Shutterstock
Table of Contents
Welcome to Papakolea Beach
One of only four green sand beaches in the world, Papakolea sits at the southern tip of Hawaii’s Big Island. The olive-colored sand comes from a cinder cone that erupted 49,000 years ago, creating crystals that mix with regular beach sand.
Getting here takes work – it’s a hot 2.5-mile hike each way – but that keeps the crowds thin. Here are some interesting facts about this unique coastline.
Shutterstock
The Green Sand is Really Old
Green sand started forming about 49,000 years ago when volcanic eruptions locked olivine crystals inside the Pu’u Mahana cone. Over thousands of years, these crystals have slowly broken free from the cone…