Big Island hike to Ha’ena Beach: A must visit beach in Puna (updated 2023)

If you’re looking for a fun hike that’s an ancient part of the puna district and also a little challenging on the east side of the Big Island, you’ll love hiking to Ha’ena beach also known as Shipman Beach. Gorgeous jungle trek mixed in with rugged coastline views and then the black and green sand beach and lagoon at Ha’ena is the fun ending to this easy and relatively flat hike.

Ha’ena beach is relatively flat and easy but a little muddy but the end destination is so worth it with a gorgeous lagoon areas and beach that is fantastic to enjoy at the end of the hike.

Take a look at the details to this Big Island hike to Ha’ena Beach and you might want to plan to visit this unique beach and hike in the Puna District of East Hawaii soon!

Big Island hike to Ha’ena Beach (Shipman Beach) in Hawaii

Where is Ha’ena Beach (Shipman beach) located?

Located in the Puna district at Hawaiian Paradise park and about 5 miles from Pahoa Town. The hiking trail is a the dead end of Beach Road and Kaloli Drive. At the dead end of Kaloli, make a left to the dead end and enter parking lot. The trail starts at the far end of the parking lot.

The ancient Puna trail, used to traverse a large portion of the Puna coastline and ending at Hae’na Beach, this gorgeous black and green sandy beach that is simply spectacular.

How long is the hike to Ha’ena Beach?

A round trip hike to Ha’ena from the parking lot is less than five miles round trip. There are a few detours to the coastline views that are short and worth the detour along with some small lava tubes that are fun to also explore along the trail.

The start of hiking through Ha’ena / Shipman Beach

The tropical hike to the secluded Shipman property (one of the earliest missionary families on the Big Island) and beach has been called Ha’ena, Kea’au and also Shipman beach. It’s a very photogenic black and white sandy beach – the only one for miles of rugged coastal terrain and lava rocks. The trail starts from the quiet subdivision of Hawaiian Paradise park on the end of Beach road with limited parking in the lot. It is the start of the Old Puna Trail where early inhabitants had created a trail through this rain forest along the coastal Puna region of Keaau. The Old Puna Trail is part of a statewide public Na Ala Hele Trail and Access System to beach areas open to the public even though it is surround by private Shipman property.

The hike is less then ninety minutes (each direction) and around 5 miles round trip and traverses old lava flows and into dense jungle (mosquito spraying is definitely a good idea before you start) and often muddy and challenging spots to cross through. You definitely have to be careful in many spots with challenging stone crossings and slippery areas along with muddy spots to walk around.

Parking and start of Old Puna Trail

Take Kaloli road from the main highway 130 to the end and make a right on Beach road all the way to the parking lot and there is a marker that shows the start of the trail. Parking is limited, but you can also park on the street if the lot is full.

Most of the trail is fairly flat or some rolling areas in exposed sun to dense tropical jungle with areas that are purely lava rock zones that you need to be very careful. Depending on rain in the area, this zone definitely has a lot of wet spots and muddy areas to go through so there are a lot of detours you need to look for in crossing the area to get back into the trails.

Enjoying the serenity and jungle on the old Kings Highway of Puna

Along the trail, you’ll see many stone walls that show the entire length of the original Kings Highway that was a trail and then carriage trail running from Hilo along the coastline to Kalapana. There used to be a village Paki in the area that is not there anymore but in place are the rock walls, tall banyan trees, strawberry guava, Ironwood trees and local Ohia forests and miles of ferns and other flora.

• While walking along the trail, don’t forget to also look down and around – it’s really magical!

Look out points along the trail

There are a few side trails that leads to the coast with fantastic cliff views along the entire rugged coastline. These are just a short detour on your hike, so do take a break and enjoy all these amazing coastline views of the Puna coastline.

There’s also a fantastic lava tube about 2/3’s of the way to the beach with a small side trail to the right where you can explore the opening in the shallow lava tube below.

Cement bunkers in Puna

There’s even a bunker located on the trail and mostly hidden if not for the colorful graffiti that is painted on the cement walls.

Arriving Ha’ena beach

The trail starts to bend towards the ocean and you’ll see some Kapu signs on cattle fences. This trail at the time we visited had a stream going through the trail – if you continue towards the ocean, you’ll find some dry spots to cross over. You finally get to a small lookout point to view the lovely Ha’ena beach and protected lagoon like bay. Closer to the beach is the private property of the Shipman estate which has Kapu signs not to enter the grassy area because it is also a nene (Hawaiian goose) breeding ground. The large three acre estate contains large fish ponds that are a breeding habitat for the native Hawaiian goose. Famous celebrities were hosted at Ha’ena including Amelia Earhart, Paul Newman, Cole Porter and local legends like the Beamer family and other important artists and dignitaries from the islands visited.

Beach and lagoon area of Ha’ena beach

The beach and lagoon is the big draw at the end with suprisingly very cold water that is fed from the underground aquifers that open directly into the lagoon. If you are in luck you’ll find wildlife like honu, monk seals and even the endangered nene around the beach areas. The inviting and safe lagoon is a nice ending to the hike and you’ll see some beautiful impressions of the beach with the ebb and flow of the tide creating beautiful mixtures and instant art that changes with the next wave.

There is a pond area on private property that opens up into the lagoon area and the water is swift so do avoid that opening.

Tip – if you have any open cuts or wounds always avoid swimming in these lagoon or protected swimming areas which can have harmful bacteria that can infect your wounds.

Heading back to the parking lot

You can choose to head back to the parking lot the same way you came from or you can also take a detour route along the coastline and walking through lava rocks over the rugged and scenic coast. There’s a lot of fantastic photo ops along the way, but if you decide to head back to the main trail, there are connecting paths that can lead you back to the main trail and directly to the parking lot.

More tips on hiking to Ha’ena Beach

Prepare and bring plenty of sunscreen, water, snacks and cover for hot exposed areas

Bring some mosquito spray for the entire trail hike through the Old Puna Trail.

Bring reef safe suntan lotion if you plan on doing any swimming in the lagoon area.

This is a popular local hike so the parking lot is filled quickly but you can park on Beach road and walk to the trail head.

Stay on the trails for your safety

Make sure not to leave any valuables or things in the car seats that make it easy for people to break into.

Please pay attention to the Kapu (do not enter signs) for private property.

There are no public toilets on site – so prepare accordingly.

There are many rocky areas and muddy spots so take your time in going through these difficult spots.

If you do go swimming, make sure you have no cuts or scrapes and clean yourself immediately after swimming or avoid swimming altogether.

Check out the trail heads information, kiosk or maps or any visitors center or rangers station

Remember to leave no trace behind and bring out everything you pack in.

Practise good hiking etiquette when your outdoors.

Here’s a video highlight to visiting Ha’ena beach below

Please pin this for later

Other hiking posts on visiting the Big Island

Top Hikes around the Big Island

Big Island hike to Narnia

Big Island hike to Polulu Valley

Big Island hike to Pu’uwa’awa’a

Green sand beach hike in the Big Island

Hike to the Kapoho Black Sand Beach

Hike around MacKenzie State Park

Places to visit around the Puna District

There are a few short and easy hiking places to explore the gorgeous Puna coastlines, forests and unique areas of the district below.

Explore Pahoa Town

Botanical garden and hike around Lava Tree State Park

Hike the Kings road and cliffsides at MacKenzie State Park

Explore and hike the new Kapoho black sand beach

Red Road Hawaii – Kalapana Kapoho road – This Hawaii Life

Puna District of East Hawaii

Conclusion to the Big Island hike to Ha’ena Beach

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