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Come and experience unforgettable Big Island adventures surrounded by lush valleys, lava-strewn deserts and tropical rainforests. Eleven different climate zones create everything from luxuriant rain forests to arid deserts, black sand beaches to snow-capped mountaintops...
The island emerged from the sea millions of years ago, forged by the power of volcanoes.
Mt. Kilauea is one of the few places in the world where you will come face to face with an active volcano. This once-in-a-lifetime chance to safely walk on it makes Big Island Hawaii a truly unique destination.
No wonder it is known as "The Adventure Island"! Come and sense the great mana (spiritual power) as you walk on this sacred land...
Explore Volcanoes National Park - the most popular of all Big Island Hawaii attractions to get a feel of the most remarkable Big Island adventures. From the three active volcanoes in Hawaii, two are here: Kilauea, which has been constantly erupting since 1983 and Mauna Loa, the most massive mountain on the planet, with the last eruption in 1984.
You can drive through this 377 square miles park - it has 50 miles of good roads, which are sometimes covered by lava. A thorough visit may take up to 3 days if you want to explore everything:
- Halemaumau Crater, a still-fuming pit of steam and sulphur
- Devastation Trail, a short hike through a desolated area destroyed by lava
- The scary and spooky Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku) - kids love it! (You hike downhill through a lush rainforest full of little native birds to enter a huge, silent black tube full of drips, cobwebs, and tree roots that stretch underground for almost half a mile)
- Chain of Craters Road, where lava regularly spills across the man-made two-lane blacktop on its way to the sea
Do you want to make the best from your Big Island adventures? Book online a Volcano Sightseeing Tour and hike with a local guide through the lush rain forest.
He will show you the incredible steaming vents and molten lava and tell you everything you’ll want to know about the many different microclimates, forceful geology of Kilauea volcano and its unusual flora, unique in the entire world. This way, you won't miss a bit!
But there are More Big Island Adventures Awaiting You Here!
Experiencing Mauna Kea (the "White Mountain") up close is one of the most astonishing ones, especially if you have kids 12 years or older. They will have a great time seeing the sunset and the stars from the top of the tallest mountain on earth, 32,000 ft. from the ocean’s floor.
Once you reach the summit at an altitude of 14,000 ft. above sea level, you will fully understand why the world’s largest telescopes are located here.
Operated by astronomers from eleven countries, the thirteen Mauna Kea telescopes search nearby-supernovas and are Earth’s connecting point with the rest of the Universe.
After watching an incredible sunset from the summit, descend at 9,000 feet and visit The Ellison Onizuka Visitor Center, named in honor of the Hawaii native and Challenger astronaut.
The Visitor Information Station (VIS) runs nightly, from 6 to 10 pm, the "Star Gazing Program" through their powerful telescopes.
On the first Saturday of each month, the VIS hosts "The Universe Tonight", a special presentation on the current research and discoveries taking place on Mauna Kea.
If you insist to drive up Mauna Kea Road yourself, make sure your car’s tank is full (you won't find any gas station on Mauna Kea - the nearest one is about 30 miles from the bottom of Saddle Road - Hwy 200 - to either Waimea or Hilo). Due to the steep grade and low oxygen level, the internal combustion engine runs inefficiently. However, we (and your rental car company) advise against it.
We suggest to take a guided Mauna Kea Summit - Star Gazing Tour and enjoy to the fullest the most unusual of all the Big Island adventures - you won’t regret it!
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