Being from Hawaii, I don’t worry much about natural disasters. Whether it be earthquakes, tsunamis, lava flows or the every few decades hurricane. Lately, it seems every time I call my brother or cousin who live on the Big Island (Hawaii), it’s to ask them about a natural disaster. Last month there were two hurricanes heading their way and now it’s a change in the lava flow which is heading directly for the area of Puna (specifically the town of Pahoa) where my brother’s family lives. Kilauea volcano has been erupting since 1983 so the islanders will no doubt take it in stride and know everything will work out as it should.
Lava River
Not for the faint of heart or health
Lava Flow
Overlapping Lava flows
Lava Crater
Lava Reaching the Ocean
Walking on the Lava
Offerings to the goddess of fire, Pele
Beautiful drive in the Pahoa area ~ hope it’s not affected by the current lava flow
Puako Beach, Big Island, Hawaii
Another gorgeous sunset at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Displaced Beachbums 
That photo of the lava hitting the ocean is powerful!
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It is a truly amazing sight to see!
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Thanks for stopping by my blog! I really connected with this post having just visited Big Island. It was a fascinating place and as you say, always at risk from some kind of natural disaster. It’s hard to imagine being used to that kind of environment on a day to day basis. When you hear the lava flow updates on the radio each day the impact on people’s lives really hits home.
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So glad you got to visit the Big Island. I’m hoping to get back there soon…
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Which island would you recommend for a first trip ? 🙂
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Can you tell I’m a bit biased?! All the islands are beautiful with Oahu being the most developed and attracting most of the visitors. I would recommend the Big Island (Hawaii) for an adventurous visit. There’s the beautiful beaches, snorkeling/scuba, sailing, waterfalls, hikes, the volcano park, jeep tours into Waipio Valley or you could go up to Mauna Kea where there’s usually snow year round. For a romantic and more secluded getaway, there’s Lanai or Molokai.
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We are thinking about going there in january/february 2016 probably. I’ll keep in mind your recommendation. I think we would like to snorkel and go to the volcano park, so I suppose the big island is the best. And if we have time, maybe we can visit one of the secluded one. How is the transport between islands ?
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Good thing you’ve given yourself lots of time to book hotels and activities ~ those are prime time dates. If you decide to go to Lanai and money is no object, there’s the luxurious Manele Bay Hotel right on the beach. But if you want something with a little more of a local flair and less expensive, check out the Hotel Lanai. I spent more then a few nights having a beer on their porch bar (I lived on Lanai for two years in the 90s). Book early! http://www.hotellanai.com/
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Yeah, I think I prefer the more local one 😉 that’s so nice of you, thanks for the link !
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Have shared here http://sco.lt/7NiyqP thanks for this
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Thanks for sharing!
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Great post! Love the photos, presumably taken by you on a previous trip?
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Yes, these were mostly taken in 2010. I feel like I need to go back to see the little town of Pahoa just in case…
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When we visited in 2007, or maybe it was 2008, the volcano was erupting and there were parts of the island we weren’t allowed to visit! Seems like she is always in action. I always find those shots of the lava meeting the ocean so powerful. 😀
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Growing up, I remember taking trips to see the volcano (we lived on the other side of the family) whenever there was an eruption but, since 1983, it’s been flowing consistently. I couldn’t agree more about the ocean shots ~ the power of mother nature is amazing!
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