Convenient and pleasant newbie snorkel and surf area only 10 min drive south from Kona. We got here around 8 am and had easy free parking in the large south lot. The beach is divided loosely into snorkeling on left side, swimming in center, and surfing on right side. 🏖 Snorkeling has a designated water entrance (pink buoys) and you are expected to respect the coral and only float/swim (no standing). A life jacket or noodle helps tremendously as the coral is never more than 5-6 feet deep. There is a current and you will need swim a bit to get around. 🤿 The surf schools are pretty ad hoc and you can just talk to whoever is there supplying boards. The waves are not large and there will lots of amateurs falling off and having fun. 🏄‍♀️ The beach does get crowded after 10 am and cars start lining up for parking in lot and on street. We brought lunch, snorkeled twice, watched surfers, showered in large outdoor showers and called it a great day. 🤙

Amazing, the best snorkling..hard to enter so a must have is snorkle neoprene socks , has lifeguard, shower, and restroom..Uber to it..to hard to park. Get there by 8am to avoid the stupid peiple who ruin coral because they don't know how to snorkle. The walk all over it. Amazing clear water and fish urchins and oysters if you look close. Cucumbers and eels too.

Super spot to snorkel. South side of the beach has a lava rock wall/formation that keeps the larger waves at bay. The northern side waves are great for surfers, but the shoreline is all rock so not so much for boogie boarding. There is sand up on the beach, but it's not the soft white kind that works well for sandcastles. More gray and crunchy, since it includes a lot of pulverized lava rock mixed in. Reef shoes are ideal for traversing over the slippery/sharp lava rock between the beach and the water. But once you're in the water, be prepared with your goggles and fins to see some incredible sea life! Morays, coronetfish, butterflyfish, tangs of all types, wrasse, and many, many more! A feast for the eyes! Lifeguard on duty, bathrooms, and outdoor shower to rinse off. Pretty good amount of parking in one small lot and one larger lot. There were also helpful folks from a reef safety nonprofit, offering reef-appropriate sunscreen to people who needed it.

This isn't a glamorous hotel beach and that's OK! It's surprisingly fun place to snorkel and talk to locals. The beach is a mix of lava rock and white sand, it almost looks like bagel seasoning on your feet. They're some good spots to catch sun and or shade. The coal ref is an experience, with plenty of fish in many colors along with sea urchins. The urchins are mostly stuffed in the cracks but still be careful. Great for beginner and professional swimmers. Very kid friendly! Life guards keep everyone informed, bathrooms are clean, beach and snorkel gear rentals are available, plenty of picnic tables and free parking. Please step on sand not the coral...

This beach was close to our resort so we came back to it several times. It’s very rocky - a lot of beaches in Hawai’i are - so bring water shoes and walk carefully on any lava rocks that are at all wet. Sometimes there are volunteers there advising you to float and not stand past a certain point to protect the corals. I appreciate protecting the coral, so I was okay with this advice. The volunteers also yelled at people for walking on the rocks because “it’s dangerous” but that’s literally the only way to reach the water - to go over the rocks… we walked all over lava rock on beaches all over the island, but not on the one morning we came here when the volunteers were there - because they were yelling at people for it. It *is* dangerous to walk on wet lava rocks, but if you walk slowly and carefully it’s doable. And again - you can’t reach the water without walking over at least some of the rocks… If you bring a snorkel mask, this is a great place to see lots of colorful fish. We also spotted crabs and sea urchins in the rocks. It’s a pretty place to watch the sunset and there are showers and picnic tables and benches available - also a pavilion, but sometimes it’s rented out to a group and you can’t use it. There are bathrooms as well.

This is a beautiful beach, some rocks but enough sand to enjoy without getting too dinged up. A small shorebreak good enough for beginner boogie boarders, and enough coral for some snorkeling. Arrive early as it fills up fast and enjoy!

Kahalu'u Beach Park was enjoyable, and the park itself is beautiful with all the palm trees. There was a good variety of fish to see while snorkeling. It's a bit of a challenge entering and exiting the water due to rocky conditions. There was plenty of parking that cost $12.35 for up to 4 hours. Payment is only accepted online.

