Hawaii (Big Island) Travel Forum

We are in Hawaii around 14th Feb. 4 people in our party. 2 adults and 2 teenagers (16 years). Want to get some tips on what not to miss. How are Lava Tube tours? They seem to be pricey. Are they worth it? Where do you go to watch Lava flow at night? We all love to walk/hike. Any reasonable and great tours to consider?

Any help greatly appreciated!

With only two days your schedule will be very tight. Where will you be staying? If in the Hilo area then it isn't too far to the volcanoes national park. If you are on the Kona side then it will be a full day trip.
We drove to the volcano park and did it on our own, which was quite easy. I don't know about lava tube tours. We just walked through it like everybody else. There is information on how to hike to the lava flows (if they are flowing) from the National Park Service. www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/outdooractivities.htm

We just got back from the Big Island last week and did the lava viewing, lava tubes, etc. If you want to explore a lava tube you can easily do it on your own for very little money. Check out the Thurston Lava Tube in Volcanos National Park. Admission to the park is $10 US per car and if you keep your receipt it will get you in and out of the national park for 7 days. The Thurston Lava Tube is free to explore on your own once you are in the park and if you check in at the Visitor's Center they often have free, ranger guided tours to the Thurston Lava Tube (and to other areas throughout the park). When you visit Thurston Lava Tube make sure you bring flashlights or head lamps with you. A short portion of the beginning of the tube is illuminated with electric lights but if you want to explore the rest of the tube you will need to bring your own lights as the tube is pitch dark (but easy to navigate by flash light).

There are also many cool hikes in the park. If you've only got time for one I HIGHLY recommend the Kilauea Iki Trail. You can catch the trailhead from the parking area at the Thurston Lava Tube or there is a parking lot near the actual trailhead about .5 miles from Thurston. This trail takes you down to the crater and from there you hike across the volcanic crater. You'll get a firsthand look at steam vents and this Mars-like landscape. It's an amazing hike, not terribly strenuous. There is an uphill hike on the other side of the crater but the trail is well maintained and there are benches along the way if you need to take a rest. The hike takes about 2 to 3 hours.

To see the lava flow... The lava is flowing but the lava viewing area isn't always open. The officials make that decision every day at 1 pm. There is a lava flow hotline that you can call starting at 1 pm daily that will tell you if the lava flow site is open that day or not. When we arrived the viewing area had been closed for 6 days because of poor air quality but they opened the viewing area on our last night there so we were able to get out. The lava viewing area is currently outside of Pahoa (Southeast of Hilo and Northeast of Volcanos National Park). Sunset is the best time to view the flow. Take flashlights as the trail is only marked by reflectors so you will need flashlights to get back to your car. Also get there early as it gets crowded. There is a hike from the parking area to the viewing area over old lava (unever surface) so take it slow. Right now from the viewing site you won't be able to really see lava flow but you will see the seam from where the lava hits the water and occasional sparks and orange glow (which intensifies as it gets dark hence why I recommend going at sunset). This is all free.

If you really want to see flowing lava I would recommend taking a lava boat sunset or sunrise tour. This is the best way to get up close to the lava and really see the flow (safely) but it is VERY expensive - but worth it! We splurged on this and were so glad we did. Here's the company we used. http://www.lavaocean.com/ They guarantee you will see lava if you go out with them.

I am in the process of writing my tips and organizing my pictures from this trip since I just got back last week so feel free to contact me if you want more information. I can also show you pictures of what the lava looks like from the current viewing site and how close you get from the boat tour. I can also get you the number for the lava viewing hotline. Email me if you'd like more info. Have a great trip!

Lava tubes are cool, but you can't miss the molten lava pouring into the sea. See my tip on this which includes images. This requires some hiking but is well worth the time spent. I agree about staying in Hilo, the old funky side of the island. Its proximity to Volcanoes National Park and some lava beaches on that side of the island makes it the better place to stay for a two day experience. Get an early start each day.