From Volcanoes to Snorkeling
The Big Island of Hawaii, also the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands, makes up 62 percent of the island chain; all the others could fit into its land area, with room to spare. The Big Island offers almost every landscape and climate; flourishing rainforests, volcanic deserts, snow-capped mountains, and temperate beaches. There are not too many places where you can snow ski and snorkel in the same weekend.
Volcanoes
According to local folklore, the Big Island is home to Pele, the goddess of fire. She presides over the island, which houses the world’s most active and tallest volcanoes. Volcanoes National Park claims 333,000 acres of volcanic craters, lava tubes, rainforest, and desert. Because it is home to Kilauea (a volcano that has been continuously erupting since 1983), this is the ideal place to witness the earth’s inner forces meeting the sea. The unexpected contrast of fire and water are a sight to behold. In the park’s Volcano House, the lava rock fireplace has been burning a constant fire since 1877!
Snorkeling
When snorkeling the coral shores of the Big Island, you are not just encountering incredible sea life; you are witnessing the earth’s amazing geologic functions at work. Lava flows are continuously rebuilding the island, and new reefs are still being formed on the island’s coast. Many vendors will rent out snorkeling equipment so you don’t miss the vibrant tropical fish swimming through sea caves. Watch the dolphins from a snorkeling cruise that takes you to a fish sanctuary, or wade into the ocean from some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Beaches near Hilo, with their calm waters and tidal pools, are popular for snorkeling. Kolekole Beach Park is the idyllic image of a tropical Pacific beach. Lay under the jungle-like canopy while gazing at the ocean or swing into a nearby stream from a rope swing dangling from a banyan tree. Kona’s Kahaluu Beach Park is one of the island’s best places to snorkel, surf, picnic and sunbathe; and all in one spot!
Everything in Between
Enjoy the natural beauty of the Big Island in Wailuku State Park. Delight in the mystical rainbows that appear in the spray from the 80-foot tall Rainbow Falls. The Boiling Pot’s small, bubbling pools of water, separated by hardened columns of lava, seem to simmer as they cascade from one pool to the other. Historical seaside villages like Kailua-Kona tell the story of Hawaii’s more recent past. Ancient temples and other religious landmarks dot the landscape as well.
Experience what Captain James Cook must have felt when he first landed on the Big Island when you visit Kealakekua Bay. A drive along the scenic landscape of the Hamakua Heritage Corridor will take you through valleys and rainforests, past waterfalls and over bridges, and through old plantation towns and botanical gardens. The island’s most famous waterfall, Akaka Falls, is found in this area. The Big Island also has a cowboy culture to rival that of the Wild West. Parker Ranch, the United States’ largest privately owned cattle ranch, roams across the slopes of the “saddle road;” the back side of three volcanoes, dividing the island into east and west.
The natural splendor of the island’s state parks and the verdant majesty of the rainforests lay in stark contrast to the eerie beauty of the lava deserts. Visiting the Big Island is like landing on the moon and the sun on the same day.
Michael Hudson is an avid traveler and also writes on various personal finance topics, including budgeting, credit score rehabilitation, and how to get a credit card for bad credit, for which he recommends a Granite Card. Image by Eduardo Beckhauser
