Larsen's Beach


This long, loamy, golden-sand beach, named after L David Larsen (former manager of the Kilauea Sugar Company), is stunning, raw and all-natural, with a scrubby backdrop offering afternoon shade. However, although the aquamarine waters may look inviting, beware of a vicious current that runs along the beach and out through a channel in the reef. Better to stroll along the waterline and watch the old locals collecting seaweed and tako (octopus) from the tide pools.

To get here, turn on to Koʻolau Rd from whichever end (ie where it intersects either Kuhio Hwy or Moloaʻa Rd); go just over a mile then turn toward the ocean on a dirt road (it should be signposted) and take the immediate left. It's about a mile to the parking area and then a five-minute walk downhill to the beach.


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