The Big Island has the most snorkeling of any Hawaiian island — a Kona coast nearly 100 miles long, a resort-lined Kohala coast, and a whole Hilo-side set most visitors never hear about. This map puts all 32 shore spots on one page with GPS pins, difficulty ratings, and honest verdicts, so you can plan days, not guesses.
How to Use This Map
Paste any GPS pin below into Google Maps or your phone’s maps app and it will navigate you straight to the spot. The spots run south to north along the leeward coast, with the Hilo-side spots grouped separately at the end. Difficulty tells you what the water asks of you — Easy means a calm beach entry, Moderate means a lava entry or a hike, and Skip means we’ve been there and you don’t need to be.
Big Island Snorkeling Map: All 32 GPS Pins
| # | Spot | GPS Pin | Coast | Entry | Difficulty | Honest Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Papakolea Green Sand Beach | 18.9206, -155.6713 | South | 4×4 / long hike | Skip | Go for the green sand, not the snorkel — access is brutal and the water is usually rough. Read our guide before deciding. |
| 2 | Punalu’u Black Sand Beach | 19.1340, -155.5052 | South | Sandy beach | Poor | Turtles, yes. Snorkeling, barely. Worth the stop for the wildlife, but don’t plan a snorkel day here. |
| 3 | Ho’okena Beach | 19.3851, -155.8782 | South Kona | Sandy beach | Easy | A sleepy local beach with good reef patches and shade. Long shallow entry, great for a relaxed morning. |
| 4 | Two Step (Honaunau) | 19.4216, -155.9105 | South Kona | Lava ledge | Easy-Moderate | The Big Island’s most famous shore snorkel. Two natural steps in the lava and you’re in. Parking fills early — go before 9 AM. |
| 5 | Kealakekua Bay | 19.4810, -155.9110 | South Kona | Boat / kayak / hike | Moderate | The best water on the island, and the hardest to reach. Take a boat tour — the hike out is punishing. |
| 6 | Keauhou Bay | 19.5580, -155.9618 | South Kona | Ladder / beach | Easy-Moderate | Calm bay, good reef, dolphins in the morning. Watch for boat traffic near the harbor mouth. |
| 7 | Kahalu’u Beach Park | 19.5789, -155.9671 | Kona | Sandy beach | Easy | The island’s best beginner snorkel. Turtles everywhere. Snorkel the south end and never stand on the coral. |
| 8 | Magic Sands (La’aloa) | 19.5941, -155.9703 | Kona | Sandy beach | Moderate | Fun on calm days — but the sand literally disappears under winter surf. Winter = no-go for snorkeling. |
| 9 | Kamakahonu (King Kam) | 19.6409, -155.9975 | Kona | Sandy beach | Easy | Downtown Kona’s quick dip. Convenient, not special — save it for a sunset float, not a snorkel day. |
| 10 | Old Kona Airport Beach | 19.6433, -156.0056 | Kona | Lava + beach | Easy-Moderate | Underrated Kona-coast spot with a big reef. Plenty of parking and almost no crowds. |
| 11 | Honokohau Beach | 19.6695, -156.0257 | Keahole | Lava walk | Moderate | A 65-meter lava scramble gets you to a quiet beach with good snorkeling. No facilities; bring everything. |
| 12 | Kohanaiki Beach Park | 19.6989, -156.0466 | Keahole | Lava path | Moderate | Honest local park, short hike to the water, good reef and few tourists. Reef shoes help. |
| 13 | Makalawena Beach | 19.7804, -156.0147 | Keahole | Hike + beach | Moderate | Postcard beach, real reef, and the hike keeps crowds away. Bring water — there’s no shade or help out there. |
| 14 | Mahai’ula Bay | 19.7817, -156.0368 | Keahole | Hike + beach | Moderate | Makalawena’s quieter twin. Same reef country, even fewer people. Worth combining with Makalawena. |
| 15 | Kua Bay (Manini’owali) | 19.8094, -156.0061 | Keahole | Sandy beach | Moderate | Stunning beach with a short boat-length swim to the reef. No facilities and no shade — plan accordingly. |
| 16 | Kukio Bay | 19.8171, -155.9986 | Keahole | Resort beach | Easy-Moderate | A calm resort cove with good snorkeling — but resort security limits access, so it never feels like a public beach. |
| 17 | Kiholo Bay | 19.8523, -155.9303 | Keahole | Hike + lava | Moderate | Turtle lagoon, lava tube, black pebble beach. The hike in is the price of a truly wild spot. |
| 18 | ‘Anaeho’omalu Bay (Waikoloa) | 19.9166, -155.8848 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy | Easy entry, great sunset, mediocre snorkeling. Stay for the beach day; snorkel elsewhere. |
