Papakolea Beach
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Papakōlea Beach is a green sand beach located near South Point, in the Kaʻū district of the island of Hawaiʻi. It is one of only four green sand beaches in the world, the others being Talofofo Beach, Guam; Punta Cormorant on Floreana Island in the Galapagos Islands; and Hornindalsvatnet, Norway. It gets its distinctive coloring from olivine sand eroded out of the enclosing volcanic cone.
Looking over Papakolea Beach
Climbing down to the beach requires a certain level of mobility.
The green sand is more abundant at the bottom of the tuff ring.
Olivine Crystals in Lava Rock. This is the source of the green sand found on the green sand beach
Kau, Hawaii
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Kaʻū is the southernmost and largest district of Hawaii County, Hawaii, located on the island of Hawaiʻi.
South Point Wind Farm in Kaʻū
The view of the Ka'u coastline from HVNP. Looking southwest towards Na'alehu
The Kaʻū district's Ka Lae Point, the southernmost point of any of the US States