There are only a handful of green sand beaches in the world (Guam, Norway, Galapagos Islands, and HAWAII) so Papakolea on Hawaii’s Big Island is a site that you really don’t want to miss! 

And it’s an adventure to get to it! 

Located down at South Point (the southernmost point on the Big Island AND the US), you’ll either need to do a long, dusty, hot hike along the coast or pay for the “local shuttle” at the trailhead. 

Once you get there, it’s pretty spectacular. The beach is down in a caldera and you have to climb a little bit to get down to the sand. 

I go back and forth between whether the sand looks green or not. It definitely depends on how the light hits it. And while it’s not bright LIME green, it for sure has green undertones and kind of sparkles. 

And unlike the black sand beach at Punalu’u or the black and red sand beaches on Maui which all have a thick, coarse sand (almost like really tiny pebbles), the sand at Papakolea is so smooth and soft under your feet. 

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How to Get to the Green Sand Beach on Hawaii’s Big Island

To get to the parking lot/trailhead, you’ll turn off of highway 11 (the main road around the island-it’s pretty well marked) and then take a right and then a left as the road forks.

Here’s the deal…unless you have 4WD and the ability to change a tire or two you don’t want to drive up to the beach. 

So there are two options:

Hike

If you do the hike, be prepared for about 6 miles round trip in extremely windy and hot conditions. There is NO shade (even at the beach) and while it’s not much of an incline, I would take a gallon of water per person and big shade hats. The local shuttle drivers pick up a lot of people on the way bag because they were underprepared for the hike. 

Take the “Local Shuttle”

Because of obvious safety reasons (it’s all self insured ; ) I am not recommending this, I’m just telling you about it ; ) 

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A group of local Hawaiians run an unofficial shuttle operation to and from the beach from the trailhead parking lot. They’re pretty well organized, they have a lineup, all charge the same price, etc. 

It’s “legit” in the sense that a lot of people do this every day. But this is not an official licensed business with insurance, etc. You’re going AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

Here’s how it works…when you park in the lot at the end of the road (remember…right then left), the guy who’s next up in the line up (it works kind of like a taxi line) will usually approach you friendly and ask if you’re planning to hike or you want to ride the shuttle. 

If you tell them you’re hiking, they’ll probably point you in the right direction and make sure you know about the distance/sun/need for water. 

If you want to ride the shuttle, they’ll tell you where to wait until they’ve got enough people to fill their truck up and make a run. 

Here’s the deal about the shuttle…it’s controversial. It’s technically illegal, but it’s allowed to operate. The land is owned by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands so the guys who run the shuttles (all native Hawaiian) feel like they have the right to do what they’re doing. 

It’s controversial because all the offroading has torn up the land and many feel that it has “desecrated” an important Hawaiian cultural site. 

Whatever you decide…it’s usually about $20-$25/person and the driver takes you out and waits for about an hour and brings you back. It takes about 30 minutes each way to drive.

However you do it, once you get there, it’s pretty spectacular. The beach is down in a caldera and you have to climb down it to get down to the sand (so it’s not an accessible spot if you’re not able to scramble around). 

Ask your driver about swimming conditions at the time you go and they’ll tell you if it’s a good idea or not. 

Want the full plan, not just this post?

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably actually planning a trip to Maui…not just daydreaming. So here’s the thing: what you just read is a small piece of what I know about this island.

I’ve been visiting Maui for years, and I put everything…the itineraries, the hotel breakdowns, the restaurants actually worth your time, the spots most visitors never find…into one guide. It’s 75+ pages, built around real day-by-day plans (not just a list of “things to do”), plus an interactive map so you’re not toggling between five browser tabs trying to piece your trip together.

It’s the guide I wish I’d had on my first few trips here.

See what’s inside the Maui Guide → HERE