Right Beaches › Big Island › Kalaoa
Makalawena Beach
4.1★ · 19 Google ratings · Kalaoa, Hawaii
✓ Parking
At a glance
Parking
650 yd away
Walk
475 yd · 6 min
Water
84°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Length
500 yd of shoreline
Sand
125 yd from the water to the back
Map of Makalawena Beach
Guide
Good to know
Go for solitude and snorkeling
The beach has few crowds compared to other island beaches and visitors report excellent snorkeling including sea turtle encounters.
Bring high-clearance vehicle
The access road is extremely rough rocky terrain that damages regular cars; an SUV or Jeep is necessary.
Wear proper hiking shoes
The walk from parking to beach is long and crosses sharp lava rock; flip-flops will cause discomfort or injury.
Leave before 6:30pm
The parking area closes at 6:30 and the top gate closes at 7; rangers ticket cars after hours.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
83°F · overcast
Water
84°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
4.9 ft · 11 s apart
Wind
2 mph from the NNW
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
8 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 00:38 | High tide | ↑ |
| 06:27 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 13:52 | High tide | ↑ |
| 20:34 | Low tide | ↓ |
Last updated Sep 7, 6:43 AM.
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 Kalaoa, HI 96740, United States
🅿 Parking 650 yd from the listing
🌊 Water 475 yd away, about 6 min walk
Nearby
Other beaches close by
0.9 miles away · shorter walk
1.1 miles away · shorter walk
2.0 miles away · shorter walk
2.6 miles away · shorter walk
2.8 miles away
3.5 miles away · shorter walk
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Makalawena Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 650 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Makalawena Beach?
375 yd in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, about 4 min. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Makalawena Beach have restrooms?
No restrooms are mapped within 600 m on OpenStreetMap. That means nobody has mapped any, which is not the same as there being none.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
