I wasn’t intentionally trying to ruin their vacation.
They seemed like a
nice couple and DH and I thought they would really enjoy this other beach in
Hana, where the sand is a reddish rusty color from the iron oxide in the rocks.
They were already going to Hana, a 3 hour minimum drive from Kahului, so it’d
be a nice stop for them.
So, the next time
we saw them, I was kind of horrified. This nice young couple looked like they
had crawled through a barbed wire obstacle course, and were bruised, scratched,
and plastered with band aids. ![]() |
Red Sand Beach in Hana. |
“What happened?”
we asked.
“We found the Red
Sand Beach… we slid down the side of the cliff to get there.”
“OMG.”
“Then we realized
there was actually a path.”
We didn’t have
much to say after that.
Red Sand Beach –
it is surprisingly easy to get to, or surprisingly difficult, depending on who
you ask. But if you don’t ask, you risk the fate of butt-sliding down a cliff
with scratches for souvenirs.
Red Sand Beach is
in the town of Hana, very close to the Hana Ball Park. To get to the trail, go
to the end of Uakea Road and walk toward the ocean, walking across the lawn of
a county park. Make sure you are on the lawn and not trespassing on the grounds
of the Hana Sea Cottages to the right. At the end of the lawn, look to the
right among the ironwood trees for a section of the trail, and follow the trail
as it curves to the left around a hill, on a narrow ledge overlooking the
ocean.
(These directions
are approximate since sometimes the trail head is easier to find and sometimes
more difficult depending on vegetation and whether the trail has been eroded.)
The trail is very
slippery, since the red lava cinders are like loose marbles.
Once you manage to
get closer, the beach is very beautiful and photogenic. I think it’s a lousy
swimming beach since waves can be rough, but some people think it’s okay in the
morning when it’s calmer. Or during low tide or low surf. There is a somewhat protected area with a lava formation, but it's not always good for swimming either.
Don’t be too
surprised if you see topless people or topless AND bottomless people. It’s not
officially a nudist beach and the few times I’ve been there, everyone has been
fully attired, but Red Sand Beach has a reputation for birthday suits. Those
darn hippies, they can’t keep their swim suits on, to the aggravation of some
local residents.
One MAJOR tip
guidebooks often forget to mention: The cliffs around Red Sand Beach block the
afternoon sunlight, so if you get there past 2 or 3 pm and you want some sun,
forget it! Go there early or not at all.
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