Fantastic snorkeling beach! So many fish and some coral in good shape. They have a stand up section for those newly snorkeling. This helps avoid killing the coral as people standing up does destroy them Float and find yourself in a sweet area of the best varieties of fish. Feel free to donate some extra funds for parking. It can help with conservation in the area

The beach provides a captivating underwater world where vibrant fish gracefully swim amidst the coral reefs. Additionally, the presence of turtles adds a touch of wonder, creating a truly mesmerizing experience for nature enthusiasts and beachgoers alike. The marine life diversity enhances the overall charm of the beach, making it an ideal destination for those seeking both relaxation and a glimpse into the wonders of the ocean.

Overall this beach was good. It is rocky, but you have to be careful. There was a lifeguard on duty when we went. I would recommend wearing water shoes.

Great place to snorkel. Best time was low tide. Could see fish while standing near edge of water. Water was nice. You do need to pay for parking if using their lot. We were able to walk from our rental. There is also limited street parking.

Spent an afternoon and a morning at this wonderful beach. Easy snorkeling right at the shore. We saw over 20 different species of fish and sea urchin and we even saw a turtle. There are wonderful volunteers under the shelter, educating people to use reef safe sunscreen and on where best to snorkel. They've got great reference books so you can look up what fish you've seen.

Good place to snorkel,lots of fish to see. Make sure to wear good swim shoes. There are lots of lava rocks to step on to get out to the snorkel area.

Beautiful, clean beach with great snorkeling. There were so many different fish to see, and the water was so clear. I highly recommend wearing water shoes.

Rocky beach, no sand. Parking lot is not big. Fee is $12. Perfect for snorkeling 🤿 Gorgeous all color fishes

Great beach. My family spent most of the day there. Great for snorkeling and great for surf lessons. Everybody was helpful and friendly. The life guards are awesome, you feel safe for you and your family when they are on duty. Recommend.

Best place to go snorkeling! Has a great little pavilion to eat some food in the shade with a great view. The sand is a mix of white and black sand. Just make sure to bring your reef safe sunscreen!

Great place to snorkel. But please follow the guiding rules for this place. The coral is rejuvenating but I still saw people walking on it with water shoes. There are quite a few volunteers helping to keep this place healthy, so make sure you check with them if you have any questions. If it’s a rough day and you aren’t an experienced swimmer, come back another day to avoid stepping on the coral. I heard some people on the beach complaining about the lack of decent sand. If that’s what you are looking for, there are plenty of beaches in the area to go to.

Beautiful, white sand (although small) beach. We went on a Tuesday, and it was very full. Lots of rocks so have to watch for those. It was nice and close to where we were staying so convenient to Kona Coast Resort. The next beach over is black sand. Also has a lot of rocks. Loved and will go back again. Convenient free parking lot just across the street.

It's a good place to snorkel if you stay nearby. It was pretty crowded when we have been there and the underwater visibility wasn't perfect. Still there is a lot to see underwater. Not a good beach for swimming.

Great place to go snorkeling and see fish and turtles. Very safe and not very wavy. Life guards on duty. Change rooms available, not that clean but as you would expect from a beach side public bathr. Sand is black and very unusual.

We stay across the street, but beach is small. Not your typical sand beach, its lava sand. That area is more for snorkeling and surfing. Fun to look at the surfers. Gorgeous sunsets!

We originally went for surfing lessons, but there were no waves, so we went snorkeling. Instead, it was beautiful! All these different colors, sizes, and shapes of fish! I even saw a sea turtle! It was crystal clear water! It was a little rocky, so just be careful! So, if you are in the area, rent or use your snorkel gear and snorkel at this beach! Side note: there is a surf board/snorkel across the street if you need to rent snorkel gear!

Fantastic beach for snorkeling. Easy entrance, and the coral just a short swim out is nice and low so you can be close to the fish and coral. However, not the greatest beginner spot as to have the full experience you have to be comfortable swimming over shallow coral. Beginners can swim around all of it, but then the experience is less wonderful.