Makalawena Beach

Like many of the Big Island’s best beaches, Makalawena is situated on the west-facing Kona coast. Hear you will find everything you would want and expect from a Hawaiian beach; powdery white sand, clear blue water and a fringing of lush green foliage.

Like neighboring Manini’owali and Mahaiula beaches, Makalawena is part of the Kekaha Kai State Park. However, Makalawena beach has no direct access from the road with the nearest parking about a mile away Whilst this means you’re looking a something of a hike to get down the the beach, it also means you will be rewarded with a pristine, secluded beach you’ll only have to share with a handful of other beachgoers.

Of course being a little off-the-beaten-track means there is nothing in the way of facilities at Makalawena so you’ll need to bring plenty of water and maybe a picnic. It also means there is no lifeguard, so bear this in mind if you are heading into the sea.

That said the water here is generally pretty calm outside of the winter months. This makes it a pleasant spot for a swim or maybe to kayak around to. You can also snorkel here and there are a number of black lava outcrops and corals around which plenty of tropical fish congregate.