Hawai'i the "Big Island" - Kīlauea volcano and Kona sunshine

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Kīlauea recently made many dramatic changes to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with its destructive eruptions (since 2018), closing some areas and activities. Volcano eruptions can be hazardous - fumes and fallout (like cinder, ash, and Pele's legendary hair) can irritate lungs and eyes. Pele is the Goddess of this volcano on the Big Island. We took a bus tour from Hilo. The summit is 4,000 feet above sea level, which explains the cool climate.

Kīlauea caldera - steam

Intensely hot steam vents dotted the landscape, with the more accessible vents being fenced off for public safety. The major steam vent was in the crater.

A windy, chilly summit at 4,000 feet (1,220 m)

Pele the Hawaiian Fire Goddess resides here and her wrath is insatiable.

Kīlauea's  dramatic landscape

The museum had a lot of structural damage and remains unstable and is fenced off from the public. 

Kīlauea's damaged Museum

Kīlauea's threat potential is VERY HIGH.

Panoramic view of Kīlauea's caldera - Home of Pele

Pretty wild orchids swaying in the wind gave a pop of colour to this otherwise desolate landform. 

Wild orchid on Kīlauea

We were lucky with the weather - the north side of the Big Island gets its fair share of rainy days.

Next stop Kona, the sunny-side of the island.  Too shallow for a cruise ship to berth, Kona could only be visited by tenders - small boats ferried passengers back and forth until it was time to pull up anchor.

Kona - sand and sunshine

Tender boat arriving Kona - close  up

Maui – Haleakalā Crater

We have just returned from a nostalgic trip to our favourite states of America, Hawaii and California, thanks to Hawaiian Airlines and The Pride of America cruise ship. We had a charmed travel experience: no flight delays, no missing baggage, and negative covid tests prior to the cruise. The weather was beautiful, in contrast to the heat waves across UK and Europe.

Fascinated by the online images of Kilauea's latest eruption activity on The Big Island, we wanted to visit Hawaii's volcanic landscapes as soon as borders reopened.  First stop was the Haleakalā Crater on the island of Maui (Pride of America's first port of call).

View of Maui from Pride of America

Cinder cones on the crater surface

A small bus transported us to the summit of the Haleakalā Crater, at an altitude of 10,000 ft/3055 m. The road was a little scary as it snaked and twisted through green ranchland, but the driver calmed us with his entertaining tales and knowledge of the area. There were very few guard rails, so it would not be for the feint-hearted to hire a car and do it independently. 

Visitors Center at the summit

Panoramic view of Haleakalā Crater

In Hawaiian language, Haleakalā means "house of sun".  According to the legend, the demigod Maui slowed the descending path of the sun by lassoing it to make the day longer.

Unlike Kilauea on The Big Island, Haleakalā is currently dormant (with a moderate threat potential). It started growing about 2 million years ago, and in the past 1000 years at least ten eruptions have been recorded. https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/haleakalā

The fragile Silversword plant is very beautiful; it will die if touched by a human hand. We saw many of these plants and admired them from afar.

Silversword plant, Haleakalā summit

Looking back to the coast of Maui, the view from the summit was stunning.

Looking toward the coast where Pride of  America was docked

Cruising the Hawaiian Islands

The Pride of America cruises the Hawaiian Islands all-year round; embarking from Honolulu on a Saturday evening and stopping at Maui for two nights, Hawaii (The Big Island) for two nights (Hilo and Kona) and Kauai (Lihue) for one night. The other two nights are spent cruising the Pacific Ocean. On the way back to Honolulu the ship takes a detour to showcase the spectacular Na Pali Coast. Below are a few photos I took on our recent trip (when I remembered to pack my camera for the day).

Maui

We took a scenic bus trip to the beautiful town of Lahaina. Stores of well-known brands such as Patagonia and Lush and waterfront restaurants stretched along the main street from the Banyan tree to the small outlet mall. We had lunch at Lahaina Fish Co, just a few doors down from Kimo's Restaurant. I had the MahiMahi fish plate - cajun seared over brown rice topped with tropical salsa and balsamic drizzle.

Banyan Tree, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

 

View from the Lahaina coastal walkway - puppies playing fetch

Walkway along the volcanic coast, Lahaina, Maui, HI

 Locals crammed into the back of their ute, Lahaina, Maui, HI

 

Hawaii, The Big Island

It was a bleak morning the day we arrived at the Port of Hilo. Thick cloud blanketed the hills and together with the lava landscape the atmosphere was dark and eerie. We were soon to learn about Pele, the goddess of Hawaii's volcanoes.

