Black Sand Beaches Around the World

1. Punaluu Beach, Hawaii

In Hawaii the beaches can have white, green or black sand, thanks to the constant and recent volcanic activity on the islands.

If you would like to discover how it feels to walk on black sand, head to Punaluu Beach on the southeastern Kau coast of Hawaii Island. Snuggled between Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the town of Naalehu, this beach is fringed by stately coconut palms and the hot sand attracts giant Hawaiian green sea turtles.

Both the turtles and the black sand are protected, so do not disturb the turtles and do not take any sand. Swimming on the beach is not perfect but possible while the wide space and the shade of palm trees make it ideal for picnics.

While there are other black sand beaches in Hawaii, Punaluu Beach is considered one of the most beautiful.

Ninole Loop Rd, Naalehu, Big Island, HI 96772 , Punaluu Beach Video

The drive from Kona took us about 2.5 hours. The road is very scenic with beautiful ocean views:

2. Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia

If you want to swim in the warm, calm waters of Saint Lucia, go to the beach on its protected, Caribbean side.

If you want to work on your tan and watch the powerful Atlantic waves wash the shore, find a beach on the eastern side of the island.

All the beaches are magnificent, and most of them have black sand, a consequence of island’s volcanic origin.

One of the most beautiful black sand beaches is in front of the Anse Chastanet Resort, which is lined with stately palm trees and overshadowed by towering mountain slopes.

The beach is beautifully maintained by the resort but anyone can access it. There is some great snorkeling just off the beach as the waters are part of a marine reserve.

The drive from the airport is just over one hour:

3. Black Sands Beach, California

Part of the King Range National Conservation Area, Black Sands Beach is a 3.4-mile long, fairly wide black sand and dark pebble beach at the end of the 20-mile long coastline between Shelter Cove and Mattole River Campground.

Its hard-packed sand is wonderful for long walks and beach combing. From the beach you can take the Lost Coast Trail north to many wilderness camps and remote hiking spots.

When backpacking across the beach, plan carefully as parts of the beach get inundated by the high tide. There is an offshore reef that protects the beach.

Swimming is possible as long as you take care. At low tide, you can walk all the way to Little Black Sand Beach.

Beach Rd and Humboldt Loop, Whitethorn, CA 95589

The drive takes around 4.5 hours from San Francisco:

4. Cahuita Beach, Costa Rica

Cahuita is a small yet lively village on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, about 27 miles from Puerto Limón. As the highway from San Jose to Limon has recently been completed, the area is only just being discovered by tourists, so you can often find beautiful Negra Beach, or Playa Negra, fairly empty.

The fine black sand Cahuita Beach is of volcanic origin and looks curious but is no problem to walk on.

The beach offers great swimming, snorkeling and diving opportunities, especially on the coral reef which stretches between Black Beach and White Beach and is part of Cahuita National Park. The abundance of marine life is astonishing.

Cahuita National Park, Limon, Costa Rica

The drive from San Jose takes about 3 hours:

5. Kamari Beach, Greece

Located on the southeast end of the beautiful Greek island of Santorini, Kamari is an upscale beach resort overshadowed by the steep slopes of Mesa Vouno, with a magnificent black sand beach and the ancient city of Thira that dates back to the 9th century.

The Kamari Beach is well-organized and lined with lounge chairs and umbrellas and it can get fairly crowded.

A pleasant promenade runs alongside the beach with outdoor bars, cafes and restaurants on its other side.

There are many places that rent out water sports equipment. The beach is protected by a crescent-shaped bay and the water is calm and almost cobalt blue. It is great for swimming, snorkeling and diving.

Kamari, Santorini, Greece

The beach is just 10 minutes from the airport:

6. Black Sand Beach, Maui

Wai‘anapanapa State Park is a 120-acre tropical paradise on the Hawaiian island of Maui with a unique and spectacular black sand beach, sea stacks, stone arches, lava caves and blowholes.

The fine black sand was created by thousands of years of powerful surf pounding the volcanic basalt rocks that surround the beach.

The beach is located just outside the town of Hana and is popular for sunbathing, swimming, and long walks across the wide expanse of dark sand.

The rough rock formations around the beach provide shelter for many birds and sea turtles.

There are a number of local legends linked to the Wai‘anapanapa, meaning ‘glistening waters’, which Hawaiians consider sacred.

Wai‘anapanapa, Hana, Maui, Hawaii

7. Langkawi Island, Malaysia

Located on Malaysia’s west coast is Langkawi, a breathtakingly beautiful archipelago of 99 islands surrounded by blue sea and covered with lush tropical jungle mixed with rice paddies. The main island is famous for its fantastic diving sites at the Underwater World Langkawi at Pantai Cenang, the cool cable car in Pantai Kok and the beautiful Black Sand Beach nearby.

Only about a 20-minute drive from the cable car, the beach is a lovely, serene retreat from the better-known and often crowded island beaches. The beach is particularly popular among locals, who like to gather on the beach at the weekend. The black sand is mixed with white sand and legend has it that it is black because a mermaid cursed it when a fisherman stole her ring.

8. Lovina Beach, Bali

If you are tired of crowds on the beaches of southern Bali, head north to the beautiful Lovina Beach, just west of Singaraja.

This tranquil 12 km-long stretch of fascinating volcanic black sand is much loved by locals and is swiftly being discovered by tourists, especially Australians during the Christmas holidays.

The beach is wide and flat, great for taking a sunset stroll, and is lined with ancient trees, shops, restaurants and dive shops. The largest village on the beach is Kalibukbuk and there are also a few luxury resorts as well.

You can visit the healthy offshore reef straight from the beach at Kalibukbuk by snorkeling or diving, or you can simply lie on the beach and enjoy a soothing massage while drinking a fruity cocktail.

9. Perissa Beach, Greece

About 15 km from the village of Fira on the southeastern end of Santorini, Greece is the 7 km-long Perissa Beach, one of the most beautiful on this side of Santorini. Like most Santorini beaches, it is covered by black volcanic sand created by millennia of wave action against the dark volcanic rocks that shadow the beach.

The sand gets very hot during the day, but it keeps the waters of the Aegean Sea crystal clear – great for swimming and snorkeling.

The beach is dominated by the looming, almost vertical slopes of Mesa Vouno.

The mountain is great for exploring since it is home to the ruins of the ancient town of Thira.

There is a narrow path you can hike or ride along on a donkey. Perissa is also known as a party beach that is popular with backpackers.

10. Piha Beach, New Zealand

Located on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island about 40 km from Auckland, Piha is New Zealand’s most popular and best-known beach.

Piha Beach is famous for its fascinating black iron sand and fantastic surfing – New Zealand’s first surf boat race was at Piha in the 1930s.

The sea is often moody and mysterious and the dark beach looks wild and wind-swept.

Piha is known for dangerous rips and currents and swimming is recommended only in areas regularly patrolled by surf clubs.

If surfing is not your thing, then Piha is wonderful for hiking and exploring nature – it is backed by the scenic Waitakere Ranges, covered with lush sub-tropical forest and within a protected park.

There are many trails leading up the mountainside from the beach.

Piha, Auckland Region, New Zealand