Volcanoes National Park
2. Explore the lava tubes at Volcanoes National Park, HI
Hawaii is a tropical holiday that does not require a passport. Most people are familiar with the island of O’ahu and it’s notable attractions such as Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial, Diamondhead, and Waikiki Beach but have you considered visiting the Big Island?
The lava is back!!
In May 2018, the lava lake that had existed in Halemaʻumaʻu crater began to drain away causing the summit to collapse. The magma moved from the summit of Kīlauea to the Lower East Rift Zone and erupted in lower Puna.
In 2019 the crater start fill in with water. In a little over one year, the persistent lake of lava had vanished and was replaced by the first lake of water to be recorded at Kīlauea in modern history.
After the 2018 eruption and subsequent summit collapse, some speculated that Kīlauea would not see lava again anytime soon.
But on December 20, 2020 the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) detected a glow within Halemaʻumaʻu. The water lake that had existed since 2019 was soon vaporized as an effusive eruption commenced and lava cascaded into the crater.
Wthin one week, what had been a history-making lake of water was replaced by a nearly 600-foot deep lake of lava.
Currently this National Park is open 24 hours a day so you can explore the lava tubes by day and be mesmerized by the warm glow of lava at night.
Imagine yourself taking a road trip on the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Nearly twice as big as all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined, the island of Hawaii’s sheer size and diversity are awe-inspiring. You can see some of the most pivotal sites in native Hawaiian history and visit an active volcano, all while traveling through 10 of the world’s 14 different climate zones. From the crystal blue waters of Kona and the Kohala Coast to the dark black sands of Punalu’u to the lush botanical Gardens and waterfalls of Hāmākua Heritage corridor. There is so much more to see and do on this rich, storied island that invites exploration and adventure.