At a glance
- Elevation (most land)
- 6–137 ftmedian 49 ft
- Annual rainfall
- 9 inmedian; 8–9 in across the area
- Mean annual temp
- 75 °F75 °F across the area
- USGS lava zones
- 3 and 8varies by parcel
- Drive to KOA
- ~33 min20.8 mi from Mauna Lani Dr; typical, light traffic
- Area profiled
- 10.3 sq miWaikoloa Beach Resort CDP + Puakō CDP
Land & elevation
Statistics here cover the Waikoloa Beach Resort and Puakō Census places, which are low-lying coastal land, mostly under 140 ft. Other resorts along the coast are similar but sit outside those boundaries. Across the Waikoloa Beach Resort CDP + Puakō CDP boundary, the middle 90% of land sits between 6 and 137 ft (median 49 ft; full range 0–223 ft). At Mauna Lani Dr, the ground is about 57 ft.
Climate
Median annual rainfall across the area is about 9 inches, and most of the area gets 8–9 in (10th–90th percentile). At Mauna Lani Dr, the atlas shows about 9 in a year. Mean annual air temperature is about 75 °F (75 °F across the area). On this island, temperature generally drops as elevation rises, and rainfall can change a lot within a few miles. Visit at different times of day before you choose.
These are long-term averages from University of Hawaiʻi climate atlases (rainfall base period 1978–2007), not forecasts or guarantees for any property.
Lava-flow hazard zone
Most of this coastline is mapped Zone 3 (Mauna Loa flows), with a smaller Zone 8 portion (Mauna Kea). USGS rates hazard from Zone 1 (highest) to Zone 9 (lowest). Share of this area's land in each zone:
| USGS zone | Share of area | USGS description |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | 90% | Areas less hazardous than Zone 2 because they are farther from recently active vents and/or protected by topography |
| Zone 8 | 10% | The remaining part of Mauna Kea; only a few percent of it has been covered by lava in the past 10,000 years |
Varies by parcel. Zone boundaries are approximate. USGS notes that hazard generally changes gradually rather than abruptly at a line, and lenders and insurers use the zone of the specific parcel. I look up the zone for every property and get insurance quotes before contingencies are removed.
Water: county system or catchment
Regulated systems serving this coast include the County's South Kohala and Lālāmilo systems and systems run by private utilities such as Hawaii Water Service Company (DOH list, May 15, 2025). Which one serves a property depends on the community.
Public-system coverage is parcel-specific: some properties have a water meter, some are on a private or community system, and some rely on rainwater catchment or hauled water. We confirm the source for every property in due diligence, and your lender and inspector should too.
Getting to Kona International Airport (KOA)
From Mauna Lani Dr, the drive to KOA is about 20.8 miles, typically about 33 minutes in light traffic. Actual times vary with traffic, construction and where in the area you start.
Before you buy in Kohala Coast
- Confirm the parcel's lava zone and get homeowners-insurance quotes early
- Confirm the water source (meter, private system, catchment or hauled)
- Confirm the wastewater system: sewer, septic or cesspool (why it matters)
- Check tenure (fee simple or leasehold), and HOA rules and fees if any
- Check County zoning and registration rules before planning any short-term rental
Sources & method · checked October 22, 2026
Area statistics were computed on October 22, 2026 inside the 2020 Census boundary named above: elevation from the USGS 30 m DEM (5th/50th/95th percentiles of land cells); rainfall and temperature by sampling the UH atlas grids over land in the boundary; lava-zone shares by intersecting the boundary with the USGS hazard-zone layer; the drive by routing from the named point to the KOA entrance. Census boundaries don't match neighborhood or MLS boundaries exactly.
- U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb 2020 Census Designated Places and County Subdivisions (boundaries used to define each area): tigerweb.geo.census.gov
- USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), 1 arc-second (~30 m) DEM and Elevation Point Query Service: usgs.gov
- Giambelluca et al. (2013), Rainfall Atlas of Hawaiʻi, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: mean annual rainfall grid (1978–2007 base period): rainfall.geography.hawaii.edu
- Giambelluca et al. (2014), Climate of Hawaiʻi, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: mean annual air temperature grid: climate.geography.hawaii.edu
- USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Lava-flow hazard zones, Island of Hawaiʻi: usgs.gov
- USGS Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2193 (Wright et al., 1992), lava-flow hazard zones; GIS layer via Hawaiʻi Statewide GIS Program: pubs.usgs.gov
- Hawaiʻi Statewide GIS Program, Volcano Hazard Zones layer: geodata.hawaii.gov
- USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Mauna Loa: usgs.gov
- Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch, Regulated Public Water Systems list (May 15, 2025): health.hawaii.gov
- County of Hawaiʻi DWS, 2025 Water Quality Report: Lālāmilo: hawaiidws.org
- Drive estimates: OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap road data, to the Kona International Airport (KOA) entrance at Queen Kaʻahumanu Hwy: project-osrm.org