Bright blue ocean, deposited batches of a’a lava and the soft sand of Waialea Beach is framed by a Kiawe tree at this amazing Big Island beach. Waialea is a beach to enjoy for hours and makes those who couldn’t make it out envious. Access to this beach is easy, yet a bit off the beaten path. This means Waialea Beach (also called beach 69’s because of the road mile marker used to find it) is frequented mostly by locals and only a few visitors in the know. As compared to many Big Island beaches, 69’s offers plentiful shade, albeit mostly from thorny Kiawe trees.
Waialea has good snorkeling on less wavy days while more wavy days bring fun boogie boarding and even a shallow surf break on the south side. The sand here is soft and cool. The a’a lava that juts out into the bay adds a fun visual component as well as good turtle and fish-viewing space. The beach is long enough that it accommodates at least as many people as the parking lot can handle.
