#Papakolea Beach

and there’s only 4 of these beaches in the entire world! it was such a privilege to hike out to papakōlea beach, named after the kōlea, a migratory and loyal plover. an area with SO much history, and SO much science, my kind of place! i hiked in to this beach and was the first person in the parking lot that morning. when we came back, there were loads of people, hiking in, getting rides in the backs of pick-up trucks, and many locals, selling snacks and drinks. i got to speak with one woman who was selling drinks about what mālama ‘āina meant to them, and discovered that it is truly only the locals who are taking care of this area. they pooled their own money to get portable toilets, because tourists were doing their business and littering all around the trailhead. as a tourist myself, i felt embarrassed. and you bet your sweet bippy i waited to go to the washroom until we got home to save... well, space, you know. anyways, this day taught me that we can all do better. we can all be better, and take care of the land we spend our time on, not just as a tourist, but within our own areas too. mālama ‘āina can be practiced everywhere and anywhere. mahalo! MY OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER I’m a visitor to Hawaiʻi and not of Native Hawaiian descent. I share this information as a curious traveler with a desire to better understand the land that I visit. I have a deep respect for the land, its people, and the traditions that have cared for it long before me. I have a real love for the diversity of life here. Not just the science, but the stories, survival knowledge, and cultural values that come with it. I’ve done my best to honor those layers here, and if I’ve gotten anything wrong, I welcome corrections from those with deeper roots and knowledge. #papakolea #greensand #olivine #geology #volcano #maunaloa #didyouknow #science #nature #natureisneat #fyp #explore

Papakōlea Green Sand Beach on The Big Island, Hawaii is one of only 4 green sand beaches in the whole world! (The other 3 are in Guam, Norway, and the Galapagos islands.) The sparkling green sand is derived from broken olivine crystals created in the eruption of the collapsed Pu’u Mahana cinder cone that half encircles the beach. This beach is a very secluded because it’s not easily accessible. There’s no paved road there: You can take a 3 mile hike through lava rocks and sand dunes or hitch a shuttle ride with the locals who know how to navigate the terrain. I was not equipped to hike today so on opted to hop in the back of the pick up truck. It’s $20 a ride and it was definitely a bumpy (slightly terrifying but totally worth it) adventure! Once at the beach there was still a climb to get down to the sand (also terrifying but again worth it!). Spiritually, some say green olivine allows us to forget melancholy and the various evils of our spirit (such as jealousy). It is also reputed to bring good fortune and a harmonious life 🤞🌋💚🌊

📍Mahana Beach also called Papakolea Beach is one of the only 4 green sand beaches in the world and is located in the Big Island of Hawaii 🤯😍 The beach is so stunning and is contained between rock formations which make the setting feel so remote! Also the sand literally shines like glitter ✨🥹 🥾It’s about a 5.5 mile round trip hike with uneven terrain and no shade so we would highly recommend to do this early in the day. Don’t forget to carry lots of water and a hat 🌞 #hawaiivacation #hawaiibeach #hawaiitrip #visithawaii #hawaiistagram #greensandbeach #bigislandhawaii #bucketlisttravel #travelbucketlist

I hiked 5 miles to one of the rarest and most iconic beaches in the world! 📍 Save this for future adventures 🌎 This beach is 1 of only 4 like it on Earth! 💚 The sand gets its unique color from a mineral called olivine. It's the same as the gemstone peridot! 🌋 Olivine forms when magma rich in magnesium and low in silica cools. Over time, waves erode the surrounding rock, leaving behind these green crystals. ⛔ But it won't last forever! Weathering and chemical reactions slowly break down the olivine. This is why it's so important to not take any sand with you from the beach! 📍 Where is this geological wonder? Papakolea Beach on Hawaii's Big Island! Follow for more geotourism adventures and find out more about Earth's incredible geology on The Rock Record! #TheRockRecord #geology #geotourism #geologist #hawaii #beach #papakolea #hike #greensandbeach

One of the only 4 Green sand beaches in the world. What an experience ! Comment GREEN for more details. #bigisland #hawaii #greensandbeach #mahanabeach #papakoleabeach #uniqueexperiences

Your eyes aren’t lying to you— yes, the sand is GREEN. 💚This is one of the rarest beaches on earth, and it was formed by a volcanic eruption that was rich in olivine crystals (which gives it its green color). With time and erosion, we are left with one of the rarest beaches on the planet. 👋🏼Hi, we’re Jason & Angie, and we’re on a quest to go beyond the 63 National Parks and discover hidden gems like this along the way Here’s everything you need to know to visit Papkōlea Beach on the Island of Hawaii. 💚Papakōlea is located on the southern and remote part of the island near South Point. If visiting the beach, also don’t miss South Point, which is the southern most point of the USA. 💚The beach requires an exposed and dusty hike. Would not recommend taking vehicles here. Locals often offer shuttles to the beach but that’s up to you. 💚Papakōlea is exposed so bring sun protection, and be aware of shore break if choosing to swim. Papakōlea isn’t a beach you can just drive right up to to enjoy, but it being so rare and beautiful makes it worth the effort to see it still! Follow @theadventurepostcard for all things National Parks, hidden gems, and USA travel Have you ever seen a green sand beach before?!

