The term ‘bigger is better’ has never been truer than when it comes to the Big Island.
Here are just a few reasons why we think it pays to fly further than Oahu.
Kilauea is like the moody girlfriend of volcanos, in that it prefers to stew and ooze its flame-y resin rather than explode and get it all over and done with.
Not to say that it still isn’t formidable and dangerous, there have been cases of tourists even slipping into large cracks in its sulphur banks, however it’s benign enough make us all feel safe enough to get up close. Some wily local businessmen even set up a series of hotels along its rim, one of which ironically burned to the ground in 1940 from a kitchen fire.
The modern Volcano House hotel is actually very enticing and has a wide vista looking out on to Kilauea’s smouldering crater. You can literally watch the flames at night while you have your dinner. So comforting.
We loved the steam vents though, honestly for the vanity of feeling like you’re in a living Temper Trap video.
Fare Well Co tee in HOLD FAST, TCSS wattle boardshorts in TIDAL FOAM, Skywatch in STAINLESS AND WHITE
Lack of Color hat in MONTANA
Akaka Falls
The star of the show (the waterfall) isn’t even the best thing about this place. While the 129m plunge is impressive, make sure you take the time to look up at the muderous chokehold that the vines have over the forest.
This is without a doubt the closest thing to Jurassic Park you’ll see beecause if there’s one thing we’ve all learned from Jeff Goldblum, ‘life will find a way’… to eat your entire tree.
Lack of Color hat in MONTANA, Crumpler backpack in SPINNING VORTEX
Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku)
If you’ve ever wanted an example of exactly how messed up lava can be then look no further than the Tunnel of Nahuku, or Thurston Lava Tube (but that just doesn’t sound as impressive).
TCSS wattle boardshorts in TIDAL FOAM
Lack of Color hat in MONTANA, Crumpler backpack in SPINNING VORTEX
What starts out as walk through some nice lush forestry brings you to the entrance of what was clearly the practical portion of Kilaueas Bachelor of Architecture. This isn’t a cave carved through a mountain of rock, this is a cave of rock carved into old cooled lava.
If we haven’t made that convoluted enough; visitors are essentially strolling through a river of lava that has cooled and hollowed out.
We give it an C for Feng Shui but an A+ for destruction.
Waipio Valley
Held sacred as the boyhood home of King Kamehameha I and avoided by anyone with a fear of heights, the Waipio Valley feels like it won the landscape lottery. Look at those cliffs.
Word of warning to those looking to get a closer look. The road into the valley has a steep incline and when we say ‘steep’ we really mean we hope you have a helicopter because unless you’ve got a 4×4 there’s no way your fancy Mustang from the local Alamo is getting out of there alive.
What starts out as a fairly doable 25% angle ends up a stomach churning 40% at its peak. Gnarly is the only word for it.
This is why most of the 100 or so locals who reside in its depths go without running water, sewage, an electrical hook up to the rest of the island and – even scarier – no WiFi.
But what they miss out on in mod-cons they more than make up for in unparalleled backyard outlooks. We’re talking cascading waterfalls, winding pebbled riverbeds and ancient trees with root systems that have existed longer than humans have been on the island.
Fans of cheesy 90s blockbusters and Kevin Coster will recognise Waipio in the final scene in Waterworld when the main characters finally found dry land. Arguably the most beautiful part of the film (and not just because it was about to end).
Punalu’u black sand beach
Don’t feel bad if you don’t swim here. A lifesaver told us that while Punalu’u is one of the most famous and stunning stretches of sand in Hawaii, some people just can’t reconcile themselves to dive into the black abyss.
It’s worth it if you do though, simply for the sheer surrealistic experience (mind the rocks though). Of course, once you’ve been in Hawaii for a while you just become accustomed to the inky volcanic environment but for Australians used to soft white sand it can feel beautifully wrong.
That weird feeling that overcomes you the first time you see the whitewash meet the shore? That’s wonderment and it’s a hell of a drug.
CITIZENS OF THE WORLD travelled as guests of Wasabi Tours
Grand Circle Island Tour covers 12 hours of jaw-dropping scenery. Yes, we said 12 hours. While most of the luxury hotels are on the dry Waikoloa side, many of the Big Island’s main attractions are on the more forested Hilo side and so long drives are kind of par for the course.
