Mauna Kea Beach Reviews

Hit and miss. They have a permanent “beach lot full” sign up front and it depends on the gate attendant. Some would check on the cameras and give you a pass. Others would just tell you no and don’t even check. So sad, out of 7 days I was only able to get in once. We might not be staying in the hotel, but also spend money on the premises buying food and went to your luau. I guess that’s not good enough.

We weren't guests at this hotel, but you don't have to be to use their lovely beach. We got there early and it was a good thing because the designated parking for this beach filled up quickly. By the time we left people were circling the lot waiting for a parking space to open up. This was one of my kiddos' (13,12&9yrs) favorite snorkeling spots on the island. The water was crystal clear. There were tons of beautiful fish here! It wasn't very crowded which made it really nice. There's not much shade but we stayed in the water the entire time so it wasn't an issue to us. After snorkeling, the kids had a great time just playing in the water.

This beach is what you picture when you think of a tropical beach. A big crescent sandy beach with perfectly warm turquoise water. It's my absolute favorite beach on all the islands. You do need to get there early to get a beach pass, since they only have so many parking stalls for beachgoers. And there is a bit of a walk downhill from the parking to the beach. There is a bathroom with showers to rinse the saltwater off when your done.

This beach is the absolute best. If you aren't staying at the Mauna Kea Beach Resort, you need to get there really early, as in 7:45 on travel season and 9:00 in the off season. There are only about 40 spots in the parking lot, and once it fills up, you cant get in. The sand is fine and smooth, perfect for walking the beach, and the water can be super rough, but sometimes super calm. You will just need to see when you get there. The beach is perfect for swimming as there are no rocks on the bottom. You can swim out to these floating platforms and sunbathe out there. In the end, this is the perfect place. Not crowded at all.

This beach is stunning & well worth the long drive from Kona. No valet parking only the public beach slots. You MUST get here early. Only one spot left at 9:15. You can wait till someone leaves. 5 min walk down so bring something with wheels. Sigh. It's just gorgeous. Felt safe with the kids bc it's small & I could easily keep my eye on them

We've now visited this beach 3 times. Once last visit and now we keep coming back.
Free parking, but limited spaces. I little hill to walk down to beach if you have very little ones. Little shade.
Nice soft sand. Bathrooms & showers.
Hotel at end of beach serves food and drinks.
Small enough wanted for my kids to boggy board.
Beautiful.

My daughter loved running in the sand into the water. The water here was much warmer than the beach in Kona. She had water shoes and also went out onto the rocks.

We were on a random drive and decided to stop for a family picnic. The view was amazing. I wish we had our suites to jump in.

This was our favorite beach on the island! Since we stayed at the hotel, we did not have any problems with parking. Compared to other beaches we went to on this trip, this was not as crowded. Plenty of beach/sand to lay your area.

Waves were calm and there were a bunch of fish my husband saw when he snorkeled.

The hotel provides beach access on a limited first come, first serve basis monitered by the entry staff. Get there early! Well worth the effort to a fine beach, well kept shower and toilet facilities, good snorkeling, if weather right boogie boarding, and you can also go to lunch at the restaurant on the beach. Spend the day...bring sunscreen.

As residents, we recommend our visitors put this on their schedule/ get their early....it is a popular and free option. We enjoy walking the beach late in the day.

Mauna Kea beach is a beautiful beach and not crowded. We stayed at the Westin Hapuna and did the small "hike" over to the beach to snorkel. It did not disappoint the first time. We saw many fishes and were able to even see an octopus. The waves are very mellow thus the perfect place to snorkel. :)

If you get there early (before 9 a.m.) Stop At guard shack and ask for permission to visit. Early bird poor folks can park for free and have beach access on the South side of the Beach. Rockefeller built the mana key Resort on a nice beach. It Is Beautiful. Stop At The Copper Bar For A Longboard Lager. It Is The best beach i saw on the big island.

Beautiful beach and snorkeling! We stayed at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and enjoyed a extremely nice resort!

I loved this beautiful white sand beach! Such a comfortable fun way to spend and afternoon. There is plenty of shade if you do not enjoy having too much sun. The water is a nice comfortable temperature too.

Best calm beach we found while here. Beautiful soft sand. Gentle waves. Clean bathrooms nearby. Free parking but need to get there early.

We really like this beach. It can be tricky, as there is limited parking (see other TA comments). We went in the late afternoon and did not find it a problem to get a parking spot. The beach is about a 0.4 mile walk from the vehicles down a paved path. There are bathroom and wash facilities located beachside at the bottom of the path.

The beach sand is soft and nice. The area is very clean. The swell was something else the day we were there so snorkeling was not an option, but the body surfing was top notch.

If you close your eyes and imagine the most relaxing beach setting - pretty - white sand - clear waters .... well Mauna Kea Beach will be it! Our family truly enjoyed this beach - for us it was the must go - over and over again. Parking here is limited but it is worth the wait. Hapuna Beach is close by and it has better parking. BUT we liked Mauna Kea Beach much better.

Arrived at 9am during spring break which was too late. The next day we dragged the teens out early and got one of the last four spaces left and that was at 8.10am mid week! We loved the beach and the snorkeling was good and the boogie boarding picked up by afternoon. It was so clear and blur and quite shallow until out quite a way. Highlight was not having time to grab lunch to take with us so had cocktails and lunch at the Mauna Kea hotel bar situated right on the beach. Was delicious.

Wow, another amazing beach. Similar to Hapuna and close by. Another Hawaiian gem and must see. Did some great snorkeling at the tips and frolicked in the middle. Yes please.

This beach is located in Moana kea and you have to go through the security gates to get in. There is limited parking and it’s free to get in. The sand is white and fine and the beach is gentle and easy to swim in. There are change rooms and toilets to use and you can get food and water from the hotel there. It is worth the drive .

This Beach is incredible! It's located on the grounds of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, a 5 star resort.

You do not have to be a guest to use the Beach. Enter the resort using their main car entrance and ask the guard at the entrance guard shack for a public parking pass. He will give you a red certificate for your dashboard.

Other reviews mentioned a $21 parking fee, but we were not charged a fee.

Park at the first gated parking lot to your right, and buzz the attendant on the entry box. Simply, ask them to open the gate for beach parking, and they will open the gate.

Follow the path past the pickleball courts. It leads to the beach. You can also follow the stairs closer to the building, which leads to a restuarunt patio. Continue on the walkway/ terrace which goes along the back of the hotel to the Southern stairs that lead down to the beach and life guard area.

The Sourhern end of the beach has nice public showers and restrooms located at the end of a sidewalk, back in the trees, behind the hotel outrigger canoes, past the roped off hotel guest beach chairs and umbrella section of the beach. They even have public umbrellas for your use.

Beautiful soft white sand beach and no rocks! Enjoy!

This is a beautiful beach with limited access so it doesn’t feel crowded. The guard station only allows about 20 parking spots in for public use so get there early or go during non peak times. The beach itself is great - white sand and beautiful views. Bring a body board for some fun. There are some nice shady spots to hang out in. You can do a little bit of snorkeling on the rockier ends of the beach but there are other places better for that.

The public beach adjacent to the Mauna Kea In Pukao is wonderful but fills up early. You need to go into the resort area to pass through to the public beach. The Canoe House at this resort is simply out of this world for dinner at sunset on the beach.

We stayed next door at the Hapuna Prince which had surf all the time. This beach was more protected and we were able to have a nice morning snorkel. Many people access the beach by walking the rocky trail from Hapuna Beach, there is also a direct road access with parking from the highway. There were many shady areas as well as sun. The Mauna Kea Resort sets up chairs toward one end, we stayed at the other for great snorkeling access on the southern end. The water was a little churned up closer to the shore but out toward the rocky areas, quite calm and we saw a good variety of fish and coral. You can walk out quite a ways before it gets deep also. It's a good beach for swimming and for kids to play in the sand, however I wasn't aware of facilities from where we were. It was a very enjoyable morning.

We read about this beach in a tour book and we were glad we did. The beach fronts the Mauna Kea Resort but the beach is open to the public. When you approach the guard house at the entrance, just tell them you want a beach pass. Be sure to get there early as the beach parking fills up fast.
Follow the road to the parking area and walk to the beach. The sand is white, the beach is wide and the water is calm and warm. You can snorkel to the far left by the lava rocks but there are far better places to snorkel on the island. This beach is best for swimming and enjoying the water. Restrooms are available.

We swam at Kauna'oa Beach at Mauna Kea resort. The sand was grainy and light-colored. The water had a light surf. With very little shade from trees, I recommend bringing an umbrella or lathering on sunscreen. The Mauna Kea Resort is on this beach, so for public access come early. Once public parking is full, the guard cannot offer more parking permits. The permits are free and must be placed on the dashboard.

We visited the Mauna Kea Beach based on a recommendation from our concierge. What an absolute pleasure! The beach is dazzlingly clean white sand and not crowded, with low waves and beautiful clear waters, excellent for families with small children. The beach is public but the catch is one half of it is occupied by the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel AND access to the public side is limited via the use of beach passes that are distributed on a first come first served basis at the guard house at the entrance to the property. Assuming you can get one of these you'll treat your party to a beach experience that is top notch - we highly recommend it!

We had to drive through a golf course ‘compound’ with a checkpoint to get to the public beach area. The public parking is at the far end where the beach is not as nice. Most of the beach consists of a large hotel/resort/golf development. If you are looking for nature, easy access, and a public-friendly beach, go to Hapuna state park or Kua bay instead.

Great beach, couldn’t afford to stay at this resort but if you can get to beach area by 8:30am and get one of the free 40 public parking spots then it’s great! otherwise try Hapuna beach or even Kua Bay. All get super busy by 10a. Go early before wind picks up!

This beach is reached by entering the Mauna Kea Resort. Tell the employee at the entrance booth you want to go to the public beach. Then follow the signs for public beach parking...spaces are limited so arrive early. Weekdays are better than weekends. Walk down a winding path to the beach. Go to the left to avoid crowds from the resort. Snorkeling is good sometimes to extreme left near the rocks.
The beach has crystal clear turquoise water with a soft white sandy bottom. The water is warm, calm and shallow. Just perfect!

You have to get here early to get one of the 40 parking spots. We got one of the last 5 and were here at 8am (it was week after Easter so busy time). Beautiful sandy beach just south of Mauna Kea Hotel. Snorkeled near rocks in front of hotel. Easy access as it was a sandy gradual slope. Saw lots of fish, no turtles, visibility not great.

We went late afternoon to swim and wait for the sunset. The water was calm and the sand was so soft. After dark the hotel has a monte Ray lookout area. It was a great afternoon.

Parking is really limited - we got there late after visiting a Macadamia Nut Factory and a National Historic Site - so like some other reviewers said, getting there at 1 pm was great since people started to leave. Wonderful snorkeling - we swam with a sea turtle! Water has this great turquoise color, fine sand. Due to limited parking, the beach wasn't busy at all and was very enjoyable. Bring your own food, hide in a shade, enjoy the water!

Parking spots are few. A family of five went at 3:00 one afternoon and another day at 8:10 in the morning. We were lucky enough to get a parking spot both days. For the morning, we got one of the last parking spots. We were able to snorkel, walk on a trail along the coast and enjoy the beach. We found the best location on the left hand side of the beach. The restroom and showers were nice. As all family members were older, we didn’t need to pack much. There is some shade available.

We had a wonderful week long trip spending lots of time at Mauna Kea Beach. The water is incredibly clear and warm and our kids (ages 12, 10 and 7) had a blast. We can't wait to go back.

What can you say about a beautiful beach and the color of the water. It would have been nice to have spent more time there.

Get there by 8:00 AM to get one of the 30 or so permits given out by the hotel each day for non-hotel guests. Beach has shade, bathrooms, lifeguard, sand and plenty of room to spread out. Bring food and drink and enjoy the morning on one the few sandy beaches on the Big Island. Convenient if you're staying north of Kailua-Kona. If you're in Kona, it's about a 30 mile drive north. Good snorkeling if the swells are not large. Good beach for families with children. The beach is a short walk from the parking lot on a paved path shared by golf carts.

We were staying in Kona with friends and took them to see this beautiful resort. My husband and I stayed here years ago, and I still think it's the most beautiful resort and beach in the world. We had Frederico cocktails (a Mauna Kea concoction) at the beach bar while enjoying the view.

One of the most beautiful beaches on the Big Island. The Beach is not long if you are interested in walking, but on an island not known for walkable beaches, it is a beauty. The waves were huge when we were there which, from what we were told, is very unusual. The red flags were up for two days and yellow for one. Snorkeling was, for this reason, difficult.

You're on private property and they limit the number of cars coming in to visit the beach. Get there early. The sand is pale and fairly fine. The water is azure and turquoise. The feeling you get is sublime. Don't miss this beach if beaches are your thing.

Mauna Kea Beach is a great Beach to play in the water or just sit and watch the waves, people or sunsets.

Love the combination of lava rocks and Sandy shore.

Disappointment with the Beach access.

