Puna

Puna Lava Coast — Kalapana & Kehena

Puna

The 2018 Kilauea eruption buried 35 square kilometers of the Puna District under 20–30 meters of lava — entire neighborhoods, the former Kaimū Black Sand Beach, and the historic Royal Gardens subdivision. Walking through Kalapana's lava fields today is like walking on the surface of a different planet: standing dead palm trees emerging from black lava, the outline of buried roads and mailboxes still visible, new black sand beach forming where the 2018 lava met the ocean. Kehena Black Sand Beach, 10 minutes along the coastal road, is an exhilarating and raw destination: clothing-optional by local custom, accessed by a steep cliff trail, with spinner dolphins frequently in the bay and strong body-surfing waves. Go for the Puna coastal road (Hwy 137) even if you skip the specific stops — the jungle-lava-sea combination is unlike anywhere else.