Things to do in Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona is the seaside town at the heart of the Kona Coast, a short drive south of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. It was once a fishing village and a retreat for Hawaiian royalty, and King Kamehameha I spent his last years at Kamakahonu Bay, near Kailua Pier.
Staying in Kailua-Kona? Ask the concierge what's close.186
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Top Kailua-Kona activities
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Manta Mania: Explore Manta Heaven from Honokohau Harbor 4.8 · 399 Google reviews · Kailua-Konafrom$125Check availability
Big Island Grand Circle Island Tour 4.9 · 2,023 Google reviews · Kailua-Konafrom$249Check availability
Kealakekua Bay / Captain Cook Monument Snorkel 4.8 · 399 Google reviews · Kailua-Konafrom$99Check availability
Kealakekua Bay (Captain Cook Monument) Snorkel 4.8 · 458 Google reviews · Kailua-Konafrom$99Check availability
Attractions near Kailua-Kona
All attractions ▸Kua Bay (Manini'owali)The white sand section of Kekaha Kai State Park, with restrooms and showers but no lifeguards.Kahalu'u Beach ParkA County beach park on Aliʻi Drive with lifeguards, a shallow reef bay and gray sand.Magic Sands Beach (La'aloa)A County beach park on Aliʻi Drive whose white sand comes and goes with the seasons, with lifeguards every day.Makalawena BeachA stretch of coast between two sections of Kekaha Kai State Park, reached on public trails, with no facilities.Manta Heaven (Makako Bay)Kaiwi PointKaiwi Point offers some of Big Island's most consistent shore diving with 60-100 foot visibility and calm conditions perfect for beginners. This protected cove features tropical fish, sea turtles, and coral formations at 20-30 feet deep along Kailua-Kona's scenic coastline.Kukio BeachA white sand beach on the North Kona coast, reached with a parking pass from the Hualālai Resort gate.Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical ParkA national historical park in Kailua-Kona that protects Hawaiian fishponds, petroglyphs and Honokōhau Beach, with free entry.
About Kailua-Kona
Huliheʻe Palace and Mokuʻaikaua Church are on Aliʻi Drive, and Ahuʻena Heiau is a National Historic Landmark. Kailua Pier is where the IRONMAN World Championship starts and finishes each October, and a place to watch the sunset. Magic Sands Beach Park and Kahaluʻu Beach Park are also on Aliʻi Drive. North of town, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park protects early Hawaiian heiau, fishponds and petroglyphs.
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