Big Island of Hawaii Attractions

Hawaii Island isn’t just big, it’s still growing. The Island of Hawaii is the youngest island in the Hawaiian chain and is also by far the biggest, providing a vast canvas of environments to discover a variety of unrivaled natural wonders. This is the home of one of the world’s most active volcanoes Kilauea, the tallest sea mountain in the world at more than 33,000 feet Maunakea, and the most massive mountain in the world Maunaloa.  All but two of the world’s climate zones generate everything from lush rain forests to volcanic deserts, snow-capped mountaintops to beautiful black sand beaches.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The Park encompasses 333,000 acres from the summit of Maunaloa to the sea. You'll find 150 miles of hiking trails through volcanic craters, scalded deserts and rainforests as well as a museum, petroglyphs, a walk-in lava tube and two active volcanoes. Maunaloa, which last erupted in 1984 and Kilauea which has been erupting since January 3rd, 1983.  Kilauea currently produces 250,000-650,000 cubic yards of lava per day, enough to resurface a 20-mile-long, two-lane road daily. As of January 1994, 491 acres of new land have been created on Hawaii Island. The current eruption may last another 100 years or stop tomorrow.

Green Sand Beach - Papakolea

Known as Green Sand Beach or even Pu'u o Mahana, is well deserving of its name. The olive-like color of the sand comes from the presence of a greenish, semi-precious stone named, appropriately enough, olivine. The erosive force of the ocean washing into the base of Pu'u o Mahana cinder cone has extracted olivines out of the cinder. These are deposited on the sand, giving the sand a green tint.

Akaka Falls State Park

The stroll to reach Akaka Falls is almost as beautiful as the falls itself.  Everywhere you look you are surrounded by giant Ti plants, bird of paradise, torch ginger, bamboo, and split leaf philodendron. You will hear the dull roar of the waterfall before you see it. Just as you round a corner you will catch a glimpse of Akaka Falls free-falling 442 feet through a green-lined gorge.  

By: Cody Woodson