Manini Beach

This site is located at the southern side of Kealakekua Bay. a notch in the reef at the right side of the park (facing the ocean) that makes for an easy entry. Manini Beach offers a nice small shaded beach area with picnic tables. As you sit under the trees, you have a nice view of Kealakekua Bay. Kealakekua Bay is the place where Captain Cook landed back in the 1700's. You can see the Captain Cook monument from the main sitting area at Manini Beach. There is not much of a white sandy beach here, but there are lots of places you can walk along the rocks and the tidal pools to look for shells and broken coral pieces. The reef here consists of (almost) unbelievably large coral heads. Visibility is generally excellent, but the dive is shallow. Directions: From Kona go south on Queen's Hwy. Turn west (toward water) on road to Kealakekua Bay to the dead end (boat launch straight ahead) (parking area to view Capt. Cook's monument to right) and turn left until road makes a sharp bend to the left. Look for a 2 story blue house. Entry to Manini beach is just behind this house. Continue past house for parking spot.