Stopped in on the southern way back from Hilo to Kona. Parked in the little dirt lot not knowing there is a larger lot just down the road. Not a huge beach but nice place to stop. We came in later in the day so the black sand wasn't hot and we were able to take sandals off. If you come when the sun is out though, wear something on your feet. The concession stand was closed and there were some guys climbing palm trees to get coconuts. Entertaining to watch. Found a few turtles on the beach which was nice to see. Worth a stop if in the area.

Beautiful, picturesque spot, a small jet black beach framed by gorgeous coconut palms, and a lagoon with water hyacinths planted by a local school to limit erosion. There was a small hand-made sign explaining that. We did not swim as the beach has a lot of rocks jutting into the water and strong currents. We came there as a half day trip from Volcano village specifically to see turtles. Apparently, there is no guarantee to see them as these turtles are not always on the beach, or else they are out in the water, not easy to spot.BUT we got lucky and saw two huge ones resting on the beach! They were as magnificent as I imagined, and larger than we were expecting, having never seen wild sea turtles before. The locals had ‘fenced’ a row of sharp black rocks around the area where the turtles come to rest. You could still get close enough for an excellent view and photos, without harassing or disturbing them. We were there around 9:30 AM when the beach wasn’t too busy, and everyone was being respectful to the turtles, phew! There is larger park at one end of the beach with washrooms, a covered picnic area, and lots of parking. We parked at a smaller, dirt parking lot nesr the lagoon where there were locals selling freshly picked coconuts for a high price $10 each, so we didn’t get one but cool to watch a guy slicing them open! There were some shacks down at the far end of the beach where locals were fishing. We also saw a school group camping near the larger parking lot. The place is a mix of public park at one end of the beach and local subsistence at the other end. We hung out for a long time at the picnic tables by the dirt parking lot. You could move those tables to keep them under the shade of the trees. Be careful of falling coconuts, there is a warning sign about that on one of the trees near the washrooms.

This is a must do if you are in the Big Island. The sand was black. There were turtles basking on one side. What a serene and beautiful place There was a guy selling coconuts for $10 per coconut There is ample parking there. No entrance and no parking fees

This is a cool place, if for no other reason, of the black sand. As you can see from my pic, the sand is course and a lighter black, in color (see my pics). The beach itself was relatively flat and, on this day, had very low waves. In this area, there were some tidal basins. We enjoyed the slow-paced stroll of walking around the tidal basins looking at all of the small sea life. In the area where we parked, while it was close to the beach, there were only a few spaces. Also the snack stand was closed. So may want to plan accordingly.

I read a travel review or blog that told me to skip this beach. I had removed it from my itinerary but as I drove by my gut told me to stop. Man am I glad I did! I left the beach and my trip could have been over and I would have been ok. I knocked 2 bucket items off the list in one spot. I walked up and it was beautiful then I see a crowd and got to watch sea turtles come up on shore. One of the highlights of my trip! Make the stop!

This beach is very beautiful and definitely has black sand. I definitely recommend stopping and checking it out. The beach is right near the highway, and the parking lots are right next to the beach, so you don't need to walk very far. And it was really cool to see the sea turtles sunning themselves on the beach and swimming among the waves. There are good bathrooms, a shower to rinse off the sand from your legs, and a lifeguard. The beach is not so good for swimming, but it seems pretty good for snorkeling. There's also a souvenir shop right there on the beach. Definitely worth a stop if you're driving around the far south part of the island.

I was on the island for a conference and my spouse and I took this road trip on a day off. We had a great time at the beach. It was overcast that day, but temps were still mild. I loved wading in the black sand. The views around the beach were magnificent. What a treat to experience a beach like no other I had ever seen.

I was on the way for my volcanoes day trip and this was just a quick stop. I saw the monk seal and for the first time for the black sand beach. There were parking available for free. It was nice for a quick stop as nothing much nearby.

OMG absolutely stunning! I think this was my favorite location on Hawaii. Not much sand, mostly rock, and we did not see to many people swimming because of the rocks and waves. But the most exsiting thing is there were several sea turtles laying on the beach. There is a large parking lot with bathrooms that we did not use. The only negative is there is a bath house and homeless people have taken it over. And there was a food truck there at the time but we did not eat anything.

Lots of space to find a seat in the sand or at some of the many picnic tables just a short walk from the parking lot (free). They have toilets, drinking water, showers, shelter, and a campground nearby. There is a lifeguard on duty overseeing the beach and the sea turtles basking in the sun. There are a few turtles on the beach and they are available for viewing from a distance.