A Big Place

We went on a family vacation to the Big Island and it was amazing.  I would go back in a heart beat.  I loved seeing the boys excitement for the new island and it was a great vacation.  It rained on us every afternoon/evening which previously I would have thought as a downer to the trip, but everything worked out so we saw pretty much everything we wanted to.  Because this is a dream vacation (like Kaui and New Zealand), this will be a long post.  But I don't want to forget any of it.

Our boys stayed pretty happy on our flight out, despite the Honolulu airport being over packed.  We almost missed our flight because we were waiting in security so long.  When we got there we drove right up to the top of Mauna Kea.  It was so different.  I've never seen any place like it.  It is exactly how I would imagine Mars to be.  No plant life and I imagine not much wildlife either.  I did a little jaunt, which was probably a mistake since I got a bit of altitude sickness.  But I would probably do it again.  It was also covered with little cinder cones from previous eruptions.

The drive up Mauna Kea

At the top, it is not a pointy peak at the top, because it is such a gradual incline

One of the many cinder cones

Then, because we took the boys to a fun unique playground on the saddle between the two big volcanoes.

Just Playing

A cloud covered Mauna Kea behind them

We drove the scenic way to Hilo, up through Waimea and then down the coast to Hilo.  We saw our first lava tubes and made a stopped at Lapahoehoe Point.  It's a beautiful coast, with a sad history.  A big Tsunami took out the town in 1946.  So today they have moved the town to the Makai side of the highway.

One of the many lava tubes on the drive

We were unsure why there was this interesting pier at Lapahoehoe Point, but the waves were fun to watch up through the holes and there were crabs galore

Looking the other direction

We found a local to take our picture

We also stopped to see Akaka Falls.  They were beautiful in a tropical paradise.

Sunday we had a slow relaxing morning and watched a session of general conference.  It was a great start to the day.  Then we headed down to Volcanoes National Park.  It was raining a lot, but we made the most of it.  In the park we headed down the Chain of Craters road.  The craters were impressive.  The lava fields were huge.  And we walked on land that was younger than me.  We did a few side hikes to see Manu Ulu fissure and Sulfur Banks.  Both worth the stop.  Grant our little volcano lover was on cloud nine.  He kept asking if we were walking on lava and of course the answer was always yes.  Unfortunately there was no active lava because of the eruption earlier this year, but still such a unique place.

Looking into a large crater

This lava flow went on for miles and miles.

I love the wrinkles that occur in Pahoehoe lave

New life growing through

Some of Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs, these circles were everywhere.

Mauna Ulu Fissure

Sulfur Banks

The sea arch by the coast

We stayed around Hilo on Monday.  Started with Rainbow Falls.  Then headed to Pe'epe'e falls and Wai'ale Falls.

Rainbow Falls

Wai'ale Falls are unmarked and easily missed, but pretty awesome

  Then we explored Kaumana Cave, which is a long lava tube.   It is more than 2 miles long (we did not go that far).  It feels as if you are in a small train tunnel, except there are a few small stalactites, tree roots crowing though the roof, and you are walking on bumpy Pahoehoe lava rock.

We went to Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden which was yet another tropical paradise (Hilo is so awesome).  We also checked out Lyman Museum when it started to rain.

This rock has a legend that two lovers sacrificed themselves to protect their village, and are still there today protecting the bay.

We found this perfect heart flower too

The lava display at the Lyman museum

Tuesday we headed down to the South Point area.  First we went to Punalu'u Beach.  It is a black sand beach teaming with sea turtles.  The sand was formed from hot lava hitting the water and shattering.  I snorkeled with them, which was unique not only for the turtles but because there was a layer of freshwater on the surface which is kind of cool to see underwater.  However it did make the water really cold.

One of the MANY turtles here

A nene was hanging out on the beach with us too

Then we headed to the South Point, which (surprise) is the southern most tip of Hawaii.

The drive near the South Point

The trees all grow sideways going down to the South point because of the wind

We played in some of the tide pools at the south point

And the waves were pretty awesome

Standing at the tall cliffs near the South Point

Then we drove up to our new vacation rental in Waikoloa Village.  We stopped at pebble beach and the South Kona Fruit Stand (which had the most unique variety of tropical fruits).

We met the cutest turtle near our restaurant in Kona

And a friendly shark

Some of the fruits we bought

We found them sleeping like this that night

Wednesday we hike to Keawaiki Beach, which is over an a'a' lava field.  and then we hiked to the golden ponds.  They are golden because of a special type of algae that grows in them.

In the afternoon we headed to the place of refuge.  It has a huge wall that is about 13 ft thick.  It was built as a place for people to flee if they had the penalty of death for breaking certain laws.  If they made it here safely, they could remain there for a certain amount of days and then were allowed to leave freely.  It was well preserved and was very beautiful.  After we went snorkeling in the bay next to it.  It had a beautiful reef, and was easily accessible.  The locals call it two-step because you can literally take two steps down from the rock and be snorkeling over the fish filled reef.

The wall made with no mortar

Playing a Hawaiian game

On our way home we drove by the bay where Captain Cook was killed.  There is a memorial on the far side commemorating him.

Thursday, we took a glass bottom boat tour at Anaeho'omalu Bay so that our boys could appreciate the clear waters of the big island and its sea life without snorkeling.  We saw several turtles, lots of fish, and even a sand ray.

After we headed over to Waipio Valley.  There we took a tour where we took a 4x4 van down the very steep, very curvy road and then took a mule and cart ride in the valley.  Pace said it was his favorite thing on the trip.  It was a very flat valley with very steep walls, and beautiful.

The waterfall at the end of the canyon

One of the many wild horses

On the wagon ride

A view down into the valley from the top

Then we headed to Pu'ukohola Heiau, which King Kamehameha built to insure his success in the battles to unite the Hawaiian Islands.

That is the heiau in the distance behind them

Wild Turkey roaming near out condo

Friday, we hiked Pololu Valley.  It was remote and stunning.  We stayed for quite a while because the boys loved playing in the valley and on the black sand beach.

Later we went out on a mucky dirt road to ancient Mo'okini Heiau.  It was less restored than the other heiaus we visited.  It was a lonely place with a dark history, but interesting to visit.

The lonely road near the heiau

On our way back we stopped at Hamakua Nut Factory to get our macadamia nut fix.  We ate lots of free samples and headed home with yummy mac nut turtles.  We learned all we needed to know about mac nuts.

Our last afternoon we spent on Mauna Kea Beach.  Wich has the softest salt and pepper sand.  Thanks to a short light rain we had the beach to our selves minus a couple beach walkers.  And someone had built the most beautiful sand castle.  It was the perfect way to end our Big trip.