It’s the winding stretch of asphalt that connects the Big Island’s two personalities – the dry lava covered Kona side to the lush mists of Hilo town – but Saddle Road (or Route 200) delivers so much more than pure function.

Say hello to one of Hawaii’s cheapest thrills.

Most people’s introduction to Saddle Road is usually first based on necessity.

It’s the shortest connection between both sides of Big Island and those who organise a tour to the summit of Mauna Kea usually connect with their guides halfway at the Pu’u hululu Cinder Cone (also known as the 28 mile marker).

What people don’t realise is that the drive can often end up being the most memorable hour of the entire trip.

What starts as a fairly innocuous tour past Waikoloa’s baked desert plains becomes a trek through at least 4 of Hawaii’s disparate climate zones. The scenery goes from parched desert into lush grassland then thick temperate forests and wet mountain fog.

The Pu’u Huluhulu Cinder Cone is as a lot more accessible than it’s name is to pronounce and a 15 minute hike is all it takes to get a picture perfect vista across the black dried lava fields and the highway vanishing point.

Bring a jacket, set up your cameras and just wait for the sun to set over the range.

We promise every time you consider going home the colours will get even more spectacular.

It gets seriously dark and when there’s no cars your ears actually hurt from the silence.

We’re all so used to background noise that when there is none it’s as though your brain can’t quite comprehend it and you’ll gain a true appreciation for the term ‘deafening silence’.

Every now and then your ears will get sweet relief from a few cars and the sound of canon fire (we think?) coming from the direction of the Pohakuloa Military Base (practice).

Apart from that it’s just you, a camera and the sky.

Mind blowing and all for the cost of a tank of fuel.