet South Kona beach and a deep-water lunch anchorage
Season
Calm summer conditions
Nearby
- Ho'okena (Kauhako Bay) Anchorage0.3 NM away
- Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park2.6 NM away
- Honaunau Bay Anchorage2.7 NM away
- Two Step (Honaunau Bay)2.7 NM away
- Ka'aloa's Super J's (Honaunau)4.5 NM away
- The Coffee Shack (Captain Cook)5.7 NM away
- Kealakekua Bay Anchorage5.8 NM away
- Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park5.9 NM away