Hapuna Beach - Kohala Coast properties

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Top 5 For the Beach Bum

August 5, 2022/0 Comments/in Hawaii, Things to do, Vacation Rentals/by Alice Hughes

Summer and early fall are the best times to enjoy the beaches of Hawaii. The waters are calmer, the weather is perfect, and the beaches are not crowded. So if you are not a fan of big waves and like to relax, swim, snorkel, or just frolic in the sun, that is the best time to do it.

Big Island’s Gold Kohala Coast boasts beautiful white sand beaches, all located within our famous luxury resorts. We covered these beaches extensively in this blog post and now would like to feature our top five condos that any beach-goer would appreciate.

Fairway Villas Waikoloa O21-Beautiful Luxury Villa, Lake View, Close to Beach

This villa is one of the best locations in the entire Waikoloa Beach Resort area and Fairway Villas.

The complex neighbors Anaehoomalu Bay (or A-bay) Beach, located within walking distance or a short drive. The beach offers a welcoming recreation area with a 900’-long granular salt and pepper sandy beach, excellent facilities, free parking, equipment rental, and island excursions.

Enjoy the ocean activities on the main beach, or walk about 15 minutes south and relax on the less-known Shipwreck beach, where you can snorkel, swim, or bathe in the sun away from crowds.

Also located on the main beach is Lava Lava Beach Club, a great restaurant with live entertainment. There are also many other beautiful beaches only a short drive away.

Besides designer furnishings, tropical artwork, and luxurious linens, this well-appointed villa offers an assortment of beach towels, beach chairs, sun umbrella, and a cooler – everything you need for a great day at the beach right in your neighborhood!

Waikoloa Beach Villas C3 – Ground Floor Villa Close to Beach and Shops!!

Also situated in Waikoloa Beach Resort, this villa is a short walk to the white sand beach for a fun day in the Hawaiian Sun. It is in an excellent location, right at one of the two lava rock pools that Waikoloa Beach Villas offers. The property is on the ground floor, which has many benefits. No stairs to climb, which makes bringing groceries and luggage in and out much easier. It is 30 steps from the beautiful pool and spa entrance, so it’s like having your own pool without the upkeep. Adjacent to the pool is a large thatched roof patio with tables and chairs just waiting for your party.

Also, the perfectly maintained BBQ is just 40 steps away in this magnificent backyard. Walk right off the lanai into the lawn area, and you are in the perfect setting to enjoy paradise. Or sit at the teak wood table and chairs and enjoy the sounds of the pool’s waterfall as you sip a cup of coffee or a cocktail. Waikoloa Beach Villas POOLS are now HEATED!!

Hali’i Kai at Waikoloa 2B – Private Luxury Ground Floor Villa!!!

The lush tropical gated community of Hali’i Kai is one of the premium areas in the Waikoloa Beach Resort, located on the ocean’s edge and adjoining wonderful ocean-side walking trails along the black lava coastline to Anaehoomalu Bay. With a spectacular ocean-front Beach Club, containing a cascading lagoon-style saltwater pool, sand-bottomed hot tub, ocean-front fitness room, and restaurant, guests can enjoy relaxed entertaining by the pool, sunsets over the ocean as well as front-row seats for the magnificent whale migrations each winter.

Beach access is a very close walk or a 2-minute drive. The main beach is at the Anaehoomalu Bay (A-bay), from where you can get to the Shipwreck beach with all its fabulous surroundings.

Just a short walk past the Hilton hotel is a less-frequented black and white beach perfect for enjoying our famous tropical sunsets. Walk past the hotel and turn to the first right. You will come to the gate and find the way to the beach on your left. Walk by ancient Anchialaine Ponds until you arrive at the beach. Bring a couple of beach chairs with you and relax!

Mauna Lani Golf Villas K5 at Mauna Lani Resort

Mauna Lani is one of the world’s truly great resorts and has several stunning beaches, two of the world’s best golf courses, two top-ranked tennis facilities, luxury spas, historical sites, and fine dining and shopping.

The guests and residents of the resort are privileged to access the private Mauna Lani Beach Club and its facilities. The white sand beach is relatively small but is protected by the cove making it the perfect spot for swimming, snorkeling, and paddle boarding. There is plenty of room to relax on the sand or grass and soak up the vitamin D and Sea.

