Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is one of the most famous beaches on the Big Island and for good reasons. Not only that it is easily accessible, but it is also expansive and a place for a quick swim, snorkel or a picnic.
STATS:
Where:
Main parking lot – Coordinates: 19° 8’2.06″N 155°30’20.84″W
Second parking lot – Coordinates: 19° 8’10.43″N 155°30’16.91″W
Parking: Parking is free. There are two good size parking lots.
Restroom: There are restrooms at the main parking lot and port-a-potties toward the other side of the beach.
Ideal Weather: Pretty much every day, it’s a beach in Hawaii.
Ideal Time: Early morning or later in the evening. The black sand gets very hot under the sun.
Dog-friendly: yes, but dogs must remain on a leash.
THE ADVENTURE:
After our hike to see the green sand on Papakolea Beach, another famous beach on the Big Island, we were ready to wind down for a second. Lucky for us, Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is only about 40 minutes from Papakolea Beach trailhead and is on our way home to Volcano.
One good thing about Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is that it is very easily accessible. Either parking lot will take you right down to the beach. However, the second lot is our favorite because you’ll be greeted by beautiful coconut trees and these adorable ducks right away. There is also a small gift/concession shop at the end of the second parking lot.
There is a lot to see here. Of course, you have the beautiful jet black sand against the bright white waves. There are also miniature tidepools along the coastline. Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is also known to be the place where the endangered Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Honu) or the slightly more rare Hawksbill turtle (Honu’ea) come to bask in the sun. The crazy thing is sea turtles almost never bask on the beach, except for in Hawaii and a few other places. Who can blame them? Hawaii’s beaches are beautiful! The turtles are adorable but make sure to give them at least 15 ft. of space. Please, do not get in their way, touch them or try to feed them. It is illegal to do so since they are critically endangered!
One of the things we love about Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is the long row of coconut trees. They make the perfect spot to hang the hammock and take in the wonderful view. Another scenic feature here is the freshwater pond on the other side of the coconut trees. The pond is covered with large waterlily pads and a couple of photogenic bridges. These bridges are all that remains of the old Ka’u Center for Hawaii History and Culture. The center was built in 1973 and sadly destroyed in 1975 by a massive tsunami that was triggered by the 7.2 magnitude Ka’u earthquake. To this day, it stands proudly like nothing ever happened.
If you want to snorkel, there is a great spot about 5 minutes walk called Ninole Cove, a sheltered bay with sand channels that provide decent entry into the ocean. It is just south-west of Punalu’u beach and can be accessed via an unmarked grassy path. You can also drive there and park below the clubhouse of the Sea Mountain Golf Course. Here are the coordinates to it 19° 7’49.28″N 155°30’32.40″W.
Swimming at Punalu’u is possible but be careful when going into the water because there can be strong currents at times. The best place to enter the water is from the small boat ramp on the left (facing the water) of the beach. Stay out of the water if the surf is high.
One interesting thing about the bay at Punalu’u is that it contains a lot of freshwater springs. The water from these springs is colder than the water in the bay. Since salt water is much denser than fresh water, the chilly fresh water floats up to the top. We experienced this while snorkeling in other spots. One moment, you’ll be swimming along in the warm water and next, you’ll get a sudden rush of cold water that disappears as quickly as it comes. It is pretty cold but also a neat experience. These springs are also what contributed to the naming of this bay. Punalu’u in Hawaiian means “coral dived for” or “spring dived for”.
If you want to explore the tidepools, we definitely recommend wearing water shoes. The tidepools are made out of jagged lava rocks. They can definitely cut your feet up. During hotter days, you should also be wearing your water shoes or sandals when walking on the beach. Black sand absorbs crazy amounts of heat from the sun and will burn your feet if you’re walking barefoot.
The black sand at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is true to its name. It is jet black. There are other black sand beaches on the island such as Waipi’o Valley. However, the sand has become deluded over time resulting in more of a grey color. The beach at Punalu’u is solid black with specks of shells and coral. The black sand that has engulfed this beach is what is known as “Volcanic glass”. It doesn’t feel like your standard sand. It is chunkier and more coarse and a lot harder to build sand castles with.
This area used to be a beautiful, but quite standard white sand beach until the Kilauea eruption in 1990. Rivers of blazing hot magma poured into the ocean and encased sand under a thick layer of blackness. When lava comes in contact with water, it cools rapidly and bursts into fragmented chunks of various sizes. Many of the chunks are small enough to be considered sand. A large lava flow entering an ocean may produce enough basalt fragments to build a new black sand beach almost overnight. The famous “black sand” beaches of Hawaii, such as Punaluʻu Beach and Kehena Beach, were created almost instantaneously by the violent interaction between hot lava and sea water.
Since a black sand beach is made by lava flow in a one-time event, they tend to be rather short-lived. Sand doesn’t get replenished if currents or storms wash it into deeper water. For this reason, the state of Hawaii has made it illegal to remove black sand from its beaches. Besides being illegal, any person that takes black sand or lava rocks from Hawaii will have a curse placed upon them by Pele, the Hawaiian Goddes of Fire and Volcano until the sand or rocks are returned.
When you’re done here, don’t forget to check out the famous Punalu’u Bake Shop. The shop is located between the two famous beaches, Punalu’u Black Sand and Papakolea Green Sand. They are famous for their malasadas on this side of the island. The lilikoi glazed one was our favorite. It is a nice rest stop with clean restrooms, picnic area, food, drink and of course malasadas. If you’re lucky, you only get a visit from this little guy, the gold dust day gecko.
You can hear Dustin talk about some of our favorite things to do on the Big Island on the Between The Mountains Podcast
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RECOMMEND GEAR:
Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
• Sunscreen:
We use eco-friendly, reef safe sunscreen. Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen or Sun Bum Sunscreen
• Water shoes:
The black sand can get very hot during the day. Also, lava rocks around the tidepools can be very jagged and can cut up your feet. Vy uses these water shoes, while Dustin uses these.
• Beach accessories
You will want to spend some time here. Bring some beach chairs or blankets and enjoy your day.
• Hammock!
The coconut trees here are perfect to hang your hammock. Our favorite hammock is Madera Outdoor. Don’t forget to use code: MADERA30 for 30% off of your purchase.
• Food and water
Depends on how long you want to spend here, bring your picnic basket.
CAMERA GEAR:
• Camera:
Sony a7 III
• Lenses:
Sony 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX
• Drone:
Mavic 2 Pro Combo
