Best Deals in Kona - Day 5 Punaluu
As is expected, there are a number of Black Sand Beaches on the Big Island. It is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands and is, in fact, still forming. With the more recent formation comes black sand. One of the more popular black sand beaches is Punalu'u. There you can often find Hawaiian Sea Turtles sunning on the beach. If not seen on the beach they are usually around shore in the waters eating.
Punalu'u is a short drive from Kona. Thursday and Friday are great days to visit as you can stop to pick up Randy's Huli Huli Chicken for a picnic. They are open 9-4pm but go early as they tend to sell out.
Once you have yor chicken, set the GPS to Punalu'u Bakery. It is the Southernmost Bakery in the United States. They have a lot of offerings but the best is Malasadas. These are Portugese Donuts and come in a variety of flavors. I like the liikoi and guava, plain is good as well.
Take your Huli Chicken and Your Malasadas to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach for a relaxing day enjoying the sand, honu, and watching the waves. I find the water at Punalu'u a little chilly for swimming and there is quite the break. It can look a little like a washing machine so exercise caution if you decide get in the water.
A great place to stop for dinner on the way back to Kona is Super J's. It is a local restaurant run by a local family. Get the Laulau.
As always, if you want a great place to stay, there are affordable options at Guard Well Farm. Check out the calendar for the Tiny Home and Coffee Stay to see availability and contact us for direct booking rates.