Hype:
Papakolea Beach (also known as Green Sand Beach or Mahana Beach) is a green sand beach located near South Point, in the Kau district of the island of Hawaii. One of only four green sand beaches in the world, it gets its distinctive coloring from olivine sand eroded out of the enclosing volcanic cone.Trail Condition: Class 2 (Trail may have tree roots or rocks jutting out. Navigation skills may consist of following rock cairns and choosing turns at junctions. Elevation gains may be more substantial.)
Time: 3-5 hours
Length: 5.8 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 100 ft
Fees: None
Recommended Ages:
![]() | 0-3 |
![]() | 4-11 |
![]() | 12-19 |
![]() | 20-49 |
![]() | 50-69 |
![]() | 70+ |
Recommended Months to Visit:
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Links: en.wikipedia.org
Navigate to 18.921574, -155.672910.
Closest City or Region: Big Island, Hawaii
Coordinates: 18.921574, -155.672910
By Jeremy Dye
We started hiking out to Green Sands Beach at about 11:45. We got to the beach by 12:45 and had lunch. We made a sand castle then had a little competition to see who could dig the deepest hole in the sand. Of course the sides kept collapsing in, but it was still a lot of fun. After playing on the beach for an hour or so, we hiked back to the parking lot.
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