The view from the ship's balcony, arriving at the Port of Hilo, The Big Island, HI

Lava rocks along the coastline, Hilo, Hawaii

 

The work of Pele - A lava mound with the imprint of a tree inside

 

Walking on lava - Hilo, Big Island, HI

After the lava tree mounds we visited a lava beach - nothing like the golden beaches of Queensland, Australia - they were lava grey and very pebbly (it couldn't be called sand by any stretch). But the sun did finally shine as we arrived at this beach and it was very tempting to take a couple of the smaller pebbles for keepsakes. Our guide convinced us that it would not be wise to do so; it would likely make Pele angry. She recounted stories of the bad luck that fell on such hapless visitors who dared to remove what Pele had created. I have a little anecdote of my own to add to the Pele stories: we took the lead on this trek to the beach because a young boy had been stung by a bee and needed the guide's assistance. As we arrived at the edge of the ocean I spotted what I thought was a shiny piece of blue paper...the only made-made object on the beach. It was a very light-weight poncho still in it's packaging. I felt the warmth of Pele shining on me and accepted it as a gift.  I was very glad that I didn't disappoint her by taking a tiny pebble as a souvenir.

On our night cruise to Kona, we were treated to the spectacular coastal scene of intense heat and steam caused by hot lava mixing with the sea water - Kilaeua.  Pele was putting on a show for us. We were too far away from the site for a decent photo but there is a picture in my pinterest folder, Take me there.

Since it was cold and rainy for most of the time we were docked at Hilo, we were heartened to learn that our next stop, Kona, was sure to be sunny and warm. We were also excited by the fact that tenders (small orange boats carried on our ship) would be ferrying us across to the shore because there was no place to dock a cruise ship at Kona harbor.

 

Sunrise - arriving Kona, Big Island, HI

Tender boats ready to serve

View of Kona through the front window of the tender

View from Kona foreshores - searching for a cup of Kona coffee

Pride of America anchored and waiting for our return

Kauai

The sound of a rooster greeted us as we docked at the port of Nawiliwili (near Lihue), Kauai. It kept crowing. Later we realised that there was more than one rooster. In fact there were many chickens and roosters free ranging across the island; they had escaped during a hurricane. We also learned that the underground sport of cock fighting was alive and well on Kauai.

Kauai had several attractions for us. There was a beautiful beach in walking distance from the port with a Duke's barefoot bar close by. There was a well-stocked yarn shop called Twisted Turtles across the road from Dukes in Lihue. While there were plenty of natural wonders to explore on Kauai we chose the Wailua river boat ride to the Wailua Falls and Fern Grotto. Next cruise we'll do the Waimea Canyon.

Wailua River cruise

Ginger plant with pink flowers, Wailua River State Park, Kauai

  

Fern Grotto (Cave), Wailua River State Park, Kauai

  

At the viewing deck - Fern Grotto, Wailua River State Park, Kauai

 

The beach at Lihue, Kauai - sailboards, canoes, volley ball

The view from Dukes Barefoot Bar, Lihue, Kauai

  

Leaving Nawiliwili Port, Kauai

 

Flashing my new Kauai T-shirt - Deck 11, Aft, Aloha Lanai Bar

 Honolulu

On the way back to Honolulu we did a detour to the majestic Na Pali Coast. We viewed it from the Gold Rush Saloon, Deck 11, mid,  as we toasted the Pride of America for taking us on a most amazing journey. We were sad the cruise would soon be over but we were excited about spending a few more days in Waikiki before heading home to Brisbane, Australia.

Just one more magnificent sunset on Waikiki Beach, Oahu, HI

Oahu revisited - beach holiday Hawaiian style

Direct flights on Hawaiian Airlines from Brisbane to Honolulu now make Hawaii a very accessible holiday destination for Queensland families. There is no place quite like Hawaii for the ultimate relaxing holiday experience.

Waikiki Beach viewed from Duke's Bar with Diamond Head in the distance

Waikiki Beach viewed from our balcony at the Circle Hotel

 

Lu'au at Paradise Cove

 

The SWIM bar at Waikiki's Hyatt Regency (very close to the Circle Hotel) hosts live music at happy hour - this is ManoaDNA playing their originals and covers

Sunset on Oahu, Waikiki Beach

Sunset draws a crowd at Waikiki - everyone has their camera ready. Dukes was my preferred viewing spot. I like how the tall, skinny palm trees silhouette the fiery sky.




You have to arrive to your beach bar early if you want a good viewing spot for sunset hour. Bright Hawaiian shirts are essential....they let you blend in with the crowd. Hibiscus flower prints, palm tree prints and beach theme prints camouflage you in this tropical paradise.