Best Black Sand Beaches to Elope on the Big Island
Why We Love Elopements On A Black Sand Beach
If you’ve been dreaming of exchanging vows on a black sand beach in Hawaii, there’s no better island to do it than the Big Island.
Our volcanic coastline is home to some of the most beautiful and unique black sand beaches in Hawaii, from iconic shorelines lined with coconut palms to secluded beaches tucked beneath dramatic sea cliffs. And because each beach offers a completely different experience, choosing the right one is about much more than finding the prettiest backdrop.
Some black sand beaches are easy to access with family, while others require a little adventure to reach. Some are surrounded by lush tropical scenery, while others showcase the rugged lava landscapes the Big Island is known for.
As Big Island elopement photographers, we help our couples choose locations based on the experience they want to have, who they’re bringing with them, accessibility, permits, lighting, travel time, and, of course, where they’ll get incredible photos.
In this guide, we’re sharing some of our favorite black sand beaches to elope on the Big Island and what makes each one different.
Best Black Sand Beaches for a Big Island Elopement
01. Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach
If you imagine towering coconut palms, deep black sand, turquoise water, and Hawaiian green sea turtles when you picture your Hawaii elopement, Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach is probably what you have in mind.
Located along the southeastern coast of the Big Island, Punaluʻu is one of the most recognizable black sand beaches in Hawaii. It’s also one of the easier black sand beaches on this list to visit with guests, with a parking area, public restrooms, and outdoor showers nearby.
The combination of its jet-black shoreline, coconut palms, lava rock, and ocean makes it an incredible setting for an intimate ceremony.
We especially love sunrise elopements at Punaluʻu. The beach faces toward the eastern sky, and an early ceremony gives you a better chance of enjoying the shoreline before more visitors arrive for the day.
Because Punaluʻu is a public beach, your ceremony permit does not give you exclusive access to the shoreline. For couples who value a quieter, more intimate experience, this is another reason we recommend getting an early start.
Punaluʻu is farther from the Kona and Kohala resort areas, but that distance can actually make it an amazing starting point for a full-day adventure elopement.
After your ceremony, you can continue toward Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, explore rainforest and lava landscapes, stop at waterfalls, and experience an entirely different side of the island before ending your wedding day somewhere completely different from where it began.
Choose Punaluʻu if: You want the quintessential Hawaii black sand beach, easier access for guests, coconut palms, and the opportunity to turn your ceremony into a full-day Big Island adventure.
QUICK TIPS ABOUT PUNALU’U BLACK SAND BEACH:
- Best For: The iconic Hawaii black sand beach experience
- Best Time: Sunrise elopements and wedding ceremonies
- Distance: About 1.5 hours from Kona and 35–40 minutes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Accessibility: Easy access for most guests; sand can be difficult for wheelchairs
- Parking: Free parking
- Facilities: Public restrooms and outdoor showers
- Permit: Elopement permit required through Hawaii’s Wiki Permits system
- Best Feature: Jet-black sand, coconut palms, and frequent Hawaiian green sea turtle sightings
02. Kehena Black Sand Beach
Kehena feels completely different from Punaluʻu. Located along the Puna coastline on the eastern side of the Big Island, Kehena Black Sand Beach is surrounded by lush vegetation, lava cliffs, and the wild coastline that makes this part of Hawaii feel so remote.
Getting to the beach is part of the adventure. Access requires descending a steep trail, so we don’t recommend Kehena for couples bringing guests with mobility limitations, young children who may struggle with the trail, or anyone who wants a traditional easy-access ceremony. But for the right couple, that’s exactly what makes it special.
Once you reach the shoreline, you’re rewarded with deep black sand, dramatic cliffs, tropical greenery, and a setting that feels much more secluded than many of the Big Island’s easier-to-access beaches.
There are no public bathrooms or showers directly at the beach, and parking is limited, so Kehena requires a little more preparation than Punaluʻu. It’s one of those locations where knowing what to expect beforehand makes a huge difference.
We generally recommend morning ceremonies at Kehena, when temperatures are cooler and the light along the Puna coastline is beautiful.
Choose Kehena if: You want your elopement to feel adventurous, intimate, rugged, and completely removed from Hawaii’s resort areas.
QUICK TIPS ABOUT KEHENA BLACK SAND BEACH:
- Best For: Adventurous, intimate, and secluded black sand beach elopements
- Best Time: Sunrise and morning elopements
- Distance: About 45 minutes from Hilo and 50 minutes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Accessibility: Difficult; steep trail down to the beach and not recommended for guests with mobility concerns
- Parking: Limited roadside parking near the main access trail
- Facilities: No public restrooms or showers
- Permit: Elopement permit required through Hawaii’s Wiki Permits system
- Best Feature: Deep black sand, dramatic sea cliffs, lush tropical surroundings, and a wild, secluded atmosphere
03. Kiholo Bay
Kiholo Bay isn’t the classic jet-black sandy beach you may picture when you think of Punaluʻu or Kehena, but it’s one of our favorite locations for couples who want to experience the volcanic coastline of the Big Island.
