Getting wrecked
Shipwreck Bar (Island of Hawaii)
GETAWAYS • Hawaii
The Backstory: Spanning 81 acres on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, Kona Village (a Rosewood Resort) has reimagined the former Kona Village Resort that was mostly destroyed in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. A relic of this pre-tsunami era is Shipwreck Bar, housed in the former schooner of the resort’s original owner, Johnno Jackson. Recovered from the tsunami’s wreckage, it was restored and converted into a bar in 2023. It’s a simple white and honey-toned wood boat, with NEW MOON stamped in black letters.
The Experience: The bar mixes nostalgic yet reimagined tropical cocktails inspired by characters of local lore like “Mick, The Jungle Bird,” alongside a selection of tiki drinks. It’s all been updated and reimagined for present-day proclivities: instead of nautical gear, there are bottles of top shelf spirits and bowls full of fresh citrus and tropical fruit, set inside the boat on a long countertop and displayed around the bar top (which is just the widened side of the boat), with a line of less than a dozen chairs pulled up to it. There are also a few seating options spread further away, better for groups. But the place to perch is at the boat bar. The boat also operates as a small sushi restaurant, with the Kaūpūlehu Sushi menu on offer most days of the week.
FOUND Pro: For the rest of 2026, Kona Village is hosting cocktail pop-ups centered around Shipwreck Bar, bringing in mixology stars from all over to sling drinks this summer and fall. Julie Reiner, co-owner of New York City’s Clover Club and Milady’s is doing a Fourth of July weekend takeover. Alex Jump and partner Stuart Jensen of Denver’s Peach Crease will be there in August.
Why It’s FOUND: It’s a bar in a boat — and it’s a small boat. The whole thing has a very barefoot-in-the-sand kind of vibe, and you’ll probably feel like you’ve stumbled upon an experiential pop-up or interactive art exhibit on your stroll down the beach. –Amber Turpin
→ Shipwreck Bar (Island of Hawaii) • 72-300 Maheawalu Dr • Sun-Mon 11a-6p, Tue-Sat 11a-9p • walk-ins only.