Hawaii Volcano National Park

[mangodog]

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We are going to be in Puna and will be able to hike out on the lava. Is there a viewing site like there was in 2009 that had a designated place to stop walking and view the lava? Which road should we take to the spot we can park and hike?



Be adventurous, go hang out in that area with plenty of drinking water and some good picnic food items, in 20 minutes or less there should be some other enterprising tourists, arriving and you can tag along with them. Bringing some hard candy to share would be a nice gesture.

[mangodog]

The cauldera is active again. Also you can google thermal image of woman's face in cauldera of Hawaii Volcano State Park. I think the face is of Greta Garbo.

[OpenD]

The new lava breakout into the ocean last week was not far from the previous one, in Kalapana. You take the highway down to the end, then hike across the old black lava to the viewing point. Make sure you have on good hiking shoes, because the ground is rough.

From the Jagger Museum overlook you can get a good view across the 2 mile wide Kilauea caldera, with the glowing Halema`uma`u crater on the far side, where you can't go at present due to the toxic gasses. The level of the glowing hot lava has been going up and down like a bathtub filling and emptying for a couple of years now, with occasional displays of spurting lava when a shelf collapses or a gas bubble erupts. I've seen 50 foot high columns of lava shoot up, but only because I was outside and pointed in the right direction when it happened. On an average visit the lave will be static, with a plume of smoke going up and being blown to the Southwest, toward Ka'u. But the glow at night, with a black sky and the Milky Way ablaze overhead is one of the great wonders of the world.

One of the biggest things to see in VNP, as far as I am concerned, is the tour of the enormous previous eruptions from the 60s and 80s which are visible and accessible from Crater Rim Drive. The lunar landscape, the gaping canyons, the cliffs that were showers of lava, the massive lava lake... which you can hike out on if you have heat resistant boots, because it is still hot to the touch after all these decades.

But though you can easily view both ends of the lava trail, Puʻu ʻŌʻō in the middle, where the most dramatic scenes are to be seen, is only accessible via helicopter flyover.

[mangodog]

I have to laugh when I see these tour bus groups come into VNP. They are paying upwards of $100. for a tour guide to walk around with them showing them lava fields. I am not laughing at the tourists so much as they could have gotten a lot of info through available descriptive books and done their own research and explored the 'aina by themselves and had money left over to buy a nice meal somewhere. Like, if I went to Tokyo for the furst time and decided to trek the 'aina there, I would have read up on Japan and plotted my own adventure.

[CyberCity]

One good thing about visiting a place other than your own home is getting to decide "how" you want to organize your trip. Do it yourself, or spend your money to have someone else organize it for you, that is a personal choice.

I've seen, over the years, thousands and thousands of tourists in Hawaii completely enjoy their "paid for tours". Sometimes sitting back, relaxing, and leaving the driving and parking and other details to someone else can be just what a tourist wants. For some, spending the money to join in a tour is worth it to them.

I welcome organized tours to Hawaii, just as I welcome those who want to tour on their own. I like to see people enjoying their visit - and how they want to do it is their choice.

Visitors who are thinking of joining a tour: WELCOME!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I totally agree, CyberCity. In fact, I've had friends who, when new to one of the islands, choose to do an "island tour" the first day or two to get a feel for the place, including what the roads are like. Being on a tour lets them totally enjoy the sights and learn where the places are that they want to return to later on their own.

I say "welcome" too. A bus full of fifty people beats twenty-five tourist cars trying to figure out their way around.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

I've seen, over the years, thousands and thousands of tourists in Hawaii completely enjoy their "paid for tours".

Same here. Some people are good on their own, others are better off with a guide. And people on a tour see a LOT more than people who are dealing with navigating and driving and all.

I see a lot of Asian travelers come through Volcano in small van tours... maybe 8 to 12 people... that stop at the Ohia Cafe for a comfort stop, and to enjoy their included Moco Loco lunch with a cucumber salad.

[McFrostyJ]

I really like taking guided tours when it comes to hiking. You seem to learn so much more. (I ask a lot of questions) If you do take a guided tour and the person leading you does go out of their way to give you information and teach you about the local environment, please, please, PLEASE say mahalo by tipping them well. I hate when we have a great tour guide and then at the end a lot of the people just wave to them and say goodbye. Besides information on the environment, you can also learn from your guide about great local places to eat, shop for food and other fun things to do in the area.
One of the best ever was during our hike to the water falls in Halawa Valley on Molokai. Josh and his father were amazing guides and teachers. Here is a picture of Josh teaching my wife about the different kinds of taro that grow in the valley.

[mangodog]

I like the Taro photo.... I know I am behind the times, but I can't help but see the similarity of leaf structure between it and Elephant Ears.