During a recent trip to Hawaii, my family got to take full advantage of the natural beauty of the island. By far, one of the most breathtaking and adventurous, was the journey to the green sand beach, and view once we arrived.
Where
Located near the southern tip of the Big Island of Hawaii (and the southern most tip of the United States), you can find the ever-alluring green sands of Papakolea beach. The beach is equidistance from both the Kona side and the Hilo side of the island. During a recent family getaway to the Big Island, we took a day to tour around the island by car and explore many of the beautiful scenic points including Papakolea.
Trek or Truck
This beach is not exactly easy to get to, but you can make it a lot easier on yourself if you so choose. Once you drive to South Point and follow the signs for “Green Sand Beach” you will find the parking lot and can either walk the 2.5 miles each way, or pay $15 to have a local take you there and back in the back of a pickup truck.
While we did see a few determined trekkers make their way by foot, (including a couple of families) we decided to pay up the $30 for two people (my daughter was free) and maximize our short time at the beach. For at least one couple, it appears to have been a “relationship ending walk” back to the vehicle; it was our privilege to pay the small fee and remain married.
As my husband piled into the bed of the truck with a handful of other beachgoers, my then 2-year-old daughter and I were offered a seat in the cab. The ride to the beach is about 30 minutes long. The “road” is rough and only possible to drive with 4×4 vehicles though I just recently read that even though these locals are there offering rides (and many others stated that this option would be available) it seems even these drivers are trespassing and their transportation ‘service’ may not be legal. This area of land is also one of three “forbidden areas” for rental cars on the island.
Preparation
If you should choose to take the 2.5 mile hike instead of grabbing the ride with a local, don’t forget to pack water and sunscreen and it’s probably best to wear a hat as there is no shade along this journey. Once you park your car in the lot you will head towards the ocean and take a left, walk straight for 2.5 miles keeping the ocean on your right and you will arrive to the cliff of the beach. Getting from the top of the rock down to the beach is also a fun little adventure. There are a few “steps” built into the rock and a pretty worn down path, but it is quite steep and should still be traversed with caution. My husband and I took turns helping each other along and handing our daughter back and forth as we made our way down to the sand.
When you arrive you will be met with one of the most breathtaking views. The cliff wraps around the green sands and the colors of the land and the sea compliment each other in a most magnificent way. Once you have put your feet onto the soft sand you can find a spot and watch others scaling the rocks, cliff diving, or just enjoy the peacefulness of this beach. As this beach is difficult to get to, it really doesn’t get very crowded. Our daughter, Lucy, loved running along the water’s edge and writing in the sand. It was a cooler day in October during our visit and we weren’t brave enough to swim in the water (the waves were quite high), but one could easily spend a day here swimming and relaxing on the beach.
Limited
In the entire world there are said to be just four green sand beaches, the US is fortunate to hold two of them, Papakolea and another in Guam. The other two are in the Galapagos and Norway, so Hawaii might be the easiest to reach for those interested. There is also a black sand beach not far from Papakolea that we discovered on our drive and we spent a short amount of time there as well. If you are on the Big Island it is definitely worth making your way to the southernmost tip of the United States and then to exploring the magical green sands of Papakolea.
I think pink sands are calling me next…
Have you been to any colorful beaches worth visiting?
My wife and I had the chance to go to this beach, but didn’t. The walk scared us off, and I didn’t find out until later that you could pay $15 to have someone drive you. Oops.
As far as pink sand – you absolutely must go see the pink sand beaches of Bermuda. You’ll probably be told to go to Horsehoe Bay Beach. It’s lovely, but head a mile or so down the road to Warwick Long Bay Beach instead. Same sand but 1/4 of the crowd.
That sounds awesome! I am hoping we make it to the pink sands of Bermuda soon and I appreciate the recommendation.
Very informative and useful article. We were planning to visit Green sands but after reading your article I dropped the plan and stayed back. Other young members of my family opted for adventure.
Thanks again for valuable inputs
I’m so glad I was able to help you and hope your family enjoyed it.