South Point (Ka Lae)
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| Divers at Ka Lae |
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| Climbing back up from a dive |
We got up this morning and decided to head out on a road trip. Now one thing you should know is that they call it the "Big Island" for a reason. The Island of Hawaii is nearly twice as large as all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined. It is also roughly the size of the state of Connecticut so when you take a road trip on the Big Island be prepared that it will take you awhile to get to where you are going. It is not just around the corner or a short trip in most cases so make sure it's a day that you want to spend away from your resort.
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| One of the many sea caves in this area |
Our first stop on this day was Ka Lae the Southernmost spot in the US. Yes it is even further south than Key West. We were staying at the Hilton Waikoloa Beach which is about 30 min north of Kona along the Kohala Coast. The drive to Ka Lae was a little over 2 hours. Most of the roadway is highway (Route 11). When you get to the Ka Lae area there is a small paved 2 lane roadway that takes you directly to the coast. Now I have read reviews of this area where people don't feel that the drive is worth it....the roadway is not interesting...takes too long to get there...not that exciting once you do get there. Personally I think this little diversion is an awesome place to visit. We visited it last year during our trip to the Big Island and it was definitely on our list to visit again this year!
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| Just fun to watch the divers! |
The scenery is just gorgeous with the blue waters contrasting with the cliffs. You don't have to make this a really long stop but you must take time to enjoy the views and marvel at the cliff divers. There are sea caves that the divers climb up to get back to the top and they are fun to look into also. The parking area gets crowded and much of it is on uneven ground. Just take care where you park that you don't get your rental car stuck!
There are portable toilets here but no "real" bathrooms.
Just a short drive from Ka Lae, is Papakolea Beach, better known as the Green Sand Beach. Once again you will read many differing views of this area. I am going to relay what our experience was. Take into consideration your own personal likes and dislikes when making your decision whether to visit this or not.
When we visited the Big Island last year we arrived at Ka Lae very late in the afternoon so by the time we made the additional trek over to the Green Sand Beach parking area we were a little late to start the hike to the beach. We also didn't quite know what to expect when we arrived there and weren't sure how to catch a ride with a local although we had read that this was a possibility. This year we made it a priority to figure out how to get to the Green Sand Beach!
The Green Sand beach on the Big Island is one of only four green sand beaches in the world. It actually lies within a cinder cone that has partially collapsed and has been eroded by the ocean waters. Three sides of the cinder cone are still in tact and provide part of the picturesque beauty of the area. The "green" color of the sand comes from the mineral olivine which is a common mineral found in Hawaiian Lavas.
1. Park in the parking area near the area. There are signs posted and it is easy to find off the roadway.
2. Decide if you want to take the 2.5 mile hike (each way) to the beach or if you want to catch a ride with a local.
3. If you decide you want to take the hike make sure you pack plenty of water and prepare for a pretty rugged hike. It is not the elevation of the area that makes it difficult. It is the fact that there is no shade and the roadway is all dirt and deeply rutted.
4. If you decide to catch a ride with a local, just simply find one in this area and be prepared to pay about $15.00 per person for the ride. Personally I think this was the best $45.00 (3 of us) that I spent during our stay!
5. Be prepared for an adventure. The road is rough but half the fun is getting to the beach and back.
6. Do NOT expect to see a dark green sand. The sand is green but it is more of an olive color than a hunter green color. Many reviewers indicate that they are disappointed by the fact that it's not greener. As long as you have reasonable expectations I have no idea why anyone would be disappointed when going here. There is also a smaller beach (more on that later) in the same area that is a darker green.
7. Be prepared to get dirty! The roadway is dirt and you will be wearing a lot of it after trekking to the beach and back.
8. When you get to the beach area, there is a climb down some steps imbedded in the cinder cone to get down to the actual beach. It is not a difficult walk down but be prepared for it.
To a person each of us, my husband, my son and myself picked this as the highlight of our stay on the Big Island. The views were amazing but it was so enhanced by the ride with our guide Iwani. He made the trip so much fun and we learned about the local area. We saw so many whales breaching just off the beach also....it was an extra treat! I would say that the biggest thing you must do if you decide to visit this beach is be ready to "go with the flow". The road is crazy bumpy, the vehicles the locals drive are crazy looking....some of them you stand in the back of a truck with railings, some are old el dorado's with the top cut off to make a convertible. You never know what you might see. Just be prepared for any kind of adventure that might crop up and you may just have the time of your life!
