Our day started at 5:30am when we got picked up and driven to the airport for our flight to Hilo. After a short plane ride over the other islands we arrived at 8:00 am where we meet Our Korean tour guide named YB. I asked what the YB stood for and we learned that it was short for Young Bok.
He also gave us a quick introduction the the town we were visiting. He told us that Hilo is located on the windward side of Hawai'i and gets over 200 inches of rain a year. It is the 3rd wettest city in the US.
After a 20 minute ride we stopped at Banyans Restaurant and Bar for malasadas and to pick up a few snacks and gear at Uncle Billy's general store. We were back on the road at 8:55 heading for our first stop of the tour.
Our first stop was the Black Sand beaches of Richardson State Park. Here we learned that the sand is volcanic basalt mixed with white coral and green peridot. While here we ventured out on the volcanic rocks and made our way over a shallow section of water to reach the outer bluffs where we discovered a green sea turtle enjoying the protection of a tidal pool. We took several pictures and I was thrilled to have my water proof camera to capture this creature in his natural environment.
After seeing the turtle and feeling the black sand between our toes we moved on to the Japanese gardens. We learned that this tribute to the Hawaiian people from their last queen is the second largest Japanese garden outside of Japan. Just off the shore from the gardens is Coconut island which during war was considered a safe haven for warriors. If they made it to the island then they were given a reprieve from battle and likely death.
After getting back on the bus we moved on to the third stop of the day to witness the power of water at Rainbow Falls. The falls are 80ft tall and part of the Wailuku River system. Dan and I after taking pictures from the lookout ventured up the path and then off the path finding our way to the top of the falls. Here we could feel the power of the water as it roared past us and over the edge.
It was a spectacular sight to see the water fall from above. We ventured back to the bus and returned to Banyons Restaurant and Bar for a lunch buffet of fish, BBQ chicken, and beef stew. Dessert was pineapple and mango. It was a satisfying meal and I could have definitely used a nap afterwards.
Our next spot was the Volcano's National Park and we arrive after a 45 minute / 29 mile ride. We climbed to an altitude of 4080 ft. Here we learned that Hawai'i experiences 11 of the 13 possible the 13 climate zones.
We also learned at the visitor's center that there are 5 mountains/volcano's on the big island. Youngest to oldest. Kilauea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, Mauna Koa, and Waimea. After that introduction we walked along the Sulphur Banks Trail where we enjoyed the aromatic smells and views of the sulphur fields. At the end of the Sulphur Banks Trail we found ourselves at the rim of the Kilauea caldera. After some pictures we moved on to the steam vent near the parking lot where we all got a steam facial.
Next we drove along the road until we reached Kilauea Iki which erupted in 1959. Here we saw people hiking on the surface of the caldera and were told that the ground is still warm to the touch.
A short walk from the edge of KilaueaIki was the Thurston lava tube. It was named after the guy who found it. He got the privilege of having it named after him because there was no indication that anyone had ever been there before him. It was an interesting walk through the tunnel and we took a few pictures as hard as it was given the lighting.
Next we visited a series of other smaller craters before heading to the lava fields. We learned that sharp jagged lava is called ah ha. The smoother is called pahoehoe. The newest lava and land is from the 1974 lava flow which is still flowing today. It was during this lava flow that the road got covered. We took pictures on what was left of the road as we meandered down the new road. As we got close to the shoreline we stopped once more to see the arches created by the ocean and lava meeting. What we didn't realize at the time was that while we admired another arch we were actually standing on another.
After enjoying the lava fields we headed back to the summit for dinner at the military camp. The food was standard military fare and satisfied even the hungriest members of our tour. Before leaving to head back to the airport we took one last trip to see the caldera glow at night. It was impressive to see the red glow we couldn't see during the day coming from the center of the caldera.
After a 45 minute ride back to Hilo Airport for the last flight of the day we relaxed to the sounds of Hawaiian music. At 8:00 we re boarded our Go Airlines for our return flight to Oahu and were back on O'ahu by 9:30. It was a long day but by far the most exciting.
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