Hawaiʻi County Completes Purchase of Keakealaniwahine Shoreline Parcel in North Kona

Hawaiʻi County completed the purchase of a 15,372-square-foot shoreline parcel called Keakealaniwahine along Aliʻi Drive in North Kona, placing the property directly adjacent to the popular "Banyans" surf spot. The county announced the transaction on February 25, 2026, identifying the parcel as shoreline land in a high-use corridor of North Kona's coast.

The county said it used the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Commission as the mechanism to complete the acquisition. County officials described the transaction as a county-led purchase that secures the specific Aliʻi Drive parcel known locally for its proximity to Banyans and for shoreline access patterns along that stretch of road.

Keakealaniwahine sits on Aliʻi Drive between well-known local points of reference used by residents and visitors who come for surfing at Banyans and for shoreline recreation. The parcel's 15,372-square-foot footprint places it among mid-sized shoreline holdings on North Kona's coastal strip, immediately influencing patterns of public use along that segment of Aliʻi Drive.

The announcement on February 25, 2026 follows recent county activity to identify and acquire discrete shoreline properties in areas with concentrated public use. The county framed the purchase in terms of securing the Keakealaniwahine parcel specifically, noting its location near Banyans and its role as a contiguous piece of shoreline real estate that borders an active recreational surf site.

County records identify the parcel by name and square footage, and the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Commission is listed as the county entity involved in effecting the transaction. The completion of the purchase places Keakealaniwahine under county ownership as of the February 25 announcement, establishing a clear public-sector title for that 15,372-square-foot shoreline property on Aliʻi Drive in North Kona.