Anaehoomalu Beach, universally known as A-Bay among Big Island locals and visitors, stretches along the South Kohala coast within the Waikoloa Beach Resort area, offering a scenic crescent of white sand framed by swaying coconut palms and historic Hawaiian fishponds. Located in front of the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort yet fully accessible to the public through a large parking lot and dedicated beach entrance, A-Bay provides a rare combination of resort-area convenience and authentic Hawaiian cultural heritage. The beach name Anaehoomalu translates roughly to restricted mullet, referencing the two ancient fishponds named Kuualii and Kahapapa that sit immediately behind the shoreline, where Hawaiian royalty once raised mullet and other fish reserved exclusively for royal consumption. These maintained ponds, with Kuualii representing the larger of the two, stand as living connections to traditional Hawaiian aquaculture practices that sustained island communities for centuries before Western contact transformed coastal land use patterns. The combination of beautiful swimming beach, cultural sites, nearby petroglyphs, and resort amenities makes A-Bay one of the Kohala Coast's most visited and versatile beach destinations.
Swimming conditions at A-Bay rank among the best on the Big Island for families with children, as the large, calm, and protected bay features a sandy water entrance that gradually deepens while offering extensive shallow areas perfect for young swimmers building confidence in the ocean. The utterly tranquil water makes excellent swimming possible even when other exposed Big Island beaches experience rough conditions, though the protected nature of the bay sometimes results in less clear water compared to more exposed coastlines. Snorkeling receives mixed assessments, with the northern edge of the bay providing decent reef exploration opportunities while the main sandy areas often suffer from murky visibility that disappoints snorkelers expecting crystal-clear conditions. Those seeking quality snorkeling at A-Bay must swim out considerable distances, beyond 500 feet from shore, to reach better coral and fish populations, making the beach more suitable for swimming and water sports than serious reef exploration. The beach excels at supporting stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and other water activities that benefit from calm conditions rather than requiring pristine underwater visibility.
The beach provides comprehensive amenities including restrooms, outdoor showers, picnic areas, and ample free parking in the public lot, with no set operating hours allowing visitors to enjoy the beach throughout the day and witness the spectacular Kohala Coast sunsets for which A-Bay has earned particular renown. Walking trails connect the beach to the nearby Waikoloa Petroglyph Reserve located just 0.7 miles away, where some 30,000 symbolic carvings depicting humans, animals, boats, and geometric designs etched into lava rock date as far back as the 15th century. Hikers can explore the Kings Trail through a 2-acre historical park featuring rock shelters, additional petroglyphs, and other ancient artifacts that illuminate the sophisticated civilization that thrived along this coastline long before resort development transformed the landscape. The convenient location within Waikoloa Beach Resort means visitors can combine beach time with shopping at the Kings Shops or Queens MarketPlace, creating full-day itineraries that mix ocean recreation with dining and retail exploration.
After enjoying A-Bay's calm waters and cultural sites, visitors can walk directly to Lava Lava Beach Club positioned right on Anaehoomalu Bay, offering beachfront dining where guests can literally keep their feet in the sand while enjoying drinks and meals with unobstructed ocean views. A-Bays Island Grill at the Kings Shops serves local favorites, seafood, and Pacific Rim cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere with both air-conditioned indoor seating and lanai dining accompanied by live music beginning nightly around 5:30 PM. Roys Waikoloa delivers Hawaii-inspired Euro-Asian cuisine in an upbeat resort casual setting, while Hawaii Calls Restaurant inside the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Browns Beach House offers signature oceanfront dining with breathtaking coastal vistas, and CanoeHouse has welcomed generations with Japanese-inspired cuisine since opening in 1989. The cultural significance of Anaehoomalu extends far beyond its fishponds, as this coastline supported traditional Hawaiian communities who developed sophisticated resource management systems that sustained populations while maintaining ecological balance. Modern visitors honor this heritage by respecting the historic fishponds, staying on designated trails when exploring petroglyphs and archaeological sites, properly disposing of all trash, and recognizing that accessing these cultural treasures requires responsible stewardship. Those seeking a Big Island beach that combines excellent swimming for families, convenient resort amenities, significant Hawaiian cultural sites, and diverse dining options will find A-Bay delivers that complete package in one accessible and historically rich location.
