According to state park regulations , nudity is illegal on beaches in the state of Hawaii. This is the official position of the State of Hawaii. However, things that seem simple can often be impossible to prevent. The fact is that there are beaches in Hawaii that are known to be "nude", "topless" or "all-you-can". There are also questions like whether nude sunbathing or swimming is actually illegal in Hawaii. Dr. George R. Harker, a former professor at Western Illinois University and an astronomy enthusiast based in Hawaii, wrote an interesting review of the case exploring this issue, "In Is nudity legal on Hawaii¡¯s nudist beaches?¡± Putting the legal issues aside for a moment, let¡¯s take a look at some of the ¡°nude¡± or ¡°clothless¡± beaches in Hawaii. Hawaii's Big Island Nude Beach Honokohau Harbor Beach is located in the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park on the Kona Coast, not far from Highway 19 north of Honolokohau Harbor. The northernmost tip of this golden sandy beach is a popular gay beach. Privacy is hard to come by here, and federal park rangers often enforce patrols prohibiting nude sunbathing. However, with its warm atmosphere and good diving conditions, this remains a very popular nude beach. Kehena Beach (Dolphin Cove) is located in the Puna area (near Hilo) off Highway 137 near mile marker 19. This is a well-shaded black sand beach nestled among steep cliffs and tall trees. Swimming can often be dangerous due to dangerous swells and large waves. This is a very popular beach with locals. Steam Vents, located at mile marker 15 of Highway 130 in Hilo, features a natural cavern where you can take a steam bath with or without clothing. It's private property, but the owners continue to let people use it. There is a clothing-optional hotel nearby called the Steamvent Guesthouse.