Since we wanted to see the volcano at dusk, we had quite a few hours to kill. Along our drive, we knew of a few lookouts and attractions to entertain ourselves. Our first stop was at Pololu Valley Lookout, which is an end-of-the-road scenic lookout that has appeared on many travel posters. Joe and I both recognized the picturesque view. We then meandered our way to a second vista point called Waipio Valley Lookout. We could see deep into the lush, green valley as well as a spectacular coastline view.
We continued to follow Highway 19 which took us around the northern part of the island and then headed along the east coast towards Hilo. Before reaching Hilo, we stopped at Akaka Falls to take a look at the 442-foot tumbling waterfall.
After stopping at Jamba Juice, our new favorite spot, we took an impromptu turn down Macadamia Road. There we visited Mauna Loa, a large producer of macadamia nuts. We took the self-guided tour and then sampled some of the goods in the visitor center/gift shop. These are my new favorite nut.
By this time it was nearing 5 o’clock so we decided to head to the lava flow. We took some very rocky and narrow roads but finally reached the parking lot for the viewing area. We grabbed our water bottles and our flashlight and trekked across old, hardened lava rock to the viewing spot. It took about 15-20 minutes to walk there and just as we arrived, it started to rain…we had left our umbrella in the car. We considered going back for it but instead we decided to tough it out. There were already people there securing their spots for a front row viewing, so we settled up next to them.
We were initially disappointed and discouraged because in the light of day, all we could see was the billowing smoke caused from the lava hitting the water. We were hundreds of yards away and we couldn’t see any red-hot lava! We stuck this out as well and our patience paid off. As the sun set, we started seeing some splashes of orange and red. As time passed and it got darker, we saw sparks and the colors darkened even more. Unfortunately, because of the distance and darkness, we were unable to capture any good lava pictures. However, it was quite an experience and it ended up being worth the wait in the rain!
We continued to follow Highway 19 which took us around the northern part of the island and then headed along the east coast towards Hilo. Before reaching Hilo, we stopped at Akaka Falls to take a look at the 442-foot tumbling waterfall.
After stopping at Jamba Juice, our new favorite spot, we took an impromptu turn down Macadamia Road. There we visited Mauna Loa, a large producer of macadamia nuts. We took the self-guided tour and then sampled some of the goods in the visitor center/gift shop. These are my new favorite nut.
By this time it was nearing 5 o’clock so we decided to head to the lava flow. We took some very rocky and narrow roads but finally reached the parking lot for the viewing area. We grabbed our water bottles and our flashlight and trekked across old, hardened lava rock to the viewing spot. It took about 15-20 minutes to walk there and just as we arrived, it started to rain…we had left our umbrella in the car. We considered going back for it but instead we decided to tough it out. There were already people there securing their spots for a front row viewing, so we settled up next to them.
We were initially disappointed and discouraged because in the light of day, all we could see was the billowing smoke caused from the lava hitting the water. We were hundreds of yards away and we couldn’t see any red-hot lava! We stuck this out as well and our patience paid off. As the sun set, we started seeing some splashes of orange and red. As time passed and it got darker, we saw sparks and the colors darkened even more. Unfortunately, because of the distance and darkness, we were unable to capture any good lava pictures. However, it was quite an experience and it ended up being worth the wait in the rain!
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