Posts filed under 'Big Island'
Have you ever seen volcanic vortices?
Most likely not because the natural phenomenon is a pretty rare sight to come by; even seeing just one is unusual, but a Hawai‘i Island photographer managed to capture seven vortices in a photo he took several years ago. Check out this amazing shot:
The photo, titled "Volcanic Vortices," will be displayed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's annual exhibition this summer. Photographer Bruce Omori received the Windland Smith Rice International Award after his lava photo was selected out of almost 20,000 submissions.
“On an early morning shoot at the Waikupanaha ocean entry, lava from the Kilauea volcano poured into the sea. This created a huge escape of steam, and as it rose, multiple vortices began spinning off of the huge plume,” Omori described in his photo submission description. “My fumbling with the lenses turned into a panicked rush to switch my telephoto to wide angle lens to capture this awesome scene of seven vortices in a row.”
Those in the photography community know Bruce as a photographer who lives on the edge and goes to extreme measures in order to get the perfect shot. He and fellow Hawai‘i Island photographer Tom Kuali‘i own Extreme Exposure Fine Art Gallery in Hilo and offer exclusive private photography tours and workshops on the island.
I have been following Bruce's work for some time now and am not surprised by his recent recognition. He always captures his lava subject from a unique perspective, utilizing slower shutter speeds and specific apertures to get the winning shot each time. While it's tempting to go out and get our own winning shot, we have to remember that Bruce and Tom are professionals, who have been doing this for years. So lets leave it to them to bring back the shots, while we sit back and enjoy the show!
Photo Courtesy: Extreme Exposures, Bruce Omori
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
May 21st, 2013
On your drive up to Mauna Kea, silversword plants greet visitors eager to get to the top. They're actually among a list of endangered plants found in Hawai‘i, which is why a recovery plan has been put underway to help save the silversword.
Volunteers recently planted 100 plants on the slopes of the Hawai‘i Island volcano. Replenishing the supply will ensure their existence at Mauna Kea for years to come. The special thing about this plant is that it dies once it flowers, and it can flower any time between three and 50 years. But it's never certain how long we'll have them around.
Over time, the population has dwindled to just one area of the volcano called Waipahoehoe Gulch. It's located within the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve at 9,000 feet. Efforts to save this endangered species include building fences and exclosures around the silverswords, as well as hosting plantings, such as the one that took place recently.
The Hawaiian name for the silversword is ‘āhinahina. The native plant can also be seen on your drive up to Haleakalā crater on Maui. They're pretty easy to spot. The plant stands erect with silver-colored leaves, while the flower itself looks like a sunflower.
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
May 15th, 2013
When it comes to festivals, the Hawai‘i Island has all of its bases covered. From a mania of mangoes to a bounty of breadfruit, we've featured several of them on the blog; take that back, a lot of them.
Here's a recap of festivals to be on the look out for when you're on the Hawai‘i Island.
Love Avocados? Head to Kona
"Buttery" and "nutty" might not come to mind when describing an avocado; unless you're in Hawai‘i, that is. These unique varieties of avos truly live up to their tropical blend. Find them at the farmers markets or at local grocery stores, or if you're like me, you'd prefer them as a dip. Guac and chips can't be beat.
A Mango-Licious Festival
Every mango season, treetop canopies get painted with a spectral array of oranges and yellows. Mangoes take over the island landscape, as they sweeten the air with their fragrant aroma. This festival celebrates the colors, scents and – of course – the savory tastes of the Hawaiian mango.
Breadfruit Bounty at Big Island Festival
The Hawaiian name for breadfruit is ‘ulu, which are much more obscure than the ever-boastful mango. ‘Ulu lay low in the shade, beneath a span of verdant fronds, and when the time's right, they'll make their much-anticipated appearance. This festival honors a fruit that not only sustained Hawaiians for centuries but continues to nourish our community today as well. ‘Ulu is packed with fiber, magnesium, potassium, calcium and vitamins A and C.
A Few New Beans for Ka‘u Coffee Fest
From fruits, the Hawai‘i Island takes us to coffee (duh!). This festival happens every April in Ka‘ū, featuring a coffee college and even a coffee beauty pageant. Fill your cup with coffee from this Hawaiian Island.
Cherry Blossoms in Hawaii
Did you know that Hawai‘i was home to cherry trees? The delicate blossom trees thrive in Wahiawa (O‘ahu) and Waimea (Hawai‘i Island). Meaning, you don't have to travel to Japan to be enchanted by their beauty. This particular festival began more than two decades ago, expanding beyond the cherry tree to include other multicultural facets of Hawai‘i as well.
50 Years of Merrie Monarch
Ahh, the hula. An ancient Hawaiian art form that was once almost lost but has no doubt been found. The Merrie Monarch Festival reminds us of that, through the effortless grace and passion that each dancer exhibits.
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
April 19th, 2013
The best thing's in life are free, right?
Once a year, national parks get a week in their honor called National Park Week (April 21 to 29). For Hawai‘i visitors, that means fees will be waived at three of the island parks. These include Maui's Hale‘akala National Park and the the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park on the Hawai‘i Island.
