Isaac Hale Beach Park (Pohoiki Beach)
Pohoiki Beach at Isaac Hale Beach Park is a rocky black sand shoreline that’s off the beaten track. The...
Pahoa
Beaches in Pahoa
Kehena Black Sand Beach
Kehena Black Sand Beach is a well-known secluded and clothing optional beach in the Puna District of the Big...
MacKenzie State Recreation Area
MacKenzie State Recreation Area is small forested and beachless state park on the coast of the Puna District. The...
Kaimu Black Sand Beach
Kaimu Black Sand Beach is a narrow strip of rocky beach below a short lava rock cliff in the...
Cape Kumukahi Black Sand Beach
Cape Kumukahi is the easternmost end of the Big Island and an area that was covered in lava from...
Kahakai Park
Kahakai Park is a small county park on the shore of the housing subdivision known as “Hawaiian Beaches”. Despite...
Mermaid Pools & Goddess Pond
The Mermaid Pools and Goddess Pond are located on a remote part of the Big Island’s eastern shore along...
Hakuma Cave of Refuge
Hakuma Cave of Refuge is a hard to find lava tube that ends at a cliff above the ocean....
Champagne Ponds at Kapoho Bay (Lost Forever)
The Champagne Ponds were located in Kapoho Bay near the easternmost part of the Big Island. They were known...
Waiopae Kapoho Tide Pools (Lost Forever)
The Wai’opae Tidepools in the Puna District of the Big Island were considered some of the best tidepools on...
Ahalanui Beach Park (Lost Forever)
Ahalanui County Beach Park was the site of the Maunakea Pond, known locally as the Hot Ponds. This swimming...
About Pahoa
Pahoa is the hub town of the Puna District on the Big Island. Puna is the easternmost district and includes the east rift zone of Kilauea Volcano, an active zone of lava flows. This area has been hit hard by lava flows since the mid-1800s and continues to be active now. In 2018 a massive fissure opened up in the Leilani Estates subdivision and the lava covered three of the top coastal attractions in the Puna District including a park known as the Hot Ponds, a swimming spot called the Champagne Ponds, and the best tidepools on the Big Island. Many homes, farms, roads and sights were lost. The only consolation prize was a newly formed black sand beach at Cape Kumukahi. The beach parks near Pahoa that survived the lava are worth checking out. Isaac Hale Park still has warm soaking pools and a great swimming area, but it's shoreline was dramatically changed by the recent lava flow. MacKenzie State Recreation Area is a spooky spot that's best for walking in the woods along the shore (no beach). And if you want to get into the water in the buff, Kehena Black Sand Beach is your spot. Although the Puna District has lost some of its epic destinations, it's still a scenic area to drive and the remaining shoreline is worth seeing.