Pololu Valley

About this spectacle

Pololu Valley is a dramatic coastal valley on the remote northeastern tip of the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Visitors descend a steep, sometimes muddy trail to reach a secluded black-sand beach flanked by towering sea cliffs and lush, jungle-draped walls. The valley floor opens onto a wild, windswept shoreline where powerful surf crashes against dark volcanic sand and smooth river stones. The air carries salt spray and the scent of wet vegetation. Offshore, sea stacks and eroded cliff faces frame sweeping views back along the Kohala Coast. The surrounding forest hums with native and introduced birds. Swimming is generally dangerous due to strong currents, but the overlook at the trailhead alone offers one of the most photogenic panoramas on the island, stretching across a series of impossibly green valleys disappearing into the mist.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Apr — Oct

Getting there

Nearest airport: KOA. Nearest city: Hilo.

Booking options

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