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A black sand beach complete with green turtles? What's not to love? I was so happy to visit this beach that had turtles right at the shore to observe (from at least 20 feet away!). It's very cool to see black sand created by lava flows, too. I didn't go into the water when I was there, but it was still a sweet, short visit.
First and foremost this is the most famous black sand beach on the island where the tours take everyone. The beach is beautiful and you can see lots of turtles in the water and sometimes on the beach. That said, there are less congested beaches on the island. This one has a sketchy run down old village type area by some parking if you drive there you might see. They have bathroom facilities. They have shopping vendors for souvenirs. The beach was packed with people. We came later in the day even around 3pm. But it was during spring break and probably high tour time. It's a must see, but expect a lot of people. We did find some spots away from people to take photos because I didn't want tons of people in my background. Also, toward the time we were leaving people were also starting to clear out in some of the areas. I'd recommend coming early or later. Avoid mid day.
My favorite beach on Big Island! ... because of the sea turtles. I was lucky and saw 15 just chilling. I stayed for two hours just watching them. The black sand is cool too. It's more like pebbles so i would wear shoes or flip flops with a thick sole. There's a little shop that sells turtle related souvenirs and clothing. Plenty of parking. If I'm in Big Island again I'm going to definitely come back.
Punalu'u is a great black sand beach that we stopped out in the afternoon during a driving tour. Our tour guide pointed out the protected area where you can spot green sea turtles but we weren't very lucky that day. The views are beautiful but keep in mind the black sand is also very hot so I don't recommend you walk on it barefoot.
Definitely stop by the hut on the beach to buy merch from the locals! ;) The parking on the sand can be super tight and crowded, but there's parking off the side in the lot if you don't mind a short walk. If you're lucky, you'll see someone selling fresh produce!
This is a nice beach with restrooms, beautiful black sand and cool black lava that goes right to the ocean. If you're lucky you can also see sea turtles on the beach! But make sure to give them space and don't touch them :)
DAY 5 of Vacation - We came here to cool off after a three hour volcanic hike at the Kilauea Iki Crater. We wanted to visit a Black Sand Beach, and Punalu'u beach was about 40 min away. Parking: There is no actual parking lot, so we just followed an area where a bunch of other cars parked. Most likely you'll park on the sand or dirt road. This beach was absolutely beautiful and none like any other beaches I've visited. It had true black sand! Of course it is not recommended to swim in this ocean, but I saw some people snorkeling. There are many things to see near the shore. Careful because the shore is rocky, but the sand was soft. Highly recommend visiting this Black Sand Beach!
I have heard about the Black Sand Beach for many years. I was so fortunate to finally make the visit while vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii. Families come out to spend a leisure day, bring towels, chairs, ice chest, snacks and a canopy if you can. There was one food truck and another trailer/shop for buying souvenirs. An important thing to note is that the Sand is thick and made of small rocky pebbles, wear sandals, NOT flip-flops with a thin sole. The beach is located about 90 minutes away from the Kona Coast where we were staying. I loved the drive there to see the beautiful sights and small cities along the way. This is a must-see destination, enjoy what nature has to offer. Don't forget to tell'em that Rosemary and Mother Nature sent ya!
Such a cool beach! Unique black sand and we saw some sea turtles! There were even bathrooms and a food truck. Definitely a must see but kind of rough for playing around in the water.
Secluded lava beach. Bathrooms picnic tables and grass area. I beautiful stop on the way to Volcano National Park.
If you want to see black sand and turtles, make the drive (2 hours in my case), to Punalu'u Beach. Although I saw kids playing in the choppy water, it's not good for snorkeling. However, there are tide pools where you can see baby eels and turtles on the beach eating and sleeping amongst the rocky shore. In order to protect the turtles, there is a short wall on the beach with a sign that reads, Keep Out and a lifeguard to keep on eye out on guests getting too close to the turtles. Thus, there are many guests taking photos of the turtles from the turtles' protected barrier. In addition to turtles, the beach has bathrooms and an outdoor rinse shower. Interestingly, the sand doesn't really stick to your skin and you can easily shake it off. When we went on a Saturday, there was plenty of parking in the lot and a covered area with picnic tables.
Likes: Lots of parking spots, shower, restrooms, food vendors, lifeguard, shaded resting area Dislikes: Very wavy and rocky not good to swim, black sands so hard to see, not good for snorkeling, people say there're lots sea turtles but didn't see any
Casually known as "Black Sand Beach" and it's exactly that. Quite unique. Smaller free parking lot attached but if you walk about 5 minutes, there is a much larger free parking lot. Scenic beach with iconic views. We spotted a couple of very lard turtles hanging out in the water. There is some sandy beach area to hang out.