I wanted to share my experience regarding access to the beach during my recent visit, as it was quite disappointing.Over the course of our stay, we attempted to visit the beach on three occasions. Our first attempt was at 8:30 AM, but we were informed that the parking lot was already full. We inquired about the best time to return and were advised to come back around noon. However, when we returned at 12:30 PM, we found that there were still no available parking spaces.Undeterred, we decided to try once more and arrived at 8:10 AM two days later, allowing extra time for traffic. Unfortunately, we encountered the same “parking lot full” sign at the gate. The attendant confirmed that all spaces were filled once again.I understand that the hotel prioritizes the privacy of its guests, but it would greatly benefit visitors if there were clearer communication regarding parking availability or alternative options provided.It's disheartening to travel all the way from Europe and not have the opportunity to enjoy one of the island's cherished attractions. I appreciate your attention to this matter and hope that improvements can be made for future visitors.

Not much in way of living coral here, even if you swim out far. But fish were cool along the rocks to the left of the beach.

In my opinion this is the best beach in Hawaii. Perfect sand, great waves, snorkeling at both ends, a hike over to the beach next door if you want it. We were a part of the resort through our condo rental so we had access to all the hotel amenities, but even if you don’t, it’s awesome. Our kids were in the ocean for 9 hours. Just a great place.

I had high expectations of this beach due to the info on the internet and in the guide books. It's supposed to be one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet.
Don't get me wrong, it was a nice beach. Probably because I'm spoiled with the stunning beaches in Australia, it just didn't blow me away.

The Mauna Kea Beach is absolutely beautiful and we were able to enjoy it from sunrise to sunset as guests of the Mauna Kea Beach Resort. The sunsets are breathtaking and the beach is great for walking and so beautiful!

This beach is secluded and magical. Love that the mantas hang here along with the kitties :) so many beautiful spots to hang out and each section is slightly different. The waves crashing against the shore or rocks is hypnotizing.

Amazing beach, with a gentle slope towards the depths. Great waves this time. The snorkeling was "ok" compared to years past as the fish were largely absent (although a few eels, octopi, and turtles made up for the missing fish). Tenacious eyes can also find some decent shells north and south of the main beach, mainly cowry shells, but still a great time hunting for them in the tide pools.

Sitting on this beach right now enjoying the white sand and low surf. Turtle has been hanging out with us for over an hour. Snorkeling is ok - good for beginners/kids as goes from shallow water. Agree with other reviews that the hotel staff are hardly welcoming. They have vested interest in keeping "public" to a minimum so ignore and exercise your rights to a public beach! Gate staff were fine - no pass just took a note of car coming to beach. We were told there were no spots left by lady (staff) policing in a golf cart but there were. Come early and you won't be disappointed.

Great location, nice Hotel and staff was excellent, room service was good . The MANTA
breakfast buffee food is a little pricey, you are resort in, The Big Island Hawaii,
I am enjoyed Beach side the white sand is wounderful, my wife said here is Paradise.
🌱 🌴 🌅 🌿 🌵

Beautiful white sand beach with clear water. Excellent spot for snorkeling (try entering the water nearest the hotel, on the right side). We saw so many colorful fish and had a great day playing in the water. A sea turtle even swam next to us for a bit! Probably our favorite beach on the island.

Beautiful green blue water. This beach is right out of a movie. In fact it would not surprise me if this beach was in a movie or 2. Parking is limited and security will only let so many cars thru. However, you can access this beach via a trail that comes from Hapuna Beach. Park at Hapuna. If looking at the beach there is a trail all the way to the left that begins in front of the hotel. It's about a 25 minute very easy hike along the shoreline. Once you get to Mauna kea Beach you will not believe your eyes.

Great beach with lots of sand next to the resort. Not much shade. But a beautiful white sandy beach with easy ocean access.

Spent most of the day here, kids & parents had a blast in the water. Boogie boarding was fun, mostly calm waters, some big waves. This is a great beach for kids, get here early before it gets very hot. We were here before 9 and it was great. Afternoon, the sand got very hot but the water was cool. There is a decently long walk (all uphill) back up to your car so if you are carrying young kids don't carry too much else! There are no chairs or umbrellas for "public" use, they are reserved for the hotel guests. But there are enough trees for shaded areas in the sand. Bring sand toys if you have young kids.

Gorgeous white sand beach with very few rocks in the beach middle. Swim platforms are fun targets for the adventurous. Good snorkeling on the sides although north side has rougher water so less string swimmers should stay south side.

Definitely worth a visit if you are on the west side of the big island.

Keep in mind that parking is limited for this secluded white sand beach next to the Mauna Kea Resort. If you aren't there early in the morning, you have to wait until after lunch to grab a space. I really love this beach. It isn't very big and because the parking is limited, it isn't very crowded either. Probably my favorite beach on the Big Island. Lots of white sand, very little lava rock!

The silky white sand is exquisite. I was barefoot the entire time and didn’t step on any rocks. It’s still hurricane season so waves could get rough but the hotel keeps you informed and you can walk out for a long while.

Water was warm and you can rent anything you want right there at the beach. They also offer towels and chair covers and if you are there in time an umbrella.

So while staying at Hapuna prince beach resort went over twice to Mauna Kea resort. Wow, really nice and beach was step above Hapuna. They have rental for all sorts of beach equipment and the grounds are very well kept. I recommend this for both families and couples.

What a great beach, almost like having your own private beach. It's not crowded because there is limited parking at the Mauna Kea resort, I think 30 cars for the public. If it's full, you can pay for parking at the hotel valet (I think $40 or $20 if eating at the resort). Such a relaxing beach, not crowded at all.

There is snorkeling to the right, shade in the tree area, beach sand goes way out into the bay area. The resort has a food and drink restaurant on the beach, along with beach rentals.

Great beach for all ages.

Be sure to get there early!! We found that we had to arrive before 8am to get a parking spot but it is definitely worth it

Plenty of trees for shade.

Be sure to snorkel on the south side of the beach.

Excellent for snorkeling or for laying on the beach. We got there by 8:30am and literally got the last available spot for public parking. Go early if you aren't staying at the resort - they have parking spots for members of the public. There is a bathroom, outdoor shower spigot to rinse off and I believe someone renting snorkeling gear (we just rented some from Snorkel Bob's). We saw people on SUP and kayaks and canoes. The water is very shallow for a long distance and then it drops off to 5 - 30 feet. Stay to the right side of the rocks (north end of the beach) for the best snorkeling!

Nice beach with expansive white sand shoreline and protected cove so good snorkeling and swimming. Lounge and umbrella for guests. Have a concession stand that rents boogie boards, and snorkeling gear with many other rentals like standing paddle boards.

Controlled access via Mauna Kea resort. You have to get there early because the 40 public parking spots fill up quickly, but the beach is perfect. Shallow for quite a distance which makes it great for families and people not so keen on the big waves and under toe of some of the more open beaches. No major obsticals in the water.

You have to get here early as there is limited parking, like by 8:30am. The beach is beautiful, has showers and bathrooms. Dining at the Mauna Kea Hotel.

Great beach!! soft sand entry into the ocean. There are a couple of floating docks not too far out. Access to restaurants at the Mauna Kea hotel. Good, comfortable area for families to enjoy the ocean and beach.

The beach is great, the presence of the hotel is what diminishes the experience.

First off.. You have to run the hotels gauntlet of getting a pass from them. Arrive early. I spoke to a local who said the hotel gives out passes and never hands out those passes again because they don't keep track of the people who leave. He told me he just tells the people at the guard shack that he will drive down to look for himself. He said they let him and he has always found an open spot that is designated for the public.

I was wondering the same thing last year when we stopped in late and were turned away. I had no clue about the rights of the public to force the hotels hand at many of these resorts. The resorts don't own the beaches, they are public.

Once down in the parking lot.. It is a very secure place to park. I lock our doors, but I wouldn't worry about car break ins if you aren't being an idiot about leaving things out in your vehicle.

The walk down is easy along the maintenance road from the parking lot. The beach is very nice and the sand is some of the nicest, softest sand you are going to find on the island.

Our last time there in May someone booked the entire hotel and they didn't want anyone but their guests anywhere near the hotel. So, thinking about having lunch or going to the tiny gift shop store up in the hotel would have been a no go. I would say to bring some sort of beach shade, either an umbrella, or awning, or tent if you plan on spending the day. There are showers and bathrooms at the bottom of the maintenance road before you hit the beach. Also, make sure you bring food and drinks with you.

The water is fantastic and the snorkeling is pretty great too. The rocks at the far point away from the hotel has plenty of fish to see.

I would recommend this beach over Hapuna Beach easy.

Definitely in my top 3 beaches on the Island and number 1 for just chillaxin’. This is a small, almost intimate, white sand beach, situated on a small crescent shape inlet in front of the Mauna Kea Resort. The water is crystalline clear and can be calm enough for small children, yet at times the waves get big enough to satisfy most boogie boarders and body surfers. Yes, it’s true that access is limited due to the small number of parking spaces for the public. Unlike others who suggest going early to secure a parking spot, we like to go mid to late afternoon (when we’re don’t intend staying for the day). There’s always parking available and it’s easy to find a wide open spot on the beach to set up and enjoy the sun and water. The sunsets are fabulous here. Restrooms and showers are available but no food or rentals. (Only for guests of the resort). This is absolutely our favorite spot to unwind and chillax!

Sort local knowledge to find this beach. As most beaches are it is in behind a Resort. All beaches have public access but being behind resorts you think they are private. Beach access here is limited to 40 cars so you are issued a permit to get in. A spectacular beach, white sand, beautiful clear water and great snorkeling around the rocks. A must see

Mauna Kea Hotel has a beautiful white sand beach. Parking for non-guests is limited and goes early in the morning (unless you are lucky and arrive as someone is leaving). If you have lunch at one of the hotel's three restaurants (pricey lunch but....) you can valet park your car. It can be windy so check the weather. In the winter, surf can be high. Most of the year the beach is very swimmable!

small and family type beach good swimming along with the turtles. Hotel grounds one end and public the other. Get there early as limited car parking

We decided to visit this beach after our travel book opined that it was one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

If you decide to go, you need to go early. The first time we tried to visit the beach, we arrived around 11 and all of the parking spaces were taken. The beach is only accessible by going through the lot at the Mauna Kea Hotel, which has a guard at the entrance gate. If the designated spaces for the public beach are full, they will not let you in. The good news is that this prevents the beach from becoming overly crowded. The next time we tried to visit this beach, we arrived around 9 and there were still plenty of spaces available.

The beach has beautiful white sand and calm waters. Some people were snorkeling. The beach is surrounded by rocks and part of a golf course at one end and trees and the Mauna Kea at the other end. If you are standing in the water and looking back at the beach, you can see the mountains/volcanoes in the background.

Very nice beach. Clean. Even the public restrooms are reasonably clean. As others have said very limited parking which is good if you’re one of the lucky ones. Went with the family and the young grandkids had a great time in the water and playing in the sand.

The parking is uphill from the beach with a paved walkway. The grade was manageable for this old guy.

We all had fun!

Had to circle the parking lot a few times to get a spot but it was worth it. Had fun playing in the waves with my daughter.

This beach was our favorite beach we visited in hawaii. There is even a great area for snorkeling just past the hotel.

Beach access through the Mauna Kea resort; get there earlier than 9am if you expect to get in immediately as there are only a limited number of non hotel guest parking spaces.
Head to the North side of the beach in front of the hotel for clear water, the south side was way murky and low visibility when we went today. Nice snorkeling along the north rocks too.

This beach has it all. It is picturesque and crowd free. The sand is powder soft and the beach entry is great for small kids being virtually rock free. Good snorkeling on both sides of the beach with access to deep water.

Soft sandy beach - really beautiful with a great bar on the beach for drinks and food. Great spot for watching sunset - the only downside is that they leave all the lounge chairs out every night which covers half of the beach.

Mauna Kea is a gorgeous beach, the kind you see on picture postcards. It is wide and roomy with good shady areas. The resort hotel takes up the north end but it's a long beach with plenty of room for everyone. The bay is well protected and so the waves are usually calm and make excellent swimming for all ages. There is a fabulous snorkeling reef at the south end of the beach. Many beautiful coral formations with shallow pockets and deeper areas. Loads of fish and sea turtles too. We preferred the snorkeling here over Beach 69 down the road, although Hapuna Beach has better waves for boogie boarding.

One important caveat for visiting Mauna Kea Beach: Get there in the morning, the earlier the better (before 9 a.m.). First, because the parking is limited (and controlled by the resort hotel), and second, because (like every beach on the western side of the island) a breeze often kicks up in the afternoon, making the water a bit choppy and cloudy for snorkeling. Still a beautiful beach, well worth the visit.

Arrived at 9am on a thurs, parking lot 3/4 full. Very nice snorkeling early in the day on the right side of the beach, near hotel. We brought our paddleboard and enjoyed paddling the bay. Nice waves for boogie boarding in the afternoon. Not much shade, and what little there is, everyone congregates there. Not my idea of a good time, so bring an umbrella if you need shade and prefer some solitude. Sand is nicer on Hapuna in my opinion.

What a beautiful beach. This is a wonderful option to stay the day to relax and swim. I really enjoyed how far out you can walk beyond the shore and still be in "swallow" water; it was like being in a giant lap pool.

