Punaluʻu Beach

About

Punaluu Beach (also called Black Sand Beach) is a beach between Pāhala and Nāālehu 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. This volcanic activity is in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Punaluu is frequented by endangered hawksbill and green turtles, which can often be seen basking on the black sand.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.