The Breathtaking Beach In Hawaii That Didn't Exist 20 Years Ago Will Amaze You
By Megan Shute|Published January 30, 2017
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
The Hawaiian Islands are positively ancient, with the island of Kauai clocking in at 4.9 million years old. Measuring in at more than 4,000 square miles, the island of Hawaii is not only the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, but also the youngest. In fact, the island is still expanding at a rate of nearly 40 acres per year, thanks to Kilauea Volcano. One of the best places to check out this relatively new volcanic land is the stunning New Kaimu Black Sand Beach, a slice of true Hawaiian paradise that – quite frankly – didn’t exist even 20 years ago.
The land that the beach encompasses and the area surrounding it simply didn’t exist twenty years ago. And let’s face it - it’s pretty incredible to walk on land that might be younger than you - especially since so much of the land + wilderness we experience is ancient in comparison.
In 1990, a lava flow from Kilauea reached the shoreline at Kalapana and destroyed the entire community, as well as the neighboring subdivisions of Kaimu and Royal Gardens. The lava flowed into the ocean for several months, filling the bay and creating new acreage on the shoreline. Since then, the relentless waves have crashed against the shore, slowly breaking the large lava rocks into small grains of sand over time.
Kaimu Black Sand Beach - a local favorite - was buried under 50 to 75 feet of lava. With stately palm trees lining the coast and fine, jet black sand, the loss of Kaimu Beach was truly a devastating one.
With jaw-dropping views of the Puna coastline - as well as a stunning volcanic landscape, it’s hard not to feel as though you are on the absolute edge of the world.
To reach the beach, drive to the end of Kapoho-Kalapana Road or Pahoa-Kalapana Road (Hwy 137 or Hwy 130), Park in the small lot near the Kalapana Village Cafe, and walk up the small hill, where you will see a sign for the “Kaimu Beach Eco-Path.”
There are no facilities at New Kaimu Beach, and water activities - including swimming - are strongly discouraged due to hazardous surf and strong currents. But since it doesn’t take much effort to reach the beach, it’s well worth it for a few photographs and a sense of awe at the magic of mother nature.