Pros:
Location
Clear blue water
Very calm water

Perhaps the best beach front resort in the world. The staff is friendly and helpful, but the household staff needs better training. We had a great suite of rooms but the floor never got cleaned in 4 days. This is the only item that keeps this hotel from being a 5 star property

Husband and I love to snorkel. This was great sandy beach, easy in and out of surf(I have been knocked down and rolled around before). And not a long swim to the reef and fish. Perfect for us, and now favorite beach!

We visited the beach and went to a tiny cove past where the hotel guest chairs are.

We had a picnic lunch, played in the ocean and relaxed in the sun.

The beach was calm and tranquil. Just plain beautiful experience for all of us.

Thx Mauna Kea Beach!

This lovely beach, home to the art-filled Mona Mea Beach Hotel, has great swimming and body surfing, clear water, clean sand. It's really perfect!

We visit this beach whenever we go to the Big Island. It gorgeous!

Pluses:
- If you want a white sand beach on the Big Island, this is the place! Just after mile marker 68 at the entrance to the hotel.
- Beautiful view
- Shady area near trees if you prefer that
- Fresh water shower
- Sea turtles! There were three that hung out near the shore for quite a while the morning I went.
- Good for kids
- Great for frolicking in the water. I brought a styrofoam noodle and just hung out in the water for a while.
- Snorkeling to the left; my relatives have seen a manta ray while snorkeling here (but I haven't yet)
- Sometimes breezy, which is nice on a hot day
- Sandy bottom for quite a ways out, so it's easy to walk into the water

Minuses:
- Only 40 parking spots. We arrived just before 8 am and were the 5th car in. Plan to arrive before 9 am or you may have to come back later in the afternoon when people start leaving.

Tips:
- Bring a cooler with food and drinks and stay for a while.

This is a gorgeous beach with soft white sand and great snorkeling opps (north side near the rocks). The white sand extends far into the water making it great for kids. Will definitely visit again. Arrive early to get in as parking is limited.

We visited Mauna Kea twice when staying in Kona with our twin toddlers. Loved the beach, the most beautiful of the ones we visited in our two weeks on the Island. The restaurant had great food and liked that there was easy access and places to walk with the stroller when the kids needed a nap or break from the sun. We also took advantage of the pool access provided via rental property.

Visited this beach 3 evenings during our stay on this side of the island. We stayed (basically) across the road in the condo. Parked in visitor parking w/no problems. We went around 4 pm and stayed for gorgeous sunsets. The water was calm and the sand was beautiful and very, very soft-I can still see and feel it in my memories today. It was the perfect way to end the day.

We went to this beach early, got there around 8 after reading the comments. The entrance is gated but just tell them you are headed to the beach. The waves were small, water was warm, and not crowded at all (it was a Wednesday). Nice shower area and bathrooms. Can't wait to go again.

Genuinely enjoyed our visit to Mauna Kea Beach.

We arrived about 1pm on a Wednesday so parking was not an issue however I can see how a weekend or holiday season it could be. Short downhill walk to the beach.

Once near the water the Setting is idyllic! Gorgeous white sand, sheltered bay, lovely trees - our family loved it!

Highly highly recommend!

The beach is one of out favourites and we always go here when we have the chance.
However you need to come early since the parking is limited!

An absolutely stunning white sand beach with outstanding swimming. Get here early to get a parking spot! Snorkeling is pretty good on either side of the bay. One of our favorite beaches on the Big Island!

We loved this beach! The family member we stayed with was a member at the resort so I am not sure how easy it is to obtain public access. However, the beach is amazing and the food & cocktails are good (but on the pricier side). Can't wait to go back.

The staff, especially Marguerite, went above and beyond our expectations. We had a complaint, and they were extremely hospitable and took care of us perfectly. What an incredible staff. The hotel is a dream, on the greatest beach for swimming, AMAZING food, etc. We cannot wait to go back.... you feel like royalty at this hotel and like you never want to leave. HIGHLY recommend for the best experience on the island.

This is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen! It’s totally a GEM. Get there early so you get a parking space!

Definitely one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii. Why one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Picture perfect Hotel and resort. World-class golf resort right next to the beach. Never over crowded. Hotel guests only.

We came here as a family with the intent of going to the beach for free but the free parking lot was full. We were given the option of visiting the restaurant/bar and having free valet parking which we did. So we drove to the front of the hotel at Mauna Kea Beach, unloaded our beach chairs, etc, with the help of the bellmen and valets, walked through the beautiful hotel, spent the day on this beautiful beach, ate lunch and had drinks at the outside grill, showered off, returned through the hotel, had our car(s) delivered to us and our gear reloaded by the bellmen & valets!!! Of course we tipped them generously for their graciousness but it couldn't have been better!!! And BTW, this beach is my favorite. White sand, gentle slope, protected but fun, good for snorkeling, boogie boarding, SUP and relaxation!!!

Beautiful white sandy beach cove. Parking is tight but easy to get to. Recommend getting there early or mid- afternoon when people are leaving. Accessible bathrooms and showers to clean off before driving back. Recommend spending an afternoon here. Perfect for splashing in the waves and hanging on the beach. Some good snorkeling by the rocks on the side

The beach is absolutely beautiful and perfect for everyone, including the very youngest of kids. But if you're not staying at the hotel it can be difficult to get there. We drove to the gates at the resort and were brusquely informed that there was no parking left (at 9am). "Check back later" was what the very dismissive guard said. So we drove back down the highway and entered the second gated entrance to the resort and a somewhat reluctant guard there gave us a parking permit and directions to where the riff raff like us with our toddler could park. The lot was 3 /4s empty. We parked and walked to the beach and had a great time, didn't defile or damage anything. Imagine that. If I was Hawaiian I would be livid. The resort doesn't own the water, the coastline, the sand, the beach, the sun or the air. But they sure like to think they do. Yes it's a perfect beach but getting to it shouldn't make one feel like a piece of dirt.

Excellent beach for snorkelling, swimming and bodyboarding. There is some shade, so you can cool down without burning alive as well. The waves are moderate, snorkelling can get choppy in strong wind.

Gorgeous U shaped white sand beach with intensely colored turquoise water! Probably one of the best beaches in Hawaii, maybe even the world. The sand is so fine and does not stick! My son was snorkeling close to shore with a sea turtle for about 20 minutes. Also, they have full clean bathroom/shower facilities. If you want to get food from the Mauna Kea Hotel, they are happy to serve you.

Hard to complain about anything except for the parking, although without the restrictions this beach would be wall to wall with people.

This beach is perfect for the whole family. The waves are perfect. Even on the bigger wave days, the break zone is fairly mild. Bring your own towels because you don't get to use the beach resort towels.

This beach has easy entry access to the water. Bring your own gear as renting from the Mauna Kea Beach resort is quite expensive. Not sure what to recommend for public parking (we had been staying at the hotel).

Several locals told us this is one of if not the best beach on the island. Great for relaxing and water activity. You can find some shade if you look around a bit. Sunset was quite stunning here several nights.

Our favorite beach on the island - white soft sand, blue water. Easy long walks along beach, some people paddle board, boogie board or body surf, pending waves. Next to the beautiful resort, where they have nice restrooms and a water refill station. Get there early to park! We arrived 7:45am on a Sat and 8:30am on a Thurs - both times we got a spot but if you came much later, likely wouldn’t find a spot. Because there is limited parking, it makes this beach less crowded than Hapuna (a plus for us). The resort has a restaurant on the beach but prices are high (in general are high on island though), if you don’t want to pack food.

Just a bit north of Hapuna Beach, and located at the fancy Mauna Kea resort. We arrived about sunset, and the public parking spots were all open. We enjoyed a picnic dinner on the beach, and then walked through the resort to the area lit by bright lights to attract manta rays. We had no luck with manta viewing that night. The beach itself is lovely.

As everyone has said, spectacular beach and arrive early for the coveted and limited free parking. For a short time, there was a fee in 2022, but that didn’t last due to it being illegal. Some Hawaiian politician put a stop to that. You can valet park at the hotel for $40 and get a $20 credit if you buy something. We ate at the Hau Hut restaurant on the beach and did that. If you valet, Do Not mention or use the word “ beach”. If the valet hears that you will be turned away. The attendants are instructed to do so and they are serious about that. Again, Do Not use the “ B” word. Go and enjoy.

Really good snorkeling at low tide. The boogey boarding had a few good waves but wasn't spectacular; I'm not sure if that is because of the water/weather that day or something to do with the beach. There's plenty of shaded area close to the water. The first time we tried to go to the beach, we arrived at 10:30am on a Wednesday but the public parking spaces we're already full. We came back the next day (Thursday) at 7:45am and the spaces were about 2/3 full.

Clean beach, soft sand, clear water, & good waves for boarding. Clean wash area & potential rental place for umbrellas & boards (we did not rent anything). What else would you expect in a 600$/night Mauna Kea Resort? The guard will let you pass the resort gate when you let them know you want beach access. Follow the signs to beach parking. There is only 40 or so parking spaces. On a rainy day, the beach was empty & the waves are rough. I also went on Friday on a sunny day & all the parking lot was full by 10am. You can park at Hapuna for $5 & walk .4 miles? to Mauna Kea Beach.

I can think of no other restaurant in all the Hawaiian Islands that exceeds this one for ambiance, quality of food and outright enjoyment. If you are on the Big Island treat yourself to at least one evening meal here. Sure the cost is high but well worth every cent. You do not need to be staying at the hotel to eat there. We had the macademia nut encrusted Mahi-Mahi fresh fish and it was delicious. Sure Dorado(Mahi-Mahi) is very common in Hawaii but all subsequent samples of this fish will henceforth be compared to what you eat at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Manta Restaurant. Be sure to stay for the Manta Ray arrivals. The dress code is reasonable(shirt with collar) no shorts

Sand - powdery brown/white. Very fine, smooth and babypowderish

Water - when high winds and swells, yes can have big waves. When calm it is amazing with few waves and a very long flat entry for a swimming/frolicking. The bottom is sandy with zero rocks.

Shade - tons of shade all around the beach supplied by numerous palms and mangroves. One of the few beaches with this much natural all shade. A real gem for this reason.

Facilities - men’s and women’s restroom with outside showers.

Restaurant - you can eat at the Mauna Key for drinks and food if you choose.

Views - the bay is wonderful, the view to the right is the mountain and the view to the left is a lava rock formation.

Parking - as stated, get there before 9, I would say 8:30AM, and you will get a spot. This is a plus as the beach is NOT over run like Hapuna, A-Bay or Manini’owali. The other three get so slammed you are getting run over by local surfers or you are running into kids not being watched by parents. It’s a no win.

For all these reasons, it makes it the #1 beach north of the airport. I will visit more often.

Nice beach but access not easy. Need to wear reef shoes for coral and rocks and very little shade. Beach crowded with hotel guests umbrellas and loungers..
Been to many other far superior beaches in the world.
The Beach Cafe food was appalling. one of us chose a salad which was presentable, the others had turkey sandwich bun. The turkey was like plastic and most of the other filling dry or inedible plus 'chips' were crispies out of a packet. Take your own food if visiting this beach for the day.

Been here twice in November and December and rough !

Mainly only boogie boarders as water is too rough this time of year.

Nobody in water from hotel and beach too swim as way too cool and rough this time of year

Probably a superb beach, but not in Wintertime.

Packed, hard sand and rougue waves in Winter

Ideal white sand beach suitable for many beach activities-boogie boarding, swimming, beach walking just to name a few. Plenty of room and not overly crowded which makes it ideal for larger groups and families with younger kids. Awesome beach for watching the sunset. Free to enter, but go early to obtain a parking pass. Parking lot fills up fast.

It is fantastic that Hawaii's law permits everyone to spend some time on the beautiful Hotels' beaches. After seeing black sand beach, green sand beach, brown sand beach, it is wonderful to find this white sand beach at Mona Kea Beach Hotel. We had read that snorkeling was good here and it was. Many amazing big blue fishes, all different species of beautiful colors (we counted 30) and one turtle. Unfortunately, this year, it seems there are less turtles. For sure, the new snorkelers that want to touch and play with them scare them away. There were a bit of higher waves of the left hand side, near the rocks, so we had to be careful with the reefs but it was a great experience. There is a beach house for visitors with showers and toilets. The traveling road for cars on the golf course is really nice. I only wish we could visit all those beach resorts along the coast.

I love this beach and understand that there is limited parking for non-guests. That being said, the staff should be a little more understanding and flexible with the beach spots. We drove down and found a spot to be told we could not park there because we said we were going for lunch. We planned on going to lunch and the beach. There were a few open beach spots, however, when we parked, the attendant said we could not park there since we said we were going to lunch. She was rude and combative. Too bad, this ruined this beach for my husband and me. We are frequent visitors to the Island of Hawaii as we have a family home in Puako. I will no longer recommend Mauna Kea.

Beautiful beach! Very relaxing. Parking is tight. Only 30 public parking spots. But the beach was wonderful and not over crowded at all.

Another beautiful beach in paradise and the parking is free. The trick is to arrive early as there is limited public parking and it's monitored carefully. Easy walk from the parking lot to the beach. Beach is lovely and the water is sparkling.