11 months ago
A far far drive, but well worth every minute! Punalu'u Beach is a gem, wonder of the Earth! The black sand beach is absolutely stunning! I appreciate the the boundaries they have in place to protect the turtles from tourists and keep their environment as sacred and safe as possible. It's truly a spiritual experience and a must visit! read more
We stopped here for just a bit while we were on our way to volcanoes national Park. We were with a geologist with Hawaiian GEO tours. You can climb the lava rocks and enjoy the amazing waves that are coming in or you can walk over to the black beach. We were told the black beach is formed as the lava from volcanic eruptions hits the water it ends up, exploding somewhat, and creating this black sand beach. It's warm to the touch. The green sea turtles love to come here and lay in the sand as it helps regulate their body temperature so the beach has cordoned off an area for them so they have a safe spot to rest. There are restrooms here as well as a pretty large picnic shelter as this seems to be a stop on many excursions on this island. It's free and everything was fairly clean. We really enjoyed this amazing part of the world. read more
2 months ago
Absolutely worth a stop at this breathtaking black sand beach. The sea turtles are incredible and swim close to the shore. It's picturesque and easy to access. If you want to walk out into the water it is worth wearing good water shoes. The shoreline is very rocky and painful to navigate barefoot. read more
A black sand beach complete with green turtles? What's not to love? I was so happy to visit this beach that had turtles right at the shore to observe (from at least 20 feet away!). It's very cool to see black sand created by lava flows, too. I didn't go into the water when I was there, but it was still a sweet, short visit. read more
First and foremost this is the most famous black sand beach on the island where the tours take everyone. The beach is beautiful and you can see lots of turtles in the water and sometimes on the beach. That said, there are less congested beaches on the island. This one has a sketchy run down old village type area by some parking if you drive there you might see. They have bathroom facilities. They have shopping vendors for souvenirs. The beach was packed with people. We came later in the day even around 3pm. But it was during spring break and probably high tour time. It's a must see, but expect a lot of people. We did find some spots away from people to take photos because I didn't want tons of people in my background. Also, toward the time we were leaving people were also starting to clear out in some of the areas. I'd recommend coming early or later. Avoid mid day. read more
2 years ago
My favorite beach on Big Island! ... because of the sea turtles. I was lucky and saw 15 just chilling. I stayed for two hours just watching them. The black sand is cool too. It's more like pebbles so i would wear shoes or flip flops with a thick sole. There's a little shop that sells turtle related souvenirs and clothing. Plenty of parking. If I'm in Big Island again I'm going to definitely come back. read more
Punalu'u is a great black sand beach that we stopped out in the afternoon during a driving tour. Our tour guide pointed out the protected area where you can spot green sea turtles but we weren't very lucky that day. The views are beautiful but keep in mind the black sand is also very hot so I don't recommend you walk on it barefoot. read more
Definitely stop by the hut on the beach to buy merch from the locals! ;) The parking on the sand can be super tight and crowded, but there's parking off the side in the lot if you don't mind a short walk. If you're lucky, you'll see someone selling fresh produce! read more
This is a nice beach with restrooms, beautiful black sand and cool black lava that goes right to the ocean. If you're lucky you can also see sea turtles on the beach! But make sure to give them space and don't touch them :) read more
2 years ago
DAY 5 of Vacation - We came here to cool off after a three hour volcanic hike at the Kilauea Iki Crater. We wanted to visit a Black Sand Beach, and Punalu'u beach was about 40 min away. Parking: There is no actual parking lot, so we just followed an area where a bunch of other cars parked. Most likely you'll park on the sand or dirt road. This beach was absolutely beautiful and none like any other beaches I've visited. It had true black sand! Of course it is not recommended to swim in this ocean, but I saw some people snorkeling. There are many things to see near the shore. Careful because the shore is rocky, but the sand was soft. Highly recommend visiting this Black Sand Beach! read more
2 years ago
I have heard about the Black Sand Beach for many years. I was so fortunate to finally make the visit while vacationing on the Big Island of Hawaii. Families come out to spend a leisure day, bring towels, chairs, ice chest, snacks and a canopy if you can. There was one food truck and another trailer/shop for buying souvenirs. An important thing to note is that the Sand is thick and made of small rocky pebbles, wear sandals, NOT flip-flops with a thin sole. The beach is located about 90 minutes away from the Kona Coast where we were staying. I loved the drive there to see the beautiful sights and small cities along the way. This is a must-see destination, enjoy what nature has to offer. Don't forget to tell'em that Rosemary and Mother Nature sent ya! read more
10 months ago
