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Review of big island beaches including sand, snorkeling, swimming and big island beach resorts in Kailua Kona, Kohala, Waipio, Hilo and the South Coast.
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Big Island holidays offer something for everyone. There are meg-resort complexes built around championship golf courses with plush rooms starting at US$200 per night on the dry Kohala Coast alongside some of the best sweeping beaches in Hawaii. To the south, in the Kapaloa Community, you'll find lots of vacation rental homes starting at US$150 per night. More affordable hotel rooms and small condominiums with self contained units abound in the busy sunshine town of Kailua. You'll find plenty of quaint bed and breakfast guesthouses all around the island, with rates starting at US$70 for the night, especially in the cool hills and coffee plantations overlooking Kailua Town, in the South Kona Hills at Captain Cook, in the farming hills of Waimea (Kamuela) and in amongst the tropical rain forest of Waipio Valley in the north, at Volcano National Park and the Puna Coast in the south and on the outskirts of Hilo Town on the East Coast. There are a couple of excellent backpacker hostels with dorm beds and budget rooms for US$40 per night in Hilo and Kailua Town. And for those who like camping, the Big Island has numerous State Parks with facilities where you can pitch a tent for US$10 per night.
Our guide is full of stunning pictures of Big Island Beaches as well as a colourful Map of Big Island to give you a clear impression where the best beaches can be found. We also provide useful links throughout our text so you can find out more about tours and accommodation and make direct reservations.
Big Island beaches are the most contrasting in all the State with long stretches of sweeping golden sand coastlines with great body surfing to tiny jet black sand coves However, to get to the very best, you'll need a car and in some cases a good pair of legs.
Read our detailed reviews about the following regions:
Kailua-Kona - main hotel and condominium destination
Kohala Coast - secluded beaches and mega resort complexes
Waipio - stunning scenery in remote area
Hilo - the tropical coast with unusual red and black sands
South Coast - remote region dominated by active volcanos
Most of the islands beach hotels lie along a 70 mile stretch of black lava coastline with contrasting white sand along the dry West Coast where rainfall is scarce. Kailua-Kona sits in the middle of this coastline and has the islands main airport. Kailua is a small attractive fishing seaside town with lots of restaurants and shops and accommodation ranging from large resorts to condominium and timeshare apartments. There are some lovely bed and breakfast and vacation homes in the hills surrounding Kailua where Kona coffee and macadamia nut farms flourish.
Scenic beaches are most beautiful on the barren Kohala Coast in the north west where several large mega-resorts have been developed around huge golf course complexes. This stretch is often referred to as the Gold Coast and here you can walk for miles along the coastline past secluded white sandy beaches.
Beach locations on the north, east and south coast of the Big Island are few and far between and in these areas the unpredictable tropical weather and rough seas make these beaches less attractive to mainstream tourism. However, there are a couple of spots with outstanding qualities that are definitely worth a visit if you have the time and inclination.
The North Coast is mostly wild and inaccessible but does have excellent hiking into the Waipio Valley and its stunning coastline. The area is dominated by the rural inland cattle farming town of Waimea. This is a good base for sightseeing with easy access to the beaches along the West Coast and to the spectacular Hamakua Coastline on the east.
The tropical wet town of Hilo on the East Coast is surrounded by fantastic waterfalls and to the south is Volcano National Park, home of the only continuously active volcano in the world - Kilauea.
... more about Volcano National Park
The South Coast is wild and the rural district of Kau is one of the most traditional Hawaiian regions and has just one small resort and several small guesthouses / bed and breakfast accommodation.
Big Island Resorts Listings
Hawaii Tour Companies
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