Located through a smart hotel, this beach has great sand and swimming, with a good number of trees to provide shade if needed. Over a third of the beach is dominated by the hotel but the rest is open and delightful. Very clean (I suspect the hotel keeps it so). On each side of the beach is a rocky reef and there, only a few minutes swim, there is a profusion of fish of brilliant hues. In September at least the water was perfect and swimming was easy. A key point about this beach is that there is a limited number of parking spots and once full, hotel security won't let anyone else onto the resort. This means if you arrive late morning, you might be turned away, but the good news is the beach never gets crowded. Parking/entrance is free by the way, and there is a fresh water shower and toilet facilities. If it is full the public beach nearby, at Hapuna Beach is a very good alternative although that can get more crowded.

The beach was incredible. It's was so calm and clear. My husband and I had a great time swimming. There are public showers as well.

Highly recommend a visit!!

Very pretty beach indeed, one of the better ones actually in the area. Reminded me of Wailea on Maui.

We came prepared to pay the valet parking fee but were turned away; valet parking no longer available to non guests. Regular beach parking was, of course, filled.

Look at the pictures and you can tell it's a gorgeous beach. However, the easy, paved walk from the parking lot takes 10 mins downhill from the parking lot and uphill from the beach. Moreover, there are only 20 or so parking spots, which were virtually all taken when we got there at 9:15 AM on an August Monday morning. The snorkeling is good and easy, but there are better spots on the Big Island such as Two Steps. We liked Hapuna (just up the road) better due to facilities, plenty of parking and beautiful sand.

Gate attendant told us that public beach parking was "all full right now." He told us to turn around, and that we could "check back later." That was not an option for my family of three, and I did not believe at all that the parking was full.
Very disappointing interaction, as I could see the area is quite beautiful, and we did not have a chance to try any hotel amenities or services as a result. Though if that's the service before we even got into the resort, maybe it was for the best.

Went to finish the day at the beach after we kayaked and snorkeled at Kealakekua bay. We got there around 2:45 pm and got parking pretty easily and found a nice spot under a tree. It's probably the best beach on the Big Island. Nice sand and the water has a nice shore break where you can boogie board , body surf or swim. Definitely a place I'll spend more time when I go back. It's a cool spot to take the kids also. Just a good all around beach. There's also hotel amenities you can use while on the beach but we brought everything we needed for our time there. Parking looks like it can get full so if you're going during a high time I'd get there as early as I can.

This is a gorgeous beach that is unfortunately dominated by the hotel and they only allow 30 non hotel,cars to'park there at any given time. Still, go,early and you get a spot. Nice swimming but since many of the guests at the hotel aren't boogie boarders, and you are, you might have the waves to yourself on a nice surf day. Nice bathrooms of course and plenty of room unlike Hapuna which gets crowded. If the west side is getting some surf and you want to boogie, this is the place.

If they tell you the parking lot is full be sure to try again!!! This is a not to be missed relaxing beach!! We brought our snorkel gear and found several great areas to view fish and sea life. When we were here there were a couple of sea turtles just floating in the water close to the beach as if they had no cares in the world. After snorkeling we just relaxed on the beautiful white sand

This beach is amazing- crystal clear blue water, great snorkeling and white sand. It doesn't get crowded either. Turtles come ashore frequently.

We stopped here for about a half hour, had some really good waves come in it was a little windy which enhanced the waves. Really calming and beautiful.

We loved the Mauna Kea Beach! Great waves for body surfing, snorkeling on both sides, whales, nice sand and beautiful view!

Best beach on the big island, on the sunshine coast! Great for swimming, stand up paddling, wading, and you can even take a sail boat from the connected hotel.

To tell the truth, we never made it to Mauna Kea Beach. We got there at 9:00 am and we were told that the parking had filled up by 8:00 am, so we decided to go to Hapuna Beach, which had plenty of available parking.

My favorite beach on the Big Island! Nice white sand, gentle waves, shady trees, if needed. A bit of a rocky outcrops to climb. The views are amazing. Parking is free, but it fills up rather quickly.

Not crowded - they keep it small so go early! You can try public parking or go in via the hotel. Grab a meal, bring your own umbrella and chairs, and just chill.

Beautiful sandy beach with a good amount of shade in parts. On Friday we got here at 8AM and there we no parking spaces / passes left. On Sunday, we arrived at 7:15AM and were #25 in the eventual list of 40. I'd recommend getting here by 7:30 and I'm sure you can grab a shady spot to the left. Walk from parking to the beach is not bad; partly shade.

We will definitely return to this beach. We got there early (7:30 am) to make sure we got one of the 30 parking spots available. The guard at the front gate was very nice and made sure to tell us to park one of the "yellow" parking spots. We walked down the pathway to the beach. There are nice restrooms there, trees that you can sit under & a white sand beach. The water is calm enough for small children. You can snorkel, return a paddle board or swim out to the floating platform. It was a great place to relax.

This beach is on the hotel grounds, parking is limited. You will need to go really early like before 9am or later around 5pm. Beach has sandy with calm to small waves for kids boogie boarding. There is a large tree for shade.

Upon recommendation from locals, we chose to go here rather than Hapuna Beach, which is right next door. Locals know best!! The beach was not crowded at all (Friday during spring break week). Sand was gorgeous - the softest I've ever felt, though it was not as white as I expected. The water is calm and clear, and the sand goes really far out, so kids can make their way pretty far into the ocean without getting into the deep waters. Plenty of trees to offer shade, too. Parking is free (another advantage over Hapuna), but limited, and requires a 3 minute walk downhill to the beach. Clean bathrooms and showers for rinsing off the sand available right off the beach.

Mauna Kea is a beautiful crescent shaped beach. Because you have to be a guest of the hotel or get one of the few parking spots (we had to get there by 8am to get a spot in the public lot), its a lot less crowded.

As an alternative, Hapuna Beach, just south of Mauna Kea is also beautiful and offers decent public facilities, and $10 rentals.

Arrive early, find a tree for shade and relax. The waves are shallow and there are very few rocks to watch out for in the water. If you'd like a drink or food, the hotel beach restaurant is close by. Loved it!

This is a very nice beach with some shade. Good for kids. Plenty of them running around when we were there.

A beautiful white sand beach nestled in a private cove with spectacular snorkeling. The clearest water makes you feel like you are flying above the colorful coral, magnifique!

We were staying at the Westin so we received free valet parking at the Mauna Kea resort so I can't speak to the parking aspect of the beach. This is a great white sand beach with soft sand and hardly and waves at all. Great for relaxing/swimming! Can get a bit crowded depending on the time of day so get there early if you want a good spot!

Get the early! Our first day we arrived at 8:30 and were turned away, the 40 spots had been taken. We were told you need arrive before 8:00 am so we did the following day.

Worth getting up early, this is one of the best beaches we found in Hawaii. We enjoyed some good snorkeling along with amazing views.

This was the only beach we visited twice. It was only about 8 minutes from Waikoloa Village, so it was super convenient for us. You’ll get stopped at the entrance gate to get a parking pass to get into the parking area. There are a number of parking spots, but it does fill up, so make sure to get there early. It is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach, but once you get there you will be rewarded with one of the best beaches on the Big Island. It is long and wide with room for everyone. The sand is super soft and the waves are perfect for kids to play in. There are palm trees that offer some shade and restrooms with showers. While we didn’t try it, I would imagine you could get food from the Mauna Kea resort if you got hungry. Do yourself a favor and make sure to visit this beach on your next trip!

This is a very pretty beach, and not crowded. With lighter waves than Hapuna, this might be a tiny bit better for families.

We went to three or four beaches during our stay but quickly realized that this was the best for our family. It's less busy, but the sand is so soft, the water (because of the shallow shore) is more turquoise blue, the waves aren't as big as other beaches, and if you're a guest at the hotel, you get the Mauna Kea service.
You can't beat it.

Not a thing to complain about. Get here early to obtain a precious public parking spot, they are in short supply. Low beach chairs available to use are a huge bonus. Plenty of shady trees. Tons of birds to watch. Turquoise water. Fine sand beach. Snorkeling is good.

We arrived around 8:30 and snagged one of the few public parking spaces left. We brought a cooler, chairs, and snorkel gear and it was a challenge lugging it all down to and back from the beach. The snorkeling on the left side (away from the hotel) was nice...several beautiful fish and a couple of turtles. Uncrowded for the most part, and very picturesque.

In 2006, Hawaii required public access to all beaches. This beach is next to the Mauna Kea resort and therefore only has 40 spaces unless you walk from Hapuna Beach. Sand is wonderful, great swimming and easy to get into and out of for snorkeling at either end. Bathroom facilities and an outdoor shower. No food or drink and no life guard.

This beach is stunning and accommodates all types of beach-goers! There’s shade and sun, waves are excellent for boogie boarding but not too huge if you just want to take a dip. Public beach shares space with hotel but there’s plenty of room for everyone.

You need to go very early or late to get a spot here—but if one person doesn’t mind waking, you can drop off at Mauna Kea and then park at Hapuna and walk one mile along the seashore. It’s quite a stunning view along the trail—just hot in the sun. To access the trail, walk to the north end of Hapuna up to the grassy platform on the hotel grounds with a big tree (and one beach chair at least when we were there) the trail starts right next to the tree and becomes well marked after you leave the hotel grounds.

We have been coming here for 20 years andI am always amazed how stunning this place is. It is a bay which makes it easy for swimming and snorkeling. The water is crystal clear and the sand is smooth. Great place for a sunset

A wonderful beach near the big resort but you don't have to be a guest to visit the beach (as with all Hawaii beaches the shore line is public). However, they do limit public parking so get there early on busy days.

Love this beach...get here early, pack a lunch and sit bAck and relax....we got here by 730 am on a weekday morning....there were still about 20-spots left... If you are coming in the weekend just get there by 7ish.there are restrooms there as well

Loved this beach during our stay in the Big Island. It is not crowded. The water is clear, not many waves and not too deep. Perfect for kids to frolic the whole day.

We were able to see 3 turtles swimming with us. Lots of fishes, too. Make sure to bring your snorkel gear.

Plan on going early as visitor parking for beach access is limited. Better for crowd control.

Nice and clean bathroom. Shower station available.

This beach is absolutely stunning. The sand is white and so soft on the feet it feels like icing sugar! This beach is fantastic for calm water swimming unless the wind comes up. There is also some snorkeling along the sides though there are better snorkel spots on the island. Our family all agreed this beach has something for everyone! There is a resort "Mauna Kea" on the bay so you can get drinks and eats but they are fairly pricey. Parking is limited but we found that people come and go and we were lucky each time. Mornings are best!

The beach was beautiful. 100 people maybe on the entire beach. Limited parking can be a problem. About a 5 min walk to the beach from parking lot. Snorkeling was okay. Definitely was better on the left side. If you're looking for a quiet unpopulated beautiful beach, this is the place!

We were told that you had to get here early because only so many cars are allowed when visiting and parking at beach. Once you passed the guard, it's a short drive (pretty one) to where parking is located. We had no problem finding a spot arriving late morning but it was packed when we left later in the afternoon. The walkway down to the beach is winding and pretty and the beach area is very nice. It was windy with high surf when we were there so snorkeling wasn't an option but beach and cove was still very nice. Would recommend going.

This is THE beach for boogie boarding. The only issue is limited parking so try and get there before 9 am to guarantee a spot. You could wait until later in the afternoon and take a chance but why not spend the day there and enjoy the perfect beach for boogie boarding:)

There is limited parking so get there early. The beach is gorgeous, crystal blue water and soft sand. I liked it because it was relatively uncrowded. Would definitely come back.

The fact that parking is limited is a huge win as long as you arrive early. The beach never gets too crowded since there is limited space for cars. Great beach for little ones since the ocean water is so calm. Also some great snorkeling spots near the black rock. We arrived before 8 AM and there was plenty of available parking.

This piece of land is so blessed and you will know it when you visit the Mauna Kea beach. The soft sand, turquoise water, crescent shaped beach, calm waves, the Hawaiian sky and lot of shade makes this one of the best beaches in the world. To add to that, the snorkeling here is one of the best where you get to experience the wonderful underwater life up close.

This is by far one of the most inviting beaches on the big island. The hotel allows and number of guest in to the hotel daily with a beach pass that is given if you are one of the lucky people ( or if you go early enough). The pass allows you to park you car in the hotel provided spaces for non hotel guests. The beach is lovely and worth a chance to visit.

Superb beach!
Soft clean sand with blue clear waters!
The water is shallow and excellent for kids.
Nice waves makes it perfect for kids to surf or boogie board.

If you're looking for that picture perfect beach then look no further. Absolutely stunning, soft sand and decent snorkeling.

I almost hate to tell you about this beach! It is a postcard beautiful, quiet beach with soft sand, calm waves and clear water. As others have mentioned, there are only 40 parking spots available monitored via the entrance guard so arrive early or after lunch. We stayed all day from 8-4 pm but noted that the people who arrived early, most were gone by 12 and then there was another round of people arriving around 4.

Get there early if you want some shade. There are two very large sea grape trees providing lovely shade but those spots go quickly. There are bathrooms nearby and parking is free. We loved this beach and even saw it on an episode of Island Life!

This beach is absolutely beautiful and not crowded at all. Of all the beaches we've visited, this is our favorite! Love it!

