Big Island region
Kailua-Kona & Keauhou
The sunny, busy base for manta rays and boats
The dry, leeward town where most Big Island trips begin: an oceanfront main street on Aliʻi Drive, the harbors the manta-ray and snorkel boats leave from, and the widest choice of hotels and condos on the island.
Stay here if…
It is your first trip, you want reliable sunshine, and the trip revolves around ocean tours — manta rays, snorkel sails, and whale watching all leave from here.
The trade-off
In-town beaches are small and rocky; the long white-sand beaches are 30–45 minutes north on the Kohala Coast, and the volcano is a full-day round trip.
Hotels in Kona
The sunny, busy base for manta rays and boats
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Where to stay
Hotels in Kona
Luxury resort Kona areaFour Seasons Hualālai
Families who want top-tier luxury with built-in snorkeling
This is the safest bet at the top of the market. It has eight pools, a Jack Nicklaus course and the Kaʻūpūlehu Cultural Center, where Hawaiian cultural specialists run real programs. Kids remember snorkeling King's Pond next to an eagle ray for years.
Luxury resort Kona areaKona Village
Couples who want barefoot luxury without a hotel tower
It's the rare luxury resort with no tower in sight. You get freestanding hale, free bikes, an on-site farm that supplies the restaurants, and the founder's old schooner reborn as the Shipwreck Bar. It's the splurge we'd pick for a honeymoon.
Resort Kona areaOutrigger Kona
Manta ray fans who want the show from their hotel
This is the island's best hotel for seeing manta rays without getting wet. Keauhou Bay is where the original manta night dive began, select oceanfront rooms look out over the viewing area, and the Manta Center hosts free talks on manta biology.
Good value Kona areaRoyal Kona Resort
Value hunters who still want to sleep on the ocean
It's unpretentious, central and right on the ocean, so it's the Kona hotel we'd book when the budget is going to boat tours.
Boutique & lodge Kona areaPacific 19 Kona
Independent travelers who want style and walkability in Kona town
It's a smart, modern base in walkable Kona town, across the street from the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel and its Kamakahonu beach. The hotel is built for people who'll be out snorkeling by 8 a.m., not lounging by the pool all day.
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Tours leaving from Kona
Things to do
Our picks in Kona
Swimming BeachesKona
Maniniʻōwali Beach (Kua Bay)
The water color alone is worth the stop. On a flat summer morning it's one of the best swims on the Kona side. On a big winter day, enjoy it from the sand.
Read moreSecluded BeachesKona
Makalawena Beach
The walk is hot and rocky, and that's the point. In exchange for a sweaty 20-plus minutes, you get one of the emptiest, prettiest stretches of sand on the Kona coast.
Read moreSnorkel SpotsKona
Kahaluʻu Beach Park
If you've never snorkeled, start here. It's calm and shallow, and the reef is full of fish and turtles. Just treat that reef as the living thing it is.
Read moreKona
Lāʻaloa Beach Park (Magic Sands)
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.
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Culture & HistoryKona
Huliheʻe Palace
A rare, close-up look at royal Hawaiian life right on Aliʻi Drive, and an easy add-on to a morning in Kailua-Kona village.
Read moreKona
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
It's free, often quiet, and close to town, and it's the easiest way to see how Hawaiians engineered the coastline to feed whole communities.
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Local EatsKona
Da Poke Shack
If you're new to poke, start here, then take it straight to the beach.
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Coffee FarmsKona
Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
Up here in the green hills above Kona, the organic, farm-to-cup setup sets it apart from the roadside tasting rooms.
Read moreCoffee FarmsKona
Hula Daddy Kona Coffee
A smaller, more personal take on the Kona coffee tour, where you can actually talk with the roaster and the owners.
Read moreRestaurantsKona
Kona Brewing Kona Pub
The pub-only Backyard Batch beers are the reason to come. Skip what you can buy at home and order those.
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RestaurantsKona
Huggo's
Book a sunset table, order the catch of the day, and watch the light go. This is the Kona dinner people come back for.
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