Red Sand Beach (Kaihalulu Beach)

Red Sand Beach (Kaihalulu Beach) Review

Kaihalulu Beach, better known as Red Sand Beach, is unmatched in its raw and remote beauty. It's not simple to find, but when you round the last corner of the trail and are confronted with the sight of it, your jaw is bound to drop. Earthy red cliffs tower above the deep maroon-sand beach, and swimmers bob about in a turquoise blue lagoon formed by volcanic boulders just offshore. The experience is like floating in a giant natural bathtub. It's worth spending a night in Hana to make sure you can get here early and have time to enjoy it before anyone else shows up.

Keep in mind that getting here is not easy, and you have to pass through private property along the way—do so at your own risk. You need to tread carefully up and around Kauiki (the red-cinder hill); the cliff-side cinder path is slippery and constantly eroding. Hiking is not recommended in shoes without traction, or in bad weather. By popular practice, clothing on the beach is optional. The beach is at the end of Uakea Road past the baseball field. Park near the community center and walk through the grass lot to the trail below the cemetery. Amenities: None. Best for: swimming.