Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park: Remarkable Sea Turtles and More

On my very first visit to the Big Island of Hawaii ever my very first stop was Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park. I had read about it and wanted to see the lava tidepools, but what was more interesting was the number of honu there. Honu, or Hawaiian green sea turtles, love this area of the Big Island and come in droves to Kaloko Honokohau NHS to rest and eat. We’ve got all the information for visiting this special spot, things to do at Kaloko Honokohau NHS and how to hang out with the honu RESPECTFULLY and within guidelines. You’ll love visiting this beautiful spot on the Kona Coast!

While I love the whales all around Maui and the cats on Lanai, the honu of the Big Island are always such a highlight of visiting Hawaii. Here at Kaloko Honokohau you’ll get the full sea turtle experience, beautiful snorkeling, lava hiking and historic structures. Put this at the top of your Big Island itinerary. If you have any questions about this park or other historic spots on the Big Island, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more.

Why Visit Kalokoko Honokohau on the Big Island?

Really the reason 99% of people are coming to Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park is because they want to see the sea turtles, and rightly so. The concentration of honu here at the park is astounding. I remember our first visit to Kaloko Honokohau and thinking that it was going to be unlikely to see any Hawaiian green sea turtles, let alone 20 or so in the duration of our short visit. Thankfully there are volunteers at the beach, and sometimes rangers, to help manage the visitors who don’t understand keeping their distance from wildlife, because sometimes humans forget that wildlife is just that: wild.

I love getting to photograph honu here at Koloka Honokohau NHS. Not only is it a beautiful and historic setting, but the backdrop of the lava tide pools and crystal clear water fully make it a magical place to take photos. While there are times that the sea turtles are in the swimming area with the visiting humans, most of the photography opportunities happen at the lava Rock areas. This is wonderful because you can observe the honu from a safe distance and get a good elevated view of them.

Tips for Visiting Kaloko Honokohau NHP

Visiting Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park is worth a half a day, or at minimum 60 minutes. The primary place to visit is the sea turtle beach which is accessed from the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor. It’s an easy five minute walk from the parking area to the beach, either through the tree tunnel path or along the edge of the jetty. I think walking the tree tunnel path is better because 1.) there’s a tree tunnel and 2.) this is actually a wonderful place for birdwatching with lots of small, colorful birds.

Once at the beach, get yourself set up in the sandy section so you can enjoy swimming, lounging in the water and having a nice lay on the beach. Whether you’re in the water or not though, be aware of the Hawaiian green sea turtles. While they tend to stay far from humans, if you do get close, their bite is one of the most dangerous around. A sea turtle can take a chunk out of your arm or bite off a finger very easily. The National Park Service safety standard is 20′ away from turtles.

When it comes to turtle photography, underwater photos are difficult to capture unless you’re using a very good camera. While the water is very clear and you can easily see the honu from above the water, getting close enough underwater to capture a photo without distortion is difficult. For your safety and the safety of the turtles, do not encroach upon them, even for that award winning photo.

Gear for Kaloko Honokohau Day

Besides the beach cove at Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park, there are some unique trails to hike and a great, albeit small, visitor center. The trails here are very unusual as they’re through the lava flows and past historic ruins of a village, heiau and ranch remnants. While you won’t see a fully restored complex like at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau NHS or Lapakahi State Historical Park, the ruins are there. The Ala Hele Ike Trail leads all the way from the visitor center down through the lava and over to the Honokohau Beach cove. It’s a hike, but what a cool way to experience this part of the Kona Coast. You can do similar hikes to this in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, but those don’t lead to a sea turtle filled cove, which makes this hike so special.

When it comes to gear for hiking, you should be fine in sturdy shoes or sandals, but be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks with you if you’re doing one of the longer trails. And if you’re planning on hiking all the way to Honokohau Beach instead of driving there, don’t forget your snorkeling gear because the cove is wonderful for it. For sunscreen, it must be mineral based, reef safe. If you just have standard sunscreen, do not go in the water with it on. Take the time to purchase the proper sunscreen that won’t hurt the ocean and the life within.

Parking at Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park

The Kaloko Honokohau National Historic Park visitor center is NOT near Honokohau Beach cove where the Hawaiian green sea turtles hang out. These are two different areas, each with their own parking and access. The visitor center has plenty of parking for short visits or to start your hikes, but if you want to see the exhibits and talk to rangers, you need to arrive well before 4:00 pm. While their posted hours of operation say they’re open later, the rangers actually shut the visitor center FULLY BY 4:00 pm. You can still park and hike, but just not access the information area.

For the Honokohau Beach cove, you can park in the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor parking area. It’s free, and you’ll be able to choose which path you take down to the beach.