Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area is a large park and sandy beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is also located adjacent to the beach. Hāpuna (literally, "spring" or "pool" in Hawaiian) is popular with residents and visitors. This is one of a few other white sand beaches on the west coast of the Big Island. The few others include Kua Bay, Manini'owali Beach,

Kaunaoa Bay Kaunaoa Bay has one of the few white sand beaches of the Kohala Coast, the western side of the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii. A historic hotel, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, is located on beautiful Kauna'oa. Description The word ''kaunaoa'' ma ...

, known as Mauna Kea Beach, and Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park. It was named the Best Beach in America by

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...

professor

Stephen Leatherman Stephen Parker Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach, (born November 6, 1947) is an American geoscientist, coastal ecologist, and author. He was the first director of the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University (F ...

, known as "Dr Beach", in 1993 and 2021. The park is located at coordinates , west of

Hawaii Belt Road The Hawaii Belt Road is a modern name for the Māmalahoa Highway and consists of Hawaii state Routes 11, 19, and 190 that encircle the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The southern section, between Hilo, Hawaii, Hilo and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, K ...

(Route 19, called Queen Kaahumanu Highway) on Hapuna Beach Road. It is about south of

Kawaihae, Hawaii Kawaihae is an unincorporated community on the west side of the island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii, north of Kailua-Kona. Its harbor is one of only three on the island, together with that of Hilo and Honokohau Harbor. Description ...

. A part of the

Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a long trail located on the island of Hawaii. It is not yet a single continuous trail, but can be accessed at several broken segments along the coastline of the Big Island. The trail was established to ac ...

runs through the park from Spencer Beach to the north, to Puako to the south. Hāpuna beach has lifeguards, but can be hazardous during high surf conditions since the beach is not protected from the open ocean.

Junior lifeguard program

Every Summer, Hawai’i County hosts a Junior Lifeguard Program at Hāpuna for youths 12–17 years of age. On Saturday, June 29, 2019, Hāpuna hosted the Hawai’i Island Junior Lifeguard Championships.

Park and Rec services

The park has free admission for Hawai’i residents and $5 for visitors, paved parking, pavilions, picnic areas, restrooms, and showers. Camping permits are available. Hapuna beach panorama

References

{{authority control Beaches of Hawaii (island) State parks of Hawaii Protected areas of Hawaii (island)