All of Hawaii's beaches are public, so no worries about pulling out a beach blanket here. This quarter-mile crescent of white sand contrasts nicely with its lava headlands; beyond the beach rises a grassy slope and the manicured grounds of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Thanks to the hotel, the beach is clean and well-maintained. Rough water makes it a better beach for boogie-boarding and bodysurfing than swimming. Stick around to watch the sunset; this sultry spot is a wonderful destination for watching the sun melt, sherbet-hued, into the aqua water.