I saw a guy on Good Morning America who rated a beach on the big island as the best for the entire US. Unfortunatley, I did not catch the name. Did anyone happen to see or read his review somewhere and could tell me the name of the beach?

David,

I'm almost sure it would be Hapuna Beach on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. It's been named #1 in "umpteen" surveys and polls!

Hapuna Bay has a wonderful beach, but it is very rough in the "winter" (Nov - Mar) and a large portion of the sandy shoreline is lost during this period. I have always preferred "A-Bay", located behind the Outrigger Waikoloa, which is a palm tree lined crescent beach that is usually calm and also has nice (but not great) snorkeling.

So Frank, where do you suggest for great snorkeling on the B.I.?

Frank,

My personal preference is "A" Bay also! I love it, but for beauty and all the things beaches are rated for, Hapuna Beach always wins when the experts rate them. We always stay at the Outrigger Waikoloa because it sits right on "A" Bay, of course. It's #1 in my book, also!

Sandy: My search for great snorkeling sites on the Big Island has been rather limited, so i really can't make a suggestion. My favorite beach for snorkeling in Hawaii remains Manele Bay on Lanai, provided you get an early morning start (water is crystal clear then)...the possibility of spinner dolphins joining you in the Bay is icing on the cake!

Hi David:

I'm fairly sure you are referring to "Dr. Beach", Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, professor at Florida International University. He just released his rankings for the top 20 beaches in America 2000, and his top choice this year is Kaunaoa Beach, on the Big Island
(at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel).
Previous national winners, which are excluded from subsequent surveys, include Kapalua Bay, Hapuna, Lanikai, Wailea, Hulopoe and several Florida beaches.

You can read about his ranking system at his web site, topbeaches.com
Click on "press releases" to get the latest list. Fodorites may also be interested in the criteria he considers, and the results of other surveys, i.e., the best beaches with nightlife, etc.

Aloha!

David,
Was that it?
k

Mauna Kea and Hapuna are both great. Sandy- for GREAT snorkeling go to Kealakekua Bay. There is no beach, you must kayak (fun!), hike (long), swim (long), or take a cruise (fun). It is a protected underwater marine sanctuary. There are spinner dolphins there a lot and the water is clear, lots of colorful coral and fish! I have a great view of it from my porch and it is ALWAYS beautiful.

One of the reasons Hapuna Beach is rated so highly is for the view from the water. Although it is a nice beach, I wasn't overly impressed with it from my view on the sand. (I thought Flamenco Beach on Culebra island in Puerto Rico was much nicer). But from the water, you get the view of Mauna Kea volcano rising above the Palm trees.

Kim,

I'm trying not to hate you for having that view from your porch!!! Do you need a live-in maid or Granny/Nanny??? Seriously, how grand that must be, to live there!

Thank you all very much. I knew I'd recognize the name and it's Kaunaoa Beach. The real beauty is the we're actually staying at the Mauna Kea!
Aloha!!

Lani-I wish I had that much money to hire someone to clean for me! We are just renting a small cottage but I can deal with the smallness since I have the huge view of the bay!