Seeing the Big Island after the eruption

February 8, 2020 9:09 PM

We leave for the Big Island tomorrow, staying in Kailua-Kona. We were last there before the big eruption. What should we see, hike to, look at, or otherwise not miss, now? What’s different?
posted by kerf to Travel & Transportation (3 answers total)

The most obvious difference related to Kilauea is the massive collapse of the caldera floor, which you should by all means go to see - it's hard to describe how huge the crater is now compared to what it was before the 2018 eruption.
posted by niicholas at 7:25 AM on February 9, 2020

Granted, I hadn't been there before then, but I've been twice since. From a tourist point of view I don't think you're likely to notice any difference unless you actively seek it out, and even then I think the only place you'd be able to do that is at Volcano National Park.

We went the first time in January of 2019 and had no issues driving down the south part of the island from Kona to the black sand beach at Punalu'u and then by VNP. That was during the Federal Government Shutdown, though, and while it was open and there were people working, it was a bit disheveled so we didn't spend much time there. No issues driving from there up to Hilo either though.

I was there again about a month ago and the biggest local stories were about the 30mm telescope protests and the East side of the island around Hilo getting nailed with rain and localized flooding. Other than a day trip up to Waimea on the Northern part of the island, we stuck around Kona, so I can't speak to the current status of the VNP area, but I didn't hear anything about it from locals.

I'm happy to share my experiences with stuff to do in Kona, including excursions, if you'd like.
posted by Ufez Jones at 7:27 AM on February 9, 2020

Pohoiki beach aka Isaac Hale Park used to be a simple state park with a boat launch, but the eruption cut off the main road going out to it, covered part of the park itself with a lava flow, and created a new black sand beach. Although the eruption formed several new black sand areas, this is where they re-cut the road to make this park accessible by car, so this is your best chance to see the newest oceanfront terrain. The park reopened in Dec 2018. What I learned on my visit Feb 2019 is that new black "sand" is grain-of-rice sized sharp-edged flakes that are really painful if they get between your foot and your shoe, so I'd recommend either closed-toe shoes or fully barefoot.
Also, if you'd been to Uncle Robert's market on your last visit you should go again this time, because that's also very near the new flows.
posted by aimedwander at 11:00 AM on February 9, 2020