We tried to visit this beach on Christmas Day but parking was full at 9:00am. I believe there are only 40 parking spaces for visitors. Tried again yesterday, arriving at 8:15am and plenty of beach parking. This is the kind of beach I think of when planning a trip to Hawaii. Soft, white crescent sandy beach. Some shade with plenty of sun. Not overly crowded. Bathroom and shower facilities were well kept. Great waves for boogie boarding. It's a short walk from the parking to beach but path way is paved so easy to pull along coolers or anything else on wheels. I can certainly see why this beach has been rated as one of the best in Hawaii. My whole family looks forward to our next visit.

One of our favorites on the Big Island! You have to get there early as there are only around 30-40 car passes given out per day. The hotel is under extensive renovation so you have to park on the west side of the hotel. Unfortunately, you will have to walk past the hotel part of the beach to get to the public part. It’s a beautiful beach with beautiful views and water. You will not be disappointed!

This is a public beach and incredibly beautiful. Water usually quite calm although there can be big waves. Snorkeling is incredible. Just walking on the beach is wonderful. Highly recommend!

We we looking for a calm place to do some snorkeling, and on the recommedation of the hotel, we went to Mauna Kea Beach. We were glad we did.
There's a bit of a walk from the parking lot but once you get to the bottom, you're greeted by soft white sand and clear blue waters. The beach itself wasn't crowded even though it's connected to a hotel. Plenty of trees provide shade of you don't want to sit in the sun.
Rocks on both ends of the beach act as barriers making the waters fairly calm. Showers and bathrooms are available onsight.
We didn't snorkel but enjoyed a relaxing swim. Worth checking out if you're looking for a place to kick back and relax.

The Perfect sunsets and loved the view. Not super crowded and had enough room to swim without being on top of others

We read about this beach before going, and knew that parking is limited so we got here by 9:20AM, and just barely got a spot! But it is free & safe & close parking so can't complain, just get up early! It is a big, beautiful white sand beach, and since it is the winter season it was a little rough, red flag up. No lifeguards either so be safe! It was so much fun for boogie boards for my 7 yr old, and my 5 yr old made a friend and playing for 5 hrs in sand. There are showers, and washrooms and the hotel is there if you wanted to buy anything. There is decent snorkeling at the sides of the rocks, but watch with this winter current wear fins, and only go if you are a strong snorkeler. We saw large parrots, and triggers, and they were in schools with lots of them together. Also saw a random turtle throughout the day by himself. I have heard that you can park in the valet if there is no beach parking, but it is a little pricy to do that. Will definitely come back!

Don’t be disappointed if you can’t snag one of the 40 parking spots. According to the gate attendant they fill up by 8:30 AM. Instead, drive back down the highway to Hapuna Beach State Park, which has plenty of parking. If you must see Muana Kea, hike the 3/4 miles along the Ala Kahakai trail that begins in front of the Westin. Beautiful walk takes you to this prestigious beach. However, I found the beach limiting, with people crowded together, the water too shallow, and poor snorkeling. Not to mention, the boogie boarding is way better at Hapuna. Having checked out both, go with Hapuna and do your little hike to Mauna Kea Beach. Very pretty, no doubt, check it out.

We went to Mauna Kea today. I was a little worried that we wouldn't get a parking spot (Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, got there at noon) based on previous reviews. But it wasn't a problem at all!
Once we drove past the gate at Mauna Kea, the attendant gave us instructions to follow the road to the end. There were clearly marked parking spots for beach goers, and there were at least three or four and a couple of more groups of people were leaving as we walked toward the beach, so maybe noon is a good time to go!
This beach also had great shade, sand pristine, and bright blue water. The sandy bottom made getting in and out of the water easy. There were fantastic coral formations to the left for snorkeling, we saw lots of fish and a turtle. Because of limited parking spots, there were many 30 or 40 others on the beach, which made it very enjoyable!
There's bathrooms and showers right at the entrance of the beach.

A lot of the beaches on the Kona side of the island are miles above Kona and this is about 40 miles north of Kona but made the trip twice because we fell in love with it. Sandy beach and snorkeling available. Lots of fun to be had. Only 40 spaces available to park from after the hotel there. Tell the guard at the gate you are there for beach access. Plan on being there well before 10 AM or after 3 PM on weekdays or no where to park..
Lots of fun for the whole family.

We went to Mauna Kea Beach around 9am on a Tuesday. There were about 5 parking spaces left. After parking we walked to the beach. This a lovely beach on the Big Island. The staff that rides around on golf carts were very informative. They even were able to give rides to people with disabilities and senior citizens.

One of the northern most Kona area beaches. Often dubbed an idealistic beach though not quite. Parking via the hotel of the same name, though very limited parking.

The hotel is situated on the nicest beach on the island. Staff is very nice but service was very slow. Grounds were not as well kept up as we had expected. At $1,000 a night including taxes and fees the room should have been nicer and was a bit dated. Dinner at Manta at the hotel was very good.

It doesn't look like anyone has posted a recent review on this beach so I'll share our experience from today (7/5/24). Like many have said, get there early because they only have 40 public beach parking spaces. We arrived a little before 8:00 and our pass was numbered 20.

Head down the hill from the resort entrance gate after getting a FREE parking pass (the resort tried to charge people $20 to park there two years ago but that practice was deemed illegal). When you get to the bottom of the hill there is a right hand turn to where the parking spaces are - the sign says "Beach Parking". There will be a gate. Push the button and a guard will ask you what you want. Just tell them you want access to the beach parking and put your paper pass on your dash (they must be watching remotely). The arm should go up and just find an empty space that is marked "Beach Parking". There is a paved path down to the beach.

The resort has the first half of the beach filled with lounge chairs and umbrellas. Keep walking south and if you are lucky you can grab some of the very limited shade. There were a lot of people with shade tarps on the beach but if there is much wind they can be tricky.

The restroom and showers (both very nice) are on the south end of the beach. The beach is beautiful. The water is clear. A nice sandy bottom. One of the nicest beaches on the island in our opinion. I snorkeled the north (right side as you look out to the water) lava/coral formations. Even though much of the coral appears to be dead there were lots of fish. I had a special treat when a HUGE manta ray came gliding right by me. The resort has a night snorkeling experience where they turn on bright lights and people snorkel with the manta rays so I guess they stay in the area. What a graceful creature. Have a good time!

If you are not staying at the resort, you will need to get to this beach early for there are only a limited amount of spots for the general public. The first day we got there at 9am - all spots were full. The next day we were there by 8am and were excited to get a spot.

The beach itself was wonderful. The water is clear and calm. Because of the limited entry, it doesn't get super crowded. We went over towards the rocks on the left hand side to snorkel. Because the water is so calm, it's easy to get in and out. You can put your gear on easily and then swim over. I saw a lot of wonderful fish and coral. A fellow snorkeler also saw (quickly) two manta rays! The beach also attracts a lot of turtles. Please make sure you keep your distance from them. It was frustrating to see so many people bothering them.

The beach came highly recommended and we were not disappointed. Started out very early and we were up @ 5:00am and got all setup to go to Mauna Kea @ 6:30 am and got there @7:30am on a Wednesday. I guess we got the right lady at the guardhouse, she couldn’t have been more polite and nice, directed us were to park and to walk in. As we walked down the path and it opened up to the beach it was just like WOW, stunning and gorgeous and we couldn’t have been happier and one of the first ones there. The water was very calm, cool and refreshing, shallow chest deep for a while and it looked like there was good/descent snorkeling on each end (once again I didn’t go but overheard people talking)
As the day went on it got more crowded, so if you plan on coming here please like everything else in Hawaii GET THERE EARLY and there are only 30 spots reserved for the public. There is very little shade and we chose a spot in the back under the trees right by the walk in path. With the trade winds kicking in today please be careful if you bring an umbrella,we watched a group chase their 2 umbrellas all morning flying up and down the beach dodging people and almost impaling several others. Great atmosphere, easy swimming and bring the family, it’s that good.

We came here two days after visiting nearby Hapuna Beach, which was awesome. But when we came to Mauna Kea beach, we found it less crowded yet every bit as lovely a white sand beach. The reason is the associated resort controls parking, and therefore limits car access. So go early and arrive 8AM at the latest. The resort itself near the beach is well disguised by many palm trees and beautifully situated gardens. Snorkeling was even better than at Hapuna, and the swimming was far better. I walked out on the sandy lagoon until the water was chest level, and soaked up the warmth, the opal sea, and idyllic tropical setting. We've been to many beaches, and this is our favorite beach on the Big Island. Only the huge white sand beaches on the north side of Kauai can top it.

The Mauna Kea resort is one of the first resorts built on the west coast of Hawaii, Hawaii. It is so beautiful that just walking around the hotel and grounds are a sheer delight! Then we hit their beautiful beach that none can compare. Get there early as only so many passes are issued to vacationers not staying there every day. It will really make your vacation worthwhile and a must day spent there. There are several restaurants on the acres of beauty you will walk through in awe. If you love golf here you go. Great ocean views from many tees. Beach totally awesome!

If you snorkel anywhere on the Kona side, snorkel HERE. We tried a few places, and this had the clearest water and the best fish sightings. Go early if possible; none of the beaches on the Kona side are good when the winds come up; about 11 am.

The beach is what you imagine when you think of Hawaii. Beautiful! The water is so clear and great for snorkeling. Not a long walk from the parking lot at all and the showers & bathrooms were much appreciated.

One of my favorite beaches on the Big Island. Found a shady spot toward the Southern strip of the beach away from the resort. Enjoyed leisurely swims, spectacular views, an occasional sea turtle or two. Many people closer to the resort side were boogie boarding. The sea was extremely calm when we visited. Only about 40 parking spaces are available for the public beach access and you have to arrive early -- 8:30ish to snag one. If you miss, drive to Hapuna Beach and park. From there it's about a 25 minute walk to Mauna Kea Beach (including an almost waist high few feet through the ocean -- unless we missed another path), parts of the trail require sturdy flip flops or shoes, and winds in front of beautiful ocean front homes. Hapuna Beach was pretty, too.

I read other reviews and we decided to visit. First day we went, there were no parking spaces at a little after 9:00am. drove out then quickly returned to ask the guard if there was other parking. There is valet parking for $40.00. But, if you spend money at the resort, you can get it reduced to $20.00. So, after valet parking, spending $30.00+ at the beachside restaurant plus valet parking and tip, we spent about $50.00+ dollars. The next time we went, we got there about about 8:30 and got one of the free parking spots. They also have great bathroom facilities. So the moral of the story is to get there early!

Stopped at Mauna Kea Beach a couple times during vacation. Plan to arrive early to snag one of 40 parking spots. This is beautiful beach with the clearest water I’ve ever swam in. Saw two turtles swimming from the north rocks to the south rocks. Soft white sand. Loved it.

This was our favorite big island beach! We did not stay on the property so we had to arrive by 7:30am to get one of the 40 passes they give out. We came to this beach 3 times but the last time came a couple hours later and all the passes were gone. Perfect for swimming and snorkeling for amateurs. Also was fun to walk around the hotel and it’s property even though it says hotel guests only. Definitely go to this beach!!

Beaches don't get much better than Mauna Kea beach. Great sand, great water-- perfect for the family and not too crowded. Most times surf is calm and safe for swimming. Really worthwhile.

But impossible to access as parking is full-up early in the day. Here is my secret: If you like to hike then pack light, park at Spencer beach park and work the 1 - 1.5 mile trail past Mau'umae beach (or just hang out at Mau-umae beach). The hike is non-trivial so bring water but it if you don't mind walking a distance you can make it to this wonderful beach.

I heard the hotel is closed...what about the beach? Can people still use it? What about the beach restaurant? Is it open?
Thanks

It's a pretty beach, especially when you come in the morning and there are a few people only. It's not bad for snorchling and we even saw a ray fish not far away from the coast. Toilets and showers available.

The hotel only allows 40 cars in at a time. If you don't get one of those spots you have to pay $20 to park. We lucked out and got a great spot. There is a little downhill walk to the beach. The restrooms are very nice and there are a couple of outdoor showers. The beach isn't very crowded due to the limited parking. The waves were big the day we were there so couldn't really enjoy being in the ocean very far.

This was the first beach we went to on our vacation and I wish we had the time to come back. We tried some others too, but this by far was the most beautiful of them all. It is perfect for swimming and relaxing and had full facilities. The downside is the Mauna Kea Hotel has only a certain amount of parking spaces reserved, so you have to get a ticket from the security and once the assigned parking is full, they won't let anyone go down until someone else leaves. We went there around 11am and snatched a spot, but there were only 2-3 more left, so be aware and come before noon or go later after 3pm when the first people leave again. You can also walk over from a trail at Hapuna Beach, it just depends how much stuff you carry around.

Gorgeous waves and soft sand. Shade trees. Easy access but you must arrive very early to get one of the 30 parking spots. Bring snacks, water, goggles and and good book and stay for the day! Sunscreen too! Really a treasure to visit!

We stayed at the Mauna Kea on this beach so got to enjoy it for a few days. On windy days the boogie boards are out! On calmer days the snorkeling is great. Great white sand, protected inlet. Enjoyable!

We took the family to this beach for relaxation. Taking advice of others, we got there a little before 9am, and there was plenty of parking. There about a 5 minute walk from the parking lot to the beach. The beach wasn't crowded at all, and the white sand was very soft and fine. Beautiful scenery.

We wanted to snorkel, but the water was really choppy due to wind, so I can't comment on that. It was a beautiful spot to enjoy the tropics. There will be morning shade, but definitely bring an umbrella for afternoons. Also bring your own chairs.

