Attractions Page for Exotic Car Rental in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii - Aloha Exotic Car Rental Company, Kailua-Kona, HI attractions page

Best Beaches

SOUTH POINT

Green Sand Beach (Papakolea Beach)

Hawaii's famous green-sand beach is located at the base of Pu'u o Mahana, an old cinder cone spilling into the sea. The place has its problems: it's difficult to reach; the open bay is often rough; there are no facilities, fresh water, or shade from the relentless sun; and howling winds scour the point. Nevertheless, each year the unusual emerald-green sands attract thousands of "oglers", who follow a well-worn four-wheel-drive-only road for2½ miles to the top of a cliff, which you have to climb down to reach the beach (the south end offers the safest path). The "sand" is actually crushed olivine, a green semiprecious mineral found in eruptive rocks and meteorites. If the surf's up, just check out the beach from the cliff's edge; if the water's calm, it's generally safe to swim and dive.

How to Get to Green Sand Beach:
From the boat ramp at South Point, follow the 2½-mile four-wheel-drive trail; even if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you may want to walk, as the trail is very, very bad in parts. (Take our Big Island Exotic Cars Hummer!) Make sure you have appropriate close-toed footwear: tennis shoes or hiking boots. The trail is relatively flat, but you're usually walking into the wind as you head toward the beach. The beginning of the trail is lava. After the first 10 to 15 minutes, the lava disappears and the trail begins to cross pasture land. Then, after about 30 to 40 minutes, you'll see an eroded cinder cone by the water; continue to the edge, and there lie the green sands below. The best way to reach the beach is to go over the edge from the cinder cone. (It looks as though walking around the south side of the cone would be easier, but it's not.) From the cinder cone, go over the overhang of the rock, and you'll see a trail. Going down to the beach is very difficult and treacherous, as you'll be able to see from the top. You'll have to make it over and around big lava boulders, dropping down 4 to 5 feet from boulder to boulder in certain spots. Don't forget that you'll have to climb back up. Look before you start; if you have any hesitation, don't go down (you get a pretty good view from the top, anyway).

Warning: When you get to the beach, watch the waves for about 15 minutes and make sure that they don't break over the entire beach. If you walk on the beach, always keep one eye on the ocean and stick close to the rock wall. There can be strong rip currents here, and it's imperative to avoid them. Allow a minimum of 2 to 3 hours for this entire excursion.

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