Big Island region
Kohala Coast (Waikōloa & Mauna Lani)
Resort coast with the island’s best white sand
A string of master-planned resorts set among black lava fields north of Kona — Waikōloa, Mauna Lani, and the Mauna Kea resort — fronting the Big Island’s most famous white-sand beaches.
Photo: Micah Alameda via Unsplash
Stay here if…
Beach time is the priority and you want a full-service resort, calm morning swimming, and the sunniest weather on the island.
The trade-off
It is the most expensive area to stay, restaurants are mostly inside resorts, and the volcano is a long day’s drive away.
Hotels in Kohala Coast
Resort coast with the island’s best white sand
Search on Booking.com
Where to stay
Hotels in Kohala Coast
Luxury resort Kohala Coast areaMauna Kea Beach Hotel
Beach purists who want the island's best resort beach
The hotel was built around the beach, and Kaunaʻoa is the best resort beach on the island. With more than 500 restored works from the Rockefeller art collection on the walls and a Manta Ray Moonlight Swim on the activity list, no other Kohala resort has this much history or soul.
Luxury resort Kohala Coast areaMauna Lani
Multigenerational trips that want luxury with a sense of place
Of the Kohala resorts, this one feels most rooted in its place. Staff lead tours of the fishponds and petroglyphs, and full-moon evenings bring Hawaiian music and storytelling. A Great Lawn running down to the beach makes it easy for multigenerational groups to spread out.
Luxury resort Kohala Coast areaFairmont Orchid
Families who want a full-service resort with a calm snorkel lagoon
It's big enough to have something for everyone and calm enough that it rarely feels like 540 rooms. The protected lagoon is a gentle place for first-time snorkelers, and sunrise outrigger canoe trips leave from Pauoa Bay.
Resort Kohala Coast areaHilton Waikoloa Village
Families with kids who want the resort itself to be the entertainment
For kids, this is a theme park in the best sense: a 175-foot waterslide, a protected lagoon and dolphins. It's huge and dated in places, so come for the fun, not the polish.
Resort Kohala Coast areaWestin Hāpuna Beach
Beach-first travelers who want a big sandy swimming beach at the door
Hāpuna, one of the island's great swimming beaches, is right below your lanai, and Mauna Kea Resort's two golf courses are on hand. The adults-only infinity pool is a smart escape from the family crowd.
Book from here
Tours leaving from Kohala Coast
Things to do
Our picks in Kohala Coast
Swimming BeachesKohala Coast
Hāpuna Beach
Wide, soft, and watched by lifeguards, it's the easiest big-beach day on the Kohala Coast. Come early, when the water is calmest and the lot still has room.
Read moreSwimming BeachesKohala Coast
Kaunaʻoa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach)
This is the postcard Kohala beach: a gentle slope, soft sand, and resort polish, all without a room key. You just have to show up early enough to get a pass.
Read moreSwimming BeachesKohala Coast
ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay (A-Bay)
Easy parking, gentle water, and real history a few steps from your towel make it a great first-day beach for families. Mornings are calmest, and the wind picks up in the afternoon.
Read moreKohala Coast
Waialeʻa Bay (Beach 69)
Real shade is rare on this sun-blasted coast, and here the trees run right down to the sand. On a calm day you can snorkel straight from the beach.
Read moreKohala Coast
Spencer Beach Park (ʻŌhaiʻula Beach)
It's the Kohala Coast's best bet for small kids, with gentle water and picnic tables. Pair it with the short walk to Puʻukoholā next door.
Read more
Culture & HistoryKohala Coast
Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site
It's one of the most important places in Hawaiian history, and it's free. Follow it with a swim at Spencer Beach Park just downhill.
Read more
