Volcanoes on the Big Island

The Big Island in the state of Hawaii hosts no less than 5 volcanoes out of which two are still active. The whole state of Hawaii was actually formed out of volcanic activity, and as the Big Island is still experiencing this, it is still growing. If you are visiting Hawaii you surely want to spend some time to visit those extraordinary masterpieces of geological formation.

The huge volcano Mauna Loa is found in the middle of the island. Mauna Loa had its last eruption in 1984 and is considered the largest active volcano in the whole world, taking up almost half of the whole island of Hawaii. At the moment she is resting but is still considered an active volcano.

At the south of the Big Island you find Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and it is the number one tourist attraction. Here you find Kilauea which is an active volcano. In the park you can come really close to this amazing creation, with possibility to view the lava flowing down the mountainside almost every day. The eruption of Kilauea began in 1983 and since then this volcano has been adding about 550 acres of coastal land to the island and more is being added each year.

The Volcanoes National Park covers a huge area of Hawaii, all the way from the foot of Mauna Loa to the shoreline in the south. Here you find 150 miles of hiking trails that lets you explore the contrast of Big Island; it takes you to volcanic craters, deserts and rainforests. You’ll be amazed by the diversity in the landscape of the Big Island. At this one island you can actually find 11 different climate zones!

If you are not into hiking, you can easily access the main attraction in this park by car. You can drive around at the slope of Kilauea, the so called Crater Rim Drive, and in this way you can get to the volcano Thomas A Jaggar Museum; you’ll get to see this active volcano as well as having the opportunity to visit the Nahuku lava tube, which is a cave that was formed by lava 500 years ago.

The volcanoes of Hawaii are something that gives you an experience out of the ordinary for sure and you don’t want to miss out on that while you are here. Give yourself one or even two days to explore Kilauea and spend another day driving or hiking near some of the others. To be able to get so close to the glowing lava streams is something you’ll remember long after you’ve left this mystical paradise.