In August we visited three islands in Hawaii: the Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai. Here’s a summary from the Big Island.

We arrived midmorning and rented a car in Kona. From the airport we went to Pololū Valley Lookout and did about an hour hike down the hillside to a cove. With only a few hikers and a lonely surfer, it was very quiet. The trail is scenic and leads to a gorgeous lookout of the bay.

From there we headed towards Hilo along the coast, stopping at a bridge with palm trees as far as the eye can see. We managed to get to Hilo and visit Rainbow Falls just before sunset. We then made our trek back to Kona for the night.

The next day we reversed course and went through the center of the island again to Hilo. This time we were able to see the pass in daylight. We explored another waterfall area called Boiling Pots and meandered through Hilo to a nice picnic park at the beach.

We visited Volcano National Park in the afternoon. It was pouring rain the entire time. I had forgotten that Hilo is the rainiest place in the USA and as a desert dweller, I completely underestimated what that meant. The rain was incessant.

We made our way down the hillside where the lava flows into the sea.

I also captured a bunch of macro shots at this national park. I love ferns!

Finally, in the evening we circled around the Southern side, passing coffee plantations along the way. We visited a black sand beach and watched the sunset as we arrived back to Kona.

This island was like driving through a simulation for two days. The landscapes change so quickly that within just a few minutes you’ve gone from lava fields to a fern forest, rolling hillsides, and a crashing coast.

Up next, Oahu!