Hilo

Hawaii is the biggest island in Hawaii, also known as the Big Island. Hilo is the second largest city in Hawaii and was believed to be the first island to be inhabited by Polynesian voyagers from the Marquessa Islands. Hilo is America’s wettest city with over 120 inches annually and so we thanked our lucky stars that it didn’t rain today!

Our guide for today was Lee, from Wild Orchid Tours. A few minor points - he was an older gentleman and was not as intuitive as our guide was in Maui. He also forgot the water which was meant to be included in the package! However he quickly rectified this and bought us water at the next available store. He was also friendly and knowledgeable and that was our main requirement. He gave us quite a comprehensive history of the city.

Hilo is known as a tsunami town, having suffered several tsunamis, the last one in the 70s. For this reason, much of the foreshore is left undeveloped and left as parklands with the main town moving up further inland. Only a few surviving buildings from before the tsunamis remain.

We made a brief stop at the Papahanaumokuokea Marine National Monument in town before heading to the National Park. This was a surprise hit! It gave us a great overview geologically of the Hawaiin Archipelago. They also had screen with satellite shots and the children were able to zoom right into our street! Interestingly upstairs was a gallery with portraits painted by an elephant!

Foreshore of Hilo

Marine museum with interactive displays. Jonah learning how to tie knots.

The interactive satellite pictures that occupied the children for quite some time!

Taking a selfie with the painting...enough said

More beautiful waterfalls!

 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where Kilauea Volcano is, the word’s most active volcano, where it has erupted every day since 1983. The most recent ones being in the news, where the lava flow had destroyed whole villages. In the months prior to our departure, the National had to be closed and was only just reopened about a week before our arrival. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, large sections of the Park was still not open to the public. We drove further into the national park to a beautiful picnic spot on hardened lava flow. As we ate our wraps we enjoyed the exquisite scenery of the ocean. Lee took us on a scenic drive en route back to the ship. Much to our annoyance, Elliot only remembered that he left his phone in the car AFTER we were dropped off back at the ship. Fortunately, the guide was happy to turn around and deliver it to us.

Dinner this evening was at La Cucina,, another one of our dining package venue, sadly it was only average. Some of the pasta were overcooked which is probably a sin for an Italian restaurant!After dinner, Lara somehow managed to convince Elliot to go to the teen club. Not sure of the outome as I feel asleep!

The almost moon like landscape of Volcano National Park. This was once a molten lava lake

An older crater now with vegetation on it

Picnic lunch on a Lava field. This one a few decades old

Nene! The bird of Hawaii

One of the better dishes at La Cucina