Black Sand (Punalu_u Beach)
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| Amazing Coastal Scenery |
Green Sand Beach (Papakolea)
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| Green Sand Beach |
When we visited the Big Island last year we arrived at Ka Lae very late in the afternoon so by the time we made the additional trek over to the Green Sand Beach parking area we were a little late to start the hike to the beach. We also didn't quite know what to expect when we arrived there and weren't sure how to catch a ride with a local although we had read that this was a possibility. This year we made it a priority to figure out how to get to the Green Sand Beach!
The Green Sand beach on the Big Island is one of only four green sand beaches in the world. It actually lies within a cinder cone that has partially collapsed and has been eroded by the ocean waters. Three sides of the cinder cone are still in tact and provide part of the picturesque beauty of the area. The "green" color of the sand comes from the mineral olivine which is a common mineral found in Hawaiian Lavas.
Basics
Here are the basics on how to get to the Green Sand Beach:1. Park in the parking area near the area. There are signs posted and it is easy to find off the roadway.
3. If you decide you want to take the hike make sure you pack plenty of water and prepare for a pretty rugged hike. It is not the elevation of the area that makes it difficult. It is the fact that there is no shade and the roadway is all dirt and deeply rutted. 4. If you decide to catch a ride with a local, just simply find one in this area and be prepared to pay about $15.00 per person for the ride. Personally I think this was the best $45.00 (3 of us) that I spent during our stay!
5. Be prepared for an adventure. The road is rough but half the fun is getting to the beach and back.
6. Do NOT expect to see a dark green sand. The sand is green but it is more of an olive color than a hunter green color. Many reviewers indicate that they are disappointed by the fact that it's not greener. As long as you have reasonable expectations I have no idea why anyone would be disappointed when going here. There is also a smaller beach (more on that later) in the same area that is a darker green.
7. Be prepared to get dirty! The roadway is dirt and you will be wearing a lot of it after trekking to the beach and back.
8. When you get to the beach area, there is a climb down some steps imbedded in the cinder cone to get down to the actual beach. It is not a difficult walk down but be prepared for it.
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| The ladder and rock you must climb down/up to get to and from the Green Sand Beach |
More Detail on your Trip to the Green Sand Beach
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| Terrain along the way to the Beach |
We followed the signs to the Green Sand Beach and parked in the parking area there. Almost
immediately we were met by Iwani who asked us if we wanted a ride to the beach. We had read reviews about the long hike and were happy to find someone to take us to the beach. He matched us up with another couple who were looking to go just to take some photos and leave so we wouldn't be stuck there longer than we planned on. He told us his fee was $15.00/person for the trip to the beach and back. We all loaded up in the back of his 1985 4WD truck and off we went!
The road was very rough and there is no way that you could do this drive without a 4WD vehicle! We saw several people making the hike. This would not be an easy hike! There is no shade...the road is dirt and very dusty. The terrain is rocky. To me the $15.00 was the best bargain of the day!! Our ride was bumpy and warm but Iwani kept us entertained with stories and kept us laughing all the way!
Once we arrived at the beach, our guide explained that we would need to climb down a ladder and then some rocks to get to the beach itself. The view was amazing even from the top but we wanted to get a closer look so we walked down. Now I am not always the most graceful person but I had no trouble making the trek down to the beach. When we arrived the green sand awaited us. It was beautiful....it sparkled....almost like gold or glitter! The water was a mix of turquoise and deep blue and the dark mountains framing the area provided a beautiful contrast. I almost felt sensory overload with the vivid colors!
We spent about 30 minutes walking around and taking photos and then we made the climb back up the hill and loaded back up in the truck for the trip back to the parking area. Iwani was awesome as he took us back he again shared some local stories and even made an extra side stop at a beach that had even greener sand for us. He took photos of us on the beach and allowed us to explore for a few minutes.
As we drove back we saw many locals taking visitors down to the beach...you never knew what kind of vehicle you might see along the way. The adventure is half the fun of the visit! I would highly recommend making a trip to the Green Sand Beach one of your priorities when visiting the Big Island. I would also highly recommend taking the ride unless you are an experienced hiker and if you are taking the ride, make sure that you look up Iwani.....he is an awesome guide!
