One of the most unique things about visiting Hawaii is getting to experience the different types of sand and beautiful beaches, and in particular the black sand beaches. It’s said that taking black sand away from Hawaii is epically bad luck, and actually, it’s actually illegal, and not just within the National Parks. But you are welcome to enjoy some of the amazing black sand beaches and the Big Island of Hawai’i has a few really wonderful ones.
Some of the Big Island black sand beaches are more lava flow than soft sand, but they’re each beautiful and unique in their own way. As you read through the recommendations and information about the Big Island black sand beaches, keep in mind that some of them are under controlled access and at some of them the public are not welcome (and that’s noted clearly). Enjoy our list and adding some to your Hawaii trip, and please let us know if you have any questions or need additional recommendations for things to do on the Big Island by leaving a comment or sending us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan your aloha trip.
Big Island Black Sand Beaches to Visit
As you plan what you want from your Big Island beach days, you can think about the different sorts of experiences each black sand beach offers. With Beach 49 it is the most perfect black sand of any Big Island beach; at Punaluʻu you have turtle sightings and easy access; Richardson Ocean Park (Leleiwi Beach) for calm Hilo-side snorkeling; and Kehena Beach if you want a quieter, wilder shoreline. Each black sand beach on the island has its own personality, and a few of them aren’t for swimming at all. For example:
- Beach 49: perfect black sand and blue water
- Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach: best for turtle viewing and photos, easiest access, lifeguard coverage, and the most consistent turtle sightings on the island.
- Richardson Ocean Park: best for family-friendly snorkeling, the natural lava breakwater keeps the water calm enough for calm snorkeling experiences.
- Kehena Beach: best for a rugged, low-key visit, black volcanic rock and sand heats up fast and can burn bare feet by midday.
- Pololū Valley Beach: best for hikers who want isolation, a challenge, stay on trail and do not trespass
Some of these beaches carry real risk. Punaluʻu’s lifeguards work daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., yet swimming there is still dangerous because of rip currents and there are also some cold freshwater springs. Richardson Ocean Park also has freshwater springs, but then it’s much more calm with easy swimming. They’re all quite varied.
Best Black Sand Beaches on the Big Island, Rated
Nine beaches make up the island’s real black sand shortlist, and they range from a five-minute walk off the highway to a hardcore hike into a valley. Here’s what you’re actually getting at each one, and I’ve put them in order of what I think are the best and why. Starting with the best to visit and ending with just information about the beaches that likely won’t it onto your Big Island trip, here are all of the black sand beaches on the Big Island of Hawai’i.
NOTE: the other islands do not have black sand beaches except for Maui, which only has two. If you’re visiting Maui and driving the Road to Hana, you can visit Waianapanapa State Park for some beautiful black sand.
Beach 49 (Honokaope)
Tucked along the Kona Coast, this spot has a public lot that holds roughly 20 cars and fills fast. As you drive down from the highway, there is a gate house for the resort area and you need to tell them that you’re heading to the beach, and then they will give you a parking pass (free). Access is through Waikoloa Village. Arrive before mid-morning or you’ll be walking a good distance from an overflow lot. The payoff is a mellow, less-crowded black sand pocket beach on a coastline dominated by white sand resorts. I really love Beach 49, which is why I’ve rated it at the best of the black sand beaches on the Big Island. Maps link here
Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach
This is the beach most people picture when they think of Hawaii black sand beaches, and for good reason. Punalu’u Black Sand Beach sits along the Kaʻū coast off Highway 11, is ringed by coconut palms and frequently hosts resting Hawaiian green sea turtles. Swimming isn’t always recommended here, but the picnic tables, restrooms, and lifeguard coverage make it the easiest stop for families. The sand gets scorching by midday, so bring sandals. Grab malasadas at the Punaluʻu Bake Shop on your way out for one of the better roadside detours on the whole island. Maps link here
NOTE: Hurricane Lala severely damaged the Naalehu area including the park around Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, and then the town of Naalehu itself (including the Bake Shop). If you’re visiting in 2026 and into 2027 be aware of the limited services and how your visit impacts the town, from traffic to the vibe you put out.
Richardson Ocean Park / Leleiwi Beach
On the wetter, greener Hilo side, a natural lava breakwater keeps the water calmer here than almost anywhere else on the black sand map, which is why it’s one of the better snorkeling spots on the island. Lifeguards and showers are on site, and the shade from ironwood trees makes it comfortable even at midday. The string of access points make it easy to find your own area to hang out and explore, and in the areas where there are more calm pools, honu like to haul out so you can usually see a turtle or two, observe them from a distance, and then find a different spot to relax. Maps link here
Kehena Beach
Reached by a short but steep trail down a cliff, Kehena has soft, fine sand and a reputation as being clothing-optional in certain areas (I don’t do it, but I’m not here to stop anyone else from it). Parking is limited to a small roadside pullout, and the surf can be unpredictable, so this is more of a scenic sit-and-watch beach than a swim spot for most visitors. Like with swimming on the North Shore of Oahu, swimming can be more dangerous than it initially looks. Maps link here
Isaac Hale Beach Park
This stretch near Pohoiki sits on some of the youngest black sand on the island, formed by lava flows from the 2018 Kilauea eruption. Warm ponds nearby are popular with locals, and the boat ramp area gets busy on weekends. Facilities are basic, so plan accordingly. I really like it here for the quiet and the crashing waves, even if it’s not a swimming day. Maps link here
Kawa Bay Beach
A quieter South Kona spot popular with surfers, Kawa Bay has a short access trail and minimal facilities. Expect fewer people and rougher water than nearby Punaluʻu. This is a more local spot, so be respectful and if the vibe isn’t that you’re welcome, move on and visit Punalu’u since it’s very similar and close by. Maps link here
Pololū Valley Beach
Getting here means a steep switchback trail down a cliff face, and conditions can shift quickly with weather and trail erosion. Once you’re down, the wide black sand beach backed by dramatic valley walls is worth the knees (it’s a hard hike). This isn’t a casual stop but is an all day plan, and you get to visit the town of Hawi too! Maps link here
NOTE: if you want to see the beach but maybe don’t want to do the hike down, you can actually do another guided hike with Hawaii Forest and Trails to the waterfalls of Kohala, which is beautiful and in this general area.
