{"id":137,"date":"2013-09-10T02:14:45","date_gmt":"2013-09-10T02:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/big-and-beautiful-hawaiis-big-island\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:18:49","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:18:49","slug":"big-and-beautiful-hawaiis-big-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/big-and-beautiful-hawaiis-big-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Big and Beautiful Hawaii’s Big Island"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m standing no more than a kilometre from the spewing red lava of fiery Mt Kilauea. Plumes of smoke puff high into the air, wafting out to sea in a whirl of ash. My feet are warm, heat seeping through my shoes up from the solidified black lava baked by the sun.<\/p>\n

The lava here looks like twisted rope while other parts are set in their ooze, much like a cow pat.<\/p>\n

The cow pats are one of the biggest drawcards to Hawaii\u2019s Big Island. If you\u2019re after a Christmas getaway, the festive season is one of the most popular times for Expedia\u2019s Aussie travellers and a few days on the Big Island is all you need to tick a few things off the Bucket List, ie up-close volcano viewing.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve traipsed about a kilometre over this incredible terrain to this viewing spot. The hike from the car park requires sensible walking shoes and a bottle of water. The viewing site shifts depending on the wind – the fumes can be toxic. Park rangers are on hand to advise you of where to park and view on any given day.<\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t many places on the planet where tourists can wander up to the core of the earth, fly over it in a helicopter or even take a boat to watch it sizzle madly into the sea. Watching crimson and orange rocks shooting into the clouds of smoke is mesmerising. It\u2019s a daytime firework show.<\/p>\n

\u201cKilauea\u201d translates to \u201cspewing\u201d in Hawaiian. It\u2019s very apt because the mountain has been constantly erupting for the last 30 years. In that time it\u2019s resurfaced 123sq kilometres of land. The Big Island keeps getting bigger.<\/p>\n

 
\n
\nBut this is only one drawcard to a beautiful island, which is a microcosm of the earth\u2019s climate. You\u2019ll find lush tropical rainforests with waterfalls which will make you stop and stand in awe, snow-topped mountains and black sand beaches \u2013 don\u2019t forget the coffee plantations.<\/p>\n

The famous Kona coffee is only grown here but you\u2019ll find it for sale all over the world. It gets its accolades because the high elevation, constant cloud coverage and rich volcanic soil create an ideal environment for growing coffee beans.<\/p>\n

There are hundreds of coffee farms on the Big Island and if you\u2019re a connoisseur you can pop in and do some tastings. If you\u2019re not, just choose one with a veranda and a great view and drink the whole cup!<\/p>\n

There\u2019s so much to see and do on the Big Island I\u2019d recommend hiring a car. It\u2019s very easy to get around. Tip: Rent a car before you arrive as they go quickly and you don\u2019t want to be stuck waiting for one to be returned.<\/p>\n

If you plan on visiting the volcano, you need to be staying in Hilo as tours like the\u00a0Kilauea Volcano and Sunset Lava Walk<\/a>\u00a0go before dawn and just on dusk to get the full effect. It\u2019s about 30 km to the mountain from here.<\/p>\n

Expedia travellers like to fly into one airport and out of the other. If you arrive at Hilo you\u2019d only need a couple of days to explore this little town and visit the volcano, then drive around the island to Kona where the white sand beaches, most of the hotels, resorts and coffee plantations are located. Then fly out of Kona back to Honolulu.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

A few fun things to do on the Big Island:<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re after a cultural show, there are several luau\u2019s on the island. We love the\u00a0Sunset dinner and performance\u00a0<\/a>at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.<\/p>\n

For helicopter views of the mighty Mt Kilauea, take the 50-minute\u00a0Circle of Fire tour<\/a>\u00a0over miles of rainforest and waterfalls to the volcano and back to Hilo Airport.<\/p>\n

Or join\u00a0Doors-Off Helicopter Tours<\/a>\u00a0for a similar experience.<\/p>\n

We also like the zip-line rides, mountain biking, swimming and snorkelling tours. There\u2019s never a shortage of activities on Hawaii\u2019s incredible Big Island.<\/p>\n

For more ideas on where to go, check out the Expedia\u00a0Big Island Travel Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Images by Hawaii Tourism Authority, Tor Johnson and the Big Island Visitor\u2019s Authority.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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