The beach offers a lounge and private cabana seating available to residents and guests of Mauna Lani. Equipment rentals are available from several on-site vendors. The Beach Club also has restrooms, outdoor showers, drinking water, and resort amenities.

A few steps away from the beach is one of the best restaurants on the island, Napua. They offer fine dining and lunch and a locally-inspired menu.

The guests of the Golf Villas at the Mauna Lani Resort have exclusive use of the Golf Villa’s recreation area, swimming pool & spa, and fitness center.

Perfect for the family or small group, this three-bedroom villa offers a guest room with a queen-size bed and another with two twin-size beds that can be converted to a king bed. The master bedroom has a king-size bed. BBQ is located on the beautiful patio. FREE WIFI AND PARKING.

Waiulaula A102 at Mauna Kea Resort

Your visit to this vacation home will capture the essence of Hawaii. It is located along the Big Island’s exclusive golden Kohala Coast, in Mauna Kea Resort. Experience Kauna’oa and Hapuna, two of Hawaii’s best-ranked natural white sand beaches.

Hapuna Beach was ranked the best beach in the USA this year by Dr. Beach, and no wonder. Its fine white sand, turquoise-blue waters, and supreme location make it a beach-goer’s paradise.

This developer’s model luxury condominium is located in the resort and offers 2111 Sq. Ft. of living space enhanced with all the upgrades and extreme quality furnishings. The additional 626 Sq. Ft. wrap-around lanai is accessible through an entire open wall of retractable doors. Dine outdoors with beautiful sunset and ocean views, using the outdoor kitchen equipped with Wolf and SubZero appliances. FREE WIFI AND FREE PARKING.

Relax in gorgeous dual masters with vast, glamorous baths and upscale furniture. Cable (LCD televisions) and wireless internet are included in the rate, ensuring your complete entertainment and comfort. An additional expansive bedroom and bath are available for the children or guests. The indoor and outdoor kitchens are beautifully appointed with mahogany, travertine, and granite. They inspire the graceful fusion of modern features and fabulous style.

Save on your Hawaii vacation rental

Remember, you can always save 10% on your vacation rental when you book direct with us and mention “Aloha escape” in your reservation.

We hope to see you soon – a hui hou!

Great Picnic Spots on the Kohala Coast

May 27, 2022/0 Comments/in Hawaii, Things to do, Vacation Rentals/by Alice Hughes

A picnic can add a fun diversion to your vacation on the Big Island. With Memorial Day coming up, we decided to put together this blog post featuring the best picnic spots on the Kohala Coast. If you are staying in one of the Kohala Coast Resorts on the Big Island, you won’t have to go far to enjoy a wonderful picnic in sumptuous surroundings.

With a little bit of preparation, such as packing a cooler with cold drinks and pū-pū’s (Hawaiian for appetizers), a picnic will fit perfectly between the activities you plan in the morning and the afternoon.

Many designated picnic areas are distributed over the Big Island with proper tables and seating. You can, of course, also sit down and picnic everywhere where you find a calm spot with a nice view, but here are our top picks.

Holoholokai Beach Park

Located in Mauna Lani Resort next to Fairmont Orchid Hotel, Holoholokai Beach Park is an excellent picnic spot. It is a beautiful black and white rock beach surrounded by trees with plenty of shade, grass lawns, picnic tables, charcoal grills, and stunning ocean views. You can grill your food here and have a larger gathering of people if you wish.

This beach park also gives access to a large petroglyph field that is great for a before or after picnic stroll. Look for the Puako petroglyph trail (30 minutes roundtrip).

The park also offers restrooms and trash cans.

Waialea Beach

Waialea Beach (Beach 69)

Waialea Beach is one of Big Island’s more popular white-sand beaches. Especially during the summer months, because of the sun, shade, and good snorkeling. Waialea Beach is also called “69 beach” because of the number 69 utility pole close to the parking area of this beach.

Waialea beach fronts a small residential area of Puako and is the first right turn after you take the Puako Beach Drive off the highway. The white sand of Waialea beach erodes during the winter due to strong surf but is pristine during the summer. There is plenty of tree cover providing shade and privacy. There are showers, restrooms, and a couple of picnic tables; however, you will be better off just sitting on the sand under the trees.

Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

Hapuna is an expansive, world-famous white-sand beach that was rated the #1 beach in the USA by Dr. Beach this year. We wrote about it in our previous blog posts, and you probably already know how beautiful this place is. It is also an excellent spot for a picnic as it has tables, a large picnic pavilion, and plenty of shade and grass under the trees. Not to mention amazing ocean views and turquoise-blue waters.

Because Hapuna Beach is a state park, there are entrance fees, and you can learn about the particulars on their website.

Spencer Beach Park

Located south of Kawaihae Harbor, Spencer Beach Park offers excellent swimming and snorkeling conditions, ample shade under large native trees, and a calm, friendly atmosphere. It is a white-sand beach, and the water near the shore is shallow and an excellent playground for kids.

The park is ideal for weekend picnics as there are many facilities, including a large picnic pavilion with tables and electrical outlets. You will also have access to several charcoal grills if you consider cooking there.

If you are up for a walk, consider going to the adjacent Pu’ukohola Heiau, which was built by King Kamehameha I in 1790-91. Another ancient temple site is situated a short walk to the north – Mailekini Heiau – located on Pelekane Beach, which is considered a sacred area.

It may get a bit crowded during weekends and holidays, so enjoying it on the weekdays is best. And when you are on vacation, every day is a holiday!

Shipwreck Beach

This beach is Waikoloa’s best-kept secret. Located at the Waikoloa Beach Resort, this pristine, white-sand, wild beach is one of the best spots to enjoy the ocean, peace, and serenity.

It takes a little bit of hiking to get there, but nothing difficult. If you go to the Anaeho’omalu Beach (A-Bay) at the resort, turn left upon entering the beach and walk south along the shore for about 15 minutes. Once you pass the trees, you will see pockets of white sand surrounded by greenery and then an old rusted engine sitting on the beach (hence the name). You can find plenty of spots under the trees in the shade or out in the sun. The beach is rustic and natural but stunningly beautiful and peaceful. Few people go there so you can have a very relaxing and private picnic.

Whichever spot you choose, be sure to bring plenty of water, sun protection, and your camera to capture all the beauty – it will be a picnic to remember!

Happy Memorial Day!

Save on your Hawaii vacation rental

Remember, you can always save 10% on your vacation rental when you book direct with us and mention “Aloha escape” in your reservation.

We hope to see you soon – a hui hou!

5 Best Beaches on the Big Island

June 4, 2021/0 Comments/in Hawaii, Things to do, Vacation Rentals/by Alice Hughes

The summer is here, and that is the time when you can truly enjoy going to the beach. The ocean is calm and warm during the summer months, the trade winds are gone, and it gets warmer earlier in the day. That means you can hit the beach early in the morning and enjoy being in the water or just chilling and relaxing in the sun, soaking up all that vitamin D. If you are visiting Big Island this summer, here are the 5 best beaches on Kohala Coast you have to see.

1. Hapuna Beach State Park

The largest and finest of the island’s white-sand beaches, Hapuna Beach has consistently been rated on international Top Ten lists of the islands’ best beaches. This year Hapuna Beach State Park was ranked the best beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach, who has been doing annual beach reviews for over 3 decades.

The contrast of black lava rock, white sand, and blue water makes you feel like you have arrived in paradise. The sand is fine and white, the water is turquoise-blue, and there is plenty of surrounding trees and grass where you can find some shade. When the sea is calm (usually in the summer months), this beach is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling. In the winter, the swells get bigger, fun for bodyboarders of all kinds. During the early part of the year, it’s possible to spot migrating whales in the distance as well.

It is also an easy beach to visit: you will find ample parking, picnic areas, restrooms, and showers.

Mauna Kea Beach

2. Mauna Kea Beach

Just a few minutes drive north is a little less known but equally beautiful Kauna’oa (Mauna Kea) beach. Located in the Mauna Kea Beach Resort, it is a family-friendly beach with soft white sand that slopes gently into the water and the palm trees along the fringe to provide shade. The beach fronts the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, has good access to facilities, and is great for sunbathing. During the calm summer months, this is also a good beach to go snorkeling. During the winter months, waves can get higher in which case a pounding shore break and strong rip currents can make entering the ocean hazardous.

