Papakōlea Beach (also known as Green Sand Beach or Mahana Beach[1]) is a green sand beach located near South Point, in the Kaʻū district of the island of Hawaiʻi. It is one of only four green sand beaches in the world, the others being Talofofo Beach, Guam; Punta Cormorant on Floreana Island in the Galapagos Islands; and Hornindalsvatnet, Norway.[2][better source needed] It gets its distinctive coloring from olivine sand eroded out of the enclosing volcanic cone (tuff ring).[3]
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mahana Beach
- ^ Casale, Steven (October 15, 2017). "At These Beaches, You'll Find Sand That's Naturally Green". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
- ^ Frank, Dave. "USGS Geology and Geophysics". geomaps.wr.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-10.