Virtual Tour of the Big Island: Madame Pele
This is a Big Island. In fact it’s not unusual to meet people who have lived here their entire lives and still not made it to the top of Mauna Kea. Or to the volcano. And of course, we have plenty of readers who haven’t made it to the island yet at all, or who have visited the island but still couldn’t see everything because of a limited time frame.
With so many great things to see – and the magic of You Tube – we’re adding a weekly ‘virtual tour’ to Big Island On The Cheap. Of course we’ll still bring you the great deals you’ve come to know and love, but just think how great it will be to get to take a peek at some of what the island has to offer from the comfort of your own home. And for free.
Let us leave you this weekend with a vision of Madame Pele herself. The volcanic activity on the Big Island gives visitors and residents alike the rare opportunity to see lava flows in action. The easiest – and least expensive – way to see the lava flow is from the ground right at Kalapana.
Do you know about Kalapana? This is from Wikipedia:
The area gained notoriety when the 1990 Kīlauea lava flow from the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent destroyed and partly buried much of the Kalapana Gardens and nearby Royal Gardens subdivision. The lava flow that destroyed Kalapana erupted from the southeast rift zone of Kīlauea. Along with the destruction of Kalapana were those of the nearby town of Kaimū and Kaimū Bay, both of which now lie buried beneath more than 50 feet of lava. The lava flow also created a new coastline.
This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons.
Today, people from all over the world come to see the lava make its way into the ocean. Of course, there are safety concerns and the viewing area is restricted, but it is impressive!
(photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qmnonic/ / CC BY 2.0)
( http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/ / CC BY 2.0)
Want to get closer? Damon Tucker posted this picture and a great video from his recent Lava Ocean Adventure Tour, giving us a peek at the amazing beauty of hot lava viewed from the the Pacific Ocean.
(photo credit: Damon Tucker)
(video credit: Damon Tucker)
Isn’t that something?
Here’s another beautiful shot from the ocean:
(photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/butsky/ / CC BY 2.0)
And this is what it looks like from the air:
(photo credit: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov)
The lava flow changes daily, but the folks at Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory offer a daily update on the web and they post pictures, too. They also have live web cam set up at Pu‘u O‘o vent and Halema‘uma‘u Crater, where you can keep an eye on the activity there.
~Kris Bordessa
When my 8-year-old and I were visiting the Big Island this summer we were lucky enough to see the lava flow firsthand. These photos are amazing, by the way. But we did not go to the top of Mauna Kea because I was pregnant and the high altitude is counter-indicated for pregnancy. Maybe next time?
I love your idea of a weekly virtual tour and I’ll look forward to seeing more videos!
I’m so happy you’re doing this. I’ll definitely be back each week to see it. We visited in 2008 and it was one of the best trips ever. We went out to see the lava. We weren’t allowed to get very close at all but it was still something to see.
Spectacular photos! I, too, will be back for more.
We loved Big Island (the only island on Hawaii that I’ve been to) and I can’t wait to show this virtual tour to my children. They will love the lava ones especially.
Wow, impressive. Fascinating to watch. Auckland is built on about 50 volcanoes, but none of them are currently active, so I’ve never seen this sort of activity live.
Very cool. My children are going to love these photos and videos. Isn’t youtube awesome? SO many great things to see.
What a great idea to add a video tour to your freebies hints. Congratulations. I have not been to the big island, and hope that I’ll see it in person some time, but glad to have your photos.
Wow, these are stunning photos. You would think that I would feel as if I had been there and not need to visit. .. but I think this actually just whets my appetite to go to the Big Island in person. Especially when it’s so cold here in NE America.
I’ve been to the main island and to Maui many years ago. We never made it to this one, which is a shame. And, of course, after going to Hawaii, we pledged to come back because we loved it so much. And we still have not come back. Thanks for the reminder and for wowing me with the photos and video.
The only other active volcano I’ve seen is Arenal in Costa Rica, and this is much more dramatic! I’d love to see this myself someday; thanks for giving us such a vivid virtual experience.
[...] you see Kris’s excellent homage to Madame Pele and her virtual tour of Kilauea Volcano? If that got you interested, head up to the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park tonight, because [...]
The Big Island is so magnificent. I’ve been once, and I think if I had to choose which island to visit again first, it would be that one. These photos you posted are really nice.
I’ve never been to Hawaii, but these photos make it seem like it’s well worth the trip! I love the video too. Thanks for the ‘virtual tour’!
We went to the Big Island with every intention of seeing lava, but when we saw all of the warnings, we changed our minds.
“You might fall through the ash and fall into the lava.”
“Get a really bright red light for your car so you can find it once it gets dark.”
“Take enough water for three days in case you get lost.”
Yikes!!