Topic Wiki

List of TR's:
JewJitSew, Something Fishy, Cbs, MendyP, PBaruch, mechayamom, 3yummyboys, PBaruch, shulem92, Yehoshua, CGR

Kosher Food/ Restaurants:

Synagogue:

Things to Do:
Lava (find out in advance what the best way is to see the lava):
  • Helicopter
  • Hike/Bike
    • Surface flow - depending on the conditions, it might be possible to hike to surface flow.  Inquire with Kalapana Cultural Tours.
    • Ocean entry - At the present time, there are three ways to access the area where lava is flowing into the ocean: (i) walk the approximately 10 miles round trip over the county emergency access road from Kalapana (you can also walk over the road from the National Park side as well) - UPDATE - you are now restricted to .5 miles from the surface flow due to dumb tourists putting themselves in danger and almost getting killed. As a result, viewing ocean entry from land is not as enjoyable as it used to be; (ii) rent a bicycle from one of several companies and ride to the ocean entry; or (iii) pay for Kalapana Cultural Tours (www.kalapanaculturaltours.com) to drive you most of the way and then hike or bike the remaining approximately 1.8 miles each way. 
  • Boat

Caves/lava tubes
  • Thurston Lava Tube (parking now restricted to 30 minutes)
  • Kaumana
  • ranger-led to?
  • Cave 3
  • Kazamura Caves http://kazumuracave.com/

Mountains
  • CAUTION: after SCUBA diving, wait 24 hours before going up the mountains
  • Mauna Loa
    • Mauna Loa Observatory - if this interests you, contact MLO to arrange tour; they'll ask, "you know we don't do astronomy, right?"; will give you code to gate; one-lane, seriously winding and undulating road
    • ways to summit:
      • day hike from parking lot just before MLO gate
      • minimum 3-5 day hike from Mauna Loa Access Road
  • Mauna Kea
    • visitor center for telescopes in evening
    • to do at summit
      • view sunset
      • Keck Observatory
      • Lake Waiau
      • adz quarry

Waterfalls

Historical/museums

Beaches
  • Waipio
  • Kalapana/Kaimu - black sand; 10(?) minute walk over lava rock
  • Punalu'u - black sand; good place to see turtles (I once saw 4)
  • Papakolea/Mahana/Green sand beach - there is a local family that shuttles folks from the parking area to the beach for a nominal fee.  Private tours can also be arranged to the beach and surrounding area.
  • Hapuna - has been rated #1 in US, top 10 international

Snorkeling

Snuba (ages 8+)
  • from shore
    • Snuba Doo available (ages 4-7)
  • Fair Wind snorkel trip to Kealakekua Bay
    • no Snuba Doo
    • may allow <8 if child has done Snuba Doo

SCUBA

Swimming with dolphins

Coffee Farm Tours

NPS sites
  • If you plan on going to more than one NPS site in your time in Hawaii, it probably makes sense to get a Hawaii Tri-Parks Pass, which costs $30 per year for all three parks that collect fees (HAVO,HALE,PUHO), instead of up to $25 for a few days for one park.
  • Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HVNP) (ALL BUT KAHUKU UNIT IS CLOSED FOR NOW)
    • Jaggar Museum/Halemaumau overlook
    • Thurston lava tube (Definitely do the dark end if open, but has been closed for years.)
    • Chain of Craters Rd. to Holei sea arch
    • Kahuku (only weekendsEXPANDED HOURS FOR NOW)
    • Easy hikes:  Sulphur Banks, Devastation Trail, Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs
  • Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP
  • Kaloko Honokohau NHP
  • Pu'ukohola Heiau NHS (heiau means temple)

Botanic Gardens
  • Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden htbg.com

Miscellany
  • Lava Tree State Monument CLOSED
  • Ahalanui (covered by lava, July 2018)
  • Seahorse Farm (great place for kids)- http://seahorse.com/
  • Cape Kumukahi Lighthouse - you can see where the lava came right up to the fence surrounding the lighthouse
  • South Point
  • Atlantis submarine
  • Hilo farmers market, Wednesdays (and Saturdays)
  • Pololu
  • Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
  • Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center - skippable; more expensive than Walmart; Rabbi Chazanow, previously of the BI has said that nuts without any chocolate/dairy are PAREVE, including Dry Roasted and Honey Roasted, even when bearing the OU-D

Hotels:
  • Kohala
  • Kona
  • Volcano
  • Hilo

Getting Around:
  • rent a car
    • Harpers - only rental car company that allows you to drive anywhere on the island
  • Bus
  • tours
  • bike
  • hike

Notes:
« Last edited by cgr on February 24, 2022, 09:16:15 PM »

Author Topic: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread  (Read 283108 times)

Online Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #880 on: December 21, 2020, 11:27:55 AM »
Perhaps this makes TBI more appealing for visitors now.

