The week of Apr. 10-18, my husband and I visited the big island of Hawaii. We’ve visited Oahu, Maui and Kaui, but this was our first time on the big island. Since we allocated 8 days for the trip, we divided the time equally between the east side of the island, Hilo and the west side of the island, the Hapuna beach area.
The east side of the island is definitely the rainy side. It rained almost continuously the first four days we were in Hilo. Not a problem for island travelers who came equipped with umbrellas and light rain jackets.
Thursday the 11th, our first day of exploration we visited Volcano National Park. It’s approximately a 40 min drive from Hilo. We opted to rent a 4 wheel drive SUV and explore on our own. We arrived at the entrance to the park at 7:00 am (we were still on central time) and my first expectation was squashed, there has been no active lava flow since August 2018.
With map in hand (I’m old fashioned) we headed toward the steam vents. I was amazed at the amount of heat the steam emits. It was especially appreciated since the temperatures were hovering around the upper 50’s with intermittent rain and strong winds.
Next we followed the road down to the sea arch which is located at the end of the chain of craters road. It took us approx. 3 hours with frequent stops and short trails to explore along the way. Previous eruptions inundate the landscape interspersed with new vegetation peeking through.
The sea arch is a 90 foot high natural arch formed from the waves of the Pacific Ocean pounding on the lava cliffs. The arch is made of basalt.
When we arrived back at the Visitor Center, at approx. 11:00 am, the hoards of tourists had arrived. The Visitor Center has maps, videos to view, and rangers to answer your questions. The Visitor Center is interesting, but when it is packed full of people, it is a challenge to see anything. I would recommend visiting first thing in the morning.
After our volcano filled morning, we headed back to Hilo. Along the way, we stopped at Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. Guests are welcome to wander freely in the showroom and purchase orchids that can be mailed to the states. We purchased 7 of the beautiful plants and they already arrived. The people that work there are more than willing to answer any questions you may have about these beautiful plants. There are tours available for a price, if you’re interested you can visit their website at akatsukaorchid.com
The Brite Site of Life 