Papakolea is one of only four green sand beaches in the world. This very secluded sandy beach is located near Ka Lae (South Point) in the Kau district of Hawaii. The beach is located at the base of a deep bowl, with rocky cliffs towering a 30-plus meters over the sand and the turquoise water below.

This beach was the site of a volcanic eruption some 49,000 years ago when a cinder cone of Mauna Loa (which is still considered the world’s largest active volcano) spewed olivine-rich lava into the bay.

Due to the heaviness of olivine and the Green Sand Beach’s location within a narrow bay, the green crystals have just accumulated on the beach as the lighter types of volcanic sand are swept out to sea. Olivine is a mineral found in many Hawaiian basalts and forms during the slow cooling of lava flows. Olivine is a common component of lava on the Big Island, but Papakolea is the only beach in Hawaii with green sand.

The best time to visit Papakolea Beach is early in the day (before noon). While this beach is inarguably bucket list worthy, visitors will have to work to enjoy its colorful shores, by making a 5km trek one-way down the rugged coastline.

According to the Internet