Finding Arch City

What is it that makes sea arches so thrilling? Just seeing a natural bridge gets my heart racing, let alone the thrill of passing over or under.  The Big Island of Hawaii is full of little known and hard to reach treasures like the Arch City coastline. After learning that there are a dozen sea arches in a mile stretch, we headed to find the trailhead to Arch City, located just north of Honaunau Bay in South Kona. What we didn't count on was that finding Arch City would be so challenging, or so full of discovery.








Much to our surprise, we didn't see a single arch along the coastline until we got 1/2 mile down the ragged lava coastline. Instead, we stumbled upon tide pools, natural sea salt pockets, and a coastline riddled with holes and hidden inlets.

 

 

 

 

Once we reached the arches, they did not disappoint! One natural sea arch after another greeted us on the last part of the coastal trail. So of course we had to play!



 

Tips and Resources: The trail is hard to find, so take our ongoing advice and get Big Island Revealed. This book is so invaluable and will get you to the trailhead. Be smarter than we were and take plenty of water and wear a hat. There is no shade and it will take you longer than you think. Happy exploring!