Big Island is an Adventurers Paradise
By: Deston Nokes
Everyone flying to Hawaii wants some sun and surf. Big Island helps puts some extra pepper on that tropical vacation with its memorable selection of pulse-quickening adventures. On Hawaii, vacationers can bicycle down a volcano, hike the backcountry, zip-line over waterfalls and lava tubes, paddleboard around reefs, or watch red-hot lava flow into the ocean. Here are some quick tips to do it right:
Bike Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. BikeVolcano.com offers a five-hour, 15-mile moderate bike ride through Volcano National Park. Mostly downhill and along paved roads, the tour passes along sulfur-coughing craters and vast, lava-covered landscapes. It’s a great way to gain an appreciation for how the Hawaiian Islands were created. The guided tour takes you through the Thurston lava tube and includes a van ride back up the volcano to get your car. $129.00 per person, lunch included. 808-934-9199,
bikevolcano.com
Zip-line over Umauma Falls. I’ve enjoyed zip lines in Maui, Kauai, and the Pacific
Northwest, but this one’s the best in terms of speed, duration and scenery. Every
measure is taken to keep you safe in your harness as you careen over triple-tiered
Umauma Falls. Best of all, it goes along the river, rather than across it. Its half-mile line is the longest on the island; there’s also a quarter-mile dual zip line so you can scream together. $149 for the 5-line zip course and $169 for the full 8-line course. 808-964-1000, kapohokine.com
Waipi‘o Rim Hike Adventure. Some of the best adventures can be enjoyed on your own two feet. This eight-hour, three-mile hike heads into the rainforest surrounding Waipi‘o Valley, which has breathtaking views of taro fields, ocean vistas, and amazing waterfalls. The trails can be steep and slippery in certain areas, and the trek requires a moderate amount of physical effort. Most enjoyable was the Hawaii Forest & Trail guide’s explanation of Hawaiian history, vegetation, and wildlife. It’s not every day you come face-to-face with a mongoose. $149. 800-464-1993, hawaii-forest.com
See red-hot lava spew into the sea. If you don’t mind rising early on one of your vacation days, and if you have steady sea legs, then take a Sunrise Lava Adventure boat tour to get up close and personal with the rivers of red-hot lava entering the ocean. It’s the closest you’ll ever get to seeing this kind of heat, unless Mt. St. Helens decides to raise another ugly fuss. Adults $180, children (6–17) $125. 808-966-4200, lavaocean.com
Deston Nokes is a travel writer who just published the Portland Essentials iPhone app, which lists the top 200 things to see and do in the Rose City: tinyurl.com/Portland-Essentials. Visit destonnokes.com.
