Hakalau Bay Beach

Notice -- The Hakalau Bridge and Hakalau Bay have been closed since February of 2017 due to safety concerns. Stay tuned to this website for updates concerning Hakalau Bay.

You'll find the beautiful town of Hakalau on the northeastern coast of the Big Island. For decades, plantations ran the economy up here on the northeast coast, and you can still see the remnants of yesteryear's industry at Hakalau Bay. A bridge reaches over the bay which once ran trains to the many now-defunct plantation towers along the coast. Many of them are visible from the bay.

You don't want to swim in this beautiful little bay. The water here gets deep rather quickly, and rip currents can take you out to the open ocean. But, despite these dangers, the bay is often used by local surfers. But don't be fooled into thinking the water here is safe.

This picturesque bay is better for, well, pictures. You'll find the haunting ruins of Hakalau Mill which was destroyed by a tsunami back in 1946. And it's all set against a dramatic backdrop. The sand here is black as night, and the swirling dark waters give the bay a unique look.

You'll find the Hakalau Stream feeding into the ocean at the head of the bay. Sediment flows down the stream and out into the sea to make the ocean water murky, and you don't want to be swimming in murky ocean waters. Shark attacks are incredibly rare in Hawaii, but you increase your chances of a shark encounter by swimming in murky water. Sharks don't want to eat humans, they hate the taste of iron in your blood, but they may nibble at you in murky water just to see what you are.

If you want to keep taking amazing pictures during your visit to Hakalau, then you should head to the nearby Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. It's a 33,000-acre park that protects extremely rare flora and fauna including a host of rare birds.
 

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Price: Free
Location
Hakalau, Big Island