82-6017 Manini Beach Rd Home 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms Home

A beautiful, convenient spot to sit by the surf and go snorkeling. I felt very comfortable there, and parking is available at the access point, with some parallel parking along the roads too. The drive in follows small, winding roads, and some sections near the end are shared single lanes.

The snorkeling was lovely without many crowds. We saw coral restoration in progress, with coral growth and variety, and fish grazing along the lava formations near shore, though they weren’t gathering in large schools. A pair of octopuses seemed curious about us and showed off all kinds of shapes and colors. The water is calmer early in the morning. If you’re lucky, the steward and his friends might put on an impromptu performance. Enjoy, and Mahalo! Parking right by the entrance gate is very limited, but there’s more street parking a short walk away. The conservation steward told me that the founders of Kona Brewing Co. and Kettle Chips provide access to the shaded grassy area through the Healy foundation. He said the philanthropists want to show their appreciation and gratitude to the Hawai’i community through these conservation efforts.

We had a fun, quick beach stop at Manini Beach while in the Captain Cook area. It’s a pretty spot with grass, rocky areas, and a few picnic tables, but the waves and rocks make it better suited to adults than kids. We saw a sea turtle near shore and stayed out of the water to give it plenty of room. There are lots of lei flowers on the trees for photos, but please don’t pick them, they don’t belong to you. The beach is small, clean, and good for snorkeling. Since it’s in a neighborhood, you have to walk a bit from wherever you park, and you mustn’t block driveways or homes. A resident, I believe, was welcoming people at the entrance and explaining the rules. She was super nice and gave us oranges. We stayed about an hour or two to leave room for others, and brought towels and snorkeling gear, so we didn’t have trash to throw away. Be respectful of the locals, don’t litter or overstay, and keep this hidden gem beautiful. It’s a lovely place for a quick stop or swim, but not somewhere to spend the whole day. There are no bathrooms, water, or food nearby, so plan accordingly.

The drive there was beautiful, though the roads are narrow. There’s a nice grassy area by the beach where you can set up camp chairs or a picnic. Parking is very limited. I went early in the morning and all the spaces right by the beach were already taken, so I had to park a few minutes away and walk down. Those spots were limited too.