Kawaihae Harbor (Hawaii Island)
Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news
Region
Hawaii - Mexico - Panama Canal
Local Time
2025-06-09 03:39
69°F 20.6°C
Very Light1.6 m/s
79 °F / 26 °C 64 °F / 18 °C
Kawaihae Harbor is located on Hawaii Island's western coast, approx 35 mi (55 km) north of Kailua-Kona. The harbour is protected by a breakwall (breakwater structure) and consists of docking facilities (wharves, US military landing site), fuel depot, anchorage area (for yachts and leisure boats), cargo terminal (storage for shipping goods).
Kawaihae Harbor is a popular windsurfing destination. The small town Kawaihae (an unincorporated community) has as tourism serving venues only bar restaurants. Resort beaches and two top-luxury hotels are located to the south - Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. To the north is located the Canoe Club and a small boat ramp. In the period 1957-59, the US Army Corps of Engineers dredged the harbour and built its breakwall. In 1970 was constructed a small boat marina (Kawaihae Canoe Club) to the south of the harbour's entrance. Kawaihae's artificial reef was featured in the Kevin Costner's movie Waterworld (1995, by Universal Pictures).
As cruise port, Kawaihae was included for the first time in 2020, in the schedule of the UnCruise Adventures-owned ship Safari Explorer (1998 -built, max passenger capacity 40). The next table shows the 7-day "Hawaiian Seascapes Cruise" itinerary between Kawaihae and Kaunakakai (northbound and southbound).
| Date / Time | Port |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kawaihae, Hawaii Island |
| Day 2 | Honomalino Bay, Hawaii Island |
| Day 3 | Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island |
| Day 4 | Lanai Island, Hawaii |
| Day 5 | Scenic Cruising (Captain's choice destination) |
| Day 6 | Lahaina, Maui Island, Hawaii (Olowalu, Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary) |
| Day 7 | Kaunakakai, Molokai Island, Hawaii |
The voyages were priced between ~USD 5200-5400 per person (double-occupancy cabin rates).
IMPORTANT: Effective January 1st, 2026, Hawaii extends its Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) to include cruise ship passengers. Previously applicable only to hotel stays, the 11% TAT will be prorated for the duration cruise ships are docked in Hawaiian ports. For instance, tourists on a 14-night voyage with 3 nights in Hawaiian waters will incur the tax on those specific nights. The legislative change is anticipated to generate ~US$100 million annually, with funds earmarked exclusively for environmental protection and climate resilience projects. These initiatives include beach restoration, infrastructure reinforcement against storms, and the removal of invasive species contributing to wildfire risks.