Kawa Bay
Naalehu, HI
Kawa Bay opens up past a half mile walk down a dirt road between Pahala and Naalehu, an undeveloped, pebbly shoreline that local surfers have quietly claimed as one of their favorite windy day breaks. A freshwater spring feeds into the bay near an old heiau, and hawksbill turtles nest along this stretch more often than almost anywhere else on the island.
A real local surf spot with a wild, undeveloped feel that's increasingly rare on this coast, though the pebbly shoreline and lack of facilities keep it from being a beach day for everyone.
How we score beachesLeave the dog and the tent at home. Both camping and dogs are restricted here, unlike the county park just down the road at Whittington.
A small dirt lot sits at mile marker 58.5 on Highway 11 near a yellow gate, with a half mile walk down a dirt road to the bay.
The walk in is a flat but unpaved dirt road, manageable on foot but not paved or suited to wheelchairs.
Windier conditions through much of the year make this a more reliable surf spot than a swim beach, with the calmest water on rare still days in summer.
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