There are few beaches that are as interesting at the Green Sand Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. Not only is the sand itself fascinating, but the experience of getting to the Papakolea Green Sand Beach is really something. We’ve got the full scoop on how to get to the Green Sand Beach, the options for enjoying your visit, and more things to do in this part of the Big Island. You won’t want to miss this unique adventure, because as far as a beach goes, the Green Sand Beach is for sure an adventure!
Have you heard off this place before? It’s wonderfully unique and the experience of getting to Papakolea is a fun one. We’ve got all the details for planning your visit to the Big Island’s Green Sand Beach and how to make sure you can add it to your Big Island itinerary. If you have any questions or tips you want to share, please leave a comment or send us a note, as we’re always happy to include more info from others.
Why Visit the Green Sand Beach on the Big Island?
The Green Sand Beach is really an adventure to get to. You’re either hiking to it or riding in the back of a local’s 4WD truck. It’s a fun experience from start to finish. The highlight for me is difficult to choose because both the journey to the beach and the actual cove are equally cool. The southernmost coast of the Big Island has some incredible geology. Here at Papakolea Green Sand Beach you’ve got really beautiful deep red and gold dirt and sand as you make your way to the beach.
Once at the cliff above the Green Sand Beach is where it really starts to become extra unique. The soil that makes up the cliff and cove all the way down to the sand is full of olivine crystals, some that are quite large. It’s beautiful and makes a magical sparkle when the waves rolls across it. The water here is also really nice, with a perfect color and on more calm days wonderful clarity. There are only three green sand beaches in the world and getting to visit Papokolea is special.
Tips for Papakolea Green Sand Beach
When it’s time to visit the Papakolea Green Sand Beach, the first thing you need to do is decide if you’re going to hike there for free or pay a local $20 per person to drive you there. The road is crazy and you CANNOT take a rental car on it. The ruts are anywhere from 8 inches deep to four feeet deep. There are times when the drivers have to cross half buried boulders or cross sandy drifts in the road. It’s fun to be a passenger, but it’s a skilled drive for sure.
People that want to hike are going to have a great experience. It’s a 2.5 mile hike to the Green Sand Beach (so 5 miles roundtrip) and it’s just one long, beautiful view out to the Pacific Ocean. I remember my first time doing it there were humpback whales breaching not too far offshore for the whole trek to the beach.
The terrain is as rough as any hiking trail in Hawaii, but since it’s all exposed versus being in the forest, like the trails at Iao Valley State Park on Maui or Waimea Canyon State Park on Kauai, the path is much easier to navigate than similar length trails. If you ahve the time, you’ll love hiking to Green Sand Beach.
Gear for Visiting the Green Sand Beach
Visiting the Papakolea Green Sand Beach isn’t like your normal beach day in Hawaii. Given that you have to access the beach via non-standard ways, you won’t be showing up with beach chairs and a full picnic most likely. You’ll need to pack very lightly for this trip. We usually bring a towel, a small amount of snacks, and reef-safe sunblock. This isn’t a snorkeling beach, but it’s a swimming, hanging out or exploring beach.
The other thing I would say is helpful for visiting the Papakolea Green Sand Beach is sturdy sandals, like Keens. The clamber down from the parking area at the top of the cliff down to the beach can be tricky if you are in flip flops. There are some steps but then you’re navigating weird gullies on the cliffside, so you need to be surefooted. If you’re doing the 2.5 mile hike to the beach you’ll want sturdy sandals or shoes as well.
And you’ll need to bring more water than if you’re doing the 4WD truck transport. It’s a breezy hike, but also fully exposed so you will need to drink lots of water.
Getting to Papakolea Green Sand Beach on the South Shore
Getting to the Papakolea Green Sand Beach area is a beautiful drive. Exiting the Mamalahoa Highway just after the Kahuku Unit of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, it’s a nice drive down towards the Southernmost Point of the USA and onto Papakolea. We like to stop at the Hawaiian Buzz (farmstand) at the start of the road to get some snacks for the day.
It’s about 20 minutes from the highway to the Green Sand Beach parking area. To the spot where you leave the highway, it’s about 65 minutes from Kailua-Kona or 1 hour and 40 minutes from Hilo. It’s very easy to plan a visit to the Big Island’s Green Sand Beach on the drive between the two cities (unless you’re driving the Saddle Road).
Parking for the Green Sand Beach
Parking at the Green Sand Beach is not to difficult. There are a lot of locals hanging out to make sure that everyone can park without issues, and then they’re there to help you get setup with a driver to the beach, or hiking instructions. There are also a few people hanging out selling beverages usually too, just in case you didn’t plan for the heat.
More Kona Coast Things to Do
The Kona Coast is one of my favorite areas in all of Hawaii. I love the different activities, from snorkeling with manta rays to daytime snorkel trips, experiencing Kona coffee culture to learning about historic Native Hawaiian culture. It’s always beautiful and no two visits are the same. Here are our top picks for things to do on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.
- tour some of the many Kona coffee farms and tasting rooms
- walk the seawall in Kailua-Kona and visit the Hulihe’e Palace
- snorkel at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
- visit Kaloko Honkohau National Historic Park to see honu (sea turtles)
- do a nighttime snorkel with manta rays
- go to Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park to see tikis and learn about Native Hawaiian culture
- hike at the Haulalai Volcano or Hawaii Volcanoes NP‘s Kahuku Unit
There are many more things to do when you’re putting together your Big Island itinerary, but when it comes to visiting the Kona Coast, these are some of our favorite things to do.
Where to Stay on the Kona Coast
The Kona Coast is big, stretching from Waimea at the north to Naalehu on the South Shore. You’ll find every sort of accommodation here from national travel brand hotels like Marriott and Holiday Inn Express to independent bed and breakfasts (the Ka’awa Loa Plantation is my favorite!), as well are larger resorts. We’ve enjoyed many different places but I really do like being near the town of Kailua-Kona because of the central location. Staying to the north is lovely because it’s so quiet and it’s all about the outdoor adventures. The southern end of the Kona Coast is full of coffee culture, lava flows and remote beaches you can hike to.
I hope you’ll consider doing the unique trip to the Papakolea Green Sand Beach. It’s one of my favorite places on the Big Island and it’s such an adventure. If you have any other questions about exploring the South Shore or the Big Island in general, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a beautiful Hawaii trip. Aloha!
