Waialea  | Hawaii |  | Hawaii County |  |
Guides |
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Address Highway 19 ( Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy.) Kawaihae, HI |
Hours Never Closes |
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Turn left off of Highway 19, before mile marker 69, onto Puako Rd. towards Hapuna Beach. Travel a mile past Hapuna, parking is on right.
Description:
Just a mile south along the Kohala coast from the tourist-heavy Hapuna Beach rests a quieter, secluded beautiful sanctuary of a beach, Waialea Bay Beach, known to Big Island residents as Beach 69. Tucked into the thickly vegetated cove of Waialea Bay, 69s is a perfect stop to relax, though as of late, the once extremely secluded beach has become more popular on weekends and holidays, while crowd size does not come close to rivaling Hapuna, available sand space on the can become snapped up quickly, especially if the tide is high. The beach location is indicated by a small road and parking lot a mile south of the Hapuna beach entrance. A trail leads past a shade picnic table to the sand. Traveling south the beach trail picks up again and runs along the backside of the beach, which soon becomes the backyard of private residential homes. Separated by trees, gates and coconut frond walls, these luxury homes are indeed private property and beach guests should respect the indicated divisions. Walking along the trail facing the ocean, thick trees whose roots extend above and below the sand create a mangrove style look, forming small alcoves for privacy and adjacent clearings of white sand sloping to meet the clear blue waters. In these clearings you can usually find a couple lounging or a groups of locals spending the day at the beach. Dried driftwood is scattered along the beach, huge tree-sized limbs and trunks allow for climbing and unique picture taking. At the far end of the south portion of the beach, before the sand meets a barricade of trees, the trail veers to the left, up between the properties of private homes. The trail is part of the Ala Kahakai system, a series of trails that run along the West Hawaii coast. The trails leads up to a small private road and along to a stretch of field and eventually down to the far end of the neighboring bay of Puako. The northern end of the beach, only a short walk from the beach entrance, provides more enjoyable swimming and snorkeling. During the summer the water is relatively calm and the swimming is excellent. During the winter months the water can become rough and the current strong and much of the sand on the beach disappears. It is advised to swim with caution if visiting 69s during rough water conditions. Up behind 69s the sloping Kohala Mountain range is visible, with its lush green hills contrasting sharply with the bright blue water that flow from Kanekanaka Point to Ohai Point of Waialea Bay. It is noted that the Bay is part of the Marine Life Conservation District and it is asked that visitors be cognate of the effort to protect the marine life, coral and geological features of Waialea.
Written By: Hadley Catalano
Features
Bathrooms
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Fresh Water
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Parking
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Picnic Tables
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Sandy Beach
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Shady Areas
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Snorkeling
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Swimming Areas
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