Mark

Does anyone have advice on how best to see the volcano while we are staying in the Kona area (Outrigger Waikoloa)? We will have a car, and plan to spend one day driving down and back, but I am concerned about the drive time. How long will such a drive take? Is such a day trip advisable?

Lani

Mark, it will take most of a day to do this but if you go by the Northern route, stop and see the sights like the Waipio Valley and Akaka Falls - it will be worth it. If you drove straight to Volcanoes National Park from the Outrigger without stopping (which would be a terrible shame), it would take close to 2 hrs. If you have at least 5 days on the Big Island,I'd spend one night at a B&B on the edge of the park, and take some time to enjoy the park and see some of the gardens around Hilo. But if your time is limited, I'd do the one day drive. Have a wonderful time. Post back if I can be of any help.

Aloha,

Lani

Michelle

I've heard that helicopter tours are a good way to see the volcano and can get closer to the "action" than driving.

(My husband & I are going in October.) We've seen some interesting-looking websites for tour operators and there's one that looks particularly good, a 2-1/2 hour tour including waterfalls and (hopefully) a lot of rest of the island as well.

Has anyone taken such a tour? Were you satisfied that you got value for the money? Was it truly a good way to see the volcano? Who did you use?

Thanks for your help!

vicki

Did a 50-min trip from Hilo up to the volcano with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in February 2000. Took our three teens, they loved it! (My husband was a little green when we departed the helicopter since he leans towards motion sickness, so keep that in mind if its a problem for you). I personally thought a trip down from the Waikoloa area would be rather long and that there would be a lot of scenery on the way that wouldn't be worth the cost. You might fly over areas that are all lava flows which would tend to look the same after awhile. We flew from Hilo directly over to the vent, down to the ocean and then back by the neighborhoods that have been covered in lava and found that to be quite interesting.

dan woodlief

Many years ago, we left Kona early in the morning, circled the entire southern half of the island, including a couple of hours to walk out on the lava and watch an eruption, saw all the main Volcanoes National Park sights, and returned by the northern route by an hour after dark (including stopping at falls along the way). It will take a day, but you can do it.