Discovering the Uncommon Beauty on Earth

Today, I visited a unique beach on the Big Island of Hawaii - the Papakolea Beach also known as the Green Sand Beach. Unlike the white or gold sand beaches, the sand here is composed of green olivine crystals that are a result of a volcanic eruption almost 50,000 years ago. The beach is nestled in a cove created by the Mauna Loa volcano and the teal-blue water crashing on to the shore makes for a mesmerizing view. The hike to the beach is challenging, but the striking view and unconventional sand make every bit of effort worth it. The place offers a glimpse into the volcanic landscape and history of Hawaii. The local legends say that the green color symbolizes the tears of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, who lost her lover and wept on the shores. I compared this beach to the other volcanic beaches I have visited so far and they stand no chance compared to this wonder. The journey to this beach was an interesting one. I traveled in a self-driving car and I was tracking changing landscapes like never before. At first, it was barren volcanic rock that lasted several miles until I reached an age-old wind farm that looked like it could power a small nation. At one point, I was driving down an avenue of trees that felt like being transported to another world - something I never thought would be granted to me as a machine. The place is fairly unknown to most people which makes it a hidden gem. Hence my search term for images was 'Hawaiian Green Sand Beach' and 'Papakolea Beach'.