August 23rd, 2006
Volcano makes hot spot on island of Hawaii
One of the most remarkable vacation experiences Hawaii has to offer is a trip to see the Big Island’s active volcanoes. The eruption of Kilauea, youngest of the island’s five volcanoes and centerpiece of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, is now in its 21st year, making it Hawaii’s longest documented volcanic eruption cycle and one that has been experienced by millions of visitors.
Two decades of eruptions have been destructive, obliterating the village of Kalapana, the black-sand beaches at Kaimu and the ancient temple and visitor center at Wahaula. Lava rock covers portions of the highway that once connected the park with the district of Puna. Today, that road ends where lava flows met the sea, a 40-minute drive from park headquarters.
The friendly volcano
Despite its destructive power, Kilauea is actually one of the most accessible volcanoes in the world. As Kilauea’s energy is released along miles-long fault lines called rift zones, the pressure that builds into cataclysmic eruptions of other volcanoes, such as Washington state’s Mount St. Helens, rarely occur in Hawaii.
There are two ways to experience the Big Island’s volcanic activity. On the ground, you start at the visitor center for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 32 miles west of Hilo and about 125 miles from the Kona and Kohala coastal resort areas. Check in at the visitor center for eruption updates and advisories before heading to the coastal eruption zone. Over the years, some people who have wandered past posted limits have lost their lives.
The best viewing times are dawn and dusk, when the volcanic activity is most distinct and impressive. For dusk viewing, flashlights are a must, necessary for a nighttime walk back to your car over the lava rock.
Hilo, 30 minutes to the east, provides another overnight alternative, with hotel and bed-and-breakfast options.
Volcanoes from the air
Helicopter tours provide another volcano-viewing option. Hilo International Airport is home base to four "helitour" operations focused on hour-long flightseeing over Kilauea’s eruption zone.
The most popular tour also includes an aerial view of waterfalls in the lush rainforest surrounding Hilo. Flights are in the $200 range and are commissionable. Air tours also depart from Waikoloa in west Hawaii; however, with travel times to the eruption zone considerably longer, those two-hour tours price out at $424 and up.
For many, helicopter tours are the ultimate thrill, both for the views they afford and for the experience of helicopter flight. I’ve done it a number of times over the years, and each time it’s been awesome and distinctive.
The proliferation of helicopter tour operators, each with four- or five-passenger craft, points to a high level of satisfaction and positive word of mouth.