White Sands – Magic Sands Beach Park
Home to the annual Magic Sands Bodysurfing Championship, White Sands Beach Park is a versatile Hawaiian beach with easy access to surfing, swimming, and snorkeling opportunities.
Keauhou Bay Overview
Keauhou Bay, in southern Kailua-Kona, is located next to the Sheraton Kona Resort. The area is blessed with temperate weather and perfect waters for swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking. Well known for it’s proximity to some incredible ocean adventures, this protected bay is a popular place for kayak and paddleboard rentals serving as an embarking outlet with popular snorkel cruise companies, sport fishing boats, diving companies and even the Keauhou Canoe Club. There is also a small beach area where you can enter the water, a sand volleyball court, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, and grassy areas to enjoy your time at the bay. When the sun sets, manta rays take advantage of feeding on microscopic plankton making for a great opportunity to go on a night time snorkeling or diving excursion to watch these magnificent creatures in action.
Area History
Keauhou (ke au hou) translates into the Hawaiian Language as “the new era”. Keauhou Bay is located at the end of Kamehameha III Road, aptly named as the site of the birthplace of King Kamehameha III. The area commemorates this history with a stone memorial indicating the site of his birth in 1814; he was the longest reigning monarch in the Kingdom of Hawaii, until his death December 15, 1854. This location was added to the Hawaii register of historic places on January 13, 1978, and the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1978.
This bay was a favorite retreat for Hawaiian royalty, and today, the area celebrates its history with several historic sites and a carefully restored heiau (temple). Just upslope from Keauhou Bay is the Lekeleke Burial Grounds, where ancient warriors were laid to rest after a fierce religious battle in 1819. The Hawaiian kapu sacred practices ended as well as, the lives of more than 300 Hawaiian warriors. With Keauhou Bay’s interesting historical sites complemented by its underwater playground, it’s no wonder why the area has emerged as one of the Big Island’s great cultural destinations.
Location and Directions
To get to Keauhou Bay, drive makai (towards the ocean) taking either of the two Kamehameha III Roads off Ali’i Drive. At the end of Kamehameha III Road, you will find parking.
