On the western flank of Hawai‘i Island, the Kohala Coast stretches in contrasts—lava plains still warm from the sun, reefs that catch the light in quicksilver flashes. Islanders wade the shallows where age-old loko i‘a (royal fishponds), still hold the currents in perfect balance. This is a shoreline defined by centuries: voyagers who navigated by stars, ali‘i (chiefly) families who honored the tides, fishermen who read the water like a living text.
Just 25–30 minutes from Kona International Airport, the road north passes in layers: beds of ancient basalt, then pockets of golden grass that lean with the trade winds. The scent shifts too, salt air at one bend, wild plumeria at the next.
It is here, among the five great mountains: Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Hualālai, Haleakalā, and Kohala, that Mauna Lani rests and gathers its crown of cloud; to the west, the Pacific presses into shore in long, deliberate breaths. Set on 34 oceanfront acres spanning nearly half a mile, Mauna Lani holds its own piko (navel, a center point)—an infinite circle, symbol of origin and connection.
The name translates to mountain reaching heaven, but its meaning deepens with time spent here. The land is not scenery. It is host, teacher, and kūpuna (elders)—keeping its history close.
A Stay for Shelter
Step inside, and the light tilts. It falls through slatted walls, casting patterns across the floor. The timber beneath is warm, steady. Each lanai opens outward—mountain silhouettes at dusk, the hush of waves in the distance.
Across 292 rooms, 36 suites, and five private residences, the palette stays honest: earth tones, woven fabrics, unadorned wood grain. Nothing here is showy nor asks for attention. The spaces simply hold you.
The private homes, named for the five surrounding mountains, are placed along the property’s edge, held like long-kept secrets. For families, the architecture makes room to breathe; for couples, it holds still.
And always, just beyond the walls, the shelter doesn’t turn you away from the island—it keeps you within it.
The Ocean, Your Constant
If the land preserves Hawai‘i’s history, the ocean here draws you into motion. Along one of the island’s most swimmable coves, the Mauna Lani Beach Club opens to limpid waters—children learning to snorkel, seasoned paddlers tracing the lagoon rims at sunrise. The energy is playful but unhurried: some drift, some push, or simply floating, sun-dappled, in water that feels made for rest.
Kainalu Ocean Sports makes the sea feel alive in new ways. Kainalu—meaning “ocean wave”—draws from hā, the Hawaiian breath of life. Led by Kainalu Pros, hop in the canoe, or slip over coral gardens alive with darting fish. Stand tall on a paddleboard at dawn, or climb aboard Kalama Kai—a 42-foot Yellowfin yacht that skims the coastline to reefs and winter whales. And for those who crave more speed, join an outrigger wa‘a: a rush of momentum, teamwork, and wave-riding, part exhilaration, part lineage.
Nothing here is rushed. The day moves naturally between effort and reprieve—on the sand, or beneath the palms. For some, it feels like initiation into ocean life. For others, a return—a reminder that the shoreline is not only to be admired, but lived.
Tales & Tables
Meals at Mauna Lani are written in dialogue with the land and sea.
CanoeHouse
CanoeHouse unfolds at the threshold of the Pacific, where Executive Chef Rhoda Magbitang guides a menu that blends Japanese inspiration with Hawai‘i’s coastline. Think kampachi touched with citrus, vegetables pulled from local farms, and seafood freshly caught. More than a restaurant, CanoeHouse is a story told through flavors.
HāLani
By day, HāLani is breezy and open, overlooking the pools and the Great Lawn; by night, it turns toward long Mediterranean dinners—mezze, wood-fired pizzas, a line-caught yellowtail roasted over flame. Local ingredients ground the menu, while the wine list and cocktails nod to coastal Europe.
Hā Bar
Set among palm-fringed pools, the fare is lighter: ahi crudo, pizzas from the brick oven, cocktails with island flair (the Lani Tai is signature). Live music sets the mood at dusk, framing tapas and sunsets, making it a place to linger.
Surf Shack
Chic, toes-in-the-sand, Surf Shack nods to Hawai‘i’s surf culture. Poke bowls and tacos for lunch, cocktails at golden hour, shared plates at picnic tables. It’s an all-day hangout—casual, never careless.
Here, dining flows subtly from rustic to refined. A full spectrum of experiences, all rooted in aloha ʻāina (love of the land).
Who It’s For
There is no single guest here—only those seeking something elemental.
Couples find intimacy along the kahakai (shoreline): mornings at the Mauna Lani Beach Club, sunlit hours between the adult pool and private cabanas, evenings that slip from CanoeHouse to the repose of the Auberge Spa. Here, time belongs entirely to two.
Families find space to gather without compromise. Younger ones explore at the complimentary Holoholo Kids Club, or splash at the sandy-bottom Keiki Pool, while older children take on the Kainalu Junior Waterman Program, learning the ocean as Hawaiians once did.
Mauna Lani is a gathering place—across generations, across intentions. For some, the journey turns inward. For others, it is a way back to shared ground.
A Note for Luxury Travel Advisors: Why Recommend Mauna Lani
What stays with you at Mauna Lani is how little it tries. The ocean speaks enough. Rooms steady without spectacle. Service waits, then understands. Always there, anticipating, listening, adapting.
The Great Lawn ties it all together—pathways leading to the pools, the Surf Shack, and the private Beach Club. Beyond, 36 holes of championship golf stretch inland, with fitness and racquet sports rounding out the days.
And beneath it all, culture holds you close. Think lei-making, storytelling, and guided lava field walks.
This is Hawai‘i. A living story for travelers—of those who call it home.