Kainaliu is located in the Kona district at coordinates19°31′56″N 155°55′35″W / 19.53222°N 155.92639°W / 19.53222; -155.92639, along the Hawaii Belt Road, also called the Māmalahoa Highway or state route 11.

The town was named for an ancient canoe bailer who worked for King Keawenuiaʻumi in the sixteenth century,[2][3] from kā i nā liu in the Hawaiian language.

[8] In 1932 the Tanimoto Theater opened here, showing both American and Japanese films for workers in the Kona coffee industry.

[12] The Kona Research Station of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources of the University of Hawaii is located here.

[13] Although a trail originally led to a small settlement at the beach, the road was moved uphill to accommodate the growing traffic through the coffee-producing region.