Punaluʻu Beach, also known as Punaluʻu Park or Punaluʻu Black Beach, is one of the most famous beaches on the island of Hawaii. The black sand of the beach is one of the peculiarities that makes this beach stand out among visitors, and gives it a distinctive touch.
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| Punaluʻu Beach Hawaii |
This is the perfect place to enjoy the views, exploring every corner of the beach to see sea turtles, snorkel or just take a dip. Many people come to sit under a coconut tree and have a picnic and then spend hours looking at everything that surrounds Punaluʻu Beach.
The waves with white peaks that break against the shore are already a spectacle, but it is really the black sand that can take our breath away.
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| Punaluʻu Beach Hawaii |
Although there are other black sand beaches on the island, Punaluʻu Beach is the largest. The stretches of sand range from volcanic rock formations to the large groups of palm trees that can be seen to the north.
It is a generally very calm beach, especially for people who are looking for relaxation and tranquility. This beach is very popular especially for the large green sea turtles that can be seen frequently on the beach sunbathing on the hot sand. Although they can be observed, they should not be touched or frightened.
Nor can you take sand and take it as a souvenir. As you can see, they take care of the environment very seriously, which is great for keeping everything the same way.
The waters are protected by a small cove, and the palm trees lining the black sand provide good protection from the sun. There is a fairly large paved parking lot next to the beach. In this same car park there are several places that offer services to visitors, such as something to drink and eat among other things.
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| Punaluʻu Beach Hawaii |
If we go into the palm trees, we can find some natural ponds and freshwater streams where you dream of having ducks. It was a very popular place among the locals to get water as it was sweet and drinkable.
There are public toilets available on the beach which have showers. Tents are allowed, although depending on the season it can be very windy in the more open spaces.
There are no lifeguards taking care of the beach, although the local residents who are usually in the area can remind us not to touch the turtles and to respect the beach. Some signs on the beach written in English remind us of this too. Punaluʻu Beach is located south of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and if you're in the area, it's well worth a visit.
In any case, it is necessary to calculate the time to get to Punaluʻu, since depending on where we come from, the trip by car can take more than two hours.