Beaches on the Big Island are a prime destination for tourists, black sand beaches included.
The state of Hawaiʻi’s best black sand beaches may be found here. Let us know if we’ve forgotten one or if you’ve already been to a few of the places on our list.
Table of Contents
Black sand beaches on the Big Island
Punaluʻu Beach
Punaluʻu Beach is situated on the southern end of the Big Island between the towns of Pāhala and Nāʻālehu. Punaluʻu is a Hawaiian term that approximately translates to “coral dived for” or “spring diver” or “to dive for corals”, and has to do with the history of the beach.
Black sand beaches were created as a result of volcanic eruptions. As fresh lava enters the ocean it often fragments (explodes) in many tiny shards, that in turn get eroded by the ocean until they are fine grains of black sand. That means that the black sand you can find on Punaluʻu once got spit out as red-hot molten lava by the Kīlauea volcano.
Turtles at Punaluʻu
You can often find green sea turtles (“Honu” in Hawaiian) on the beach, and sometimes also an endangered Hawksbill turtle. The number of visiting turtles makes this one of the most popular black sand beaches to visit on the island.
People are not permitted to touch the turtles since doing so may damage their immune systems, rendering them vulnerable to illnesses. NOAA and DLNR recommend, for your safety and the animals’ protection, that everyone stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) from all sea turtles.
Practicalities
The water here is often rough, with high surf and strong rip currents.
Restrooms, parking, picnic areas, and a boat ramp are amenities you can find there.
Although Punaluʻu Beach is remote, it is fairly accessible, in comparison to some of Hawaiʻi’s other black sand beaches.
Pohoiki Beach
Pohoiki Beach is a black sand beach in the Puna district that is part of the Isaac Kepoʻokalani Hale Beach Park.
The 2018 Kīlauea eruption created Pohoiki Beach as lava spilled into the water along many miles of coast to the east of the park. Luckily the eruption spared the park itself, but a lot of black sand was carried to the beach by the ocean currents thus creating the new black sand beach.
The park is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day and there are restrooms near the beach, but camping is not allowed.
Careful: swimming on the beach is not recommended due to the strong currents.
Kaimū Beach
Located in the Puna district, Kaimū Beach is another black sand beach, formed after the 1990 lava flows from Kīlauea. The eruption itself covered the old black sand beach at Kalapana. Old Kalapana beach now is buried by around 70 feet of lava that poured onto the beach during the eruption.
Due to the strong current, swimming and snorkeling are not advised. The beach itself is a short hike over lava fields from the parking lot at Kalapana. A 10-minute trek will take you past layers of lava that sometimes rise 7 or 8 feet above the path, before you reach the beach. Because there are no amenities in the immediate area, this location is solely suited for sightseeing, for example as part of a road trip through Puna.
Pololū Valley Beach
This black sand beach was created when a large portion of the now extinct Kohala volcano fell into the water more than 100,000 years ago. The Kohala volcano is the oldest on the island of Hawaiʻi.
Pololū Valley Beach is a black sand beach with green ground cover inland that contrasts with the black sand and the water.
Hiking down the cliff into the valley is the only way to get down to the beach area. It’s a short, steep trek. Hiking in the rainy season, on the other hand, might be hazardous due to the increased slickness. Hiking the 0.6-mile-long cliff to the valley level will take an average hiker around 25 minutes.
Due to undertows, large rocks in the water, and high tides, the water is not suitable for swimming.
If you keep an eye out to sea, you may get a glimpse of a humpback whale. There are no lifeguards or amenities on this Hawaiian beach, which sits at the very end of Highway 270 in Kohala.
Note that the parking lot can get very busy, so try to visit this beach early, for example at sunrise from the Pololū overlook.
Kehena Beach
Kehena Beach is located on Hawaiʻi Island’s eastern shore and was created by lava from a 1955 eruption. Because of the spinner dolphins that sometimes frequent the beach, this black sand beach is sometimes called Dolphin Beach.
The beach is long but narrow, and there are rocks on each end of the beach that limit the water current at the beach.
Located again in the Puna district, you’ll find Kehena off Highway 137. Due to the beach trail’s steepness, getting to the beach involves a strenuous climb.
Kehena is known as an unofficial ‘clothing optional’ beach, which is uncommon in Hawaiʻi; public nudity is still illegal, and state and county officers have cited people for it here. Only visit if you are not perturbed by nudity.
Swimming is permitted, however care is advised due to the swim area’s tiny size and the possibility of harmful currents.
Waipiʻo Valley Black Sand Beach
Waipiʻo is a Hawaiian term that literally translates as ‘curved water.’ This black sand beach in Hawaiʻi can only be reached by driving down one of the steepest roads in the country.
Access to Waipiʻo Valley Black Sand Beach is restricted. Since 2022 a county emergency rule has limited the road to Hawaiʻi County residents, permitted tour operators, and Native Hawaiians exercising traditional rights, and pedestrians are not allowed. This means that visitors can get to the beach only by joining a tour.
You can see the valley and the beach from the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout at the end of Highway 240.
The Wailoa Stream separates the beach into two halves; the northern and southern beaches. Because of the strong tides and currents, the water is not safe for swimmers or snorkelers.
Please be aware that there are no facilities or amenities accessible at this location.