If you want to see black sand and turtles, make the drive (2 hours in my case), to Punalu'u Beach. Although I saw kids playing in the choppy water, it's not good for snorkeling. However, there are tide pools where you can see baby eels and turtles on the beach eating and sleeping amongst the rocky shore. In order to protect the turtles, there is a short wall on the beach with a sign that reads, Keep Out and a lifeguard to keep on eye out on guests getting too close to the turtles. Thus, there are many guests taking photos of the turtles from the turtles' protected barrier. In addition to turtles, the beach has bathrooms and an outdoor rinse shower. Interestingly, the sand doesn't really stick to your skin and you can easily shake it off. When we went on a Saturday, there was plenty of parking in the lot and a covered area with picnic tables. read more
Likes: Lots of parking spots, shower, restrooms, food vendors, lifeguard, shaded resting area Dislikes: Very wavy and rocky not good to swim, black sands so hard to see, not good for snorkeling, people say there're lots sea turtles but didn't see any read more
Casually known as "Black Sand Beach" and it's exactly that. Quite unique. Smaller free parking lot attached but if you walk about 5 minutes, there is a much larger free parking lot. Scenic beach with iconic views. We spotted a couple of very lard turtles hanging out in the water. There is some sandy beach area to hang out. read more
Punalu'u Beach is one of the best black sand beaches to be found. The fine black sand is easy on the feet and the shoreline with the tall palm trees makes for some magnificent photos. The wave activity can make it challenging to swim or snorkel. It was quite windy during my visit. While visiting Punalu'u, I was able to spot three sea turtles. The area was marked off and everyone was respectful to keep their distance. Apparently turtles visit here often. This is a must stop, when visiting the Big Island. read more
Free parking and one of the most beautiful black beaches you will find on the island of Hawaii! I'm normally more wordy than this, but I have some catching up to do here in Yelp from our trip... This beach is also a great spot to see Hawaiin green sea turtles! Speaking of wildlife... Along with the normal goats and chickens we also had a wild hog and two babies run across on the road leading from the beach back the main road. We also saw a couple of mongoose running around the parking lot... While you are in Hawaii please spend some time and learn the history and the true culture of the Hawaiian islands. As long as you are in the area make sure you check out the local shopping and restaurants! read more
A great stop if you want to experience one of Hawaii's famous black sand beaches. Absolutely beautiful beach with wonderful views of the ocean from overlooks. Wasn't quite sure what I was expecting, but this far surpassed it. It was so peaceful and relaxing to just stand and watch the ocean. The rocks and sand are a lot smoother than I expected, but I was wearing shoes the whole time so can't comment on walking barefoot. If you're lucky, you'll see some turtles while you're here. They have a rock turtle enclosure on the beach that turtles will swim onto and lay out on - we were lucky enough to have a turtle laying out during our visit! Waters were rougher while we were here - wouldn't really recommend swimming in it. They have a couple stands on the beach selling souvenirs, snacks, and drinks, but they are cash only so make sure to either bring your own water and food or have some cash on you. They have some clean bathrooms (always a plus!), but they were out of soap during our visit so make sure you carry some hand sanitizer on you. I wouldn't make this a whole day adventure, but definitely worth a stop for an hour or so to enjoy the black sand, the beautiful ocean, and (hopefully) some turtles. read more
3 years ago
This place is another great creation of God. Very blessed to have come here. There are restrooms and lifeguard. We were here just as he announced he's about to leave. He cautions the beach goers of high rip tides before leaving. Also a great place to see turtles although there was none ashore while we came. But saw some swimming. read more
A must stop on the Big Island. We went to experience the black sand beach. It is very cool. Locals and tourists are both relaxing on the sand. A lifeguard is watching the snookers in the bay. In a protected space there are sea turtles basking in the sand. There's a covered picnic area as well as restrooms. read more
Like most others, this was a nice pitstop en route to driving to the Volcano from Kailua-Kona. You should definitely make time to stop by as it's worth your while. The black sand is like no other sand (even the black sand beach at Polollu Valley Lookout -- on the north side of the island near Hawi). When wet, it looks like caviar! And, it doesn't stick to your skin after it dries read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
We didn't spend enough time here to give a complete review, but the time we spent here was worthwhile. We watched green turtles bobbing in the surf, tail up and head up. The lifeguard warned swimmers not to get to close to them or to try to herd them closer. I don't think the snorkelers heard him, as they continued to move toward them. The black sand was tough to walk in, and we don't think barefoot would be a good idea. We were in our hiking shoes. This is definitely a place we'd enjoy visiting again! read more
STEPH JUDGEMENT: Beautiful chill black sand beach. We decided to check this place out on the way to Volcano National Park and it was well worth the stop. It was kind of overcast and windy when we were there, which might have explained the lack of crowds--which suited us just fine. We parked it in our chairs and just enjoyed the peace and quiet and the amazing views. Some other reviews mentioned turtles, but alas, we did not see any on our visit. There were some swimmers and snorkelers, but we did not go in the water. There are restrooms, a concession stand, and plentiful parking. Would definitely love to visit again. read more
