Hawaii (Big Island)

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Green Sand Beach

More Photos
jim
jim
First Reviewer
3 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
4
Reviews
11
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-4 of 4
Editor Pick

Get Your Bragging Rights

  • November 30, 2008
  • Rated 2 of 5 by KenBeck from Rohnert Park, California
Get Your Bragging Rights

It's an hour's hike from the end of the one-lane paved road, against the driving wind (or a challenging 4-wheel drive among the ruts, gullies, etc), then you walk/climb down the cliff, while the wind blows the sand in your face. Your reward is knowing you've gone where most Big Island tourists have never gone. And the sand is kinda green.

We drove down to South Point, the southernmost point in the US, just so we could say we've been there. The wind and lack of rain doesn't give much of a chance for too many plants to grow, so it's range land. There are wind turbines, but most of them aren't working. Some big radar dishes pointing straight up (radio telescope maybe?). A horse came up to the fence by the road wanting to be petted. At the end there are some forks in the road - to the right is South Point. Some locals were fishing off the cliff. To get to the Green Sand Beach, go to the left until the road ends, then start walking.

We were wandering around wondering where the Green Sand Beach was, and whether we could get to it, when a family came by in their 4 wheel drive pickup and offered us a ride there. I was concerned because we had left our water, sun screen, etc in the car, but my wife took them up on their offer, so we were off. The gravel road turned into a series of rut-paths across the grassland. Some of the ruts turned into gullies deeper than the truck. You just have to pick which one looks the best and be prepared to backtrack if the mud puddles look too deep or you come to a drop off too steep. We parked at the top of the 50-foot-or-so-tall cliff and climbed/walked down (you don't need to be a mountaineer - I'm middle aged and fat - but even a 4-wheel drive would never make it).

The beach is maybe 50-100 yards long, surrounded by cliffs. There are no facilities of any kind. The wind was blowing so hard that an empty water bottle was blowing up the cliff and hanging about half way up. I had to cover my face as I walked down to keep the sand out of my eyes.

It was a nice little beach, once you got down to the water, so the wind isn't blowing sand at you. It wasn't very crowded and there were some waves. The sand is greenish because it comes from some kind of green crystal that comes up with the lava (just like the black sand beaches come from the black basalt lava).

We didn't stick around too long, since we hadn't brought anything with us (like water), and because we wanted to see other things that day. We took some pictures, to prove we were there, and then headed back.

It took an hour to hike back to our car. There are lots of ruts going in the same general direction. We chose the ruts that were most inland, closest to the fenced pasture land, because it is the shortest path around the curve of the coast. The walk seemed easier than the 4x4 drive - less bumps, lurches, and no need to double back from a too-rough path.

On our way back, there were 3-4 4x4's at the top of the cliff, we saw several other people hiking in, and when we got back to our car,around noonish, we found maybe 10 or so more cars parked there, so that little beach may get a bit more crowded in the afternoon.

A few days later, we talked to a native islander who said she was surprised the locals didn't chase us off, since they don't like tourists going there. We encountered no such thing, and I suspect, neither did the other 30 or so people who went there that Monday before Thanksgiving.

So we got our bragging rights. We boldly went where most tourists would fear to tread. We've got our story to impress our awed family members with our daring-do. And that's the whole point of going on vacation in the first place, isn't it?
Editor Pick

Green Sands Beach

  • April 9, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by lcampbell from Port Angeles, Washington
Green Sands Beach

There is a beautiful and unique beach on the Big Island called Papakolea, or Green Sand Beach. Made of olivine crystals from a nearby cinder cone, the sand sparkles in the sun and causes prolonged feelings of awe.

To reach Green Sand Beach, turn off of Highway 11 between mile markers 69 and 70. There is a sign that says South Point (or Ka Lae). The drive is green and rural, with cattle grazing and a scenic farm along the way. After about 10 miles, the road forks. To the right is South Point, or Ka Lae, the southernmost point in the United States.

