Just a few weeks ago, one of Hawaii’s volcanoes, Mauna Loa, erupted for the first time in 38 years. This past weekend, my husband and I decided to island hop over to the Big Island to get a glimpse of the lava flow. I feel so blessed to say we experienced this once in a lifetime sight!
We flew over to the Big Island on Saturday morning. Our flight from Oahu was only thirty minutes long and the views from the plane were awesome. We picked up our Jeep from the airport and heading to Kailua-Kona to have brunch. We enjoyed mimosas with an oceanfront view where Yellow Tang could be seen in the waves below us. Then we took the top off of the Jeep and drove towards South Point where we stopped to check out the rugged coastline. We continued on towards Volcano, where we would be staying for the night.
When we arrived at our Airbnb, Gigi’s Volcano Cottage, we were amazed that is was surrounded by gorgeous plants, bright colored flowers, and huge trees. The cottage was off the beaten path and was a true escape into nature where you could hear the sounds of the rainforest just by opening the window. Volcano, Hawaii is at around 4,000 feet in elevation and receives high amounts of rainfall making it lush and beautiful. The cottage was also perfectly clean inside and the host, Gigi even left homemade cookies and a handwritten note for us. The cottage is conveniently located only five minutes away from Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. It is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the nature that surrounds you.
We stopped at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park where we saw a dim glow and some smoke coming from the Kilauea Overlook. We wanted a closer look at the lava flow so we drove to Saddle Road for a better view. We were amazed when we saw the red glowing lava for the first time!
I woke up the next day and enjoyed breakfast outside of our cottage while listening to nature around me. I explored the gardens and took tons of photos. When we checked out our cottage, we headed towards Hilo to checkout Rainbow Falls. We then drove along Saddle Road again, but during the day we only saw smoke from the lava and no glow. We then went to Kailua-Kona to grab lunch and cocktails on the water. We explored some beaches and then it was time to fly back to Oahu.
If you are looking for a slow-paced and relaxing retreat, the Big Island is the perfect place to go. Need help planning a trip to see the volcanoes, or to experience the Big Island for the first time? Shoot me an email so I can plan the perfect getaway for you!
