ALOHA!
If you are on the Big Island for a volcano vacation, then it is practically a mandatory stop to visit this part of the Puna coast as one of the places on the Big Island to see old lava flows!
You can see the lasting impact of past volcanic activity here.
So…
Why visit Kaimu black sand beach?!
1. You can hike on a trail of black sand
2. You are hiking to the ocean where you can see where old lava meets the ocean
3. You can witness the power of the ocean!
4. You can see vast lava fields of old lava flows!
And well, as the name of this place indicates…
5. You can see a black sand beach!
And, the Kaimu black sand beach is a “new” black sand beach at that, also referred to as the New Kaimu black sand beach. It’s said to be created in 1990 from lava flows at that time. Now there’s an even newer one down the road at Pohoiki, that one from lava flows in 2018!
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Side note!
Here's some info on Hawaii trip prep!
- Best shoes for hiking in Hawaii
- The perfect type of shirt for swimming in Hawaii
- Do you need water shoes for Hawaii?
- THE top things to pack for Hawaii
The best of the Big Island:
- Things to do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Where to see lava fields on the Big Island
- The big list of things to do on the Big Island
And now…
More of what you’ll see what a trip to the Kaimu Beach Park!
aka PHOTOS!
I went here in September 2019 and pictures are from that time.
So to get to Kaimu black sand beach, you can have the Kaimu Beach Park as your destination for google maps.
This will eventually take you to a dead end road where you’ll be met with the parking lot for the Kaimu black sand beach trail.
Once here, you’ll see a large expansive area on the coastal side, and you can basically just generally start walking in that direction. You’ll start to see the trail (that starts off as red sand!) and this trail will take you all the way to the coastline! You’ll also start to see more of the lava fields. It will likely take you 10-15 minutes to walk this trail to the ocean.
And once you’re at the shoreline, you can walk all across the lava fields!
And then see the waves crashing against the shore… and the black sand beach!
And then after your hike to see the lava fields and black sand beach…
In normal times, there is a spot where you can grab a bite to eat or drink a smoothie. It’s usually best to have cash for these types of places just in case.
Then you can continue to see more black sand beaches along the Puna coast! And separately, a bit further to the south is the black sand beach that you have a good chance to see turtles!
And for more volcano related activities, be sure to see things to do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and more places to see old lava flows on the Big Island!
And that’s a bit about a visit to the new Kaimu beach!
If you’re interested in Kaimu Beach, you may also be interested in these Big Island activities:
- Punaluu black sand beach
- Makalawena Beach
- Pololu Valley beach
- How to spend one day hiking to Big Island valley beaches
- Mahana Bay green sand beach
- Big Island lava fields
HAPPY SEEING A BLACK SAND BEACH AND OLD LAVA FLOWS IN KAIMU BEACH PARK!
Top things to pack for your Hawaii vacation!
The ultimate beach towel for travel?!
Turkish towels are considered to be more absorbent and lightweight than your average beach towel. Be sure to check out turkish towels like these!Possibly among the best Big Island maps for tourists!
The Franko maps of Hawaii have a high level of detail for activities and it's beachproof aka waterproof. There's an "adventure" guide map and a "snorkel/dive" guide map. Plus a wall map for home to get you excited for your upcoming trip to Kona!The cheapo way to waterproof your phone
You can take underwater pictures with a simple waterproof phone case like this. Touch screen may not work well underwater - try the volume button to snap the pic instead!Get your suitcase more organized!
Packing cubes can make it so you're spending less time on your vacation looking for things! They are basically a form of drawers in your suitcase. Take a look at these packing cubes.Wear less sunscreen by wearing a UPF swim shirt!
Wearing a swim shirt means less skin that's exposed to the sun which means less sunscreen you need to apply! See about wearing swim shirts with UV protection like these when you're snorkeling.PLUS...
Be sure to take a look at the reviews of these amazing tours on the Big Island:
- Sailing the ocean with a sail + snorkel trip
- Kona's most popular tour: Swimming in the ocean at night with manta rays (likely to sell out)
- Star gazing at Mauna Kea volcano
- Dream Hawaii helicopter flight: Circle the Big Island to see Hawaii's volcanoes from above
- Sail the ocean in the evening on the Captain Cook historical sunset dinner cruise (likely to sell out)