Big Island Must-See: Papakōlea Green Sand Beach
A green sand beach? For real? I was doing some research for our upcoming trip to Big Island when I came across this bit of information. There are only 4 green sand beaches in the world and one of them is in Big Island so of course, that was first on our list to see and it did not disappoint. So no, your mind is not playing tricks on you. That is a beach with green sand. If you’re just as curious as we were to see this pretty cool beach, read on.
The green sand at Papakōlea Beach comes from the mineral olivine found in the basalt of certain lava flows. This particular lava flow is from Pu'u o Mahana, a prehistoric pseudocrater of Mauna Loa Volcano. The high concentration of olivine in this particular lava flow makes for the pretty green hue of this unique beach.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Hours: Open 365 days a year.
Cost: $0.
Time: Allot about 4-5 hours.
Parking: The closest parking lot to this beach is a small dirt parking lot at the beginning of the trail (2.7 miles away) There is only one way of getting to the beach legally and that is hiking. More on this later…
Bathrooms: None
Pet-friendly: No.
WHEN TO GO
Temperatures are pretty consistent throughout the year in Big Island, generally in the high 70s or low 80s. The driest months are between May and October and the priciest months are from December to March. Whatever month you pick, try to start the hike early morning or late afternoon as it can get really hot between 11-3pm.
HOW TO GET THERE
The closest airport to this beach is Kona International Airport (KOA). Papakõlea is quite remote and requires some effort to get to. You have to drive about 71 miles from airport to pretty much the southernmost point in the US in Naalehu AND THEN you have to hike about 2.7 miles (one way) from the parking lot to the beach. However, imo, ALL WORTH IT! Remember, there are only 4 green sand beaches in the world and this is the only one stateside so put on those hiking boots and just enjoy the scenery as you go.
So because not everyone is up to hiking almost 6 miles to and from this beach, some people have found a way to avoid this. This brings me to the sensitive topic of the shuttles being operated by locals. Locals will ask you in the parking lot if you’d like to ride the “shuttle” into the beach. As far as my research goes, the only way of getting to the beach legally is hiking. The land is owned by DHHL (Department of Hawaiian Home Lands) who has given permission for people to hike in but not for vehicular access. The reasons for that are (1) to preserve the natural fragile landscape and (2) to protect the few ancient Hawaiian heiau (cultural temples) along the area.
So, knowing that information, tourists should avoid paying for unauthorized tours/shuttles or refrain from taking their rental cars into the area. Times are hard and it is understandable that locals are just trying to make money, but I feel that it should not be at the expense of damaging the fragile ecosystem and cultural landmarks of the area. If you cannot hike the almost 6 miles to and from the beach (2.7 miles each way), it might be best to just skip this.
HIKING TO THE GREEN SAND BEACH
Let’s go…
Park in the small dirt parking lot. We got there at 9am and the lot was fairly empty. At 1pm, the lot was teeming with cars.
The hike to the beach (2.7 miles each way) is mostly flat and fairly easy. There is no shade AT ALL so hats and (reef-safe) sunscreen are your best friends here. Bring lots of water!
Travel Tip
Apart from bringing essentials such as water, hats and sunscreen, wear sneakers or hiking shoes. The unmarked trail is dusty, unpaved and oftentimes, uneven and rocky.
Fifteen minutes into the hike, we saw a rocky beach which of course, momma had to take some pictures in…
Momma’s failed attempt at a glamour shot lol
There is no marked trail but if you stay alongside the ocean, you will get to Papakōlea Green Sand Beach.
About 1.5 miles in, we spotted a cove with some green sand where we hung out for a little bit to rest.
When you see this craggy crest, you know that you are close. Paradise awaits.
Once you get to the area, you will have to navigate some rickety stairs and finally some sandy sheets of rock to set foot onto the green sand beach and water. Watch your footing on the rocky layers. It could get slippery because there is sand everywhere.
You made it! Now you can marvel at the unique green sand. Enjoy!
Travel Tip
Protect your eyes and wear sunglasses, not just for the hike but also for sand. It gets pretty windy at the beach so sand is flying everywhere. Yes, you will probably get it in your food, too. We were envisioning a nice picnic by the beach but didn’t feel like “sand”-wiches for lunch (pardon the mom pun!).
We only stayed for about an hour. Since it was such a windy day, sand was flying everywhere so we could not really eat our lunch here. Even reading my book was challenging because sand kept getting in my eyes. Although we couldn’t stay long, we were so glad we took the time to see it. This stunning beach was one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island.
Travel Tip
Because you probably won’t be able to eat at the beach, bring energy bars to snack on during the hike.
We were so sad to pack up but excited for our next adventure for the day, a black sand beach in Punalu’u (blog post to come, hopefully, within the year lol). Was not looking forward to the hike back in the sweltering heat…
Packing List
We always practice the Leave No Trace principles whenever we travel. It is essentially packing out what you pack in. Also, although you might think some of that green sand would be a lovely souvenir, please leave it. It is illegal to take sand from any beach in Hawaii so a souvenir like that could cost you a fine of thousands of dollars.
This is definitely a must-see if you are going to Hawaii’s Big Island. So, like me, were you shocked to know that a green sand beach exists? Now that you know, are you adding it to your travel list? Excited to know! Drop your comments below.
