Hawaiian beaches naturally come in a bizarre variety of colors including white, black, green, and even red sand, all due to the unique volcanic mineral compositions and ancient lava flows breaking down over millennia.

A closer look

Hawaiian beaches naturally come in a bizarre variety of colors including white, black, green, and even red sand, all due to the unique volcanic mineral compositions and ancient lava flows breaking down over millennia. The famous green sand beach, Papakolea, gets its hue from olivine crystals that erode from the surrounding volcanic cinder cone. You have to endure a grueling, sweltering hike through a barren landscape just to get there, but the visual payoff is genuinely spectacular. Of course, all this majestic geological diversity doesn't change the fact that this highly unique, mineral-rich volcanic sand is still going to aggressively stick to every single surface of your rental car, your luggage, and your wet swimsuit for the next three to five business weeks!