You won’t find any sandy beaches at Keaukaha Beach Park. There is only rocky lava shelves underfoot, so make sure to pack some sturdy water shoes when you make your way to this popular Hilo snorkeling spot. Pop on your mask, wade out into the water a few feet and drop underneath the surf to experience a tranquil, fascinating and diverse marine world.
The lava shelf at this beach park offers shelter to an abundant array of marine life. You’ll find crabs, fish and other underwater critters scurrying into fissures, holes and coves into the lava rock. And you can continue out into the water beyond the lava shelf where you’ll find a protective coral reef where even more colorful fish wait to be discovered.
It is this reef that makes swimming and snorkeling at Keaukaha Beach Park reliably safe, but you shouldn’t take the beach park’s placid waters for granted. Only go into the ocean if the water is calm, and waves are not reaching over the protective reef. You can always check the ocean conditions online before heading down to the beach.
This is a particularly good spot for a snorkel when the weather is hot because of the beach park’s underwater freshwater springs. You might be able to spot the spring’s bubbles as they pop to the surface, and you’ll definitely notice that the spring water is a bit chilly.
And this beach park is perfect for a picnic. There is a large grassy area full of tables that overlooks the water, and you can enjoy your food while watching tourists enjoy the Keaukaha Beach Park’s stunning underwater world. You can watch the colors of the sun fade to deep purple over Puhi Bay.
You’ll find Keaukaha Beach Park just north of the Hilo Airport on Kalanianaole Road. Try to say that three times fast. It’s the perfect place to watch planes take off and land at The Big Island’s second-busiest airport.