Kukio Beach
Kailua-Kona, HI
Kukio Beach fronts the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Kona side, a wide arc of white sand that stays public even though it's surrounded by one of the island's most exclusive resorts. Getting in means checking in with a security guard at the gate, but the beach itself, the water, and the view belong to everyone under Hawaii's shoreline access laws.
Genuinely beautiful water and sand, but the gated access and limited daily passes make it a beach you plan around rather than one you drop into.
How we score beachesArrive by 9am. Only so many visitor parking passes get handed out each day, and once they're gone, you're turned away at the gate no matter how far you drove.
Visitors check in at the Hualalai Resort security gate off Highway 19 near Kaupulehu Drive for a limited daily parking pass, best requested before 9am.
A paved path leads from the resort parking area to the sand, flat and easy, comparable to a resort beach anywhere else on the island.
Calm summer water makes for the easiest swimming and snorkeling, while winter can bring a bit more swell and current.
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