Red Sand Beach - Hana, Maui

A remote beach, Ka'ihalulu or Red Sand is very beautiful and peaceful, protected by a lava barrier from wave action. The burnt-red sand against turquoise waters, blue sky, and black lava is a fantastically vivid feast for the eyes. There are four different types of lava: basalt, andesite, dacite and rhyolite. The olivine is only found in basalt and andesite.

The trail itself was about a 7 minute walk but quite slippery in places with loose cinder cone, ironwood needles and crumbling bluff. At the end of it all, we were greeted by the stunning view of the red colored sand beach, getting its hues from the reddish cinder ash nearby. But if you want to try the crumbling, closed trail down to the beach, there's something else you may wish to have: good hiking shoes. Can you also put up with some occasional gusts of wind? The sand gets its red-black color from the crumbling cinder cone hill that surrounds the bay. Swimming is poor except when the ocean is very calm.

The toughest part of the trail is covered with small lava rocks on which it's easy to slip and fall the 30 feet. The path also is washed out at places, requiring you to hold on to the trees not to fall. The land is scattered with dusty earth and lava rock, resulting in a moon-like landscape. Yet here and there, hardy vegetation grows lush and wild, as if in denial of the harsh climate surrounding it. The lava outcropping protects the bay and makes it safe for swimming. Snorkeling is excellent, and there's a natural whirlpool area on the Hana Bay side of the cove.

Just outside of the beach is a lava sea wall that keeps the inside water less turbulent. Some homeless have taken over this area at night and don't care to share it for those of you who'd like to camp there. That was really neat, and while it probably didn't do the actual lava tube justice, it's a nice reminder of what I actually saw. Lava outcropping protects the bay making it safe for swimming.

The black lava cliffs at land's end have three canoe winches bolted to weathered scaffoldings. The sea is stunningly blue in the equatorial light, smashing in huge blue swells against the land. The exotic looking beach is often protected from the strong ocean currents by a large, jagged lava rock barrier that forms a natural sea wall. The only access to the beach is from a narrow, eroded cliff-hugging trail above the ocean. This large beach is set among lava cliffs and the sand is actually small, smooth, lava pebbles. A small sea arch, sea caves, and seaside lava tubes are located in the beach area.

Naked people?!! Yes! Ka'ihalulu or Red Beach is pretty nude. We found almost everyone laying out in the sun and a few in the water totally naked. So, be advised when you trek down there with the kiddos.

The turquoise blue waters, protected resolutely by tall jagged pillars of solidified lava rock are calm and welcoming compared to the frothy turbulence outside the bay. It's a bit tricky to get there, you must traipse down a steep path beside a Japanese cemetery then walk along a narrow wooded path before the bay opens up before you. The beach gets its red sand from lava cinders off Ka'uiki. The quickest way to access this beach is to take Ua'kea road past Hana Bay to where it dead ends at Hauoli Road. You'll experience a stunning array of climate zones as you pass through pasture land, exotic flower farms, and fragrant pine trees to reach the summit covered with lava flows. Then the magic begins, a 12 mile hike through the largest dormant volcano in the world.