Waikoloa

The shoreline below the resorts, where the swell works at a shelf of black lava and the trail along the top runs from one bay to the next.

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Where

The Kohala coast, about 30 minutes north of Kona airport

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The Shore

Black lava shelf, not sand. Tidepools when the swell drops

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The Trail

Runs along the top of the shore between the bays

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Shade

Almost none. Go early or late

A Shelf of Lava

Waikoloa sits on the Kohala coast where old flows meet the sea, and the shoreline is a shelf of black rock rather than a beach. The swell works at it constantly: spouts through gaps, surf breaking white on black, and pools left clear enough to see the bottom when it drops. There is one small beach of lava boulders and broken white coral, and the coral is not sand however much it looks like it.

The Trail Along the Top

A coastal trail runs along the top of the shelf, linking one bay to the next and passing in front of the resorts. It is the reason to be up early here. At sunrise the light comes over the mountain behind you and hits the water, and at the other end of the day the same rock goes orange. Between the two it is hot and there is very little shade.

What This Page Does Not Cover

Waikoloa is better known for three things this page does not show: Anaehoomalu Bay, the old fish ponds behind it, and the petroglyph fields inland. We walked the shoreline rather than those, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise. They are the reason to come back.

The lava shore

The Lava Shore

Surf on black rock, spouts through the gaps, and the pools left behind.

A wave breaking on a grey morning off the Kohala coast
The BreakA clean line of swell coming in on an overcast morning.
Heavy surf breaking over black lava under grey cloud on the Kohala coast
Storm SurfA grey afternoon on the same shelf. The swell drives into the undercut rock and comes back out white.
Green naupaka shrubs along a black lava shore with surf breaking beyond
Naupaka and SurfNaupaka grows right down to the rock along this stretch and takes the salt without complaint.
Turquoise water over a shallow black lava shelf
Over the ShelfThe water over the shallow lava shelf turns this colour when the sun is high.
A heron standing at the edge of a clear lava tidepool
A Heron in the TidepoolA heron working the edge of a tidepool. The water in these pools is clear enough to count the stones on the bottom.
Black lava coast with turquoise water and the Kohala mountain behind
The Lava CoastThe coast north of the resort on a clear day, with the Kohala mountain running down to the water behind.
A beach of black lava stones mixed with white coral rubble below palms
Boulders and CoralBlack lava and white coral on the same beach. The white pieces are broken coral washed in off the reef, not sand.
Black lava rock scattered with white coral fragments and shells
Black and WhiteClose on the ground: black lava, white coral and a few shells, which is most of what this shoreline is made of.
First and last light

First and Last Light

Sunrise over the mountain and sunset over the water, on the same rock.

Spray rising from a gap in a black lava shelf at dawn
The Spout at DawnDawn on the lava, with the sea forcing up through a gap in the shelf.
A lava outcrop silhouetted against an orange sunset over the sea
Last Light on the RockSunset behind a lava outcrop on the shoreline, with the swell running through the rocks below.
On the road

On the Road

The malasada trailer, and what comes out of it.

A blue trailer selling malasadas parked beside a road in dry scrub
The Malasada TrailerThe malasada trailer on the Waikoloa road, parked in the scrub and open in the afternoon.
Sugared malasadas in an open box
MalasadasMalasadas from the trailer, sugared and still warm.

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Where We Stayed

The resort on the coast: a saltwater lagoon, palms at dusk, nene on the lawn, and dinner on the property.

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  • Walk the shore trail at sunrise. The light comes over the mountain behind you and the rock is still cool enough to sit on
  • Watch the spouts from a safe distance. The swell pushes through gaps in the shelf and the rock is sharp and wet
  • The tidepools are worth the stop when the swell is down. On a big day they are not there at all
  • There is a malasada trailer on the Waikoloa road. It is worth planning a morning around

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a beach?
Not in the usual sense along this stretch. The shoreline is a black lava shelf with one small beach of lava boulders and broken coral. Anaehoomalu Bay nearby is the sand beach people mean, and it is not on this page.
Can you swim here?
Not off the shelf. The swell works hard at it and the rock is sharp. Swimming happens at the bays rather than along this stretch.
What about the petroglyphs and the fish ponds?
Both are here and neither is on this page. The Waikoloa petroglyph preserve is inland of the resorts and the Kuualii and Kahapapa fish ponds sit behind Anaehoomalu Bay. We walked the shoreline instead, and they are on the list for next time.

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