Day 1 in Kona, Hawaii: Magic Sands Beach & Daiichi Ramen

Our six-day adventure on Hawaii's Big Island began in Kailua-Kona, where we were ready for a week of beaches, sightseeing, hiking, and eating our way around the island. With 23 PTO days, it was time to chip away and escape Los Angeles, CA. 

This wasn't my first time visiting Kona. I'd been here before back in 2022, but there were so many things I hadn't experienced during that trip, including hiking, exploring the volcanoes, and discovering more of the island's local food.

This time, I wanted to change that and I had the best tour guide/partner. This adventure included leaving the resort and actually doing everything that was missed before. 

Our First Stop: Magic Sands Beach

We kicked off our trip with a visit to Magic Sands Beach, also known as Laʻaloa Beach, along Aliʻi Drive.

Magic Sands gets its name from the way its sand can disappear during periods of powerful surf, revealing the lava rock underneath. When ocean conditions change, the sand can return.

It's a relatively small beach, but the blue water, crashing waves, and coastal scenery make it one of Kona's most memorable spots.

We enjoyed the ocean views and began settling into vacation mode.

Little did we know that Magic Sands would become one of my favorite places throughout the trip. We'd return several times before heading home.

Dinner at Daiichi Ramen

After our first beach visit, we grabbed dinner at Daiichi Ramen.

Hawaii has a diverse food culture shaped by Native Hawaiian traditions and generations of immigration, including strong Japanese influences. Ramen is one of the many dishes that have become part of the islands' everyday dining scene.

The Tonkatsu Ramen was creamy, flavorful and delicious. While we've had better, for the location, it was good. 

We always order the chicken karaage as an appetizer. The crispy breading paired with the sauce was amazing. 

My partner had the black pepper Ramen and inhaled it. Lol. It was a casual way to end our first day before the more ambitious adventures we had planned.

The dumplings were great and we paired it with the gyoza sauce.

We'll definitely be back for more ramen and appetizers if we're back on the island.

Our Home Base: Aston Kona by the Sea

View from our balcony, unit 121

For this trip, we stayed at Aston Kona by the Sea, an oceanfront condominium property in Kailua-Kona.

Our condo had an oceanfront balcony, and we could hear the waves crashing against the rocky shoreline throughout the day and night.

That sound quickly became one of our favorite parts of staying there.

Having a comfortable home base in Kona also made it easier to explore the island while still enjoying downtime by the ocean.

I'll share a separate, detailed review of the condo, including the amenities, our nightly hot tub visits, and a few unexpected encounters with Hawaii's wildlife.

Day 1 Highlights

-Arriving in Kona and beginning our Big Island adventure
-Visiting Magic Sands Beach for the first time
-Dinner at Daiichi Ramen

-Settling into our oceanfront condo

Know Before You Go

Magic Sands Beach can experience powerful shorebreak, so check ocean conditions and follow lifeguard guidance before swimming. 

As someone who is not a strong swimmer, despite swimming classes in high school and swimming lessons as an adult, make sure to know your abilities and if you're not comfortable treading water for a long time, perhaps find a calmer beach. This advice came from a lifeguard on the loudspeaker as he was addressing some kids that struggled a bit. (Best believe, I took that advice to heart). 

If you're staying in Kona and planning to explore other parts of the Big Island, consider using your arrival day to get settled rather than scheduling a long excursion.

Final Thoughts

Our first day wasn't about checking off a dozen attractions.

It was about arriving, enjoying the ocean, and getting excited about everything ahead.

With waterfalls, volcanoes, historic sites, and beaches on our itinerary, our Big Island adventure was just getting started.

Don't forget to PIN this post: 

Tip:💡You can comment as a guest by selecting the "I'd rather post as a guest" check box.

Trip Resources

If you’re planning a road trip, here are some helpful sites that I use. Note, below are affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission for every booking, with no extra cost to you. Thanks so much, in advance!

Booking.com - Anytime we need a rental car, we use this site to find deals. 

Expedia.com - I like to use this site to explore upcoming cruises that I'd like to take. I also refer to it to compare hotel prices, flights, and car rentals. 

GetYourGuide.com - Book things to do, attractions, tours and discover new food. 

VRBO.com - When we’re not staying in an AIRBNB, we’re in a VRBO rental. We use this option when we want to enjoy a full house with individual bedrooms, a kitchen, backyard and other amenities. 

TripAdvisor.com - Anytime I want reputable reviews, tips, and overall advice about a vacation area, I leverage this site. 

Viator.com - Looking for cool tours in your vacation area? This site has a number of options.