The road was very rough and there is no way that you could do this drive without a 4WD vehicle! We saw several people making the hike. This would not be an easy hike! There is no shade...the road is dirt and very dusty. The terrain is rocky. To me the $15.00 was the best bargain of the day!! Our ride was bumpy and warm but Iwani kept us entertained with stories and kept us laughing all the way!
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| Our ride with Iwani....Notice the El Camino "convertible next to us! |
Once we arrived at the beach, our guide explained that we would need to climb down a ladder and then some rocks to get to the beach itself. The view was amazing even from the top but we wanted to get a closer look so we walked down. Now I am not always the most graceful person but I had no trouble making the trek down to the beach. When we arrived the green sand awaited us. It was beautiful....it sparkled....almost like gold or glitter! The water was a mix of turquoise and deep blue and the dark mountains framing the area provided a beautiful contrast. I almost felt sensory overload with the vivid colors!
We spent about 30 minutes walking around and taking photos and then we made the climb back up the hill and loaded back up in the truck for the trip back to the parking area. Iwani was awesome as he took us back he again shared some local stories and even made an extra side stop at a beach that had even greener sand for us. He took photos of us on the beach and allowed us to explore for a few minutes.
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| Some of the Local Drivers |
As we drove back we saw many locals taking visitors down to the beach...you never knew what kind of vehicle you might see along the way. The adventure is half the fun of the visit! I would highly recommend making a trip to the Green Sand Beach one of your priorities when visiting the Big Island. I would also highly recommend taking the ride unless you are an experienced hiker and if you are taking the ride, make sure that you look up Iwani.....he is an awesome guide!
Final Thoughts
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| Some of the Green Sand |
Black Sand (Punalu_u Beach)
Our next stop was about a 30-45 minute drive East of Ka Lae and the Green Sand Beach. This was at Punalu_u Beach. While there are several black sand beaches on the Island this one has the easiest access. We simply parked in the large, paved parking area and made a short walk onto the beach.
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| Black Sand Beach |
Once again, the black sand contrasting with the blue water is a sight to behold! You can swim at this beach and there are picnic tables and restrooms here so if you would like to spend part of a day here you certainly could.
One of the places I would encourage you to make a stop at on your way to or from the beach is the Punalum'u Bake Shop! There are wonderful bakery items as well as all kind of drinks and snacks that you can stock up on. There are also "real" restrooms here!
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
After leaving the Black Sand Beach, we continued on our trip around the southern coast of the Big Island, heading East and ending up at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Unfortunately just as we got to the park, the weather changed a bit and we started to get some rain. We did not let this deter us however.
We quickly headed down Chain of Craters Road to the very end in order to take a look at the Sea Arch at the coast. The Arch was one of our favorite things to see here last year and we definitely wanted to share it with our son this year. The arch will deteriorate at some point in the future and more will be made by future lava flows but as of right now this one is still going strong!
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| Sea Arch - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park |
On our way back up Chain of Craters Road, we made a few stops at a few of the craters along the way.
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| One of the Craters along Chain of Craters Road |
Next stop was the Thurston Lava Tube. This is a must see if you are in the park. The walk to the tube is a pretty easy one. The tube itself isn't too long and is very well lit. It is just amazing to think that you can walk through something created by a lava flow!
Finally we were ready to head past the steam vents and to the Jaggar Museum and Visitor Center. What we found was that when it rains the steam vents become VERY active. While this makes the steam vents more impressive....it makes viewing of the caldera almost impossible! We were able to catch a very brief glimpse of the glowing caldera at night but it was gone almost as soon as it came into view. Tip: If you are looking for a clear view of the caldera at night...make sure that you choose a day without rain!
If you would like to see more photos and information about Hawaii Volcanoes National Park please see my blog from last year's trip when the weather was clear. http://travelswithmel.blogspot.com/2014/04/journey-to-hawaiithe-big-islandday-8.html
Back to Mauna Kea
Since our viewing was so limited at the volcano, we decided that since the night was still young, and since we had to drive across the Island anyway, that we would stop at Mauna Kea for one more look at the beautiful stars. The weather on this part of the Island was fine and we had beautiful viewing conditions. Again, the winds were high and the summit was closed but the viewing from the visitor's center couldn't be better. Tip: I would encourage you to check the weather ahead if you have your heart set on visiting the summit.
Time to Call it a Day
It was about time to call it a day after a long day of driving and viewing some amazing things. Yes, the trip around the Big Island can take some time but as far as I'm concerned it's totally worth it!
Coming Next:
Day 7 - Cliffs and Waterfalls
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