Mauna Kea Beach runs about 413m (0.4km) along the Hawaii (Big Island) coast — a mid-sized beach by Hawaiian standards. It faces west so it takes the afternoon sun and faces the sunset. There are 3 mapped parking areas nearby, the closest about 150m from the sand. On-beach facilities mapped here include shower, toilets.
Getting there & parking
Closest mapped parking is about 150m from the sand, with 3 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 | yes nearest 59m |
| Showers | yes nearest 54m |
| 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 nearby3 within 1km · nearest 882m
- Piko Coffee+Bar · 882m
- Naupaka Beach Grill · 952m
- Meridia · 961m
Details from OpenStreetMap tags — hours and offerings change, so check before relying on them.
Shops nearby2 within 1km
- The Beachery Rental · 910m
- Plumeria Market · 925m
Where it is
Who it suits
- Families and long days — toilets nearby and parking close to the sand
- Sunset — the sun sets over the water here year-round, as late as 7:06pm in July
Derived from mapped features, not opinion.
When to go
Driest months are July, April, May. Warmest are August, July, September.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82.2 | 68.3 | 1.5 |
| Feb | 82.5 | 68.1 | 0.7 |
| Mar | 83.5 | 69.7 | 0.9 |
| Apr | 85.0 | 70.8 | 0.4 |
| May | 85.5 | 72.2 | 0.5 |
| Jun | 87.0 | 73.6 | 0.6 |
| Jul | 87.9 | 74.9 | 0.2 |
| Aug | 88.5 | 75.4 | 0.8 |
| Sep | 87.8 | 74.9 | 0.6 |
| Oct | 87.2 | 74.0 | 0.8 |
| Nov | 85.8 | 72.8 | 0.7 |
| Dec | 83.9 | 70.2 | 1.2 |
30-year normals (1991–2020) from NOAA NCEI station PUUKOHOLA HEIAU 98.1, 2.4km away.
Sunrise & sunset at Mauna Kea Beach
In June the sun is up at 5:44am and down at 7:04pm — 13h 20m of daylight, the longest days of the year here. By December that shrinks to 6:51am–5:46pm, 10h 56m.
This beach looks west (287°). The sun goes down out over the water here in every month of the year — it is a sunset beach whenever you come. 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 | 6:05pm | 11h 03m | WSW 248° |
| Feb | 6:52am | 6:23pm | 11h 30m | WSW 257° |
| Mar | 6:31am | 6:33pm | 12h 02m | W 268° |
| Apr | 6:05am | 6:42pm | 12h 37m | W 281° |
| May | 5:47am | 6:52pm | 13h 05m | WNW 291° |
| Jun | 5:44am | 7:04pm | 13h 20m | WNW 295° |
| Jul | 5:53am | 7:06pm | 13h 13m | WNW 293° |
| Aug | 6:04am | 6:52pm | 12h 48m | WNW 285° |
| Sep | 6:11am | 6:26pm | 12h 15m | W 273° |
| Oct | 6:18am | 6:00pm | 11h 41m | W 261° |
| Nov | 6:32am | 5:43pm | 11h 11m | WSW 250° |
| Dec | 6:51am | 5:46pm | 10h 56m | WSW 245° |
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
3 hotels, resorts and rentals are mapped within 1.5km of this beach, the closest about 67m away.
Hotels & resorts nearby3 within 1.5km · nearest 67m
- Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection · 67m
- Mauna Kea Beach Resort · 130m
- The Westin · 884m
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
Attractions & galleries1 within 1.5km
- The Big Three · 330m
Shops nearby1 within 1.2km
- Hapuna Splash · 918m
OpenStreetMap rarely records gear rental, so bookable activities are searched via GetYourGuide (affiliate link).
Where Mauna Kea Beach ranks
- The best-equipped beaches on Hawaii (Big Island) — ranked #8
- Sunset beaches on Hawaii (Big Island) — ranked #6
- Family beaches on Hawaii (Big Island) — ranked #5
- Hawaii (Big Island) beaches you can park at — ranked #10
Positions come from mapped facilities and shoreline orientation, and each list explains exactly how it is ordered.
Other beaches on Hawaii (Big Island)
- Hapuna Beach · 1.3km · 589m long · faces west
- Waialea Beach · 2.7km · 434m long · faces north-west
- Mauna Lani Beach · 8.5km · 102m long · faces north
- 49 Black Sand Beach · 9.8km · 98m long · faces north
- Lagoon Beach · 10.9km · 119m 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.