Watching Kilauea's lava flows up close and personal is an adventure of a lifetime.
The Big Island, officially known as the island of Hawaii, gets its nickname for being the largest of all 18 Hawaiian Islands, and it's still growing. Lava flows from Kilauea, the world's most active volcano, adding to the 266 miles of coastline. The Big Island remains very rural in many parts, creating many opportunities for visitors to find adventure both on land and at sea.
Land Adventures
Volcanoes National Park, home to Kilauea and Mauna Kea, Hawaii's tallest volcano, provide excellent foundations for hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking adventures. You can enjoy other off-road adventures such as horseback riding in Kamuela, northwest of Kona, or enjoy ATV tours taking you to the depths of the Hawaiian rain forest to see some of the most breathtaking waterfalls and landscapes on earth. If any of your adventures take you to higher elevations, be sure to pack a jacket or sweater. Mauna Kea may be a dormant Hawaiian volcano, but it does snow near the summit. If you plan on stargazing at the observatory, dress warm.
Sea Adventures
Whether you enjoy being above or below the water, the Big Island has a sea adventure just for you. Scuba dive with the manta rays along the Kona Coast. You can even find several night dives that take you out when the manta rays are most active and feeding. Other snorkel and dive adventures show off the colorful reef fish of Hawaii and may even give you a glimpse of the endangered green sea turtle or a dolphin pod. Out of Kona's boat harbor, you can find excellent whale watching tours from November to April. Along the Kohala Coast, enjoy windsurfing and sailing. From Hilo to Kona, you can find some of the best deep sea sport fishing adventures in the world.
Air Adventures
If seeing the sites by land or sea isn't enough to quell your need for adventure, take to the air. Kona offers parasailing adventures for those who just want to gaze at the islands from 50 feet up. For those wanting to see parts of Volcano National Forest that you can't see on foot, a helicopter tour can get you close to the action where you'll witness lava spurting high into the air or flowing into the sea. Other air tours go deep into the rain forest for multi-directional views of waterfalls and high cliff landscapes.
Tags: manta rays, most active, rain forest