Visit Kaimū Beach, Big Island, Hawaii

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Kaimū Beach is the world's newest black sand beach. It's located at the south end of State Route 130, a 1/4 mile walk from the end of the road. There is a decent little cafe there too; Kalapana Cafe. Kaimū was a small town in the Puna District on Island of Hawaiʻi that was completely destroyed by an eruptive flow of lava from the Kūpaʻianahā vent of the Kīlauea volcano in 1990. The lava flow that destroyed Kaimū and nearby Kalapana erupted from the southeast rift zone of Kīlauea. Kaimū was located on Kaimū Bay. The bay was noteworthy for its spectacularly beautiful black sand beach which was surrounded by shady palm trees. Now both the bay and the town are buried under some 50 feet of lava. A large section of State Route 130 (Kaimu-Chain of Craters Road) was also covered by the lava. The road is on top of the cooled lava now, with some homes built on top of the lava. There is also the New Beach, black sand like the old, where locals and caring visitors are helping to restore what was lost for future generations by bringing sprouted coconuts and planting them.

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