According to Polynesian legend, the goddess Pele gave birth to the islands of Hawaii. The Big Island of Hawaii is her latest creation. Big Island Hawaii is larger than all of the other Hawaiian Islands put together and it continues to grow each day.
Kilauea is an active volcano on Big Island Hawaii that sends lava streaming into the ocean. As the lava hits the water and cools, more land is added to Big Island Hawaii. A nice after-effect of the active volcano are the thermal pools heated by the volcano at Ahalanui Beach Park near Pahoa.
The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the oldest state parks in the United States. One of Kilauea's vents started erupting in 1983 and it has been spewing lava ever since. You can drive up to 300 feet below the rim of the crater and you can hike up even closer to the top of the volcano. The higher you go, the warmer your shoes will become.
Big Island Hawaii is 4,028 square miles in size and it has a population of 148,677. It has a fantastic 266 miles of coastline and it's highest elevation is at Mauna Kea at 13,796 feet. If you are a lover of the game of golf, you will love the 17 golf courses on the island. The average temperature is 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Another feature of Big Island Hawaii are the coffee plantations where the best coffee beans in the world are produced. Most of the plantations have centers where visitors can sample this fabulous coffee. If you are a coffee-lover, this is one treat you won't want to miss.
Hilo is the biggest city on Big Island Hawaii and it is the gateway to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Hilo also has Liliuokalani Gardens, which is the largest Japanese garden this side of Tokyo. They also have a Farmer's Market, Suisan Fish Market, Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls.
Kailua-Kona is another of Big Island Hawaii's large towns. It is on the leeward side of the island and it gets plenty of sun. If you are a person who loves sport fishing, you will love Kailua-Kona. Nearby, you will find some of the world's best Marlin fishing. The town is also close to Kealakekua Bay where you will find many different varieties of fish, sea turtles and spinner dolphins. It is also the spot where Captain Cook died and it is marked with a historical marker.
If you are a historically-minded person, you will enjoy Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park. Here you will find fishponds, temple ruins, burial sites and petroglyphs. There is a temple located here with a rock wall 1,000 feet long, 10 feet high and 17 feet thick and you can tour the grounds.
There is so much to see and do on the Big Island Hawaii that you can never experience in one trip. Once you have visited this island, you will want to return again and again.
Big Island Hawaii
