Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii Jun 4, 2023

Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii

Brooding black sand beaches are popular with photographers looking for something a little different, and Hawaii has plenty of them on offer. This famous beach at Wai"ānapanapa State Park on Maui was created when basalt, a dark volcanic rock, was eroded by waves into fine grains, creating a stunning shoreline. You"ll find it on Maui"s east side, toward the end of the legendary Road to Hana, a scenic 64-mile highway. You can also find black sand shores around the world, from Alaska to Greece, Costa Rica, Italy, Iceland, Indonesia, and New Zealand.

© Matt Anderson Photography/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jun 4, 2018Lighting it up for Vivid Sydney
Jun 4, 2019Breaking the fast for Eid
Jun 4, 2020A bridge too Fawr
Jun 4, 2021Islands that turned the tide
Jun 4, 2022National Trails Day
Jun 4, 2024Chestnut-headed bee-eaters, Bardia National Park, Nepal
Jun 4, 2025The beach at Cala Luna, Sardinia, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 13, 2023Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Sep 9, 2023Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
May 24, 2023Old Fortress, Corfu, Greece
Oct 12, 2023Farmers Day
Jun 17, 2018Papa was a flightless bird
Dec 9, 2023National Llama Day
Jul 8, 2023Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Arkansas
Aug 18, 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York
Feb 12, 2022Darwin s Arch
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington
Feb 12, 2020Wake up, it s Darwin Day
Jul 24, 2018Flock together for Cousins Day
Sep 20, 2020Celebrating sea otters
Apr 8, 2026Seattle, Washington
Jul 20, 2023International Moon Day
Jan 15, 2019A personal collection becomes an institution
Nov 1, 2023Native American Heritage Month
Nov 17, 2023National Take a Hike Day
Jan 23, 2020Across the great plains of Africa
Jan 28, 2023The Bahamas as seen from the ISS
Aug 31, 2023Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
Feb 5, 2018Iceberg off the coast of Antarctica
Oct 31, 2025Happy Halloween!
Jul 13, 2019Batten down the hatches
Oct 14, 2020In praise of the old…the very old
Aug 4, 2023Tintern Abbey, Wales
Jan 24, 2021These patterns tell a story
Apr 6, 2024Castle Day in Japan
Jun 26, 2018Celebrating Madagascar on its Independence Day
Apr 9, 2022Light show at the skatepark