Punaluu Black Sand Beach — Attraction in Hawaii

On our way from Kona to Volcanoes National Park, we made an unforgettable and peaceful stop at Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach. This small, charming beach was well worth the visit.

The jet-black sand and crashing waves create a striking and memorable scene. The coarse sand sparkles like gemstones and holds onto the sun’s heat much more than white—or even green—sand beaches, so footwear is definitely recommended. A quick dip in the water was colder than we expected, which might be why more people were sunning themselves than swimming on the day we were there. Although the turtles didn’t come ashore during our visit, we still caught glimpses of them in the waves just offshore.

There are two entrances to the beach: The southern one has a larger, paved parking lot with restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and shaded shelters. The northern one leads directly to the beach with limited parking, but it’s also where you’ll find souvenir stalls.

Just off the northern parking lot, we found a food truck that was an unexpected delight. I ordered the grilled mahi-mahi plate for just $15, and it was absolutely delicious, served with rice, macaroni salad, and mixed vegetables. The portion was generous, and the flavor rivaled that of a sit-down restaurant. My partner had the fish and chips, which were equally tasty. If you visit, don’t miss the chance to grab lunch here—it’s a hidden gem.

Whether you’re looking to unwind, enjoy a picnic, or simply take in the natural beauty of this unique black sand beach, Punaluʻu is a fantastic place to pause and experience...

Everyone's experience is different. A very nice family oriented location. The beach is obviously black sand so snorkeling is a little different. This is a full feature park. There is two ways in from the highway that both loop in north to south, or visa versa ha. From the north (down from Valcano), brings you to a unpaved parking lot. Since this area is where the tour buses sometimes stop (if it's on their sights agenda), there is a vender building with limited hours. This area is where the black sand beach is with limited hours lifeguards. There is also fish ponds. This beach is where turtles come ashore to rest. WARNING!!!! DO NOT MESS WITH The TURTLES. The Hawaiian's will not be friendly if they see you. Past this area (and a private residence), there is a paved parking lot. This area of the park has covered sheltered picnic tables, with BBQ'S. These facilities are often used for local family events such as birthday parties, etc. But are mostly available. There are bathrooms and out side showers. The area has limited handicap parking and handicap friendly sidewalks. This area of the park is all Rocky no beach, great for just sitting watching the waves and taking pictures. Note there are public transportation bus stops and a boat ramp area with porta pottys, this is for locals. There is also an abandoned resort building in the bush KEEP...

One of the truly unique and incredible sites to see on the big island in Hawaii.

The sand is completely black. I actually thought that it was going to stain my hands when I first picked it up. It was so black.

More than that, giant sea turtles are often known to send themselves daily on the black sand beach, offering a very close interaction with the incredible sea life around the big island of Hawaii.

Be aware that it does get hot in the middle of the day as the sun bakes the black sand.

A few fun notes: there's a souvenir stand near the beach offering t-shirt, sweatshirts, hats, and other trinkets The turtle send themselves in a sectioned off area almost every day, so it's very easy in the heat of the day to see them Even if there are some waves, you can have a great time snorkeling. There are two sort of sections to the beach and one is usually calmer (and less rocky) than the other... And you might just see a giant sea turtle swimming alongside you If you're able to visit for a sunrise stay after the sun comes up and look on the horizon for pups of water as whales are often swimming...