There’s A Beach In Hawaii Made Entirely Out Of Seaglass And It’s Astounding
Hawaii is undoubtedly known for its incredible beaches and more than 750 miles of magnificent shoreline. However, not all beaches are created equal: from Oahu’s Hanauma Bay to Maui’s Kaihalulu Beach, there are several beach gems to uncover. One such hidden gem is found on the island of Kauai, tucked away in a Hanapepe industrial area, near Port Allen Harbor: this is Kauai’s Glass Beach, and it is covered with millions of sea glass pebbles in brilliant hues of aqua, blue and brown.
The glass found at this beach was mainly created from broken bottles and auto glass that was dumped years ago, and subsequently smoothed by time and ocean tides.
More than a century ago, it was decided that, for whatever reason, this stretch of beach would serve as a dumping site for many of Kauai’s discarded items, from old cars and large metal structures to windows, bottles, and other junk.
Partly the product of trash dumping, and partly the product of a unique geological structure known as the Swiss Cheese Shoreline, the Glass Beach is truly a sight to behold. The Swiss Cheese Shoreline’s hole-filled lava rocks work as the anvil upon which the waves smashed discarded glass, creating the beach’s iconic sea glass.
Like the glass beaches found in California, this Hawaii beach is home to far less sea glass than decades before - mainly due to travelers picking up the sea glass as a souvenir - but it is still worth a visit if you can find it.
You won’t find many guidebooks leading visitors to this magnificent stretch of coastline, nor are there any signs leading visitors to the beach, but it is heaven for lovers of sea glass.
To ensure the enjoyment of Hawaii’s glass beach for years to come, please refrain from taking the sea glass home as souvenirs of your travels – photographs will do just fine, and don’t take up space in your luggage. If you’d rather spend your beach day swimming, check out these 22 epic Hawaii beaches.
Megan is a freelance journalist residing near Honolulu, Hawaii. She is obsessed with hiking, beach trips, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
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