Big Island Snorkeling Guide - Waialea Bay

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Big Island Snorkeling Guide
Waialea Bay (Beach 69)

Waialea Bay (Beach 69) is a wonderful beach to explore on your Big Island Snorkeling Tour. It is just down the road from the much more crowded Hapuna Beach, and the snorkeling is more accessible.

Big Island Snorkeling Beach 69

The beach has a very secluded, rugged feel to it that we really enjoyed. It is known locally as Beach 69 because that was the number of the telephone pole that is now gone. It used to be you just parked on the side of the road, but it has received a recent upgrade with a paved parking lot and nice restrooms.

Site Snorkeling Details - Waialea Bay (Beach 69)
Big Island Snorkeling

This is a pretty little white sand beach with nice trees for shade close by. The beach is very gradual, and the bay is more protected than Hapuna Beach. But when the tide is up there is not much beach. It is generally calmer here than Hapuna.

Waialea Bay Snorkeling

We found some great snorkeling on the right hand (north) side of the bay (see picture at top of page).

There were some beautiful coral formations, and a nice variety of fish. We saw some Lavender Tangs, a Saddle Wrasse, and many others.

Below is a picture of a beautiful Palenose Parrotfish munching on some coral. It is amazing how loud their snapping eating sounds can be underwater. We have heard that you can see turtles here, but we have not yet.

In parts of the right hand side we have encountered a little bit of fresh water from a local stream that makes the top layer of visbility a little "fuzzy".

The other good snorkeling in this bay is straight out from the trail you enter the beach on, behind the rocky point in the middle of the bay. After exploring the north side, we swam straight across the bay to these coral formations. This is also very interesting for coral and fish, but it was a little bit cloudy.

On the right is one of those crazy looking Picasso Triggerfish, the Hawaii State Fish, known locally as Humuhumu nukunuku apua'a. That name looks like a mouthfull, but it sure is fun to say as quickly as you can.

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The new facilities here offer nice showers and a bathroom, water, picnic tables and plenty of shade.

Driving Directions - Waialea Bay (Beach 69)
Big Island Snorkeling

From Kailua Kona, take highway 19 (Queen Kaahumanu Hwy) north out of Kona. Follow it north through Waikoloa Resort Area, turn left onto Puako Road. If you come to the 70 mile marker on highway 19, you've gone too far. Once on Puako Road, turn right on the next access road, Old Puako Road. On the left is a newly paved road and parking lot with bathroom facility including showers. Or, if you are coming from Hapuna Beach, you can follow Old Puako Road south and turn right on the road to Waialea Bay (you will see the parking lot from the road).

Check out the next snorkel location - Puako Bay

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Big Island Snorkeling GuideWaialea Bay (Beach 69)

Big Island Snorkeling Guide
Waialea Bay (Beach 69)