We spent two days at the southern end of the island to see Volcano National Park. The park was an incredible contrast of lush rainforest and black lava flows with sulphur and steam vents.
posted by Preston Holmes at 9:30 PM

Pictures from our visit to Volcano National park on the southern end of the island
posted by Preston Holmes at 9:23 PM

Pictures from the second day. Kayak across Kealakekua Bay to Captain Cooks memorial. Visiting Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park.
posted by Preston Holmes at 6:22 PM

So far some of the things that have struck me about this place are how quickly the climate can change depending on whether you are on the leeward or windward side of the island. With a short drive you can go to raining dense muddy rainforest to harsh desert lava desert scapes. It also feels weird here being certainly a tropical island in the Pacific, yet having so much that is American. Thankfully though, things here are a lot less developed than I was expecting, although that is tempered by all the construction of new resorts that is going on. My mother was here in the 60's and describes a place that was far more wild.
posted by Preston Holmes at 6:46 AM

Pictures from the first full day. Hiking down into pololu valley, and visiting a field of old petroglyphs.
posted by Preston Holmes at 6:37 AM