For killer coastal views, pause at the scenic lookout above Honuʻapo Bay northeast of Naʻalehu. This sweep of shoreline and scrub is part of the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in Hawaii, and land trusts and the county continue to purchase large sections to keep it that way. Once upon a time, you might have been able to see Kilauea's Halemaʻumaʻu crater steaming silently above the Kaʻu Desert ramping up to the horizon, but those days are reserved for eruptions.
Honuʻapo Bay Overlook
Hawaiʻi the Big Island
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.6 MILES
Kilauea volcano lies at the center of activity in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The unassuming bump on Mauna Loa's southeast flank would be easily…
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
27.44 MILES
Even among Hawaii's many wonders, this national park stands out. Its two active volcanoes testify to the ongoing birth of the islands: quiet Mauna Loa (13…
29.53 MILES
The original Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook off Crater Rim Dr was closed in 2008 due to volcanic activity and the very real threat of death. For the next decade,…
Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park
5.18 MILES
Beyond the nearly omnipresent green sea turtles basking in the sun, or the rare hawksbill turtles that lay their eggs here (be careful where you walk),…
8.04 MILES
Kahuku Unit's six hiking trails that lead through green pastures to volcanic cinder cones, lava tree molds, rainforests and lava flows come alive during…
23.81 MILES
The top sight in Miloliʻi is about a mile's walk south of the town itself. Honomalino Bay is simply gorgeous; with sand the color of all Big Island…
11.4 MILES
This legendary beach on Mahana Bay isn't really that green, but it is a rare and beautiful sight. Its color comes from crystals of olivine, the mineral…
13.93 MILES
Ka Lae, the southernmost point of the Big Island, feels palpably unwelcoming, yet hauntingly peaceful. It is mostly an empty grassland fringed by restless…
Nearby Hawaiʻi the Big Island attractions
0.57 MILES
Northeast of Naʻalehu, this small park has tide pools, an ancient Hawaiian fishpond frequented by birds, and the photographic ruins of a historic pier…
3.1 MILES
Repeatedly a flash-point for coastal-access and land-rights issues, Kawa Bay is now a quiet, pebbly cove. It's bounded by a creek and cliff-top heiau …
3.54 MILES
In 1866 Mark Twain wrote in yet another long letter home that in Waiʻohinu, 'trees and flowers flourish luxuriantly, and three of those trees – two…
4.98 MILES
A small rock chapel and cemetery above Kawa Bay is dedicated to Punaluʻu resident, Henry Opukahaʻia. Several years after watching his parents get killed…
5. Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach Park
5.18 MILES
Beyond the nearly omnipresent green sea turtles basking in the sun, or the rare hawksbill turtles that lay their eggs here (be careful where you walk),…
5.29 MILES
Also referred to as Punaluʻu Nui, 800-year-old Kaneʻeleʻele Heiau was the region's luakani, or place of human sacrifice. A large flat stone below the…
7.35 MILES
Eroded hills from Mauna Loa's geologic past are visible from Hwy 11 between Naʻalehu and Pahala.
8.04 MILES
Kahuku Unit's six hiking trails that lead through green pastures to volcanic cinder cones, lava tree molds, rainforests and lava flows come alive during…