What makes Kiholo Bay so beautiful is the contrast.
Dark volcanic shoreline meets incredibly blue and turquoise water, while lava rock, secluded coves, and long stretches of undeveloped coastline make the entire area feel worlds away from the nearby resorts.
That adventure is part of what we love about it. Getting there requires more effort than pulling into a beach parking lot. Depending on the time of year and where you park, you’ll need to walk along the access road and coastal trail before reaching some of our favorite photography areas.
There are also several distinct landscapes within the Kiholo area, which gives couples a lot of variety without having to drive from one location to another.
Kiholo is particularly beautiful around sunrise and sunset, depending on the experience and timeline we’re creating.
Elopement ceremonies here require more advance planning than some of the other locations on this list, so this isn’t a beach we recommend choosing at the last minute.
Choose Kiholo Bay if: You want an adventurous coastal experience, incredible turquoise water, lava landscapes, and a location that feels remote without traveling all the way to the eastern or southern side of the island.
QUICK TIPS ABOUT KIHOLO BAY:
- Best For: Adventurous elopements with lava landscapes, turquoise water, and a remote coastal feel
- Best Time: Sunrise or sunset elopements
- Distance: About 35–40 minutes from Kona and 25–30 minutes from Waikoloa
- Accessibility: Easy to moderate; access varies by time of day. The main entrance allows you to drive closer to the campgrounds when the gate is open, while the pedestrian entrance requires a longer walk along an unpaved road and coastal terrain (recommended for sunset elopements during fall/winter months)
- Parking: Free parking with limited spaces near the campgrounds
- Facilities: Porta-potties available, no showers
- Permit: Special Use Permit required; plan at least 45 days in advance through Hawaii State Parks
- Best Feature: Turquoise water contrasted against black lava rock, secluded coves, and a rugged volcanic coastline
04. Pauoa Bay (at The Fairmont Orchid)
Not every couple wants to hike down a cliff in wedding attire, and you definitely don’t have to.
For couples staying along the Kohala Coast or bringing parents, grandparents, children, or guests with mobility concerns, Pauoa Bay can be a great alternative.
The shoreline here is different from the deep black sand you’ll find at Punaluʻu or Kehena.
Instead, you’ll find darker volcanic and salt-and-pepper sand alongside a nearby white-sand beach, giving you multiple coastal looks in a relatively small area.
It’s a great location for an elopement or wedding ceremony at any time of the day.
Its biggest advantage is that it’s close to the luxury resorts along the Kohala Coast, and the surrounding area provides easier access to parking and amenities than many of the more adventurous locations on this list.
It’s especially worth considering if you love volcanic Hawaii scenery but don’t want your wedding day to revolve around a long drive or difficult hike.
Choose Pauoa Bay if: Easy access is a priority, you’re staying along the Kohala Coast, you’re bringing guests with different mobility levels, or you want to combine your elopement with a luxury resort stay.
QUICK TIPS ABOUT PAUOA BAY:
- Best For: Easy access, luxury resort elopements, and ceremonies with family or older guests
- Best Time: Sunrise or sunset elopements
- Distance: About 40 minutes from Kona and 15 minutes from Waikoloa
- Accessibility: Easy; one of the most accessible options for couples and guests with mobility concerns
- Parking: Public parking available with beach access
- Facilities: Restrooms and showers nearby
- Permit: Elopement permit required through Hawaii’s Wiki Permits system
- Best Feature: A unique mix of salt-and-pepper sand, lava rock, calm turquoise water, and nearby white sand
05. Honoliʻi Beach
If you’re drawn to the greener, moodier side of the Big Island, Honoliʻi Beach offers a completely different atmosphere from the beaches along the Kona and Kohala coasts.
Located near Hilo, the shoreline combines dark volcanic sand and rock with the lush tropical vegetation East Hawaii is known for.
Rather than the dry lava landscapes found along much of the western side of the island, Honoliʻi gives you greenery, dramatic ocean scenery, and that unmistakable tropical Hilo feeling.
Access does involve stairs and uneven terrain, so it’s better suited to couples and guests who are comfortable navigating them.
Sunrise is generally our preferred time to photograph here, both for the light and the overall experience.
Choose Honoliʻi if: You want black sand paired with lush tropical scenery and plan to spend part of your elopement exploring the Hilo side of the Big Island.
