Route
Kona Airport to Mauna Kea Beach and Hapuna
Mauna Kea Beach and Hapuna sit at the northern end of the Kohala resort corridor. It is the longest of the standard resort transfers and the one where a shared shuttle hurts most.
- Typical drive time
- About 35 minutes
- Distance
- About 28 miles north on Queen Kaahumanu Highway
What to know about this route
- Serves Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, and the Mauna Kea residences
- Direct highway run with no intermediate stops
- Allow extra time on departures during the afternoon flight rush
- Popular add-on: a stop at Hapuna or Waialea on the way out
The detail
What this transfer is really like
The longest of the standard resort runs
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Westin Hapuna sit at the northern end of the resort corridor, roughly twenty eight miles from KOA. Thirty five minutes direct. On a shared shuttle that has already stopped at Waikoloa and Mauna Lani you can be in the vehicle well over an hour, which is a rough way to start a trip built around one of the best beaches in the state.
One campus, two properties
The two hotels share a campus and a shuttle between them, along with the golf courses and Hapuna and Kaunaoa beaches. Arrival courts are separate, so tell us which hotel and we drop at the right one. The Mauna Kea residences and Kaunaoa homes above the hotel are gated and we serve them regularly.
Beach stops on departure day
Because check out is late morning and flights leave in the afternoon, the most requested add-on here is a stop at Hapuna or Waialea, sometimes Kawaihae for lunch, before the airport. We hold the luggage, you swim, and we still make your check in window. It turns dead time into the best hour of the trip.
Waimea and North Kohala from here
You are close to the parts of the island most visitors miss. Waimea is about twenty minutes up the Kawaihae road at 2,600 feet, cool and green, with real restaurants. Hawi and Kapaau are another thirty minutes north through pasture and ironwood. Both are easy half day chauffeur trips out of Mauna Kea and neither is enjoyable to drive at night after dinner.
Questions
Kona Airport to Mauna Kea Beach questions
How long does it take to get from Kona airport to Mauna Kea Beach Hotel?
About thirty five minutes for the twenty eight mile run north on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, direct with no other stops.
Can you take us to Westin Hapuna instead?
Yes. The two properties share a campus and the drive time is the same. We drop at whichever arrival court is yours.
Can we stop at a beach before our flight?
Yes, and it is a popular request. Hapuna, Waialea, or a Kawaihae lunch stop with the bags in the vehicle, timed to your departure.
Do you serve the Mauna Kea residences?
Yes, including gated access and standing service for longer stays.
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