I’m not an athlete nor do I regularly work out. That said, i decided to join my husband in hiking down to the beach — both ways — and despite my whining, it was well worth it. The swell was strong that day so only the strongest of swimmers stayed out in the water for long periods of time. The sand is a glorious color and texture, much closer to black sand than white. If you too decide to embrace the hike, bring a lot of water. It was easier with closed toe shoes, although you don’t need hiking boots. We brought only our phones (along with hats, sunscreen and water) which meant that we didn’t have any c@sh on us to get a ride with a local after we were done in the sand. No one that day took Venmo, hence we went round trip on foot. When we got back, I was exhausted but elated that I had done the hike and stopped along the shore on the way back to enjoy the surf.

We loved the Green Beach - sand unlike any we have seen before. It even has gold specks in it - beautiful! We opted for the $20 ride (hold on - it's an adventure!) and were so glad we did (read the next review (Chris) for all the details). It was fun standing in the back of the truck while making our way over the rugged trails. We all agreed on the trip back that it was the best $20 we spent all day, especially after seeing those who were hiking in the heat, sun, and dust! The entire way is scenic. We climbed down to the beach plus up to the cliffs. We had about 45 minutes to explore, which was fine for us, and our driver offered to take photos of everyone. We only waded due to high surf. Very unique beach. Definitely worth experiencing.

As it is only one of few green sand beaches in the world it is a must see. Nice to swim in the big waves. If you don't want to walk there you have to hire one of the semi legal 4WD drivers that bring you there for about 20 bucks.

We went around dusk and didnt really see the green colour. We did notice that with imagination, the beach appears to be olive green. its very difficult to get to the beach from the parking lot. The locals charge $20/person for a roundtrip. They will take you there in their trucks. To get there, it takes about 25 mins each way (ie 50 mins in total) from the parking lot via the truck. I strongly recommend that because unless you are ok to walk long hours, and also know the way, you wont get there. Do not even think of taking your AWD or SUV there as the unpaved path is extremely dangerous. You will get into a serious accident. The parking is free and there is no entrance fee also

I highly recommend this place for those of you who enjoy a good hike to a beautiful and highly unusual beach. We hiked the 3 mile trail to the beach in about 45 minutes. It's a fairly rough trail with lots of rocks and a few slight ups and downs through the dunes. Be sure to wear good shoes. Follow any trail as long as it follows the coast. When you arrive at the beach, it is startlingly beautiful, and YES the sand is green. But know in advance that how green it looks may depend on the other colors around you (including the sky), and on the degree to which you may have subtle color blindness. The climb down to the beach is steep and follows some homemade staircases, but it is not too difficult for most people. Be careful if you swim as the undertow is pretty strong. The beach was so nice, we hung around for an hour before making the 3 mile hike back to the parking lot. Definitely bring a snack. A couple of observations: 1. If you don't wish to hike, you can pay a local at the parking lot for a ride out to the beach and back ($20-30), but I don't necessarily recommend that as it seems pretty expensive and the people seem pretty sketchy. 2. Don't leave any valuables in your car in the parking lot.

Green sand beach is a must when traveling to Big Island as there are only four of them in the world! It is to be noted that you will have to pay 20$ round trip to reach the beach itself, unless you prefer hiking 6 miles round trip on rough terrain or have an AWD vehicle. I highly recommend going with Dangerous Don as he was very charismatic, helpful and knowledgeable. He made the experience a memorable one. Green sand beach was beautiful and you should definitely check it out!

This was a must see on our list of attractions on the Island of Hawaii. The parking lot has lots of room for cars. The port a pottys are horrendous and poorly maintained so please be warned. They are disgusting. Bring your own toilet paper or tissues and hand sanitizer. Bring CASH for the $20 return pick up truck ride to the beach and back. They don't take credit cards! It is worth the bumpy ride on a very hot day. If you'd prefer to walk, which we did, it is a long hike to the beach and back. Wear lots of sunscreen and a hat is a must! Carry as little as you can and you'll need plenty of water. It's worth it once you get there and you will see a very rare site of an olive green sand beach. We were lucky enough to see turtles too. It's a long hike down to the beach and not an easy one as you hug the side of the cliff in spots but we did it and we are over 65!

We were short on time so paid for the truck ride. I don't think we missed out on any nice hiking by doing so. The beach is cool, not emerald green like I had hoped, more olive. Not something I'd repeat.

This is a beautiful but very off-the-beaten-path beach. The views and experience were stunning enough to make it worth it, but getting there is pretty sketchy and I would definitely plan to get there and back way before it gets dark. It's a trek from the parking lot if you walk, be prepared for a long day. There are people who will offer rides for cash, keep your wits about you.

11 km hike round trip. Bring lots of water and wear shoes. Can get dusty and windy. Once you get to the beach there is a ladder and climb down to get to the green beach. Swimming is great but wavy. Well worth the hike