Honomalino Beach
You’ll see Honomalino Beach recommended by different long-time Hawaii visitors and even AI suggests it as a great beach. Yes, it is a great beach but also, this spot is extremely local and visitors are not really welcome. This is a palm-lined cove reached by a moderate walk through an old lava field, and yes, Honomalino Beach is pretty and you’ll likely not meet anyone when you visit, but it’s not a place you should seek out. There are no services in Milolii (the townsite) and it’s a steep drive down from the highway.
Waipiʻo Valley Beach
Similar story: steep access and guided tours are the only way in. The valley is sacred to Native Hawaiians and remains one of the most photographed, least visited beaches on the island. If you are not the guest of a guide or a local whose family has access to the Waipi’o Valley, this is not a beach for you to try to visit. Be respectful.
Everything You Need to Know about Black Sand Beaches on the Big Island
So now that we’ve established that the black sand beaches on the Big Island are fun and beautiful, are you kind of curious about them and what the experience is like in comparison to a regular mixed sand beach? We’re got the scoop!
How Black Sand Actually Forms
Black sand isn’t sand in the traditional sense. It’s basaltic lava that met the ocean, cooled almost instantly, and shattered into fine fragments. The Big Island’s active volcanism keeps producing it, which is part of why this is one of the only places in the U.S. where you’ll find true volcanic sand beaches. They’re so unique and I love having a black sand beach day.
- Coarse vs. fine grain: wave action grinds lava fragments down over time, so newer beaches (like Isaac Hale) tend to be pebbly while older ones (like Punaluʻu or Beach 49) are finer… like much much more fine sand.
- Mixed colors: some beaches blend black lava fragments with green olivine crystals or white coral, so don’t expect uniform jet-black sand everywhere. You’ll even find coral chunks and sea glass mixed into the black sand beaches
- Heat retention: this is actually my favorite sensory experience. The dark volcanic grains of black sand absorb sun fast, often getting too hot for bare feet by late morning. Bring water shoes and a mat to enjot a beach day, but if you’re just visiting, give the hot sand a little walk to the edge of the water. The heat and then the contrasting cold water is such a great, unique foot-experience.
NOTE: it’s not black sand, but if you want a really cool and unusual beach experience, check out the Papakolea Green Sand Beach. It’s beautiful and is such a fun experience to get to.
Staying Safe and Respecting Wildlife
The single most important rule on any of these beaches involves the sea turtles, the honu. Federal protections require staying at least 10 feet away from resting Hawaiian green sea turtles, and rangers/officers do enforce it. Never touch a honu, and never move one for a photo. I can’t stress this enough: sea turtles are everywhere and they’re more important than your temporary fun or photo op.
So here’s how to both stay safe and be respectful when you’re visiting the Big Island black sand beaches.
- Skip swimming at Punaluʻu and similar beaches where rip currents and cold freshwater springs create real risk
- Wear closed-toe water shoes; black sand can burn skin within minutes at midday, and there’s a lot of lava rock you may walk across or bump into near the shore if you swim
- Check tide and surf reports before wading in anywhere without lifeguard coverage, and stand at the shore watching the water for a few minutes before you actually get in so you can see how the currents flow
- Pack out everything you bring in, and leave lava rock and sand exactly where you found it. DO NOT REMOVE BLACK SAND FROM THE BEACHES.
Tip: Morning and late afternoon are the best windows for turtle sightings, since honu often move to cool waters while the midday sun peaks. Our best honu sightings are usually around 4:00 pm.
How to Pick the Right Black Sand Beach for Your Trip
Match the beach to what you actually want to do, not the other way around. Not everyone is going to be up for a hike and some visitors more want to just see the wildlife than have a swim. Here’s how you can choose what black sand beaches to put on your Big Island itinereary.
- Want turtles and easy parking? Head to Punaluʻu first thing in the morning. Driving it’s 1:30 from Kailua-Kona and 1:10 from Hilo
- Want to swim or snorkel? Richardson Ocean Park is your best bet on the Hilo side. It’s fifteen minutes from downtown Hilo
- Want a hike with a payoff? Pololū Valley, but budget half a day for the hike and check trail conditions beforehand. The Pololu trailhead is 50 minutes from Waimea and 1:20 from Kailua-Kona.
- Want fewer crowds? Pohoiki (Isaac Hale Park), Kehena or Kawa Bay are quieter than the highway-adjacent spots.
Beach packing list: Pack reef-safe sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, a lightweight mat/towels for the sand, and a phone or camera with zoom. You won’t get within 10 feet of a turtle, so zoom matters more than you’d think. Also, bring snacks but be sure to pack out what you pack in.
So are you going to set aside some time to enjoy the black sand beaches of the Big Island of Hawai’i? I hope so. Even though I love hiking, having a nice beach day, especially with such unique sand, is always a favorite part of visiting the Big Island. If you have any questions about our recommendations or need some more suggestions for things to do on the Big Island, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great visit to Hawaii.