Kaunaʻoa Beach itself is – like all beaches here – public access, but the parking lot belongs to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. The hotel has parking space for visitors that are not staying in the hotel, but these are limited to 40 and fill up quickly. If you want to go to Kaunaʻoa Beach, get there early to get one of the 40 public parking spaces.

Waialea Bay Beach (Beach 69)

3. Waialea Bay Beach (Beach 69)

A long crescent-shaped beach with fine white sand and semi-private coves between trees reaching to the water, Waialea Bay Beach, also known as Beach 69 is a sort of off-the-beaten-path but still popular beach in Puako, a small neighborhood situated between Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea Resorts. It has come a long way over the years, and now has an official parking area, cold water showers, and bathrooms. Yet it is still more secluded than other nearby beaches such as Hapuna State Beach Park. Although it is one long beach, there are different coves nestled in between trees that reach into the ocean.

The white sand of Waialea beach erodes during the winter due to strong surf but is pristine during the summer. There is plenty of tree cover providing shade and privacy. In the bay itself, you can find a rich diversity of marine life, which makes it a popular site for snorkel and SCUBA activities. The best reefs are on the southern side of the bay but there is also plenty of coral around the large rocks rising out of the water inside the bay, and close to the rocky point on the right (north) side of the beach.

Kukio Beach

4. Kukio Beach

Kukio Beach, located approximately 18 miles north of downtown Kailua-Kona, is a lovely white-sand beach that can be reached through the entrance gate to Kukio, a high-end gated community just south of Four Seasons Hualalai Resort. Framing Kukio Beach’s white sands, you will find coconut palms, ironwood, and mesquite trees with a few small brackish-water ponds next to the shoreline. A good access point is a sand-bagged spot at the north end of the shoreline.

The water in Kukio Bay is relatively calm in the morning and excellent for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing. During the winter months, the swells are abundant, but the rocky shoreline discourages many board sports. You can often spot Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (honu) resting along the shores or even spinner dolphins out in the bay’s expanse.

To get there, turn off of Highway 19 onto Kaupulehu Drive, just south of the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort sign. Drive to the security hut and let them know you would like to go to the public beach. You will turn left just after the security hut and follow the road until you reach the parking lot. There is a nice restroom and showers here. After you park, follow the walkway to Kukio Beach.

Shipwreck Beach

5. Shipwreck Beach

You will likely not find this beach in any of the Big Island’s tour guides, as it is not known to many (even locals). Located south of the A-Bay (Anae’hoomalu Bay Beach) in Waikoloa Beach Resort, it is a secluded wild white sand beach perfect for sunbathing, swimming, and snorkeling.

To get there, go to the A-Bay Beach in Waikoloa Beach Resort. Park your car in the parking lot and walk to the beach. Once there, turn left (south) and keep walking along the shoreline past the restaurant, then under the trees, for about 15-20 minutes. You will know that you arrived when you see an old, rusted engine (probably a remnant of a shipwreck decades ago, hence the name) on the beach. You can stay right there (that is the best spot) or keep walking farther – it is all beautiful there.

The beach is idyllic during the summer months. If you get there early in the morning, there likely will be no one else there, and you can have the whole beach to yourself. The reef is situated right off the shore, and there is plenty of marine life including fish and green sea turtles, perfect for snorkeling. You can find some shade under the trees, and if it gets too hot, a quick dip in the ocean will cool you down.

Since it gets hotter in the summer months, it is advisable to avoid the beach between noon and 2 p.m., unless you can find some shade. That is the time when the sun is strongest. The best time to go is in the morning or later afternoon – you will still get plenty of sun and fun. Make sure to drink plenty of water, use sunblock, and protect yourself from overheating – it can creep up on you without you even noticing it.

Save on your Hawaii vacation rental

Remember, you can always save 10% on your vacation rental when you book direct with us and mention “Aloha escape” in your reservation.

We hope to see you soon – a hui hou!

Images courtesy of LoveBigIsland.com, BigIslandGuide.com, Inoptia.