One of the best beaches at Mauna Lani is 49 Black Sand Beach but if you don’t get a spot in the public parking lot (only about 20 cars) you’ll have a very long walk to get there. The solution is to get an early start on the day.

The sand at this beach is definitely darker than the other Mauna Lani beaches however if you look closely at it, the grains are made up of many colors which makes it look gray. The sand is coarse and feels good on the feet but it can get hot in the sun and there are large rocks in the sand to stub toes on so be aware.

Getting into the water here can be interesting depending on the level of the surf, mainly because it’s a steep sloping beach both in the water and out.