The water world has always fascinated me. My love for water has been with me since birth. I find it only appropriate that I live on an island, in a rain forest surrounded by some of the world’s most beautiful water scenes. Whether it’s waves crashing on molten lava, snorkeling with sea turtles, body surfing at green sands beach, swimming under waterfalls, or even picking shells off the beach, Hawaii has it all.
Some of the best places to get a “real” Hawaii experience is the Volcano side of the island. Sure, we may not have the white sand beaches, but we have the lava, culture, waterfalls, and rain forests. While staying at Volcano Village Lodge, explore outside of the Volcano region. Take a day trip to the southern part of the island, see a black sand AND green sand beach within 20 miles of each other. Stop at South Point and stand on the edge of a 40 ft cliff and see the crystal clear waters that face due south to our ancestral lands of Polynesia (side note: South Point was the first colonized location in Hawaii).
Maybe the southern part of the island is not in your itinerary…In that case while visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park make sure to drive Chain of Craters Road. Take the road to the end and watch the power of the ocean crashing on fairly new lava. Holei Sea Arch is a great place to witness this. While down on the coast you can walk the rest of Chain of Craters Road to where a lava eruption took over the road.
How about driving just north of Hilo up the Hamakua Coast to the large waterfalls, gulches, and fantastic botanical gardens?
However, the most powerful, once in a life time opportunity, is seeing the molten lava flow into the ocean. A battle between sister goddesses, Pele and Nā-maka-o-Kahaʻi put on a fierce spectacle that will leave you breathless. A scene engraved in your memory for life.
Here on the Big Island, we love water period. Whether you love the forest or the ocean, you will find your place in Hawaii.