Hawaii Volcanoes usually offers ranger-led hikes and other programs during this week, including a difficult hike into Kipuka‘akihi in Kahuku. Among the most popular events at the Hawai‘i Island park is the After Dark in the Park program, featuring the park's endemic flowering plants.
Throughout the country, there are more than 400 designated national parks – from historical parks to historical trails and monuments. However, about half of those parks do not charge entrance fees. In Hawai‘i, admission is always free at the following parks:
Hawai‘i Island: Kalo‘o-Honokohau National Historical Park, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, Pu‘ukohola Heiau
Moloka‘i: Kalaupapa National Historical Park
O‘ahu: World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument
Luckily for visitors, there are actually more freebie dates throughout the year. These include National Park Service's birthday (Aug. 25), National Public Lands Day (Sept. 28) and Veterans Day weekend (Nov. 9 to 11).
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
April 18th, 2013
There's something new a'brewing for Ka‘ū's annual Coffee Festival, but this one might be too big to fit in your cup. A mountain hike, a day of coffee and cattle and a star-gazing adventure top the list for this week-long extravaganza on the Hawai‘i Island.
Every year, coffee lovers from near and far gather in the humble town of Ka‘ū. It's a world-class, coffee-growing district that also happens to know a thing or two about throwing one of the biggest coffee celebrations in the islands. The festival covers everything from a coffee college to a coffee beauty pageant.
Among the newest Ka‘ū coffee adventures is a day hike that takes a highly-caffeinated crew through the sugar cane era. They'll traverse the rocky terrain 3,500-feet in elevation, where horizontal ash bed irrigation tunnels from the 1920s can be found. The area is also home to several native birds, including the oma‘o and ‘i‘iwi.
Coffee & Cattle Day starts with an all-you-can-eat buffet and an insider's scope of how the Pahala-area agricultural operations grows coffee, grass-fed beef, kalo and more. Perhaps the coolest part is seeing the very first coffee trees of Ka‘ū, planted in the 1800s, which continues to thrive till this day.
From a day of coffee-filled fun, the festival takes coffee lovers atop Mt. Makanau at night. Star gazing from this 1,800-foot summit is an experience like no other and offers panoramic views of the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National park in the distance and Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach below.
KA‘Ū COFFEE FESTIVAL / Every April to May in Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i Island / www.kaucoffeefest.com / 808-929-9550
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
April 12th, 2013
Did you know that there's a little hotel at the edge of Kīlauea Crater?
It's an iconic part of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that had been shut down for several years, until recently. The Volcano House will be fully reopening in June to guests interested in staying in one of the newly-renovated rooms or cabins. Needless to say, the rooms next to the crater fill up fast because of the spectacular night views of glowing lava.
The Volcano House had been a world-famous place for visitors to stay since the first wooden structure was built in the mid-1800s. Before that, the "house" was basically just a grass shack used as shelter from the lava landscape. The shack eventually evolved into a 33-room hotel we see today, boasting notable guests, like Mark Twain and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
It was devastating to the island community when the hotel closed in 2010. It had become so much a part of the park that no one ever imagined it would shut down. National Park Services took over once the former operator left at the end of 2009, upgrading the hotel and making improvements to fire and seismic safety.
A stunning view of Halema‘uma‘u Crater at dusk.
Staying at this hotel is a bit on the expensive side. A crater-view room costs about $200 a night; however, a cabin is only $55 a night. I'm guessing for that price, the cabin doesn't have as nice of a view nor the list of amenities as a crater-view room. But if you're planning on "roughing it" and being out in nature – camping style, then those cabins don't sound all that bad. Let's hope it at least has some source of heat because nights on top of the volcano can get really chilly.
Photos Courtesy: National Park Services/Jay Robinson
VOLCANO HOUSE / Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 1 Crater Rim Dr., Volcano, HI 96178 (Map) /1-866-566-7972
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
April 6th, 2013
You ain't tried an avocado 'till you've tried a Hawai‘i-grown one!
Thanks to my boyfriend's Kaua‘i ‘ohana (family), I've learned all there is to know about this tasty little fruit. They have a small farm in Oma‘o, where they grow and sell to local eateries and markets. To be totally honest, before visiting their farm, I had no idea there was more than one kind of avocado. Now, I know the difference between the rich and buttery flavor of a Tashima variation to the nutty taste of a Hayley Special. The options for locally-grown avos are endless!
Kaua‘i's not the only place to get your avo fix, though. The Hawai‘i Island loves avocados so much that they made a festival out of it. The Avocado Festival happens every spring and has acquired quite the following. Thousands show up to sample the different varieties, purchasing the ones they like from the concurrent farmers market.
Others come for the live entertainment, arts and crafts booths and avocado recipe contest. The contest is divided into an entree, dessert and guacamole category. Festival-goers may also dabble in samplings of these dishes and vote for their favorite. Last year, the crowd loved local resident Gwen Edward's Avocado Pie. The recipe won first place in the dessert category and the People's Choice Award.
