Beach· Hawaii (Big Island)· Hawaii
Mahai'ula Beach (Kekaha Kai State Park)
19° 46.9′ N · 156° 2.2′ W
The southern beach of Kekaha Kai State Park, a curve of salt-and-pepper sand shaded by kiawe trees on Mahai'ula Bay, with restrooms and the trailhead for the walk to Makalawena.
Practical
Position from OpenStreetMap (Mahaiula Beach). Access by a rough 1.5-mile unpaved road off Highway 19 between mile markers 90 and 91; low-clearance cars should take care, especially after rain. Restrooms but no drinking water and no lifeguards. Calm mornings bring the gentlest swimming; high surf creates dangerous shorebreak and rip currents (To-Hawaii.com). From seaward, shoal water and breakers in heavy swell extend well off this stretch (see the Kekaha Kai entry); it is not a recognized anchorage.
Best for
Shady picnic beach and start of the Makalawena walk
Season
Calm summer days
Nearby
- Mahai'ula to Makalawena Coastal Walk0.2 NM away
- Kekaha Kai State Park (Makalawena)0.7 NM away
- Kua Bay (Manini'owali Beach)2.4 NM away
- Winter North Swell on the Kona-Kohala Anchorages2.4 NM away
- Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA)2.6 NM away
- Garden Eel Cove and Keahole Dive Moorings2.9 NM away
- Kikaua Point Beach Park3 NM away
- Kuki'o Beach3.2 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).