"Big Island Sand If you're looking for diversity, the Big Island will allow you to change it up every day. From the sea to the sky, the island has 11 climate zones, beaches, mountaintops, and rain forests. With 266 miles (and growing) of coastline, Hawaii Island's sand comes in a variety of colors and sizes. Geographically young, at roughly 800,000 years, the Big Island has not seen enough time gone by to have the amount of manicured beautiful soft sand beaches that Maui and Oahu can offer. However, Hawaii Island's beaches are diverse and fascinating to discover."