A small pocket of white sand on Aliʻi Drive, just north of Kahaluʻu Bay, that's popular for bodyboarding and bodysurfing. Its nicknames, Magic Sands and Disappearing Sands, come from how strong surf can strip the sand away overnight. The park has a lifeguard, restrooms, showers, and a volleyball court.
Why we love it
It has a lifeguard, it's close to town, and it's genuinely fun when the waves are small. This is the Kailua-Kona beach for a quick late-afternoon session.
What to expect
About 4 miles south of central Kailua-Kona, Lāʻaloa is a compact town beach squeezed between Aliʻi Drive and the ocean. A lifeguard tower, showers, a restroom, and a volleyball net fill the small park, and parking is limited. When the sand is in, a steady, punchy shore break draws bodyboarders, and swimmers should treat it with respect. A shelf reef reachable from shore offers some snorkeling, but it plays second fiddle to the waves. After big winter swells, the beach can turn into a rocky shoreline for weeks until the sand comes back.
Know before you go
- Lifeguards
- County lifeguards are on duty daily, 9:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m. Follow their warnings, because the shore break is often dangerous.
- Water conditions
- Check HIOCEANSAFETY.COM’s surf report before you go in. When the surf has stripped the sand and exposed lava rock at the waterline, skip swimming that day.
- Parking
- Parking at this small Aliʻi Drive park is limited. For calm snorkeling instead of waves, Kahaluʻu Beach Park is just to the south.
- Facilities
- There are restrooms, showers, a lifeguard tower, and a volleyball court.
- Wildlife
- Hawaiian monk seals have been spotted here. If one hauls out, stay at least 50 feet away, or 150 feet from a mother and pup.
Illustrative photo — not taken at Laaloa Beach Park (Magic Sands).
