Kahuwai Beach runs about 260m (0.3km) along the Hawaii (Big Island) coast — a short stretch by Hawaiian standards. It faces north. There are 2 mapped parking areas nearby, the closest about 293m from the sand. No toilets, showers or drinking water are mapped at this beach — bring what you need.
Getting there & parking
Closest mapped parking is about 293m from the sand, with 2 parking areas within 600m.
Distances are to the nearest point of the beach. Only formal, mapped parking areas are counted — informal roadside and verge parking is common in Hawaii and is not recorded in OpenStreetMap, so there may be closer options than shown.
What's there
| Toilets | not mapped |
| Showers | not mapped |
| Drinking water | not mapped |
| Changing rooms | not mapped |
| BBQ | not mapped |
"Not mapped" means OpenStreetMap has no record — it may still exist on the ground.
Places to eat nearby4 within 1km · nearest 353m
- Hualalai Grille · 572mMo-Su 17:30-20:30
- Residents' Beach House · 763m11:30-14:30,17:30-20:30
- `ULU Ocean Grill · 353mMo-Su 06:30-11:00, 17:30-21:00
- Beach Tree · 537mMo-Su 11:00-22:00
Details from OpenStreetMap tags — hours and offerings change, so check before relying on them.
Where it is
Who it suits
- Sunset — the sun sets over the water here in 7 months of the year, as late as 7:06pm in July
Derived from mapped features, not opinion.
When to go
Driest months are July, August, September. Warmest are August, September, October.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 81.4 | 68.6 | 1.4 |
| Feb | 81.5 | 68.4 | 1.2 |
| Mar | 82.2 | 69.7 | 1.0 |
| Apr | 83.2 | 71.1 | 0.6 |
| May | 83.9 | 72.7 | 0.6 |
| Jun | 85.2 | 74.0 | 0.8 |
| Jul | 86.1 | 74.9 | 0.5 |
| Aug | 87.3 | 75.7 | 0.5 |
| Sep | 86.9 | 75.1 | 0.5 |
| Oct | 86.2 | 74.5 | 0.9 |
| Nov | 84.4 | 72.4 | 0.8 |
| Dec | 82.3 | 70.0 | 1.1 |
Nearest reporting station is 12km away — Hawaii's microclimates vary sharply over short distances, so treat these as indicative for the area.
30-year normals (1991–2020) from NOAA NCEI station KAILUA KONA KE-AHOLE AP, 12.2km away.
Sunrise & sunset at Kahuwai Beach
In June the sun is up at 5:45am and down at 7:04pm — 13h 19m of daylight, the longest days of the year here. By December that shrinks to 6:51am–5:47pm, 10h 56m.
This beach looks north (340°). The sun sets out over the water March to September; the rest of the year it slides down the coastline or behind the land. The sunset point itself swings about 50° across the year, from WSW in December to WNW in June.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Sun sets toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7:01am | 6:06pm | 11h 04m | WSW 248° |
| Feb | 6:53am | 6:23pm | 11h 31m | WSW 257° |
| Mar | 6:32am | 6:34pm | 12h 02m | W 268° |
| Apr | 6:06am | 6:42pm | 12h 36m | W 281° |
| May | 5:48am | 6:53pm | 13h 05m | WNW 291° |
| Jun | 5:45am | 7:04pm | 13h 19m | WNW 295° |
| Jul | 5:54am | 7:06pm | 13h 13m | WNW 293° |
| Aug | 6:04am | 6:52pm | 12h 48m | WNW 285° |
| Sep | 6:12am | 6:27pm | 12h 15m | W 273° |
| Oct | 6:19am | 6:00pm | 11h 42m | W 261° |
| Nov | 6:33am | 5:44pm | 11h 12m | WSW 250° |
| Dec | 6:51am | 5:47pm | 10h 56m | WSW 246° |
Times are for the 15th of each month in Hawaii Standard Time. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving, so these hold all year.
Calculated from this beach's coordinates using the NOAA solar position algorithm and checked against US Naval Observatory tables (agreement within a minute). Which direction the sun sets is worked out from the shoreline's orientation, not from the skyline — a headland, an offshore island or high ground behind the beach can hide the last few degrees.
Photos
Where to stay
2 hotels, resorts and rentals are mapped within 1.5km of this beach, the closest about 66m away.
Hotels & resorts nearby2 within 1.5km · nearest 66m
- Four Seasons Resort Hualalai · 503m
Mapped lodging from OpenStreetMap — not a complete list of what's bookable.
Booking link is an affiliate link — it costs you nothing extra.
Things to do nearby
Shops nearby2 within 1.2km
- Seaside Men's · 468m
- Seaside Active · 481m
OpenStreetMap rarely records gear rental, so bookable activities are searched via GetYourGuide (affiliate link).
Where Kahuwai Beach ranks
- Sunset beaches on Hawaii (Big Island) — ranked #19
Positions come from mapped facilities and shoreline orientation, and each list explains exactly how it is ordered.
Other beaches on Hawaii (Big Island)
- Kumukea Beach · 0.5km · 897m long · faces north-west
- Kūhiō Beach · 1.7km · 456m long · faces north-west
- Kikaua Point Beach · 2.0km · 210m long · faces north-west
- Kua Bay Beach · 3.1km · 253m long · faces north-west
- Mahaiula Beach · 7.6km · 336m long · faces north-west
Safety
We don't have confirmed lifeguard information for this beach. Never assume a beach is patrolled. Check locally before entering the water.
Rip currents cause around 100 drownings a year at US beaches and account for over 80% of beach rescues, yet only 44% of beachgoers know it. If caught in one, the National Weather Service advises: flip, float and follow.
Safety guidance from the National Weather Service. Beach Beast is not a safety or rescue service. Conditions change rapidly — always check on arrival, obey posted signs and flags, and follow lifeguard instructions. The absence of a warning here does not mean a beach is safe or patrolled.