Beautiful soft sandy beach! After you swim out past the sand shore, is a great reef to explore. I came late in the evening, so no issues with parking.

We heard parking was difficult, but it was too hard to get up early so we went on a July Monday at 1 p.m. and there were three spaces! Grabbed our stuff --walk down the path or through the hotel to the wide white beautiful beach,. We snorkeled on the north side. First, you can hug the rock wall along the edge all the way out to the point. there was a tunnel to swim through. As you get out with the waves and it gets deep, the coral is untouched, and we saw an 8 foot shark! On the way back, we went away from the wall about 30 feet parallel and it was good too. There is coral near the beach on the north side, but in the middle, there is just sand and relatively calm waves. We would go again!

Nice beach! Water was great for snorkeling. We arrived at the parking lot at 7:45am to make sure we got a spot. Stayed on the beach from 8am till 2:00pm. Got windy after 1:00, easy walk to the hotel for a cocktail or lunch and a clean bathroom. Tell the parking person you’re going to the beach for free parking.

This beach would be ranked as one of the best beaches in the world. Every time we go to the big island we always make sure we spend at least one day at this exceptional beach. It has clean sand, clear water that allows you to wade out quite far, and the best snorkeling on the island.

We love this beach and Hapuna Beach for water activities. This beach is nice because it's a little less crowded and there's a little more shade than Hapuna. You must stop at the guard shack at the entrance to the resort to see if there is public parking available. We were there around 9am both days and got in.

We do not stay at the Mauna Kea resort but like to go to its beach. In our many visits to the Big Island, we consider it by far the best beach. The arc of the beach is beautiful, and the hotel and related buildings are set into the landscape extremely well. Too, the access from the coastal road is very nicely landscaped. The only problem is that while access to beaches in Hawaii cannot be denied to the public, the resort strictly limits the number of beach parking spaces. As there is no way to the beach other than by car, this means it can be very catch-as-catch-can to get in. During our 2-week stay last year, we got in once; this year, 3x. Second choice as far as beach calibre is Hapuna, which is public and right next door, but one has to be extremely careful with one's valuable there. 3rd is Waikoloa Beach, where parking is not limited, the access walk is short, but the "sand" is volcano pumice and there is a lot of lava rock in the water (versus Mauna Kea and Hapuna, which are "sand" sand and have little or no lava).

This beach is beautiful. It is the most picturesque beach on the Big Island. It has beautiful, soft sand, and clear blue water. When we went both times we saw a sea turtle. You do have to drive through the hotel to get to the beach and public access is limited to 40 cars, but we didn't have a problem finding a spot.

This beach is the best we went to. That's my point of vue. The sand is beautiful, there are trees to sit in the shade. There's the hotel that you could buy drinks at. My grandchild went boogy boarding with other children that we there. My daughter's went snorkeling and got great pictures. As a senior I just loved being in the water and bobbing in the waves. You do have to get there early and I mean like 8 - 8:30 am to have a parking space. Parking is free.

Beautiful beach. Protected. We found waves tame so it is kid friendly. There are 40 parking spots for the public. Our first try, we got there at 8am and the last spot was just taken. Our 2nd try, we got there between 7-7:15. We were the 1st to park.

Mauna Kea is a beautiful beach. Kinda like the perfect design; crescent shaped, slow slope into blue water, easy swimming conditions. Snorkeling to the north and south in good conditions. My problem with the beach is the feeling of being an outsider when going as a "public visitor" rather than hotel guest. There are 30 spaces in the area for visitors to the beach and if full, you leave. But even being down on the beach, signs for do not enter if not a hotel guest are prevalent. It's okay, really. But as far as beaches go, I would prefer Hapuna Beach and pay $5 parking for the same experience. Sunset is just as gorgeous.

We picked this beach because of a review for good snorkeling and the ability to view fish - I was not disappointed! I have scuba dived in Bermuda and Playa deal Carmen - the fish here were so much better and free! Stay to the right of the bay, near the hotel for the best snorkeling! The beach was also amazing, great sand and the surf was not too strong. I am not sure what other reviews are complaining about, but the beach - sand - surf was great. One note of caution - the hotel only has 25 parking spots for the beach, so get there early if you are going in season. We went in mid- January before 9 and there were only two spots left then.

An added bonus for January visitors - whales!! We could spot breaching whales from the shore with not problem. Binoculars helped to see, but they are out there!

The parking lot only has 40 spots available for the beach, so try to get to the beach prior to 9:00 am. The beach itself is a short walk from the parking lot & there are bathrooms located close by the beach. It is a really nice beach & did not seem too busy. At night, the manta rays swim close to the restaurant. There is a nice viewing deck over their location that you can get to from the hotel.

So you may have looked at postcards from Hawaii that all your friends sent to you, and wondered if they were real. When you arrive at this beach, you realize that the beach is real, and the experience is UNREAL.

The beach access is through a private beach/golf resort and you have to get a parking pass from the security gate--there is a limit of 40 cars at a time, so most people say to come before 9 am, especially on weekends. we came after 3 pm, so most people were leaving and it worked out perfect for us.

This is an ideal crescent shaped beach. Not much for waves on the day we came, but there is nice snorkeling by the south end (fish & turtles), and swimming is very relaxing--just float around on the water for hours. The sand is sooooo smooth, one of the few that you can walk around without water shoes on. There are shaded areas, but it probably isnt a bad idea to pick one up at walmart or Costco. Because there is limited parking access, there is a lot of room on the beach--unlike Hapuna Bay (3 miles south), which has a lot of paid parking, but crowded on the beach. There are outdoor showers and bathrooms nearby. Its a pretty setting, I even considered doing our Christmas shot here!

If you can get your family together with food, towels, chairs & umbrella and get out the door shortly after 8:30 am, you're going to have a great time with the kids at the beach

This is a great swim/ snorkel/ body board beach depending on wave action. Snorkelling is along the sides of the beach area. Sand is a beautiful white. My daughter loved this beach so much that she wanted to go back for a second visit which was just as great. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy. I recommend either going quite early or go late afternoon to get parking and access. 2 daquiries and one virgin cocktail was 50 USD.

FYI The sand at Kua is slowly coming back. In just two weeks a lot has come back. I would imagine that in another 3-4 weeks it could be all back.

One of our most favorite spots on the Big Island. Gorgeous white sand, not too crowded, and hardly any rocks as you enter the ocean. As others wrote the hotel will tell you there isn’t a lot of public parking. Don’t worry cars move in and out often. Go visit this paradise.

One of the best beaches on Big Island has limited (40 stalls) public parking, and you may have to valet, but whatever...it's worth it. Walk, jog, swim, snorkel, surf...and after all the exertion, relax at the Hau Tree bar or grab a bite at the beach restaurant. Don't forget your sunscreen 😎

We got here early around 8:45am and got the last parking spot. The perfect powdery sand and soft waves make this beach a must stop. It's really nice especially because this beach never gets crowded. Being able to get drinks from Mauna Kea beach bar is a bonus!

My husband wants me to write a bad review for this beach so it would not become overcrowded. But there is no worries because they only give 35 passed per day for non- hotel guest. It was about a 10 minute drive for us and the first time we went we didn't get a pass and had to turn around and head back to our resort. We were very disappointed but because we heard the great reviews we thought we give it another try. We arrived early and got passes 2 days in a row. It was certainly worth the effort. This might be the perfect beach.

Went with our little kids and it was a break shore break to get them used to the water. The sand was so soft and the resort is so accommodating. Great bar right on the water, so fun for all!

Best snorkeling ever and best sand beach in Hawaii. We have traveled extensively in the Caribbean and Cancun and this rivals them all.

This is an amazing beach which is great for building sand castles and boogie boarding. The current can get strong, so you have to pay attention to conditions.

Ok - no doubt, this beach is beautiful. The sand is great, the beach is a nice size. However a few things didn’t work for me as a solo brown girl traveler. I got there at 8:30am and the lot was full. So I decided to hike over from Hāpuna. All of the trip advisor reviews said that the hike was easy - IT was NOT. It was moderate in my mind with varied terrain. I’m not from Cali - so hiking is not something I do everyday. I had a little bit of stuff, so I made it over ok. It took about 30 mins. Then when I arrived I realized that I was definitely the only brown person on the beach, no locals at all. I get it - why hike over to this beach when there are a lot of others ones. The feeling of the folks at the beach felt very rich and very hmmmmm.....

All in all - the beach was beautiful and it was a nice place to relax. I left after a few hours to find something a bit more my style and comfort.

We were lucky enough to get one of the parking spaces and spent the day here. Great swimming beach. Life guard in duty. White sand beach. We watched the sunset on the trail between here and Hapuna Beach.

There are only 40 public parking spots that are monitored by the hotel entrance guard. This limits the amount of people at the beach. The sand is soft and free of any sharp rocks while you are swimming. Restrooms are available just before the beach entrance. It did not cost anything to visit this beautiful beach.

This barely missed out on the best beach for us only Kua Bay might be nicer. The water was really calm and perfect for anyone to go in the water. It doesn't have the extreme beauty that some other Hawaiian beaches have, but it's really nice, wasn't crowded, sunny with only a gentle breeze, and the water was amazing. Pretty much a perfect beach experience here. It was clean and because it's located at a resort people seem to treat it nice. There was a bathroom at the beach and the beach is about a 5 minute paved walk downhill from the parking lot. There is also a bar where you can buy tropical drinks. (Pricey, but enjoyable)

For access, we got there about 11:30am on a holiday weekend and were given a pass to go down. You just ask the person at the entrance if you can access the public beach here. The parking lot maybe holds 30 cars and there were a couple open spots when we got there so we were able to go down no issue. Not sure if that's typical.

Seriously, this was just a wonderful beach. Uncrowded and relaxing. After having been on so many of the black, green and mixed sand beaches, which are stunning but have very hard sand, this powder-soft sand nearly brought me to my knees. The day we were there, the water was calm and we could wade out quite a long ways. Just a wonderful day. Yes, parking is scarce, so get their early. That said, we got there around 11 and lucked out - got the last space. Worth the trouble and then some!

Recently visited this beach for the first time to experience what all the fuss was about. We arrived at 7:50am and there were about 12 cars already parked in the beach access area....I understand they only let in about 40. Have tried visiting this beach during previous trips but was always turned away due to lack of parking spots. The beach itself is really nice...calm bay water, beautiful scenery, nice stretch of sand, not too crowded...but there is very limited 'natural' shade, so you'll have to arrive super early to get both a parking spot and a shady spot. We stayed for a few hours and enjoyed it, but had to keep moving back under the tree for some shade. There are much nicer beaches on this island that don't require an 8am arrival and shade. Glad I tried it but probably won't rush back.

It is very cool that Hawaii requires public access to beaches that would otherwise be controlled by hotels and private owners. The public access here is limited to 40 guests, so an early arrival is essential. It is a beautiful, sandy bottomed beach. Good for swimming. Not much surf. Snorkeling on both sides of the bay provides opportunity to see a variety of fish and a lot of dead coral. It's a good, but short walking beach. The hotel dominates but is not a negative factor. The problem is that there is limited shade, and only on the south side of the beach. All of the public visitors seek shelter under the same few trees. I have never had anyone sit so close to me on a beach (and I grew up near the Jersey shore). If this kind of thing doesn't bug you, then this beach deserves a higher rating.

This was a great beach. After reading many reviews about limited public parking, we headed out early and arrived ~0820 am. The lot was about 3/4 full but still plenty of spaces. It was a short walk down to a clean sandy beach. There were a lot of people there but it did not feel overly crowded. The waves were a little rough the day we went, but we still had a great time.

Soft, white sand half-mooning the shoreline and a complement to the Hotel that shares the same name. Mauna Kea, (Kaunaoa) is a simply beautiful beach on the Kohala Coast of the island of Hawai'i. Snorkeling on the north portion of the beach is great for families and their children. Beautiful and the best Beach Bar in Hawai'i. Bring your wallets!

After spending half a day at Hapuna Beach, I didn’t think this could top it but it did. Hapuna was great for parking and boogie boarding, but it got crowded quickly. Mauna Kea was just as beautiful (if not more), but not nearly as crowded. You have to get to both beaches early but Mauna Kea only has so many public beach spots and you go through the resort main gate to get a pass. From the parking lot it is short walk down a paved path to the public bathrooms (with two outdoor showers) and then out onto a gorgeous soft white sand beach. We snorkeled both sides of the cove - the north side (to the right as you look at the ocean) had the most fish by far but the south side was easier to swim to the (mostly dead) reef. In between the reef points, a big expanse of blue water for swimming, paddle boarding, and body surfing (the day we were there the waves were not enough for good boogie boarding - but every time we’ve been to Hapuna the waves were always enough for great boogie boarding). This is probably my favorite traditional beach on the Island.

It is a really lovely beach, ended up being our favorite for 2 weeks. Parking is free, get there early via the resort. At the entrance booth, just tell them you are going to the beach. It’s a 5 minute walk down a paved path to the beach. No lifeguards. There are ocean warning signs and flags to let you know the conditions. Can get very windy/dangerous shore break. Some days the waves were at least 10 feet high. There is shade, change rooms and bathrooms. Water is a little less rough on either far end of the beach by the rocks. Bring a boogie board, a book and enjoy!

