A visit to the Kalapana Lava Viewing Area is just one of the many great volcano related experiences you can have on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
I certainly encourage all Big Island visitors to spend a day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where you can learn all about the volcanoes which created the Hawaiian Islands, view numerous past lava flows and craters, walk through an ancent lava tube and much more.
Volcano Bike Tours
You may even want to see the park by bicycle with Volcano Bike Tours. Their Bike Hawaii Volcanoes National Park & Wine Tasting is a five hour tour that covers 15 miles within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The tour takes place on mostly downhill and level paved roads and trails. I'll be doing a detailed feature on Volcano Bike Tours soon.
Doors-Off Volcano-Waterfalls Experience
You can take a helicopter ride over the current lava flow and see the huge Pu?u ?O`o Crater from which the current flows emanate. I recommend the Doors-Off Volcano-Waterfalls experience with Paradise Helicopters which will provide you the chance to feel the heat of the worlds most active Volcano. You can view some photos I took on my flight.
Lava Ocean Adventures
You can take a tour with Lava Ocean Adventures which I mentioned previously and see the lava flowing into the ocean closeup. Watch for our upcoming feature with lots of photos.
Native Guide Hawaii
Finally, you can take one of the many organized tours of Volcano National Park or the Puna District of the Big Island. My originally planned hike to the Kalapana Lava Viewing Area was with Warren J. Costa, owner of Native Guide Hawaii. Although the viewing area was closed due to an unfavorable wind direction, I did have the opportunity to meet and speak with Warren over dinner along with a small group of travel writers. Warren offers private tours for individuals as well as parties of two or more.
KapohoKine Adventures
KapohoKine Adventures offers not only tours of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park both by land and in the air, but also an excellent tour of the Puna District called Secrets of Puna. It's a great way to see one of the areas of the Big Island that most visitors never discover. I'll be doing a detailed feature on this tour which I enjoyed on my recent trip.
More Photos
Be sure to click through the remaining pages of this feature for more photos of the views from the Kalapana Lava Viewing Area.