| 19 | 49 Black Sand Beach (Honokaope) | 19.9327, -155.8808 | Kohala | Rocky path | Moderate | Small black-sand cove with healthy, uncrowded reef. Parking pin above; the beach is a short walk. |
| 20 | Makaiwa Bay | 19.9417, -155.8724 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy | Easy entry and the reef starts yards out. One of the Kohala coast’s best value snorkels. |
| 21 | Pauoa Bay (Fairmont) | 19.9510, -155.8591 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy | Protected cove, sand entry — the easiest water for weak swimmers on the Kohala coast. Beach access via the hotel path. |
| 22 | Puako Bay | 19.9740, -155.8315 | Kohala | Rocky entry | Moderate | Petroglyph coast with patchy but rewarding reef. End-of-the-road privacy, watch the urchins. |
| 23 | Waialea Bay (Beach 69) | 19.9816, -155.8278 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy-Moderate | Calm, clear, and the reef hugs the south point. Go after a dry spell — rain runoff kills visibility. |
| 24 | Hapuna Beach | 19.9916, -155.8245 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy-Moderate | A top-10 US beach that snorkels well on calm days: work the rocky points at both ends. Non-residents pay $5/person + $10/vehicle. |
| 25 | Mauna Kea Beach (Kauna’oa) | 19.9968, -155.8169 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy | The best hotel beach snorkel in Hawaii — if you get in. The public parking lot is tiny and fills by 9 AM. |
| 26 | Spencer Beach Park | 20.0245, -155.8215 | Kohala | Sandy beach | Easy | Calm, shady, kid-friendly — but the snorkeling is only okay. Mauna Kea and Waialea are 10 minutes away. |
| 27 | Lapakahi (Koai’e Cove) | 20.1748, -155.8968 | North Kohala | Coral rubble | Moderate | A marine sanctuary with real reef — stay inside the cove, because the currents just outside are dangerous. Park 8 AM–4 PM, no fee. |
| 28 | Mahukona Beach Park | 20.1819, -155.9011 | North Kohala | Ladder / rocky | Moderate | Old sugar-town harbor with coral gardens. Quiet, no services, great for escaping the resort coast. |
| 29 | Carlsmith Beach Park (Hilo) | 19.7335, -155.0276 | Hilo | Lava channels | Easy | Hilo’s turtle capital — channels between lava rock, sea turtles everywhere. The Hilo side’s best snorkel. |
| 30 | Onekahakaha Beach Park (Hilo) | 19.7357, -155.0389 | Hilo | Tide pools | Easy | A sheltered lava-rock pool perfect for kids and beginners. Small but safe when Hilo’s sea is up. |
| 31 | Leleiwi Beach Park (Hilo) | 19.7354, -155.0135 | Hilo | Sandy beach | Easy-Moderate | Black-sand Hilo beach with patchy reef. Watch the surf report — it closes in fast on rough days. |
| 32 | Richardson Ocean Park (Hilo) | 19.7340, -155.0151 | Hilo | Black sand beach | Easy-Moderate | The classic Hilo snorkel — turtles, reef, and a lifeguarded beach. Calmer mornings, murkier after rain. |
The Best Areas by Coast
South Kona: Two Step to Kealakekua
This is the soul of Big Island snorkeling. Two Step is the easy-access legend, Kealakekua Bay is the best water on the island behind a kayak or boat, and Kahalu’u is where beginners and turtles both feel at home. Ho’okena is the local sleeper nobody talks about. Base yourself in or south of Kailua-Kona and you can stack three of these in a day.
Kona Town to Keahole
The working coastline: Old Kona Airport is the local favorite nobody advertises, Honokohau and Kohanaiki reward a short lava scramble, and the hike-in trio of Makalawena, Mahai’ula and Kiholo Bay deliver empty beaches and real reef.
Kohala Resort Coast: Waikoloa to Mahukona
Eleven spots, one road. Mauna Kea Beach is the star — arrive before 9 AM or you’re parking on the highway. Makaiwa Bay, 49 Black Sand and Waialea (Beach 69) are the strong support acts. Lapakahi and Mahukona at the north end are the wild-card day trip.
Hilo Side
Everything east of Saddle Road. Hilo’s snorkeling can’t match the Kona coast’s clarity — but Carlsmith and Richardson are genuine turtle spots worth a morning if you’re staying in Hilo. Our full Hilo snorkeling guide covers them in detail.
Spots You Can Only Reach by Boat
Three of the island’s best snorkels aren’t on this pin map because you can’t drive to them:
- Kealakekua Bay (Captain Cook Monument): the east-side reef under the monument is boat, kayak, or a steep hike away. Our guide covers all four ways in.