1 year ago
Beautiful scenery!! Bring water socks as the sand feels like rocks. Nice little shops there for some T-Shirts and snacks. Parking is ok a little walk but nothing too bad. read more
Definitely a worthy stop on our trip exploring the south side of the island. It was a pretty short stop for us. It was windy and the water looked pretty rough. However, the turtles were resting near the sand and lava close to the shore which presented awesome photo ops. There are signs posted and the area is cordoned off to provide the turtles space. A lifeguard is posted and a snack stand is available, along with plenty of parking and picnic tables. If you have water shoes, this is a perfect place to wear them. read more
3 years ago
It was overcast the day we were here. The parking lot was really busy, but we managed to find a good spot. The beach is fairly long and of course all black sand. It's quite fine sand and it gets super hot. Be sure to wear your beach shoes! The water was actually cold considering it was really hot out. It's also semi - rocky if you are going swimming and or snorkelling. So water shoes are a must. I prefer a beach without any rocks, with a nice smooth sandbar feel - this is not that type of beach. The water was semi murky and not very clear. We did see some fish however. We also must of swam to close to a boat as the Lifeguard used his trusty bull horn to remind us that the "Boats have the right of way - Stay away from the Boats" #embarrassing We didn't stay too long, but it looked like they had a large concession stand for food drinks, and vendors with souvenirs. I didn't get a chance to check this out, so I can't say what was offered or how the prices were. I much preferred the Black Sand Beach on Maui. But was happy for the opportunity to visit. My Walrus friend also enjoyed himself ! See pics : ) read more
2 years ago
We enjoyed visiting this place. I think there are other black sand beaches around the island, but this one has turtles. When we were there around 11a, there were multiple turtles resting on the beach and swimming in the ocean just offshore. My family stayed in the Volcano area so the drive here wasn't bad at all. However, I can see how it is super out of the way for someone staying in Kona or around the Hapuna Beach areas. This isn't a very good beach to swim at. The waves can be rough and there are rocks everywhere. We spent an hour to 90 minutes here regardless. It's peaceful. We came to chill with the turtles on the black sand. If that is something enjoyable to you, I think it's worth the trip. read more
2 years ago
This is a very famous black sand beach. Expect a crowd at any reasonable time of day, especially the weekend. It's pretty choppy water so don't expect to swim or find snorkeling options. There are a few vendors on the beach, and covered picnic tables plus a free restroom are available. There is an area dedicated to the turtles so don't go in there (signs will be posted). Parking is free but the lot might fill. read more
4 years ago
Hawaii Flashback | January 2022 It's amazing that years and years of volcanic activity resulted in this stunning black sand beach. We couldn't pass up a visit on our way back from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (about 30 minutes away). Even if you stay for 10 minutes just to check it off your list, you won't regret it. That's exactly what we did! This is a popular venue in the afternoon, even on a weekday. We arrived around 4:00P on a Wednesday and the small parking lot was filled to the max, so we found a space along the street. It was just a short walk through the parking area and bam, you're on the beach! The black sand was an amazing sight especially in contrast with the vibrant blue sky. There were many people just relaxing, walking along the rockery and getting in the water. We simply embraced the view and enjoyed feeling the warm sand under our feet. Although we didn't happen to see any sea turtles, they are known to come on shore and bask in the sun. A sign was posted near the shoreline reminding visitors to respect their space. Even after our extremely short visit, the beautiful landscape is forever ingrained in my memory. Deep blue water, jet black sand and palm trees swaying in the breeze... this is the definition of paradise! 4.25 stars for the overall experience as this beach is on the smaller end so there's not a ton of room to spread out. read more
Awesome beach to enjoy the ocean and look for animals. From the shore we were able to see a few turtles bob their heads above the water, and we saw a whale off in the distance! I wish we had brought snorkeling gear because this would be a fantastic and easy/shallow place to snorkel. There are also a few small vendors selling shirts and jewelry, and there is a bathroom and shower station. Worth a stop! read more
Such a pretty beach! Make sure to stop by if you're on the way to around the island. There's a small lot and the beach is small. The sand is amazing. It was very pretty! You can snorkel, the water is a little rough but I hear the snorkeling was great. My husband went in and said it's not as cold as it looks. There were 2 turtles on the beach when we came. I wish it was sunny! read more
3 years ago
I've never been to a black sand beach and we arrived just after sunset. Even then, the contrast between the water and black sand was stark. We saw two sea turtles and there was a nice designated safe area for them which people generally seemed to respect. Definitely worth stopping by but not much else around the area. read more
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