If you are staying at the Four Seasons Hualalai or Kona Village and want to take an adventure to another beach than where you are staying, Kukio beach is a great option. There is a trail near the beaches that travels both north and south. If you follow this south you will reach a nice fairly long white sand beach, which is Kukio. While the beach is great for taking strolls, you will find that there is a fair amount of lava rock within the waters so not the best waters to get into. There are a few areas that you can get in that are not as rocky that can give you access to the deeper waters that can be great for snorkeling or paddle boarding. There is a small cove that is sandy and is a great place to get into the waters if you have small children.
The beach is surrounded by palm trees, keawe trees, and ironwood trees, which do offer some shade in some areas, but not much. If you plan to stay a while, a beach umbrella is recommended.
Kukio beach offers such a beautiful setting that some of the most luxurious homes of the Big Island of Hawaii are nestled on it. There are many nestled just off the beach with just some Hawaiian ponds separating them from the beach. It is also a popular place for sea turtles that choose to get out of the water and rest here.
There are restrooms and showers for guests of the beach here, but they are closer to the public parking area so can be a bit of a walk. The public parking area is located closer to the south end of the beach so in the opposite direction of the Four Seasons Hualalai and Kona Village.
We always recommend to take sunblock and plenty of water if you choose to hike along the coastline. There is not much shade along the way and during the day the lava rocks can amplify the heat from the sun.