QUICK TIPS ABOUT HONOLIʻI BEACH:
- Best For: Lush, tropical black sand beach elopements near Hilo
- Best Time: Sunrise elopements
- Distance: About 10 minutes from Hilo, 50 minutes from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours from Kona.
- Accessibility: Moderate; requires navigating stairs and uneven terrain to reach the shoreline
- Parking: Free parking with limited spaces
- Facilities: Public restrooms, showers, drinking water, and lifeguards
- Permit: Elopement permit required through Hawaii’s Wiki Permits system
- Best Feature: Dark volcanic sand, lush tropical greenery, dramatic ocean views, and a distinctly East Hawaii atmosphere
Which Big Island Black Sand Beach Should You Choose?
There really isn’t one black sand beach that’s best for every couple. The right location depends on the experience you want to have.
| Beach | Best For | Accessibility | Best Time | Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punaluʻu | Iconic black sand + palms | Good for most guests | Sunrise | Parking, restrooms + showers |
| Kehena | Secluded adventure | Difficult | Morning | No restrooms or showers |
| Kiholo Bay | Lava + turquoise water | Moderate | Sunrise or sunset | Limited |
| Pauoa Bay | Convenience + resort stays | Excellent | Morning or sunset | Amenities nearby |
| Honoliʻi | Lush tropical scenery | Moderate to difficult | Morning | Restrooms + showers |
If you’re bringing grandparents or guests with mobility concerns, we would lean toward Pauoa Bay or Punaluʻu.
If you’re eloping just the two of you and want something wild and adventurous, Kehena or Kiholo Bay may be a better fit.
And if the black sand beach itself is one of the biggest reasons you’re coming to Hawaii, it’s hard to beat the iconic landscape of Punaluʻu.
This is one of the reasons we help our elopement couples choose their ceremony location instead of simply handing them a list of beaches. Your guest count, timeline, priorities, photography vision, and everything else you want to experience that day should all play a role in where you exchange your vows.
Do You Need a Permit to Elope on a Black Sand Beach in Hawaii?
Eloping on a black sand beach in Hawaii typically requires a permit for your ceremony. A Hawaii beach elopement isn’t quite as simple as choosing a beautiful spot and showing up with an officiant.
Permit requirements depend on where your ceremony takes place and which agency manages the land. Some shoreline locations use Hawaii’s Wiki Permits system, while other locations may require additional approval or a Special Use Permit through Hawaii State Parks.
Permit requirements can also affect where your ceremony can take place, how many people can attend, what you’re allowed to bring onto the beach, and other aspects of your setup.
For our elopement couples, we help navigate the permit process and location logistics so you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.
How Far in Advance Should You Plan a Black Sand Beach Elopement?
We generally recommend beginning the planning process at least two to three months before your elopement, and earlier is even better if you have a specific date or location in mind.
Some locations require significantly more advance notice than others.
Giving yourself a few months also allows time to coordinate your photographer, officiant, florals, hair and makeup, transportation, accommodations, activities, and any other experiences you want to include.
If you’re planning a full-day or multi-location elopement, having that extra time becomes even more valuable because we’re designing an entire wedding-day experience rather than simply choosing a ceremony time.
Best Time of Day for a Black Sand Beach Elopement
The best time of day for a black sand beach elopement depends heavily on which side of the Big Island you’re on and the specific beach you choose. For eastern and southeastern locations such as Kehena and Punaluʻu, we often recommend sunrise or early morning ceremonies. Along the western side of the island, locations like Kiholo Bay can be beautiful at both sunrise and sunset, depending on the season and the experience you’re planning.
Lighting is important, but it isn’t the only factor we consider when choosing your ceremony time. Crowds, weather patterns, driving time, tides, guest comfort, and everything you want to experience before and after your vows can all influence the best time to begin your elopement.
This becomes especially important when planning a full-day or multi-location elopement. The best ceremony time isn’t necessarily just the prettiest 60-90 minutes at one beach. Instead, we plan your ceremony around a timeline that gives you beautiful lighting while allowing the entire wedding day to flow naturally from one experience to the next.
Planning a Black Sand Beach Elopement With Guests
You can absolutely include family and friends in your black sand beach elopement, but your guest list can play a big role in determining which beach is the best fit for your ceremony. Some locations are relatively easy to reach, while others require navigating steep trails, stairs, sand, lava rock, or uneven coastal terrain.
Before choosing your ceremony location, it’s important to consider the mobility and comfort of everyone joining you. A more adventurous beach may be perfect for a couple eloping on their own, but it may not be practical if you’re bringing grandparents, young children, or guests with mobility limitations. Bathrooms, shade, parking, driving distances, and the amount of time your guests will spend outdoors should also be considered.