- Manta Ray Night Snorkel: not a reef spot — you float under lights at night while 12-foot mantas barrel-roll inches away. Our full manta ray night snorkel guide has tour-selection advice.
- Suck ‘Em Up and Fishbowl: boat-only reef sites off Honokohau Harbor — day-boat territory, not shore snorkels.
When to Snorkel Where: Seasonal Table
| Season | Best bets | Caution / avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Dec–Mar (winter) | South Kona (Two Step, Kahalu’u, Keauhou) — calm year-round; Kohala coast; mornings everywhere | Magic Sands (sand washes away); north Kohala (Lapakahi, Mahukona) on big-swell days; Hilo side after heavy rain |
| Apr–Jun (spring) | Everything leeward; Kohala coast at its clearest | Trade-wind chop on the Keahole stretch by afternoon |
| Jul–Sep (summer) | All 32 spots at their best; south Kona offshore is glassy | Papakolea (always rough); south shore on south-swell days |
| Oct–Nov (fall) | Kona coast; Hilo side drying out | Early winter swells start hitting north Kohala |
Morning rule: on every coast, the calmest water is before 11 AM. If a spot has one calm window, it’s the morning.
Plan Your Days: Group Spots by Base
| Where you’re staying | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kailua-Kona | Two Step + Ho’okena (south) | Kahalu’u morning + Old Kona Airport | Kealakekua boat trip + Magic Sands evening |
| Waikoloa / Kohala | Mauna Kea (early) + Waialea (Beach 69) | Makaiwa + 49 Black Sand | Lapakahi + Mahukona (north day trip) |
| Hilo | Carlsmith + Richardson | Punalu’u (turtles) + south coast drive | Onekahakaha (kids) + Leleiwi |
How We Built This Map
Every spot above has a dedicated guide on this site — each one researched from the live SERP, competitor content gaps, and verified access details (parking, fees, closures). GPS pins were placed against actual beach and park locations, and verdicts are honest: Punalu’u and Papakolea are great places and poor snorkels, and we’d rather tell you than have you drive two hours to find out. For gear, timing and technique, see our beginners guide, best time to snorkel, and gear checklist. Swim with turtles responsibly with our sea turtle guide, and make sure you’re prepared with our safety guide and reef-safe sunscreen rundown.
FAQs
Is there a free Big Island snorkeling map I can download?
This page is it — 32 GPS pins you can paste into Google Maps one by one, which is how most people navigate the coast anyway. Paid options like Franko dive maps exist, but for shore snorkeling the pins above plus a phone are all you need.
Which side of the Big Island is best for snorkeling?
The west (leeward) side — the Kona and Kohala coasts — gets calm, clear water nearly year-round while the Hilo side is wetter and rougher. South Kona (Two Step, Kealakekua, Kahalu’u) has the densest cluster of great spots; the Kohala coast has the best hotel-beach snorkeling.
What is the best snorkeling spot on the Big Island for beginners?
Kahalu’u Beach Park: sandy entry, calm protected water, turtles, and lifeguards nearby. Pauoa Bay on the Kohala coast is the other easy-mode pick. Start both before 10 AM.
Can I snorkel on the Hilo side of the Big Island?
Yes — Carlsmith Beach Park and Richardson Ocean Park are real snorkel spots with turtles and reef, and Onekahakaha is perfect for kids. They’re not as clear as the Kona side, but they’re absolutely worth a morning if you’re staying in Hilo.
Is Punalu’u Black Sand Beach good for snorkeling?
Honestly, no — it’s a turtle-viewing beach with poor underwater visibility. Same for Papakolea Green Sand Beach, which is a long hike to rough water. Visit both for the beaches and wildlife; plan your snorkeling on the Kona or Kohala coast.
Which Big Island snorkeling spots need a boat?
The east side of Kealakekua Bay (under the Captain Cook Monument), the manta ray night snorkel, and boat-only sites like Suck ‘Em Up off Honokohau Harbor. Everything else on this map is shore-accessible.
Do any Big Island snorkeling spots charge entrance fees?
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area charges non-residents $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle (residents free with state ID). Most county parks and beach parks are free.
Can I snorkel the Big Island in winter?
Yes — this is the island’s superpower. The Kona and Kohala coasts stay calm in winter while other islands’ north shores shut down. Avoid Magic Sands in winter (the sand disappears) and check the surf report before driving to north Kohala.
Where do I rent snorkel gear near these spots?
Kona and Waikoloa both have rental shops with daily and weekly rates — rent once for your whole stay instead of per-spot. See our gear checklist for what to get and what to skip.