Beautiful beach with stunning views. The water colour is beautiful and there are good places to grab a drink or a bite nearby.

Talcum powder sand that makes great sand sculptures and is easy on the feet, turquoise waters, good snorkeling on a calm day, body surfing and boogie boarding if it gets windier and rougher. Great for anyone who loves beaches and/or ocean swimming. Washrooms and outside showers just up from the beach, also some trees for shade back from the beach. Get there early as there is limited parking via the Mauna Kea resort gated entry and they won't let you in via car when the parking spots are full. It is a 6 or 7 minute walk down to the beach, so drop off anyone who has difficulty walking or if you have a big load of stuff with you, then park (if there are just a few spots left, you might want to leave someone to save a space).

Beautiful beach that's not crowded. We made sure to get there early so that we were guaranteed entry. Water is so clear..could see my feet in waist deep water.

Mauna Kea Resort has limited the beach parking and even if you want to go to the resort you have to valet park. Several of the beach parking spots were saved for Mauna Kea Platinum members.....shame on them. We went twice and couldn’t get parking. Get there by 7:30 in the morning if you want a spot. We won’t go back.

Just to the North of Hapuna Beach, this beach is also one of those perfect beaches. Pristine white sand and breaking waves up the middle of a crescent shaped beach. Since the access is through the golf/Hotel entrance for Mauna Kea, the beach access parking lot is small and you have to get there early, otherwise wait for parking slots to open up. Facilities are clean and well maintained. No entrance fee for cars but the entrance person may not let you in if the parking lot is full.

What I like and hate about Mauna Kea Beach. The parking passes. When you don't get one it sucks, when you get one and you know there are only so many people that are going to be at the beach is awesome. Plus, the parking is as safe as you can get while at any beach on the island, well, minus being a complete idiot about what you leave in open view.

Do I want to tell people when to show up in order to get a pass? No, not really.

They have gotten rid of handing out slips of paper and just use a clipboard now. I joked around with the gate lady when we saw her various times through our trip, we were about a 50/50 ratio of getting in.

The property is pretty, but the beach and bay is fantastic. I spent the majority of my time waiting for sets of waves to roll in and body surf in them.

What is also nice about the beach.. Most people are huddled under the few shaded areas at the back of the beach, we set up our flowing shade and had the waves just a few meters from our set up. Nobody was set up around us at all. Music, the inflatable loungers, the drinks, if you plan accordingly, you can have the best day at the beach ever while at Mauna Kea.

What is also nice about Mauna Kea Beach.. The people who show up are so much better behaved than the idiots who show up at many of the other beaches that anyone can get into at any time of the day.

It is a beach that you can actually find some bliss at and not have droves upon droves imbeciles that horde around you.

A beach that has beautiful sand, a great area to relax, boogie board or swim. Restrooms clean and shower to get sand off feet. Parking at a minimum. Short downhill walk to beach from parking lot.

Incredible beach. soft sand, beautiful clear water. Lovely beach, definitely a place for relaxation, quiet, and getting the stress to float away.

We came here on a weekday in September, around 8AM, and had no difficulty getting one of the 35 parking spaces. It was really easy; just pull up to the booth and tell them you want to go to the beach. They explain how to get there.

We spent most of the day here. Tried snorkeling, thought visibility wasn't great and there weren't a lot of fish. Nice for swimming, though. We set up on the south end. Sounded like the north end was better for snorkeling, but that's closer to the hotel, and there was more shade and solitude at the other end. It's a fairly long beach. It's also more than a casual stroll from the parking area, but flat and paved. There are restrooms, showers, and water.

My husband and I couldn't seem to find an actual beach with sand to relax on but we stumbled across this one and the entrance isn't like normal parks. There's a person to let you in and if parking is full, you have to come back later but we happened to get in and there were several open parking spaces for the public. It's worth the drive north of Kona! It was the clearest blue water I've ever seen! We did some snorkeling and only saw fish but it was really soft sand in and out of the water! It's also super clean which is probably because the hotel and golf course that's also in the area. It's our favorite beach now because it's so accessible! Definitely going back!

You don't like sand?

Stay away.

You don't like the sound of waves crashing against rocks?

Go somewhere else.

If you do like those kind of things and can afford it...stay here and dig this beach.

It is the best tourist beach on the island. Big Island 🌴? Love ❤️ it!

There are several beaches with resorts north of Hilo. Our bit of paradise was at the Mauna Kea Beach. We stayed at the Marriott Autograph hotel at this beach (see a different review for this hotel). The hotel has all the beach amenities available for you.

As you can see from my pics, this beach fits all the requirements for a dream Hawaii beach: long white sand, it is shallow for quite a distance into the ocean, a beach bar is readily available, and it has snorkeling. There is even an anchored float for you to swim to and rest on. We choose here for the Manta Ray snorkeling experience (see the Manta Ray Advocate review). And of course, the sunsets were spectacular (again see pics).

For a bit of a hike, you can walk/hike the path to another hotel around the cliffs from this beach. While it’s a nice change of scenery, for us, this environment was a better fit.

This was our second trip to the island of Hawaii and we probably visited here 6 times over two weeks. Things to remember:

All beaches in the state of Hawaii are public and owners cannot refuse entry, i.e. if you are walking along the shoreline. However, most beaches, like MK, are in bays which typically are protected by rocky points, so very hard for most to walk to the beach.

However, most commercial owners have a process to allow public access. In the case of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (great looking property, by the way) they have set aside 40 parking spots for the public and these are given out on a first come first basis every day. Best to arrive before 9:00 am to improve your chances. However, if all 40 spots have been given out don't despair, as many arrive very early and begin to leave mid-morning.

There is a 10 minute walk on a paved path to the wash/change rooms (with a fresh water shower) and then the beach stuns you with its wide expanse of white sand. There are not chairs for the "public", but the MKBH has chairs for its guests and some of these do "migrate" away from the beach in front of the hotel to the far end of the beach. Nice thing is, the hotel staff don't seem to mind too much (must be a Hawaiian thing) so if you find a chair you can enjoy without fear of getting yelled at or chased off the beach.

There are some nice shady trees but no other shelter from the sun, so bring an umbrella if you can.

Beach is very wide with "reasonable" waves; we did a bit of body surfing but the break is a bit close to the beach for it to be call great. However, bottom is soft and clean with few rocks in the main area, so great for swimming.

Good rocks at both ends of the beach so bring your snorkel gear. We saw lots of fish and some live coral, but not a lot of colourful coral. On a previous trip we did spot some sea turtles swimming and feed off the rocks, but not this trip.

Wash/change rooms are clean and well maintained and the MKBH staff are all very friendly, even to non-guests.

All in all, a great place to bring a cooler and enjoy your lunch in the shade or the sun, but just arrive early!

If you're looking for a sandy beach to play in small waves, this is a great choice! There are lots of rocky beaches around Kona and a lot of great snorkeling beaches, this one was our top choice for enjoying the water, no rocks at all…

We walked to Mauna Kea beach from where we are staying at Hapuna. Apparently our parking pass would have allowed us entry to their lot, but not until January - I guess they restrict it during the Christmas holidays. It was a 10 minute walk from Hapuna along a golf cart path.

The sand is like fine white talcum powder, so soft and beautiful. The beach is a bay, which helps to decrease the surf and the white powdery sand extends far outwards and makes for easy water entry. Snorkeling is good on the North side along the rocks; the South side looked a little rougher with waves crashing against the rocks so we avoided it.

A hotel beach bar is set up with pricey drinks, and there is little shade, so bring your sunscreen. Showers available at the South end.

We have been to many beaches on this island and we have voted this beach #1....the beach location is pristine and the sand is extremely soft in and out of the water. Snorkeling is good near the rocks. Great trail to and from Hapuna Beach state park. Overall, BEST Beach! Located in Mauna Kea. Go to guard gate and let them know you would like to go to the beach and they will let you in if the parking lot is not full. BEAUTIFUL BEACH!!!

Soft sand, plenty of room to spread out; good location to learn stand up paddleboard. Public beach, plus private beach for Mauna Kea resort.

The famous Mauna Kea Beach is primarily occupied by the equally famous resort, but Hawaai’s public beach access laws make it possible for a limited number of non-guests to park and enjoy the beautiful beach and excellent snorkeling along the reef– in addition to a plentiful variety of fish, I swam along with a sea turtle for a while. So cool.

We arrived just before 7:30am (per other reviews) and had no problem getting a parking pass. The attendant at check-in was very friendly. The walk to the public beach is paved and shaded. This is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve visited. Families were snorkeling and boogie boarding. Clean restrooms with showers.

We walked to the Mauna Kea resort from the Hapuna Westin a few times. It's an easy walk via the road / cart path or you can hike the Ala Kahakai trail, which is along the coast with beautiful views. Showers, bathrooms were convenient; charming feral cats; and the Mauna Kea resort is there if you want something to eat / drink.

Love this beach! So fun to spend a few hours at with the family. Sunny, sandy, bug waves for body surfing in the winter. The $5 parking was reasonable.

We stayed at the Mauna Kea Hotel and found this beach to be a delight. It is supported by a staff managing umbrellas, chairs, paddle boards, a couple of little sailboats and a beach bar and restaurant. It didn’t appear that hotel guests were active users of the equipment, just the sand, shade, bar and restaurant. The hotel also has a large pool with a deck a level above and behind the beach.

It is a beautiful beach on a glorious cove, with lots of whales visibly spouting from the hotel / beach during certain times of the year. The hotel has a couple of inviting floats out in the cove.

Favorite Big Island beach! This beach had enough waves to keep my two teens boys happy, and enough calm water for this mom to float in. The snorkeling was OK. There was some shade, which was so helpful. We went on a Thursday morning and arrived at 8:30am to an almost full parking lot. We were told that “starting today,” they are charging nonresidents $20 to park. While annoying and questionable, the fee was worth it.

They limit access to this area do the crowds aren't large. The beach is clean and the view is lovely. It is a bit of a hike down to the beach.

I would stay here just because it IS the best beach in Hawaii. Choose a room that has the shower with its own patio so you can see the ocean when you shower. And apply for a membership in Marriot so you can get points.

We traveled with 18 people to the this beach. The beach is right next to the Mauna Kea resort and, while there, you have access to their bar and restaurant. Parking for the beach alone is VERY limited. But, if you use the hotel facilities, you can get parking validated.

My 91 year old grandmother was with us and they were kind enough to shuttle her to the edge of the beach. It was just a short walk from there to the shady tree.

There's a HUGE shade tree that accommodates many people. It was great to bring coolers and beach chairs.

There's great snorkeling to the left. We saw many varieties of fish and it is surprisingly shallow for quite a distance.

The sand is white and gorgeous and the water is very accessible and easy to navigate for all ages.

Wish we had had more time to spend at this beach! It's a "must experience" in Hawaii.

It fulfills all your dreams of what a beach should be. Gentle water, soft sand that slopes easily from the tree line all the way to the break water (100s of yards out). Not crowded. Not noisy. Clean. Respectful, quiet users. No motorized watercraft. Great snorkelling along the rocky shorelines, both left and right.
The only challenge is there are just 30 (?) parking spaces available to the public (the beach is not accessible on foot) and once those parking spaces are taken, the staff at the gate (operated by Mauna Kea Beach Resort) will refuse you entry. If refused, you'll have to try again later.

Come early as this beach fills up quickly as there is limited parking. You have to park south and walk about 1/2 mile to the beach down a marked paved hill. This is a nice white sand beach with some shade trees. On calm days the snorkeling is exceptional by the rocks to the left , its a bit murky when you first enter until you get out to the rocks and on rougher days its a great place for beginner boogie boarders. Everyday is a great day to frolic and swim at this beach. Full facilities here.

This may have been my favorite beach on the Big Island. Beautiful white powdery sand, crystal clear blue water, just an overall great beach. We parked at Hapuna and walked along the coastal trail for about a mile, which was enjoyable as well. At the end of the walk, we were rewarded by this incredible beach. Highly recommend to any beach lovers out there.

There is limited parking for beach goers, so get here early. We arrived at 8:25AM and got one of the last two parking spots in the lot (about 30 spots). Because of the limited parking the beach doesn't get too packed, but you do share it with guests from the adjoining hotel.

Tip: pack your own lunch/snacks. The food at the hotel is average and overpriced. If you're going to spend money, use it for drinks mid afternoon to get out of the sun for a bit.

This was one of our favorite beaches on the island.

This is a private and beautiful beach, not to be missed if possible. It is a perfect spot for relaxation and drop dead gorgeous views.

This is perhaps the most beautiful beach in the world. Wonderful crescent, soft sand, fairly calm waves. We were able to walk the paths through the condos and golf course from the Hapuna Prince Hotel to this beach. Wonderful place.

We would have liked to have reported more about the beach but we were too late to get one of the very few parking spaces. In addition, this parking costs as it is at a hotel 21$. Unfortunately, this does not go to the State Park Center employees, but to the hotel. The gentleman at the gate was also not friendly and then especially with the knowledge that this beach is actually a public one and not owned by the hotel. It's a pity the government isn't taking action there. We would not only have wanted to see the beach from a distance, but also to feel it under our feet. If anyone wants to go, get up very early to be there by 8 a.m. at the latest. But does not mean a guarantee for a parking space.

