Kahalu'u Beach, Kona

This is a nice place for kids to learn to snorkel because it is sheltered and safe. In old Hawaii days, King Kamehameha had a seawall built here to provide a calm safe place for his family to swim. As a result, Kahalu'u Beach has exceptionally warm calm water, and is teeming with colorful, unusual varieties of fish. We saw pale sparkly orange fish with luminous blue and green around the edges, black fish that swim with upper and lower instead of side fins, Nemo fish, tiny black fish with hundreds of yellow dots on one half of their bodies, creepy-looking puffer fish, and a turtle swimming near the shore. It was amazing! What a magical world there is below the sea!

The water is so warm that you don't even feel it when getting in. 
The sand is greyish and coarse, and the beach is crowded because it is right near the city. Recently, it has become quite rundown with broken fences and ugly pavilions. 
There is shade under a pavilion and in its periphery.
The beach is not recommended for swimming during periods of high surf when water becomes murky and a strong rip current forms.
Check out the heiau, ancient hawaiian religious site, and St Peter's Church just a short walk north of the beach.

Directions

Take Ali'i Drive south from Kailua-Kona. The beach is located north of the Mile 5 marker.

Click on map for interactive view