Checking out the gorgeous Green Sand Beach on the Southern Point of Hawaii’s Big Island is a blast. This place is stunning. From the paved roads it’s a little more than 2 miles each way and you MUST have 4 wheel drive to get there. Or you walk. It’s not a hard walk but can be very dry, dusty and windy. Take lots of water. Seriously. If you don’t want to walk and don’t have 4 wheel drive there are locals that will drive you for a fee. Not sure how much but we saw truckloads of people going back and forth standing in the back of pickup trucks. It looked scary to me. We got there early and had the beach to ourselves for a while before the trucks started showing up. The green sand at Papakōlea Beach in Hawaii is created by an abundance of olivine crystals, a green mineral produced by volcanic activity. Because olivine is denser than typical volcanic sand, waves deposit the crystals on the beach while washing away lighter sand. Did you know there are only 4 green sand beaches in the world? ‼️ ENJOY BUT PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE SAND 📍 Papakōlea Green Sand Beach, Hawaii Island #papakoleabeach #greensandbeach #greensandbeachhawaii #beaches #hawaiiisland

You have heard of white sand and black sand beaches but how about a green sand beach ? Yes, it exists and only 4 of them in the entire world. I though it was a joke until I actually saw it in person… the sand is actually GREEN. The green sand beach in big island of Hawaii is one of the most unusual beaches in Hawaii and is actually quite spectacular to visit. This is one of a kind experience and not easy to get to but worth the effort and easy hike from either the Hilo or Kona side of the island and is a very unique hiking experience. Would you add this to your bucket list? 📍 Papakolea green sand beach , Big Island , Hawaii, USA #hawaii #greensandbeach #papakoleabeach #tropicalparadise #usaroadtrip #hawaiistagram #amazinghawaii #amazingview #speachlessplaces #traveldreamseekers #adventuretravel #visittheusa #explorepage #travelreels #travelgram #wanderlust #womenwhoexplore #uniqueplaces #beautifuldestinations #livetotravel

📍 Papakolea Green Sand Beach, Big Island Hawaii 🐊 we opted out the pick-up 4x4 truck to hike close to 2 hours or we’d call it a 5.5 mile hike cuz the trails were just too beautiful to not trek ~ breezy, beautiful coastline along with abstract yellow sands and green lush terrains really do cut out the strenuous factor. #greensand #greensandbeach #papakoleabeach #papakolea #bigislandgreensandsbeach #bigisland#hawaii #hawaiireels #drone #droneshots #dronephotography #drone#dronevideo #explorepage #exploremore

Jour 252 TDM – Plage de sable vert 🌿💚 Direction📍Papakōlea Beach, aussi appelée Green Sand Beach, un joyau rare d’Hawaï 😍 C’est l’une des 4 seules plages de sable vert au monde 🌱 💫 Les 3 autres se trouvent à : 🇬🇫 Kourou (Guyane française) 🇳🇴 Hornindalsvatnet (Norvège) 🇬🇺 Talofofo Beach (Guam) ✨ Le secret de cette couleur ? Le sable tire sa teinte verte de l’olivine, un minéral volcanique issu de l’éruption du volcan Puʻu Mahana 🌋 Les grains d’olivine, plus lourds que les autres, restent sur le rivage et donnent cette couleur unique 💚 Une randonnée d’environ 1h à pied depuis South Point t’amène à ce lieu magique ✨ Tu savais ça ? 🤔 ——— Day 252 Worldtour – The Green Sand Beach 🌿💚 Heading to📍Papakōlea Beach, also known as Green Sand Beach, a rare gem of Hawai‘i 😍 It’s one of only four green sand beaches in the world 🌱 💫 The 3 others are located in: 🇬🇫 Kourou (French Guiana) 🇳🇴 Hornindalsvatnet (Norway) 🇬🇺 Talofofo Beach (Guam) ✨ What’s the secret behind this color? The sand gets its green hue from olivine, a volcanic mineral formed by the eruption of Puʻu Mahana volcano 🌋 The olivine crystals, heavier than the other grains, stay on the shore and give the beach its unique color 💚 A roughly 1-hour hike from South Point leads you to this magical place ✨ Did you know that? 🤔 #PapakoleaBeach #GreenSandBeach #BigIsland #HawaiiVibes #RoundTheWorldTrip #VolcanicBeach #UniquePlaces #NatureLovers #AlohaSpirit #BucketList

And the hike was well worth it. #papakoleabeach