Such a sweet little park to take a break from a long drive. Lots of picnic tables, plenty of shade,…read moreand a beautiful view of the waves rolling in. We saw a few locals fishing and even a couple of brave swimmers, but it's not really meant to be a swimming beach. This is more of a peaceful spot to relax for a few minutes.

You'll find this little gem on the Mamalahoa Highway between Volcano and the Kona Coast. I enjoy…read moreevery opportunity I get to say 'Mamalahoa', btw. Dont expect to find a sandy beach here - its a rocky shore, but breathtaking! Lots of grassy areas to throw down a blanket and enjoy some longan and rambutan, you know, that you picked up at the Hilo Farmers market. There is a pond here with 'something' underwater swimming around, maybe its the Loch Ness cousin, Billy. If you're adventuresome walk or drive down the dirt road to the east. There are remnants of a WWII pier - according to local historians it was intentionally destroyed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor to discourage a potential Japanese invasion force.

This park is beautiful and sacred. You can learn indigenous Hawaiian history & culture here and…read moreexperience serenity in this very special place. I especially enjoyed walking on the lava rocks to the protected areas where I saw fish everywhere! The water is clear and perfect. This park is large and I recommend that you have at least two hours here to soak it all in. There are hiking trails and picnic areas too. There are clean bathrooms, water fountain & a small gift shop as well. Note: For visitors concerned with accessibility, it may be a little tough to access the beach areas as the terrain is sandy, rocky & uneven. I did read that beach wheelchairs are available at the visitor center though. Mahalo.

This is the most sacred of the Hawaiian Parks, which was used as safe harbor during wars between…read moreislands. Many of the historical warrior chiefs were buried here and represented the proud heritage of healing those seeking refuge from the fighting. The rehabilitation first included healing wounds and feeding the starving warrior back to health. Next, the mental spirit was revived and trained how to live in peace.

A far far drive, but well worth every minute! Punalu'u Beach is a gem, wonder of the Earth!…read more The black sand beach is absolutely stunning! I appreciate the the boundaries they have in place to protect the turtles from tourists and keep their environment as sacred and safe as possible. It's truly a spiritual experience and a must visit!

We stopped here for just a bit while we were on our way to volcanoes national Park. We were with a…read moregeologist with Hawaiian GEO tours. You can climb the lava rocks and enjoy the amazing waves that are coming in or you can walk over to the black beach. We were told the black beach is formed as the lava from volcanic eruptions hits the water it ends up, exploding somewhat, and creating this black sand beach. It's warm to the touch. The green sea turtles love to come here and lay in the sand as it helps regulate their body temperature so the beach has cordoned off an area for them so they have a safe spot to rest. There are restrooms here as well as a pretty large picnic shelter as this seems to be a stop on many excursions on this island. It's free and everything was fairly clean. We really enjoyed this amazing part of the world.

This new portion of Volcano's NP is stunning and has very few visitors versus the main HVNP sites…read more The property was acquired by the Nature Conservancy for the HVNP in 2003 and used to be a ranch with cattle, pigs and sheep but is now in its natural state. There are several hikes from short and easy, to all day loop hikes. Nearly all of the hikes traverse grassy trails, which is easier on the body than the a'a lava on many of the other park hikes. We started with the Pu'u o Lokuana loop and diner cone hike which is 2 miles in length and very close to the visitor center. This hike has a huge variety of landscapes and plant life starting out with a somewhat arid first 10 minutes, then quickly goes to grassy tree filled areas, then lava, then an old 1940's airstrip and finally up to the red cinder cone for great views of the various meadows. Next we took the 4.9 mile Forested pit crater trail which was really stunning. The Pit crater trail is uphill the entire way to the crater with a very steep section at the beginning - not for those with a lack of training. The vegetation changes subtly along the way with great views and the crater is very large and goes straight down. Pictures of the crater do not do it justice as you need to see it in the full context. Highly recommend this portion of the National Park

Amazing experience being able to be here the same time the Volcano is active. We arrived just in…read moretime as it was oozing out Lava with many peeking bursting upward.

What's not to love about visiting a national park? We came here to see if perchance we could catch…read morethe volcano erupting however we missed it by a day and only got to see the steam flowing out of the mountain and the steam vents. This is a huge park with lots to do. We went to the crater rim side to hike the trails out there and check out the lava tube. We also visited the visitor center to get more info about the park and other places to go. My family earned their hiking credits here and we spent about 3 hours here exploring before heading back to the hotel. We were on the top part of the island so it was a 2 hour drive, however I recommend leaving before dark as the roads get dark, there is no light and it's often zero visibility.

