Waves lapping up on the Green Sand Beach
Like many of the attractions on the big island, getting to the Green Sand Beach is a long journey. From the highway, you will need to take the paved South Point road approximately 12 miles to where the pavement ends and rough 4×4 trail begins.
From this point, you must follow the very rough trails that can only be traversed by a strong four wheel drive vehicle or pedestrians hiking on foot. This trail is about 2 1/2 miles each way, or about a 5 mile roundtrip.
The beach itself is located in a small cove carved out of the rough shoreline dominated by tall cliffs.The Green Sand (Mahana) Beach is just one of several attractions near South Point Hawaii. The Green Sand Beach is unique and fascinating to kids and adults alike. The sand really is green, created by a mix of a mineral called olivine found very close to a collapsed crater at the shore as it mixes with black sand eroded from dried lava rocks. The result is a dark green colored sand found only at this beach.
View from the Cliffs above Green Sand Beach
Once you get to the end of the trail, you will still need to hike down the side of the cliffs to get it to the beach down below. The beach is a beautiful one, surrounded by tall lava rock cliffs on three sides and an open mouth right out into the Pacific Ocean on the fourth side. The waters here are a deep dark blue and the waves are usually quite rough as they pound ashore.
There are always a small handful of people wading in the surf or swimming and bobbing in the shallow waters. It is never recommended to venture out into the deeper water as the currents here at South Point are known to be very strong and unforgiving.
Please do not disrupt the beauty of this beach by leaving any trash or taking home in any of the very rare and protected green sand. Leave the beach the way you found it so countless others can enjoy the natural serene beauty of the Green Sand Beach. Bring lots of water, sunscreen, and a hat.
If you have the time, try to visit all of the different colored beaches on the big island, white sand, grey sand, black sand, and greens sand beaches.
For more information on visiting the greens and beach, check out our South Point Green Sand Beach blog post.
Nearby attractions: Puu o Honaunau National Park, Punaluu Black Sand Beach, Volcanoes National Park.
Green Sand Beach Map
View HI-Green Sand Beach in a larger map
 Hiking to the Green Sand Beach |
 The deep green sand at South Point |
Rugged cliffs surrounding the Green Sand Beach
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