Honaunau Bay (Two Step)
Honaunau, HI
Honaunau Bay is where most Big Island snorkelers end up sooner or later, a wide, protected bay where lava steps at the water's edge, known simply as Two Step, let you slip in without ever touching sand. Spinner dolphins pass through most mornings, and the reef just offshore holds some of the healthiest coral cover left on this coast.
The reef and the near guaranteed dolphin sightings are hard to match anywhere else on the island, though the small lot and rocky entry keep it from being an easy beach day for everyone.
How we score beachesGet in the water before 9am if dolphins are the goal. They tend to move on once the day's boat traffic and swimmers pick up.
A small county lot near the boat ramp serves Two Step and fills by mid morning most days, with overflow parking along the road.
No sand here. Entry is down a set of natural lava steps into deep water, manageable for confident swimmers but not for small children or anyone unsteady on wet rock.
Summer brings the calmest, clearest water for snorkeling. Winter surf can make the lava step entry rougher and less predictable.
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