Due to a high amount of a mineral called olivine, the shores of this beach are dark green in color instead of white or yellow. Tourists report that the sight of the bright turquoise water paired ...

Olivine's density makes it harder for the ocean to carry the sand crystals out to sea, allowing them to settle and form a beach. Papakolea is named after the kolea bird often seen here.

One of only four green sand beaches in the world, Papakolea sits at the southern tip of Hawaii’s Big Island. The ...