If accessibility is a priority, Pauoa Bay and Punaluʻu are generally better options than more adventurous locations such as Kehena. If you’re eloping on your own or bringing only a small group of adventurous guests, you’ll have much more flexibility when choosing where to exchange your vows.
What to Bring for Your Black Sand Beach Elopement
Black sand beaches are beautiful, but many of them are much more rugged than the manicured beaches surrounding Hawaii’s resorts.
We recommend bringing comfortable closed-toed shoes you can actually walk in, and easily slip on and off, plenty of water, reef-safe sunscreen, and anything you may need to touch up your hair or makeup after light hiking.
If your ceremony requires a longer walk, you don’t necessarily have to hike the entire way in your wedding shoes. Bring something comfortable for the trail and change once we reach the ceremony area.
And don’t underestimate the black sand itself. It can become extremely hot under direct sun, which is another reason timing matters when planning your ceremony.
Respecting Hawaii’s Black Sand Beaches
One of the most important parts of getting married in Hawaii is remembering that these beaches are more than beautiful backdrops for your wedding photos. They are natural places that deserve to be experienced with care and respect.
Black sand, lava rock, coral, plants, and other natural materials should always be left where you find them. You may hear stories about bad luck associated with taking black sand or lava rock home from Hawaii, but regardless of whether you believe those stories, leaving the landscape exactly as you found it helps preserve these special places for generations to come.
The same respect should be shown to Hawaii’s wildlife. If we’re lucky enough to encounter Hawaiian green sea turtles or other wildlife during your elopement, we’ll enjoy and photograph them from an appropriate distance without touching, approaching, or interfering with their natural behavior.
When we photograph an elopement in one of these locations, our goal is always to leave the beach exactly as we found it so that the landscape and wildlife can continue to be enjoyed and respected long after your wedding day.
Turn Your Black Sand Beach Ceremony Into a Full-Day Big Island Elopement
One of our favorite things about eloping on the Big Island is that your ceremony doesn’t have to be your entire wedding day. Your vows can simply be the beginning of an incredible day spent exploring the island together.
Imagine waking up before sunrise, getting ready together, and exchanging vows on a black sand beach as the first light reaches the coastline.
After your ceremony, instead of heading straight back to your hotel, your wedding day can continue as an adventure across the Big Island.
You could travel from black sand and coconut palms to tropical rainforests, waterfalls, volcanic craters, old lava flows, rugged coastlines, and an entirely different landscape for sunset. Along the way, you could incorporate a luxury picnic, helicopter adventure, horseback ride, private dinner, stargazing experience, or other activities that make the day feel completely your own.
This is what we love about full-day Big Island elopements. Rather than recreating a traditional wedding with fewer people, we can build an experience around the places you want to see and the things you genuinely want to do together.
Because the Big Island has so many dramatically different landscapes, you don’t have to choose one location for your wedding photos.
With a thoughtfully planned full-day elopement, you can experience several of these landscapes in a single wedding day while still having time to slow down and enjoy each one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hawaii Black Sand Beaches
We’ve answered a few common questions to help you plan your wedding day and know exactly what to expect. Once you’ve read through the details, we’d love to help you start planning your own Hawaii black sand beach elopement.
Which black sand beach is best for an elopement on the Big Island?
Do we need a permit to get married on a black sand beach?
Can we bring family to our black sand beach elopement?
Which black sand beach is best for older guests?
What’s the best time for black sand beach wedding photos?
Can we see sea turtles during our elopement?
Can we fly a drone at a black sand beach?
Can we visit more than one location during our elopement?
Why shouldn’t you take black sand or lava rocks from Hawaii?
Book Your Hawaii Elopement Photographer
Aloha, I’m Christian, a Big Island Hawaii elopement photographer and the founder of Hawaii Adventure Portraits. My team and I specialize in helping couples create adventurous, intentional elopements that feel true to who they are. From finding the perfect ceremony location and navigating permits to building a timeline that takes you across some of the Big Island’s most incredible landscapes, we’re here to make the planning process feel easy and exciting.
We’d Love to Help You Plan A Black Sand Beach Hawaii Elopement
If you’re considering a black sand beach Hawaii elopement, the Big Island offers some of the most distinctive ceremony locations in the islands.
Whether you love the accessibility of Pauoa Bay, the iconic shoreline of Punalu’u, or the rugged beauty of Kiholo Bay, each location features its own unforgettable experience.
Most importantly, don’t wait for the “perfect” time to start planning. Giving yourself a few months to secure permits and coordinate details can make the entire process go more smoothly and become more enjoyable.
If you’re ready to start planning your Big Island elopement, we’d love to help you find the right location, navigate permits, and create a wedding experience that feels authentic to your story.
Once you’ve had a chance to explore our packages, fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours to confirm availability and share the next steps to reserve your session.
