Buying a Home in Kohanaiki: Club Membership, Costs, and What to Check
Updated: 3 days ago
Kohanaiki is a private oceanfront club community in North Kona, about ten minutes south of the Kona airport. Club membership comes with ownership, so every purchase is both a real estate decision and a club decision. Buyers should understand the home and the club before they commit.
Key takeaways
Kohanaiki is a private club community about ten minutes south of the Kona airport.
Club membership comes with ownership, so every purchase is a real estate decision and a club decision.
Home types include custom homesites, estate homes, and townhome style residences.
Most buyers are purchasing a second home from off island.
Where Kohanaiki is and what it offers
Kohanaiki sits on about 450 acres along the coast in North Kona, a short drive from Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport and from Kailua-Kona town. The community is built around a Rees Jones golf course with several holes along the ocean. Members also have a large clubhouse, a spa, and an on site farm that supplies the club.
The shoreline at Kohanaiki has long been a local surf and camping spot, and a public beach park remains next to the community. The club itself is private and gated.
Types of homes in Kohanaiki
Kohanaiki offers more than one way to own. There are custom homesites where an owner builds an estate home, finished estate homes, and attached residences that suit owners who want less upkeep. Finishes are high end throughout, and most homes are designed for indoor and outdoor living.
Because each home is different, price depends on the type of residence, its position on the course or near the water, the view, and its condition. Sales are few in any given year, so recent sales inside Kohanaiki and in nearby Kūkiʻo and Hualālai all matter when judging value.
Membership and ongoing costs
Membership in the Kohanaiki club is tied to owning property there. A buyer should review the current membership terms, the annual club dues, and the association fees together, since all three are part of the cost of ownership. The club and the association set these amounts and they can change, so buyers should get the current figures in writing.
Design guidelines apply to new homes and to changes to existing homes. Rental rules also apply. Buyers who hope to rent a home when they are away should confirm what is allowed before making an offer.
What buyers should check before making an offer
Work through a short list before you make an offer. Confirm the membership terms and all dues. Read the design guidelines if any building or remodeling is planned. Check the lava zone and get an insurance quote early. Ask how the home has held up in the salt air, and have it inspected even if it is nearly new. For a vacant homesite, ask local builders about realistic costs and timelines.
Selling a home in Kohanaiki
Most Kohanaiki buyers live on the mainland or abroad, so a listing has to reach them where they are. Gather the club and association documents before the home is listed, price from recent sales in the North Kona clubs, and market through the MLS and a national agent network, such as eXp Realty's, that reaches agents across the United States and abroad. Owners who value privacy can limit showings to qualified buyers.
Common questions
Do you have to join the club to own in Kohanaiki?
Membership comes with ownership in Kohanaiki. Buyers should review the current membership terms and dues with the club before closing.
How far is Kohanaiki from the Kona airport?
Kohanaiki is about ten minutes south of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, between the airport and Kailua-Kona town.
Comparing communities? See the guide to Kona luxury resort communities: Kohanaiki, Kūkiʻo, Hualālai, Hōkūliʻa, Keauhou, Waikoloa and Mauna Lani side by side.
Sources: County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Office; Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands.
About the author: Maile Woodhall (pronounced Miley) is a licensed Hawaiʻi REALTOR (RS-88019) with The Agency Team Hawaii, eXp Realty (RB-21841), born and raised in Kona. Questions? Call or text (808) 482-5800.
Related guides: Buying a home in Kona; Multimillion Dollar Homes and Estates in Kona: What Buyers and Sellers Should Know; How to Sell a Luxury Home in Kona: A Listing Agent's Guide; Buying an Oceanfront Home in Kona: Rules, Costs, and What to Check.
Last updated: October 2026.
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