The Sunny Side of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Along the Coast near Pahala

Pahala is near the Punalu`u black sand beach where endangered and protected sea turtles bask in the sun and swim in the bay. Pahala is near Punalu`u black sand beach where Hawaiian green sea turtles bask in the sun and swim in the bay. Punalu`u is where Pahalans play, fish, surf, snokel and dive. It offers a picnic area, boat ramp and rocky pools where children frolic. Its brackish lagoons are home to native water fowl. Hawaiians hold classes on culture and environment there and everyone warns visitors to refrain from touching or swimming towards the endangered turtles, which are protected from harassment by federal law.

Kolualu Beach is down a four-wheel drive trek east of South Point. A favorite camping, fishing and surfing place for locals. The ruins of an old Hawaiian village and a pier remain there. A deep inlet provides for safe swimming and snorkeling.

Honoapu is a beach park called Whitington, formerly a pier for shipping sugar by ship to the mainland. The ruins of the pier and a deep bay remain. There are picnic facilities and restrooms. A large Hawaiian fishpond and wetland area adjacent to the park provide a place for fishing and watching birds.

Kawa is the popular surfing beach near Pahala. Its unusual rockly point is topped with ancient Hawaiian ruins and it is fascinating to watch surfers ride the waves beneath this historic site. A spring flows into an opening into the sea creating a marshy wetland and nursery for fish and birds.