I have been going to the Mauna Kea Beach since the mid 70’s and had not been there for quite a while.....still breathtaking and perfect for a day on the beach and playing in the ocean.

IF you are not staying at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel it is a bit of a challenge to go there as there is a public parking lot which has maybe 40 parking spaces and usually filled by 9 a.m. the way to do this is to get there noonish when people start to leave and a few spots open up.

Great for body surfing as the waves are very mild and the beach is a sandy bottom.

There is a well know trail from the Hapuna Beach Hotel to Mauna Kea Beach with majestic ocean views, sea turtles, whales, and dolphins. When not looking to your left at the Ocean, you’ll see how the 2%ers live, with their beautiful summer homes. Mauna Kea Beach itself is blessed with powdery white sand, azure blue calm waters, and a beach bar! Yes, if you’re staying at either resort, you have reciprocated privileges at both!

Big, beautiful, soft, sandy horseshoe beach with gradual slope in the water. Great for kids and adults alike. Love that there's enough room for everyone to spread out. Unlike other popular beaches on the island, you aren't on top of your neighbors here.

Also love that you can access the restaurant, rentals and restrooms of the resort. We rented stand up paddle boards and a kayak --- which kept kids active the whole day. We had lunch at the restaurant on the the beach which was awesome. Yes, it is resort pricey but the service was top rate and the food was out-of-this-world --- best on the island! And we all got to rinse off in the fresh water showers before jumping in the car for our hour ride back to our condo.

Highly recommend a trip here. We will definitely be back.

Quiet beautiful beach. Away from the hastle of the main city beaches.
Excellent for stopping by from or to waipio valley.

Mauna Kea Beach is glorious. It's wonderful if you have elderly or little children in tow as the beach break is usually quite mellow due to it being in a natural protected bay! The public restrooms need better attention.
Enjoy this beach and please respect our Hawaii beaches. Mahalo for visiting!

We went for a beach day on the public part of the beach. Having done our research we understood there are only 25 car parking space open to the public, so we went on a week day and got there reasonably early. We were lucky and got straight in past the very polite guard on the gate. Upon reaching the car park we found a “beach parking spot”. My wife is a wheelchair user and we were delighted to find a pathed route all the way down to the beach and a shady tree right next to the path. Couldn’t ask for easier access.
Now about this beach, it is a slice of paradise. Thanks to the restricted access limiting numbers of people it is never crowded. The hotel seems to dominate one end of the beach and the public have the other end. It works well and there is plenty of room for everyone. Crystal clear water in a shelter bay, trees along the beach for shade and some rocks on the edges for snorkelling. The occasional turtle swims by just to peak your interest.
The hotel bar is expensive so be warned, take plenty of water and food as there are no food stands there except the hotel. The washrooms are large and clean.

Beautiful powdery beach with gentle waves and gradual slope. Great for children. Easy snorkeling for kids near the rocks.Parking does fill up so go before 9 am or later in the afternoon. There are restrooms including showers. Pool side lunch or cocktails at the Mauna Kea is a nice treat.

We spent the morning at Mauna Kea Beach, after we lucked out with the last parking spot. Go early as parking fills up quickly. The beach is beautiful and there were just a handful of people there. We swam with a Honu and many other fish near the rocks. Water was clear once you got away from the beach. The water was especially warm in this beautiful cove. We will definitely go back!

White, fluffy sand rather than the crushed Lava chunks at other beaches. However, the high surf and strong surge made snorkeling difficult the day that we went. Nice for splashing in the shallows thoug.

We drove up the first day from Kona and were turned away. The gate attendants didn’t check the cams to see if anyone left, just rude. So we asked both when is a good time to access a public beach, since no beach on any Hawaiian island is private. One said, 8am, the other said 7:45am. The next morning we woke up early, and arrived at 7:15am, much to the anger of the attendant who told us 8am. After the short walk down the hill, we saw a buggy, brown sand beach. Half was reserved for guests of the hotel, the jungle shady side left to people not staying at the hotel. On top of all the bad, cramped and crowded. Guests jogged, walked by with scowling disdain on their faces. Screw this beach unless you booked this hotel. Go to Kua bay, goto the left of the stairs down, true white sand and friendly people. Even better, Makalawena, the best beach on the big island with three beaches on the way there if you can’t make the hike in. All are awesome and secluded that allow your very own part of the beach to yourself, and Monk seals are often there sunning themselves. Mauna Kea is overhyped by people from most likely the east coast where sand is crap.

We didn't want to miss one sunset on the island. So we hit up the nearest/ best rated beach and this was really nice.
You have to get let in by guard at gate. Just tell them your visiting the beach. We parked way at the end of the road in a parking lot designated for beach parking. We had to walk thru an amazingly beautiful hotel. Which was weird. Took an elevator down. And walked on this amazing beach. Sand soft and fine. Water warm and clear.

We absolutely loved this beautiful side beach. We were surprised that it was not crowded despite the fact that the hotel was at full capacity with a Christmas break crowd. The sugar sand beach is beautiful. The beach is located in a cove and is so picturesque. We were awestruck at the natural beauty. We rented snorkel gear and headed to the edge of the beach for a great family adventure.
The Mauna Kea Hotel has a restaurant right on the edge of the beach. We had a hearty lunch of beautiful salads and tasty sandwiches. Add fresh juice drinks and iced tea. Toes in the sand. Perfect!

Peaceful classic Aloha HAWAII! My fav beach on the planet!

Nice place to taje a walk and also enjoy fresh Poke with Taro chips at the Mauna Kea hotel

This beach is small, out of the way, and not crowded. The Mauna Kea resort "manages" access. The sand is PERFECT soft, white, and powdery. Snorkeling is excellent on both sides of the cove. Must do.

Mauna Kea beach is one of the nicest beaches on the big island. To the public, you must get there by 8am to get public parking. The day we were there, we saw a friendly old turtle swim right up to us by the short. It was in no hurry and just waded in the water near us. Great place for kids to play and swim as the water is very calm.

Mauna Kea Beach is a beautiful beach, but you must get there early to get a parking spot. Once the spot are taken, there is really no overflow area. Once you park, it is a walk down a road, but not too far. They have bathrooms there at the end of the walk. The beach itself is beautiful and wide. Come and plan on staying all day! Beautiful setting!

We stayed at the Mauna Kea resort and I see why this beach is so popular. It is beautiful with soft sand, no shells or rocks, fairly protected and quite a bit larger than other beaches we visited. Great swimming, even when the waves got big, just be careful!

Soft sugary sand with a crescent shaped beach. We were there during high waves znd boogie boarding was fun. Parking is limited and can be difficult to obtain a permit.

Frequently cited as one of the top two beaches in the US, I had really high expectations. Yes, the sand is very white and the ocean is clear and blue. But it’s no whiter or more amazing than Hāpuna or half the other beaches we went to. It’s smaller, and literally half the beach has rows and rows of umbrellas and chairs reserved by the hotel. Parking is hit or miss and tightly controlled by the hotel (only 40 spots available for the public and they ALWAYS tell you it’s full). We got through the gate thinking we were going to pay $40 to valet at the hotel, and when we got down to the lot there were 3 public spots available. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful beach but I wouldn’t feel like I’d missed a great opportunity if we hadn’t gone.

As people have said it is a beautiful white sand beach. Yes, you do have to get there early to get one of the allotted parking spots for non guests. They do provide a nice walkway down to the beach. There is some shade under a few trees. They provide a place to wash off and a bathroom. I went to snorkel. Tropical Snorkeling website was correct. There is decent snorkeling on the right side of the property but when I did the left side, I actually found a nice sized turtle just cruising along.

Another gorgeous beach on the Big Island. Have to get there early to get free parking at the hotel, Otherwise you have to valet. It's near Hapuna but access is through Mauna Kea Beach hotel.

Great beach with easy parking at the resort. Plenty of space and trees to hide under. Waters are quiet, no currents and if you are lucky enough you can see few turtles in the water.

Great day at the beach. Open and and easy access to water. Bring boogie boards for big waves and snorkel carefully. Waves were strong and can throw you OK to jagged edge. Sand is soft and warm.

The entrance to this beach is at the Mauna Kea beach resort. You have to stop at the gate and let them know you are heading to the beach. We read reviews saying to get there early if you want to get in because parking is limited. Got there at 8am on a Tuesday and we were one of the first 5 cars in the lot. There's a downhill walking path that leads to the beach, I'd say it's about 1/8 mile walk. Not far at all. Doable carrying your chairs and towels. Make sure to bring beach chairs and towels if you want them, the resort that shares the beach doesn't allow non guests to rent chairs/umbrellas (even when they have lots available). There is quite a bit of shade on the beach because of the trees that line the beach but again, that's where everyone wants to be so make sure you get there early if you want shade (or bring an umbrella). There are public restrooms right as you get to the beach. The sand is soft and powdery. The water is very calm as it's protected by land on both sides of the beach. There were a lot of people swimming laps and using SUP with no problems. The sand is soft throughout including in the water. Not Rocky at all. Wish we had brought a cooler with drinks and snacks so we could stay all day. The adjacent resort has a restaurant but we didn't want to lug all of our stuff up there with us. Overall awesome beach day! Highly recommend!

This resort is way cool, rather historic, and a short drive North of Waikoloa. You can access public parking if you get here early in the morning, or you might try visiting the restaurant, and shops or their sweetly sited beach bar, and using valet parking. This is a picturesque sand beach on Kauna'oa Bay that is said to have great snorkeling. Too bad for swimmers like us, there was awesome surf breaking out here when we visited in January.

This is a beautiful white sand beach that is part of the Mauna Kea Resort. Get here early, like around 8:30 am. There are only 25 guest parking spots for the general public and they fill up fast. You can bring hiking shoes and hike a beautiful trail to the north through the resort and beyond, or hike the rocky trail to the south to Hapuna beach (which is also a beautiful white sand beach). Mauna Kea is more protected and the waves don't get as high as at Hapuna beach. On a calm day you can snorkel on either side of the beach. On days with more waves you can boogie board, and you will even see an occasional surfer or canoes riding waves on the north end. They have bathrooms and showers to rinse off when you are done playing.

Even though this beach is not as wide as Hapuna State Park beach it is still beautiful and you can see Manta Rays.

Gorgeous beach, safe for kids with many wild sea turtles. While there are only 40 public parking spots and you have to arrive early, it is well worth it. The water is gorgeous and perfect for open water swims or snorkeling. The showers/facilities were clean and convenient.

I know most reviews will say Haupuna is the best beach, but I love Mauna Kea beach. You have to get up and to the beach early (40 car limit at beach parking lot strictly enforced by hotel security) but that keeps the beach I crowded. Perfect powder sand, trees you can set up chairs under so you can stay cool and enjoy the beauty of the ocean. Mauna Kea resort is here so you can grad a meal or get a drink if you want. Snorkeling is surprisingly good too! Very calm waters so safe for small ones. There are lots of young families here when we come to this beach.

Great beach! The sand was soft and warm. There was shade available. Warm, shallow, mellow water. Probably my favorite beach I went to while here

This is my favorite beach on the big island. Calm waters, blue tranquil ocean. Most importantly I wanted to write this review so others know that if beach parking is full, you can tell the guard that you are going to the Mauna Kea for lunch. No reservations needed. Valet is $40 and they validate $20 if you buy food or drink. We got nachos and ate on the beach (you can also eat at a table or at the bar). There is shade on the public side of the beach. Don’t let the lack of public parking stop you! We brought out all our snorkel gear, boogie boards etc from our car.. no problem.

This was the most beautiful uncrowded beach & incredible snorkeling spot! I finally got to swim with a turtle, WOW! We went mid morning & there was plenty of parkng.

Free public parking at the end of the road. Tell the guard you are going to beach. There are only about 25 spots. Sandy beach, no rocks. Snorkle along the right or left edges of the bay where the lava rocks are. Great coral reef and lots of fish.
At night after 7:30, Mauna Kea resort has a small overlook where you can watch manta rays.

Always excellent snorkeling and swimming to platform in his perfectly sandy mellow crescent beach. We saw a sea snake this time which we have never seen. Also got to see the mantas several evenings. T he y are not here every night anymore as they bailed to be. We learned there are 2 other common places for mantas to feed on plankton at night.
Great beach for clam bake outdoors, thanksgiving dinner and luau, walking, playing football or just reading. Body surfing on days w a little larger surf is also great. Wonderful for old and young here because easy to get in and out .the break is gentle. Paddle board yoga is great..always look forward to it. Regular yoga on the grass in front of beach wing is also great-challenging and good instructors like Aleah and Molly.

We were at beach just after 7 am. Come early and be prepared for a walk down to the beach. Beautiful sand and lots of space for people. We were under a lovely tree that provided plenty of shade cover for us. The snorkelling was great! We saw a variety of fish, lobster, snake and coral. Enjoy a beautiful view and time!

Beautiful beach.
However, parking is very limited and on a first arrived first parked rule.
Don't miss the Brunch at the Mauna Kea Hotel every Sundays.

This beach is perfect to go to and swim in, views are beautiful. We spent hours just hanging in the water, very mellow waves and such an amazing place, highly recommend! Looking to stay here next time even because of the beach!