Kaunaoa Bay hotel reopened in early 2009. Kaunaoa Bay Kaunaoa Bay has one of the few white sand beaches of the Kohala Coast, the western side of the island of Hawaii. A historic hotel, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, is located on beautiful Kauna'oa. The word 'kauna'oa' may refer to a few different things, any of which may have been why native Hawaiians named this beach so: the first definition refers to a thin, orange vine with yellow flowers, (Cuscuta sandwichiana), which is found throughout most Hawai'i (this is the official lei vine of Lanai). However, the second definition refers to a
Lei Day golden and can be seen all across the island. Molokai uses a flower named the Kukui which has a green color to it. A smaller island named Lanai has a grassy flower called Kauna'o which is a yellow color. The island of Kahoolawe and its flower Hinahina has a silver-gray color across the top. The final two islands have unique sets of flowers. Kauai has plentiful mokihana flowers of a beautiful green color. The island of Niihau's "flower" is actually a shell called Pupu. In 1929 Lei Day was officially recognized as a holiday. However, the first celebration of this