Located among residential homes and vacation rentals, Manini’s is tucked behind a neighborhood and along the lava rock coast of South Kona. Not the easiest to find, the beach can be found by traveling down Napoopoo Road and south along Kealakekua Bay till Manini Beach Road. The beach park is located next to a large blue rental home, a noticeable parking inlet and is marked with a sign indicating its location. The sign tells of the history of Manini’s, how from the earliest times the area was considered a special and sacred environment known as Kapahukapu. It has been a community-gathering place and a place of healing for many centuries.

Sign information welcomes visitors who are interested in respecting and preserving the land and asks that certain rules be abided by in protecting it’s ecosystem, such as; no launching of kayaks and no vehicles on the beach in an effect to preserve the beach for the enjoyment of the community for generations to come. Upon entering into the beach, a grassy plot meets beach-goers, not typically found on beaches of the Big Island. Manini’s at first glance appears more of a park, with its picnic tables, grassy terrain and tree-covered landscape. However, upon entering the park, a small but noticeable patch of sizeable white coral and black rock leads to a small clear sand channel in the water, allowing access out to the coastal reef and deep bay waters. The reef is an excellent place for snorkeling, as are many locations along Kealakekua Bay, packed with brightly colored fish, turtles and other marine life, the best visibility would be along the rocky edge of the water to the right of the channel. The water is shallow in this location and rocky once leaving the clear strip and while the water is relatively calm, the currents, tides and weather patterns will affect water conditions causing rough and difficult snorkeling and swimming. During the winter months, however, the waves in the bay can become quite intense and precautions are recommended for those unfamiliar with the swimming and surfing in the area. Manini’s holds a popular surf break for many locals in the community. With it’s tripled tiered left break, the swells become large and favorable to more crowded points further north.

To the south end of the beach, past the picnic tables heading out towards the lava rock point, which was hit heavily by Hurricane Iniki in 1980 with waves reaching 25 feet high, is a small path that cuts inland for about a quarter of a mile to the small cove of Kahauloa Bay.

Written By: Hadley Catalano

Features
Bathrooms  |  Parking  |  Picnic Area  |  Picnic Tables  |  Shady Areas  |  Snorkeling  |  Surfing  |  Swimming Areas

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