If you weren’t paying close attention, you might miss it. A rickety road comes to a car-rattling halt at the southernmost peninsula of America, among endless fields of windswept grass. A few tourists are also parking their cars next to you on an unpaved parking lot. Why are tourists stopping here? you might wonder. Just three miles past you is an incredibly rare green sand beach, located in an intricately carved crescent bay.
It’s pretty surreal. As a child, there are somethings you learn to be just true. Grass is green, the sky is blue (unless it’s sunrise or sunset) and sand is white, yellow, or peach. But these sands are a glimmering, bright green.
Why are they green? The sand in this beach is made of Olivine crystals, a mineral element that forms when the lava from one of Hawaii’s many volcanoes cools. This beach is also known as Papakolea, which translates to “plover flats,” a plover being a golden bird that habitually frequents this area.
Getting there
You’ll have to take the Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) until you reach South Point Road. The beach trailhead is at the end of South Point Road. From the parking lot there’s a three mile hike of sorts through sprawling fields of dry grass. It takes about 45min to an hour.
If you don’t feel like hiking or don’t have the time, there is an unofficial system of drivers who will drive you in their off-roaders over volcanic rock to get there. When I say unofficial, I mean it. One of the drivers had to open his door and stand off at the side to see where he was going, and his partner had to stay on the back of the truck to push it over some of the more challenging slopes. To me though, that just adds to the fun of it.
What to do
Take loads and loads of pictures of course. It’s an incredibly rare opportunity to see a green sand beach, so revel in it! Be warned: there is a bit of a steep hike to get down to the beach from a cliff. Also, swimming isn’t really encouraged; due to all the rocks, it could get a bit dangerous. But sunbathing, picnics, and short dips are all great ideas.
Another highlight of this location is the rock formation/hill to the left of the beach that can reward you with breathtaking views should you dare to climb it.
For a special treat, stay until sunset to get such gorgeous photos that even your fellow travelers will be green with envy (haha, get it?)
All in all, a visit to Papakolea is well worth your time, and I highly recommend leaving yourself at least three hours to truly enjoy your time there!