To see South Point, park near the fishing platforms on the side of the cliffs. The cliffs are breathtaking here. Next to the fishing platforms is a long ladder coming back up to the clifftop. A friend who was with me said that when she was there a few months earlier, her son jumped off the fishing platforms about 30 feet down into the ocean! I was SOOOOOOO tempted, as it was a pretty calm day. This is something you definitely do not want to attempt in rough conditions.

The actual South Point is located at the Coast Guard beacon about ¼ mile away. Near South Point is Kalalea Heiau, a sacred spot. It is said that the first Polynesians to "the Sandwich Islands" landed here. There are ancient canoe moorings "drilled" into the rocks below. It is a special spot.

Back at the road fork, continue left for another mile or so. To go to Green Sand Beach, park before the road gets too rutted and walk toward the ocean. Near the boat dock, follow the dirt four-wheel drive road east. The total hike to Green Sand is about 3 miles. There are numerous intertwining dirt roads. It doesn’t matter too much which one you take, as long as you stay relatively near the coast, they all lead to Green Sands.

After about an hour, you will see a dramatic rock formation angling down to a sheltered bay with the most startling aqua blue water. Even though you will want to get down to the beach ASAP, make sure that you go to the far east side of the bay before descending. The short scramble down is not as bad as it looks, there are sort of natural steps to go down.

Once at the bottom, my friends and I had a blast. The water was perfect, not too rough, and it felt great after the hot, dry hike! We swam and splashed, met some nice people and their cool dog. I guess sometimes the swimming can be dangerous, so be forewarned. The olive green sand was captivating, and I couldn’t stop gazing at it. It actually looked like gold, shimmering in the sun. We left after way-too-short of a time for the toasty hike back to the car. If you are up for the hike, Green Sand Beach is a MUST-see.

From journal Big Island: Fun on Foot and Sensational Swimming

Editor Pick

Green Sand Beach

  • September 1, 2002
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Gwilym Owen from London, England
Green Sand Beach

I have seen a few entries about the green sand beach extolling it’s virtues without mentioning the pitfalls…

This place is a hike to get to, it is in a remote and rugged part of the island and, above all, it’s on PRIVATE native Hawai’ian land!

To get there you have to drive to South Point, which is the Southernmost point of the USA. You can then park your car in a designated if run down lot and pay an ‘attendant’ a fee to ‘look after’ the car. People have mentioned driving to the beach (only in a 4x4), but this is actually in effect trespassing and the Hawai’ians that own this land have been know to ‘trap’ cars on the other side of the stone wall that marks the barrier and demand a heavy payment. It really is up to you if you want to take that risk, but I prefer the peace of mind of following the rules in such a potentially vulnerable position!

The walk is about two miles but it is flat and easy as long as you have decent walking shoes. The next ‘spoiler’ I have about this beach is that you literally have to climb down into it, it could definitely be dangerous if you’re not careful and I would not recommend it for small children or the elderly. Frankly anyone with a significant mobility problem is NOT going to be able to reach the beach!

Lastly this is a desolate and windswept place (you pass a wind turbine farm to get here!), it is after all at the bottom end of one of the most remote archipelagos in the World. The ocean here can get extremely rough with dangerous currents further out, there are no coast guards and if you get swept out – there will be no one to help you!

It is a starkly beautiful beach, sheltered by cliffs on three sides - chances are you will get it all to yourself for a good while! The sand is an amazing dark olive (olivine) colour and very soft. The swimming is great and even on a calm day, the waves are great for body surfing or boogie boarding!

If you want an adventure come here, if you just want to relax – go somewhere else!

From journal Big Island Adventure

Editor Pick

Green Sand Beach (aka Papakolea Beach)

  • June 26, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by jim from Charlotte, North Carolina
Green Sand Beach (aka Papakolea Beach)

This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. It was difficult to get to (and having a four-wheel drive vehicle saved us about a three mile walk), but I wouldn't miss this. We had the beach to ourselves for over an hour. It was one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen. It was enclosed on three sides by cliffs and it actually was green (from the limestone in the sand). The waves were awesome and we bodysurfed for hours. If you are adventurous at all, find a way to get here.

From journal A Week in Hawaii

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-4 of 4

Compare Hawaii (Big Island) Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Hawaii (Big Island) Travel Deals