Thursday, July 21, 2005
One if the natural wonders to visit while vacationing in Hawaii
This is one of the volcanoes situated in Hawaii National Park.
From the day the volcanos started creating these beautiful "pearls of the ocean" something wonderful happened. Adventure was born! The Big Island is home to volcanos, whales, dolfins, and some of the most interesting and abundant flora, fauna & scenery to be found. We traveled from my home in Oahu to see the Big Island and it was a special treat to see! The Volcanos are amazing! How immense they are and you will feel absolutely tiny when you are standing around them.
Do something unique and visit Punalu'u Black Sand Beach and see the giant sea turtles (but please don't touch them as they don't have any protection from our bacteria and are dwindling in number). Black sand beaches evolve from ground lava after years of pounding by the surf against the lava poured over the land by the ever present volcanos.
Punaluu Black Sand Beach offers surfing, horseback riding, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, hiking and whale watching to name a few things. You can hike to nearby Ninole Cave Park where all you spelunkers can explore the caves (Don't forget to take flashlights with you).
The Macadamia Nut Orchards are famous and you won't want to miss the lava tubes that you can walk through. On some of the tours you will see men and boys climb coconut trees up to 80 feet tall! On one tour I took we saw a man open a coconut husk with his bare hands and then cracked it open and we enjoyed some fresh coconut meat! It was an exciting experience to enjoy food that can sustain life in a way that ancestors of the islanders have done for many years.
Joe West Photo (see below)Some of the most beautiful flowers in the world can be found on the islands. Birds of Paradise almost look as if they will actually take flight at any moment. Fowers abound. We made leis from the Plumeria's in our front yard and enjoyed Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, and many more flowers year around. Other exotic flowers you will see include heliconia, orchids, gingers and more. Paradise is Hawaii.
You'll find rainforests, beautiful secluded waterfalls, trails, pools, rivers and so much more! The islands are also rich in multiple cultures and history! If you ever get a chance to go I would also suggest you visit during Lei Day festivities.
# posted by kevin : 9:10 AM