What an overload for the senses. There are trails of all lengths and difficulty so plan well. Bring…read morelots of water, closed toed shoes and pack food if you plan to make a day of it. The view of the active volcano is spectacular and the rangers are helpful with answering any questions. The parking is sufficient although you may have to drive around for a moment if it's busy. We did the long hike and it was rigorous, but not impossible as long as you do not have mobility issues. There are stairs and steps at the beginning and the end, but walking across the lava field is amazing. Follow the rock formations for your directions. At the end, we wanted to wash our hands, but the only place for a sink is in the volcano house. All other areas are just out houses so plan accordingly. Every purchase in the gift shops supports the Rangers and the park so be kind and pick up an item or two and even feel free to give an additional donation when you check out. There are not many gas stations on the road to the volcano coming from the south around the bottom of the island. However, gas is cheaper when you do find it then you may find in Kona.

This beautiful beach is well hidden and parking is very limited. We arrived about 10:00 and that…read moreseems to be a good time if you are not one of the first to arrive earlier in the day. Cars who have been here for a few hours will start to leave and spots open up. There is no fee to enter and the showers are nicely sun warmed. But do note that these black sands are HOT and either wear sandals or remain in the shade of the trees. Your feet can burn quickly. There are random picnic tables in the shade for anyone to use but bring a sun umbrella and sand chairs if you have them for sitting on the beach. Bring snorkel gear and watch for the turtles and fish who enjoy the shoreline reef. But also be aware that the tide is strong and you can be swept along and scraped by the reef and rocks by surprise. The underwater view is lively and fish abundant so take your time and float with open eyes. There are camp sites for those who wish to do so. And watch for dolphins who rest near shore during the day. It is a lovely beach that is worth visiting.

My husband and I were married in Hawaii, and we've been back three times since. This has always…read morebeen our fav beach. My husband snorkeled with dolphins there. It's just a magical little place! Make sure you arrive early to secure a parking spot and a great spot on the beach.

We drove down to the beach from the highway 11. It was not…read moreeasy drive, though worth it. As a photographer, I took the most colorful local photos here. This is a very small beach that locals hanging out, I think. In front of a little yellow church stand a loud speaker pole. I can imagine when tsunami comes or volcano errupt.. One of the most beautiful sea color I saw here.

Driving down a winding road for about 15 minutes to get to this beach is not really worth it. The…read morehomes get worse as you get closer to the beach. It looks like a good place to find a house to film for the show Hoarding, Buried Alive. There are numerous picnics tables at the beach that's called Miloli'i. The restrooms that are there are fairly clean. The actual beach area has numerous covered picnic tables and a small body of water that is great for small children, but it's not particularly safe for swimming due to rocky coastline. There was a cute church across the street that has a walking path to the right of it that goes to another beach that's more swimming friendly. Apparently takes 20 minutes and according to a guide book you can disregard that the road to the swimming beach says it's private. We did see two people go that way.

We swim here regularly, year-round. IMHO this is the best all-around snorkeling beach on the…read moreisland, but as with any ocean activity the surf and tide will affect your experience, so ask the lifeguards or the volunteers for advice. This protected bay has over 120 species of resident fish, and usually has clear water. Other than urchins (7 species) there is no marine life to worry about. Turtle sitings are more likely at high tide when their salad bar (the algae on the rocks) is available. Typically from 9 to 3 daily the Reef Teach volunteers have photo guide books and other reference materials available, along with free advice, defog spray, and reef-safe sunscreen. Water access is the narrow and shallow rocky channel in front of the lifeguard station by the parking and pavilion. Swim fins or sand shoes are recommended. The locals value their feet and swim through it even at low tide when it is only a foot deep. Coming back in you can actually swim all the way back to the sandy channel. The water is usually noticeably warmer and clearer away from the entry. The bay is shallow with only a few places that are even 8' deep at high tide. Unless you really need to, don't stand on the bottom or coral - fins and feet damage it.

Great beach! It has shade and some good views. Definitely a good place to bring the family as it is…read moresomewhat protected. Parking is expensive kind of a bummer. The area itself didn't have much amenities, but definitely have palm trees and shade, which was nice in the afternoon. Happy to make it on our first day

Beat part of the park- free, no lines, no people & endless trails to walk. Close to south point &…read morebeaches as well as Na'alehu town