From an avo pie to an avo cake. A seven-tier cake, that is, made with only three ingredients: avocado, dark chocolate and eggs. Talented Honolulu pastry chef Hector Wong concocted the now-legendary cake for last year's festival and even shared his secret recipe with a local Big Island newspaper.
It's wonderful to see people embrace the "from farm to fork" concept in the islands. More and more visitors have been making the local farmers market a must-do on their trips to Hawai‘i while also being able to enjoy locally-grown ingredients at many restaurants. Even residents are doing their part to Buy Local. All these efforts will surely pay off and allow us to enjoy this place we call Paradise just a little bit longer.
Photo Courtesy: Fern Gavelek Communications
AVOCADO FESTIVAL / Sheraton Kona Resort, 78-128 Ehukai St., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 (Map) / www.avocadofestival.org
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
April 2nd, 2013
The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa may be under new ownership as early as May 3, according to a report by West Hawaii Today. The Big Island resort is located on the sunny Kohala coast, where it has acquired a refreshing definition of a resort.
No official word on who the prospective buyer will be nor is there any information whether the Marriott will resume management after the sale. Prior to the Marriott, the resort had been under the Outrigger brand up until the late 1990s. Some of you may remember the giant wooden canoe in the main lobby, also known as an outrigger canoe.
As that iconic feature had been removed from the resort scene, a much more modern appeal took over with the Marriott changeover. It had become home to the most modern hotel guest rooms on the island. In addition to a refreshed new look to the lobby and rooms, the Marriott added a convention and meeting center, a spa and a coffee shop serving Kona Coffee. Nearby fine dining and shopping are among the favorite amenities for guests.
I remember the pool area being the biggest hit for our family. An infinity pool and kiddie water slide kept us busy during our stay. There is also a poolside restaurant lounge that had the best breakfast buffets! That was probably the few times I would eat veggies as a kid (when hidden in cheese omeletes.)
While the Marriott offers many amenities for guests, the history living on its 15-acre property is what really makes this resort stand out. An ancient fishpond sits between the pool deck and lawn area and the beach. It had been restored when the Marriott took over. Prior to that, it remained in a poor state for years.
What hasn't changed, however, and will remain no matter who takes over, is the gorgeous sunsets every evening. Rooms with an ocean view allow guests to soak in the golden rays right from their lanai. A relaxing retreat for vacationers coming to the islands.
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
April 1st, 2013
It's not the "Big Island." It's the "Hawai‘i Island," reminds the island's visitors bureau.
The biggest island in Hawai‘i got its nickname for obvious reasons; it's B I G – about twice the size of the other islands combined, with room to spare. Even the visitors bureau had been promoting the island as the Big Island for more than four decades. They did this to avoid confusion, with Hawai‘i, the state. (Are you confused yet?)
The push for addressing it as the Hawai‘i Island started in 2011. Although the Big Island Visitors Bureau itself has not yet changed its name, they decided to rebrand the island by officially using its Hawaiian name. And to help engrain the new concept, they introduced a logo, like the one above.
Calling it by its Hawaiian name is out of respect. But it's also to be more specific because there are several "Big Islands" in the world. For example, Tutuila in Samoa is also called the Big Island.
To summarize: Hawai‘i is the name of the state, which is made up of eight islands. One of those islands is called the Hawai‘i Island. We're most used to calling it by its nickname, the Big Island.
I'll try to make more of a conscientious effort in the blog to call it by its Hawaiian name. But if you're a creature of habit, like me, then it's likely you'll forget when in Hawai‘i. Not a huge deal, though. It's just good that you're informed about some of the changes we're seeing in our islands.
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
March 19th, 2013
We all know that Pluto's no longer a planet, but did you know that Hawai‘i had a big part in that discovery?
The Keck Observatory, on the summit of Mauna Kea, uncovered this astronomic finding several years ago. You may recognize the observatory as the two white "balls" at the top of the Big Island volcano. They're actually twin telescopes, and although only eight-feet-tall, are considered the largest optical and infrared telescopes in the world.
In addition to the breakthrough Pluto discovery, the observatory revealed the existence of a super-massive black hole. Not quite the "black hole" we blame those mysteriously vanished items on, but the one smack-dab in the center of our galaxy. How very cool to say Hawai‘i had a role in these findings.
March 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of this Big Island observatory. Astronomers and stargazers will be celebrating for an entire week, talking about telescopes, stars and all things astronomical. Tourists may take part in the weeklong events, too, which include an observatory open house and a live-streamed science meeting featuring astronomers from around the globe.
Otherwise, you can always visit the observatory at another time. There is a visitor's gallery at the summit and free stargazing programs at the visitor's center. However, be sure to call ahead about weather and road conditions, as it will most likely be covered in snow during the winter months.
KECK OBSERVATORY / www.keckobservatory.org
Posted by Alyssa S. Navares Follow me on Twitter @Uamalie87
Published by Bruce Fisher
Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which, create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. Postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.
March 11th, 2013
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