It’s a relatively new thing here that there is now an admission charge AND a parking fee at the most popular beaches. Some of the costs are waived for Hawaii residents, but the tourists are getting hit big time. It is $10 per car PLUS admission of $5 per person. So if you are looking to spend a lot of time at the beaches, that can add up. It is my goal to search out all the free beaches!
Beach 1: Spencer Beach
Our first beach find was Spencer Park Beach, which is north of Kona, on the west side of the big island. It has a sheltered bay, calm water, and is safe for little kids. Parking is free, and even better the parking lot is right at the beach! We headed there first thing in the morning, bringing our beach mats, towels, beach lounge chairs, reef-safe sunblock, lots of water and snacks. We also grabbed the snorkels but forgot to check them first (and yes they were covered in sand!). We were able to stake out some nice spots under a huge tree. There was a good amount of beige sand before the lava rocks started. Next time we go back we will bring CLEAN snorkel gear and some floaties.
Hawaii has a fair number of poisonous things in the water, so thick bottomed shoes are a must. You have to be careful especially of wana - sea urchins. We were able to spot several of the black ones, which are the dangerous ones, just close to the shore, at the edge of all the black lava rocks.
Apparently the local seals (Hawaiian Monk Seal) are endemic to Hawaii, and are protected, so no touchy touchy. In fact, stay well away! (The penalty is up to 5 years in prison and a $50k fine!) They have been known to attack people. We haven’t seen any yet, but they are known to lounge around on the coast north of Kona.
Coral is also something not to be touched – although it can cause swelling, irritation, and infections (from things in the water), you can accidentally kill it just from touch. The one we saw looked like a brain, sitting on top of the lava rocks. Very cool.
We didn’t see any eels, thankfully.
There were no signs of the Portuguese man o’war either.
If you are looking for sea shells, they aren’t found on the beaches, they are found in the water. The Cone Snail is venomous, and can potentially kill you by shooting out a tooth lightening fast!
There are 2 types of poisonous Lionfish native to Hawaii, with spikes on both sides of their heads with venom, causing intense pain and swelling.
Gotta respect the things in the water here!
Beach 2: Kapaau (the north end of the big island)
Our second beach we visited was Kēōkea Beach Park, where we didn’t actually go swimming. There was a sheltered area with a breakwater where swimming was possible, but really this beach was best for viewing angry nature! Huge waves were rolling in, crashing against the boulders. It was majestic. And yes, it was free. They even had picnic tables and a sheltered area for dining.
The road along the top of the cliff had the signs for the tsunami evacuation area, as well as two giant poles with sound equipment on them, for the tsunami sirens. I know it is safety equipment, but as a land-locked Canadian I find it very disconcerting to see it and know that it is necessary!
Our highlight – watching the 3 whales sound repeatedly, straight out from the dining area. Too bad they weren’t closer! This is the perk of travelling in winter – there are whales everywhere. We will keep looking!
Beach 3: Pololu Lookout (just a bit east of Beach 2)
Pololu Beach is one of the black sand ones. For this one we just admired it from the cliffs at the lookout point. Although we were wearing running shoes, we opted out of doing the trail climb down the side of the cliff into the gorge, mostly because it was 31 degrees and we aren’t in good enough shape to manage the hike back up the very rough trail! Also, the warning signs on the trail are a wee bit intimidating – Hazardous Cliff (ground may break off), falling rocks, Flash floods, and strong currents. Hmmmm maybe not…
For lunch we just picked what looked like a popular restaurant in Hawi, and went to the Bamboo Restaurant and Gallery. It was packed, even on a Tuesday. But while you wait for your table they send you around the gallery. There were some very nice pieces – I especially enjoyed the photography works of Julie Eliason https://www.jewelimages.com/ So inspiring!
Lunch was good, too – although pricey. My kaluia pork sandwich was $25 (which was enough for 2 meals), and Randy’s chicken quesadilla was $27. Ps a lot of places here also have an extra 4% charge on the bill if you are using a credit card.
