Ha'ena Beach / Shipman Beach via Puna Coastal Trail

Ha'ena Beach, also called Shipman Beach, is a picturesque sandy cove in the Puna area frequented by turtles and monk seals, however the only public access is via a 5 mile round trip hike in.Surrounded by a private estate, those looking to make the trip to Haena can follow at hike along the Puna Historic Trail, an old trail that once connected several villages, and was later converted to a carriage road. Today this path dead ends at the cove where black and white sand washes lazily up to coconut palms and a reef keeps the shore protected and great for swimming. The beach is often visited by green sea turtles and monk seals, to make the scene even more idyllic.The hike itself is a little less than spectacular, tracing a cleared stone trail through a rain forest. While there is a great amount of ecological diversity in this section, from banyan and ironwood trees, wild orchids, and lava tunnels tall enough you can walk inside of them, the stone ground offers poor drainage, and even under dry and sunny conditions, the shady route will contain a good amount of water and mud you'll be walking through.At about 2 miles in, the rain forest begins to open to the sound of waves. A year-round stream marks the last obstacle before the trail reaches and comes to an end at the beach.There is shade, protected pools for swimming, and the beach is fed with fresh water from springs and two streams, keeping the water a little cooler and less salty than other island beaches.There are no amenities along the hike or at the beach. Don't forget your mosquito spray for this one. Land along the trail and surrounding the beach is private. Parking is in a gravel lot at the end of Beach Road in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision.