Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area

Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area is a sixty-one point eight-acre beach park on the west coast of Hawaiʻi Island near Kawaihae. One of the Big Island’s relatively few white-sand beaches, it is especially popular with residents and visitors for its broad shoreline and scenic setting. Its name means “spring” or “pool” in Hawaiian. Although lifeguards are present, the unsheltered bay can be dangerous in high surf. The park also lies along the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, connecting it to a longer coastal route. Recognized nationally as the Best Beach in America in 1993 and 2021, Hāpuna remains a well-used recreation site with extensive facilities and youth lifeguard programs.

Waikoloa Village, Hawaii · United States