Punalu'u Beach
Punaluʻu Beach (also called Black Sand Beach) is a beach between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu on the Big Island of the U.S.
A beach, 5 mi south of Pahala
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Mauna Loa Estates, 27 miles northeast. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November and December are the mild months, with highs of 79–84°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Pahala. Green months are the mild ones.
Punalu'u Beach
Punaluʻu Beach (also called Black Sand Beach) is a beach between Pāhala and Nāʻālehu on the Big Island of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The beach has black sand made of basalt and created by lava flowing into the ocean which explodes as it reaches the ocean and cools. Punaluʻu is frequented by endangered hawksbill and green turtles, which can often be seen basking on the black sand.
- Type
- Beach
- Wikipedia readers
- 13K a year
Where to stay near Punalu'u Beach
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Discovery Harbour (4) and Volcano (16).
Discovery Harbour
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
1,079 people
10 mi southwest of Punalu'u Beach
Compare 7 towns
| Town | From Punalu'u Beach | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Harbour | 10 mi southwest | 15 min | 4 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 1,079 | $444K |
| Pahala | 5 mi north | 5 min | 2 2 lodges & cabins | 1,768 | $225K |
| Volcano | 28 mi northeast | 45 min | 16 1 hotel · 7 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel | 746 | $575K |
| Mauna Loa Estates | 27 mi northeast | 40 min | 13 2 hotels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins | 901 | $357K |
| Hawaiian Ocean View | 18 mi west | 25 min | 1 1 hotel | 4,431 | $318K |
| Volcano Golf Course 26% vacation homes | 26 mi northeast | 40 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins | 807 | $507K |
| Royal Hawaiian Estates | 30 mi northeast | 45 min | 3 3 hotels | 852 | $247K |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Punalu'u Beach
Other well-known places within 48 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw125 mi MountainMauna Loa
Big draw47 mi MountainMauna Kea
Big draw224 mi MountainKīlauea
321 mi MountainKama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount
31 mi National ParkHawai'i Volcanoes National Park1.9M visitors a year
45 mi MountainHualālai
419 mi Ancient siteKa Lae
517 mi BeachPapakolea BeachPhoto credits
Mauna Loa: Gordon Joly, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mauna Kea: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kīlauea: Hawaii Land Cover Analysis project, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Public domain · Kama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount: John Smith and Brooks Bays, Public domain · Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hualālai: Photograph by J. Kauahikaua., Public domain · Ka Lae: Holly Cheng, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Papakolea Beach: Pushkr from , United States, CC BY 2.0
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Visiting Punalu'u Beach
What town is Punalu'u Beach near?
Pahala, HI, about 5 miles north.
When is the best time to visit Punalu'u Beach?
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, November and December, with highs of 79–84°.
What is the closest airport to Punalu'u Beach?
Hilo (ITO), about 50 miles away. The nearest big hub is Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA), about 55 miles.
Where should I stay near Punalu'u Beach?
Discovery Harbour (10 mi, 4 places to stay), Volcano (28 mi, 16 places to stay) and Mauna Loa Estates (27 mi, 13 places to stay).
Tips from people in Pahala
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Pahala’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.