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Homonalino Beach is very quiet, secluded and not well known to tourists. Unlike many of the Big Island’s Public Beaches, Honomalino isn’t accessible by road. This makes it a nice peaceful and quiet place to relax. The hike to the beach from the parking lot is just under a mile, requires little effort, and when you reach the beach, you’ll be rewarded with picturesque scenery and a beautiful black sand beach.
ADVENTURE STATISTICS
Time Required: 20 minute walk each way
Location: 40 miles south of Kona
Distance: 1.5 miles (2.5km) round trip
Elevation Gain: none
Difficulty: 3/10 – Walking over lava rock
Season: Year Round
Additional Requirements: N/A
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
From Kailua-Kona: Head south on Highway 11 (Alii Hwy) out of the city for roughly 34 miles until you reach Milolii Rd (just south of the 89-mile marker). Take a right on Milolii Rd and follow the long, progressively narrowing road for 4.5 miles through the fishing village of Milolii until it ends at Milolii Beach Park. The trailhead is off the Milolii Beach Parking Area.
From Hilo: Just like from Kona, head south from Hilo on the Highway 11 for about 85 miles until you reach Milolii Rd (between the 88 and 89-mile marker). Take a left on Milolii Rd and follow the long, progressively narrowing road for 4.5 miles through the fishing village of Milolii until it ends at Milolii Beach Park. The trailhead is off the Milolii Beach Parking Area.
WHAT TO BRING
- Comfortable Footwear: The trail crosses sharp sections of lava rock so footwear is important. The hike can be done in flip flops but closed toed shoes will protect you from stubbing a toe on the sharp rock. There is also a brief section of the trail where you’ll have to walk through water so bring shoes you don’t mind getting wet.
- Water: This hike isn’t very long but it’s always important to be prepared and stay hydrated.
- Snacks: Bring some of your favorite snacks to enjoy at the beach. Some of our favorite snacks are trail mix, bananas, beef jerky and licorice.
- Snorkeling Gear: Bring your snorkeling gear, there are a lot of fish, caves, and lava rock formations to look at under the water.
- Games: Bring a beach towel and some beach games. Football, Frisbee, spike ball, paddle ball, water bouncers.
- Sunscreen: If it is sunny and you’re like Mattson, who easily burns, bring sunscreen!
- Camera: There are numerous photo opportunities you won’t want to miss.
- This Guide: Print a copy of this guide to reference throughout the hike
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Campfires: No campfires or overnight camping allowed on this beach.
No Facilities:There are no facilities on this beach of any kind so be sure to plan ahead.
Leave No Trace: It is important that we enjoy the outdoors responsibly and sustainably. Some key principles to consider when hiking to “Leave No Trace” are:
- Plan ahead and prepare: Proper planning allows adventurers to hike safely while minimizing damage to the land.
- Travel on durable surfaces: Stick to the trail when possible. If there is no trail, or you must travel off trail, stay on durable surfaces to reduce your impact.
- Dispose of waste properly: Pack it in, pack it out.
- Leave what you find: Leave rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects of interest as you find them.
- Respect wildlife: Observe wildlife from a distance. Never feed wild animals.
- Be considerate of other visitors: Be courteous to others to allow everyone to enjoy their outdoor experience.
To learn more about “Leave No Trace” visit http://www.leavenotrace.ca
HIKING DIRECTIONS
Summary: The hike to Honomalino Bay is straightforward and takes around 20 minutes. From the Miloli’i Beach Park there is a marked trail that will take you to Honomalino Bay.
Step-By-Step Guide:
On the South side of the Milolii Beach parking lot (Route marker #1 on the map) a sign marks the beginning of the trail to Honomalino Beach. Follow the marked trail south!
Make sure you’re on the public trail and off people’s private property. You will see yellow arrows painted on the black lava rock indicating that you are on the right track. Initially the trail follows a lava rock retaining wall right next to the ocean. Stay to the right of this wall. At one point you will have to get your feet wet as the trail cuts through a shallow section of ocean.
After the short water hop, the trail should be quite clear. Follow the trail as it weaves through dense vegetation and over barren lava flows. Just before the beach, you’ll pass some more private property, remain on the trail and you’ll be at Homonolino in no time!
Honomalino Beach (Route marker #2 on the map) is a beautiful black sand beach and a great place to spend a relaxing day. When you have got your fill of the beach return to your vehicle the same way you came.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Thank you for choosing Epic Trip Adventures as your guide. We are committed to continually updating our guides to be as relevant and accurate as possible. If you have feedback to improve this guide please leave it in the comments below.
We also want to hear about your Honomalino Bay adventures. If you have stories, pictures or even a link to your own adventure video please share them below!
Have fun out there!
– ETA