Big Island Southside: ATV Lava Trails, Green Sand & Turtle Bay

4.84

(395 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“You see that old Kiawe tree?” our guide Kalani shouted over the engines. “That’s older than my grandpa — and he’s 92!” We all laughed, trying to keep our helmets straight as the wind picked up. The first thing I noticed was the smell — not flowers or fruit, but this dry, smoky scent from the sun-baked brush and that ancient forest. It got everywhere: on my sleeves, in my hair. I didn’t expect the trail to be so bumpy either. My hands felt every rock through the handlebars, but honestly, it made me feel awake in a way coffee never does.

The Big Island Southside ATV tour started out near South Point, which Kalani said is where Hawaiians first landed ages ago (he told us twice — I think he loves that fact). We bounced across black lava flows and open grass fields for what felt like forever but was probably only half an hour. Sometimes you’d catch a flash of blue ocean through the trees — then we’d stop at these wild lookout points where the waves crashed so loud you had to shout just to ask for water. At one spot, I tried to say “Paakea Bay” in Hawaiian and Li, one of the guides, just grinned and shook his head. Probably butchered it.

Lunch under a twisted shade tree by Paakea Bay tasted better than it should’ve — maybe because everything was a little gritty from the ride. We watched tiny crabs scuttle over black rocks while Kalani pointed out how far the old lava flows reached before hitting sea cliffs. After lunch we hit Ka’alualu Bay for a quick look at green sand (I pocketed a tiny pinch — don’t tell anyone) before riding along these cliffs where you could see turtles drifting below if you squinted past the glare. There was this moment at Pulehua Island when everyone just went quiet watching fish dart around in turquoise pools. I still think about that view sometimes when I’m stuck in traffic back home.