HAPUNA STATE BEACH

Day 153: Saturday April 16, 2011

 

About 20 minutes north of the Hilton rests arguably the nicest white sand beach on the Island.  The water is warm, crystal clear and the gentle waves in the bay make this a great place for your little ones.  Earlier that morning we took a catamaran sail out of Anaehoom Bay, which is off of Waikoloa Beach Road near our resort.  We went snorkeling at some random black sand beach; I can't remember because I had too many am Mai Tai's.  Anachoom Bay would be the nearest actual beach to the Hilton but the 20 minute drive to Hapuna is an absolute must.

We hiked many random trails each day along the way and I may have gotton my facts and days mixed up.  My unreliable digital camera no longer displays the day I did things thanks to the "Broken Camera Trail", whenever that was.

DAY 153 & 154 continued:

Mauna Lani is in between Waikoloa Beach and Hapuna.  Although a pretty entrance, it's not worth the visit.  As seen in the picture below, you will hike along a gravel trail between the ocean and a golf course.  The trail does lead to a beach, but it's not spectacular and you will have to hike nearly a mile to reach it.

 This hot trail can be found by the Mauna Lani

A bit further north of Hapuna Beach, you can enter Mauna Kea Golf Course.  This is a private resort but there is public beach access.  You have to drive through a gate and if there is enough parking available, they will let you in.  I found the beach to be disappointing because the water was not nearly as clear and the sand was not as white as Hapuna.

A little further North from Manua Kea, you'll reach Spencer Beach.  The lack of exotic excitement in the name represents the ghetto nature of this place.  Dirty and worthless if you ask me.  If you are a tourist, don't even bother.

 A couple night hikes near our hotel