Kona Neighborhoods Guide
Kona is not one place. The coast is dry and sunny. The hills are cool and green. The private clubs each have their own rules and costs. This guide gives you a short look at each area, written by Maile Woodhall (pronounced Miley), a Realtor who was born and raised in Kona.
North Kona Private Club Communities
Hualālai. A resort community around Four Seasons Resort Hualālai at Kaʻūpūlehu, about fifteen minutes north of the Kona airport. It has two golf courses, a beach club, and homes that range from resort villas to custom estates. Club membership is for owners and is bought apart from the home.
Kūkiʻo. A private residential club next to Hualālai. There is no hotel. Homes include oceanfront estates, golf course homes, and homesites of about an acre. Few homes come up for sale.
Kohanaiki. A private oceanfront club about ten minutes south of the airport, built around a Rees Jones golf course. Club membership comes with ownership. Homes include homesites, estate homes, and attached residences.
Each club sets its own membership terms, dues, and rental rules, and they can change. Ask for the current figures in writing before you make an offer.
Kailua-Kona, Keauhou, and Holualoa
Kailua-Kona. The main town, with shops, restaurants, the pier, and Aliʻi Drive. You will find condos near the water, family neighborhoods up the hill, and ocean view homes above town.
Keauhou. A resort and residential area about six miles south of Kailua Village. Condos are the most common home here. Some sit on the ocean and some on the golf course. Some Keauhou property is leasehold and some is fee simple, so check each one. Rental rules differ by complex.
Holualoa. A historic village in the hills above Kailua-Kona, about 1,200 to 1,800 feet up. The air is cooler and afternoon clouds are common. Homes range from older cottages to gated ocean view estates on acreage. Water source and road access change from home to home.
South Kona and the Kohala Coast
Hōkūliʻa. A private, gated golf community near Kealakekua, about thirty minutes south of Kailua-Kona. Homesites are large, often an acre or more, with wide ocean views. The community has its own rules, design review, and a fee paid on resale.
Kealakekua and Captain Cook. Small towns on the hillside above Kealakekua Bay. Homes sit on larger lots with ocean views and cooler nights. Lava zones change within short distances in South Kona, so check each property. Maile grew up in Captain Cook.
The Kohala Coast. North of Kona, the Kohala Coast has resort areas with golf, beaches, and condos and homes inside resort communities. It is sunny and dry most of the year.
Not Sure Which Area Fits You?
Take the free quiz, Which Part of Kona Fits You? It is on the Living in Kona page and takes about two minutes.
Or ask Maile. Call or text (808) 482-5800. She helps buyers and sellers in Kona, on any island, and on the mainland through eXp Realty.
Maile Woodhall, REALTOR, RS-88019. The Agency Team Hawaii, brokered by eXp Realty, RB-21841.