I imagine there are those that once the lava stopped flowing in 2018, decided against TBI and instead went to other 3 islands.

Indeed. TBI was basically dead once the eruption ended. I was there last in late 2018 and people were telling me that nobody's coming and the entire tourism industry is in the dumps.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline Zalc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #881 on: December 21, 2020, 01:48:05 PM »
Isn't this lake the one that was full of lava forever until 2018 (the one you saw from the lookout)?

So it filled with water after the 2018 drainage, and now that the lava came back they clashed?

Is this a full eruption or more of lava+standing water reaction?

Offline brodes18

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #882 on: December 21, 2020, 02:23:28 PM »
Isn't this lake the one that was full of lava forever until 2018 (the one you saw from the lookout)?

So it filled with water after the 2018 drainage, and now that the lava came back they clashed?

Is this a full eruption or more of lava+standing water reaction?
This is not the same lake as last time. It's in the same place as in the crater but 2018 changed kiluea drastically. The crater used to be smaller than it is today.

I also believe that the old lake was similar to a pipe coming up from the deep exposed in the crater whereas this is lava that cracked through the surface falling to the valley of the crater.

What I find fascinating was that the old pool was a couple of hundred feet deep and it seems to have evaporated in less than a day. Is that right? Incredible stuff.

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #883 on: December 21, 2020, 04:44:42 PM »
What I find fascinating was that the old pool was a couple of hundred feet deep and it seems to have evaporated in less than a day. Is that right? Incredible stuff.

Drained into the volcano's internal plumbing, if you're talking about the old lava lake.
Flashed into steam last night, if you're talking about the recent water pool.
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Online Something Fishy

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Offline brodes18

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #885 on: December 21, 2020, 05:00:34 PM »
Drained into the volcano's internal plumbing, if you're talking about the old lava lake.
Flashed into steam last night, if you're talking about the recent water pool.
I was referring to the water pool. It boiled out fast!

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #886 on: December 21, 2020, 05:04:34 PM »
Wow this reminds me of The Mysterious Island
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #887 on: December 21, 2020, 07:56:10 PM »
Insane.


Wow is this the view from Jagger museum

Offline tmendy226

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #888 on: December 22, 2020, 12:55:10 PM »
Do you think it痴 worth it to go now? Or better wait and see if it gets back to the way it used to be?


I was in Hawaii in 2018 visited Oahu extensively as well as Maui and Kauai but wanted to leave TBI to a different trip when I would have more time and it was very disappointing to see it dying literally a few months later.

Offline brodes18

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #889 on: December 22, 2020, 06:34:14 PM »
Do you think it痴 worth it to go now? Or better wait and see if it gets back to the way it used to be?


I was in Hawaii in 2018 visited Oahu extensively as well as Maui and Kauai but wanted to leave TBI to a different trip when I would have more time and it was very disappointing to see it dying literally a few months later.
It's a volcano - that is not subject to getting back to normal or the way it used to be

I'd say if you can get out there sooner rather than later you'll be better off.

Offline brodes18

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #890 on: December 23, 2020, 10:12:28 AM »
Booked flights on AA J through Dallas on the 772 for the week of Jan 17 to KOA for a tentative trip that week. If anyone has interest in something like this, PM me

Offline brodes18

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #891 on: December 23, 2020, 10:12:50 AM »
Booked flights on AA J through Dallas on the 772 for the week of Jan 17 to KOA for a tentative trip that week. If anyone has interest in something like this, PM me
45K each way from NY

Offline yg1836

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #892 on: June 18, 2021, 09:05:32 AM »
Anyone know of a good rental car company in koa? I feel like I知 missing something

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #893 on: June 18, 2021, 10:01:02 AM »
Anyone know of a good rental car company in koa? I feel like I知 missing something
I hear Uhaul is not an option...

Offline yg1836

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #894 on: June 18, 2021, 10:47:32 AM »
For real I知 searching on Priceline and Expedia and hertz and they all say there are no cars available??!

Offline Abey

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #895 on: June 18, 2021, 10:55:36 AM »
For real I知 searching on Priceline and Expedia and hertz and they all say there are no cars available??!
check the small local companies

Offline yg1836

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #896 on: June 18, 2021, 11:03:04 AM »
Any recommendations?

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #897 on: June 18, 2021, 11:52:35 AM »
For real I知 searching on Priceline and Expedia and hertz and they all say there are no cars available??!
Unfortunately you're right. Try Turo

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #898 on: June 18, 2021, 02:15:21 PM »
its nuts cars $125/day, not worth it to fly into kona, probably going to switch airports or islands

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #899 on: June 18, 2021, 04:43:44 PM »
its nuts cars $125/day, not worth it to fly into kona, probably going to switch airports or islands
None of the islands besides Molokai are good without a car. Best of luck.