The back story
Hawaiʻi Island: the volcanoes, Kona coffee and the Kohala Coast
Kīlauea and Mauna Loa in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, coffee on Mauna Loa’s slopes, the Kohala Coast and the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo: the Big Island.
Hawaiʻi Island is the largest and youngest of the islands, and still growing. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park runs from sea level to 13,680 feet and takes in the summits of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa; on the western slopes of Mauna Loa grows Kona coffee; the Kohala Coast has the resorts; Hilo, each spring, has the Merrie Monarch Festival.
The volcanoes
Kīlauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes; since 23 December 2024 an episodic lava-fountaining eruption has continued in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, within a closed area of the national park (USGS).
Kona
Honolulu Coffee grows its Kona coffee on the western slopes of Mauna Loa (its site).
Kohala
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel stands on the Kohala Coast, with its art collection and manta-ray evenings (its site).
Check USGS before you go: Kīlauea has been erupting in episodes since December 2024.
Hilo
The Merrie Monarch Festival, the great gathering of hula, is held in Hilo each spring (its site).
Our advice: fly into Kona for the coast and into Hilo for the volcano; the island is too big to cross twice in a day.
Why it's on our list
- The volcanoes
- Kona
- Kohala
- Hilo
Location
The map comes from Google Maps, which sets its own cookies once it loads.
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