The first building you see when entering Honalo from the north resembles a cross between a low-slung red barn, a white-roofed villa and a Japanese shrine. Well, one out of three ain’t bad: this is the Buddhist Daifukuji (‘Temple of Great Happiness’) Soto Mission. Slip off your shoes and admire the two ornate, lovingly tended altars. Everyone is welcome to join Zen meditation sessions, tai-chi lessons and taiko (Japanese drum) practices; call or check the website for details.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions
18.4 MILES
If what you're after is an almost deserted, postcard-perfect scoop of soft, white-sand beach cupping brilliant blue-green waters, head to 'Maks.' Although…
19.1 MILES
This sublime crescent-shaped white-sand beach is fronted by sparkling waters in alternating bands of pale cyan, deeper turquoise, and rich blue. Kua Bay…
Puʻuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
8.33 MILES
This awesome park is an ancient place of refuge – or puʻuhonua, a sanctuary where kapu (taboo)-breakers could have their lives spared. A half-mile walking…
10.89 MILES
The water is usually too cloudy for snorkeling at this beautiful hook-shaped beach with a mix of black lava, white coral and wave-tossed shells, but just…
11.38 MILES
This modest, charcoal-colored beach is backed by a steep green hillside. When calm, the bay's waters are good for swimming, kayaking and snorkeling …
4.48 MILES
About 4 miles south of central Kailua-Kona, this small beach (also called White Sands and, officially, Laʻaloa Beach) has turquoise water, great sunsets,…
Kona Coffee Living History Farm
3.73 MILES
Many coffee-farm tours are perfunctory 15-minute affairs. This tour, run by the Kona Historical Society, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute, is…
25.52 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…
Nearby attractions
0.82 MILES
If you have young kids, head north a mile or so from Honalo and enjoy shady Higashihara Park. Its unique Hawaii-themed wooden play structure is both…
2.07 MILES
This Mordor-esque lava plain of jagged ʻaʻa rock that crinkles to the deep blue coast then drops steeply into the ocean, lives up to its name. To get here…
2.26 MILES
This 150-acre family farm, established in 1850, is run by fourth-generation Greenwells and is one of Kona’s oldest and best-known coffee plantations. It…
2.41 MILES
The Holualoa Foundation for Arts & Culture created this community art center in 2002. There are free exhibits, a plethora of locally made art, plus…
2.43 MILES
Housed in one of Kona's oldest buildings, this museum is a taste of 19th-century Hawaiʻi. Built in 1875 and meticulously restored, it has educational…
2.56 MILES
Many tour cruises launch from the small pier at this protected bay. While not worth going out of your way for, the small beach, picnic tables and sand…
7. Keauhou Kahaluʻu Heritage Center
2.9 MILES
This unstaffed cultural center showcases a few small exhibits on native Hawaiian culture, with a focus on temple building, cultivation, fishing, and holua…
8. Kahaluʻu Bay Education Center
3.37 MILES
Located by Kahalu‘u Bay beach, Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center (KBEC) is a family-friendly educational center that provides teaching and instruction on both…