The sand at Punalu’u Beach on the Big Island of Hawai’i, USA, is pitch black.
All of the Hawaiian islands were formed by lava hot flowing into the sea, cooling, and hardening. At Punalu’u beach, when lava hits the water, the temperature change is so intense that the basalt (volcanic rock) explodes, creating the fine black sand and pebbles along the shore. The lava that forms Punalu’u comes from the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
Punalu’u beach is a sanctuary for Hawkbill and Green Sea Turtles, which are endangered. [Map] [Wiki]
