Honeymoon Get-a-way Activities: Volcano

No Hawaiian honeymoon is complete without exploring the volcano that formed the island. If you are on Kauai this means exploring the many waterfalls and lush vegetation of the inner island. On Oahu it means a hike involving the Diamond Head crater.

These are wonderful things to do. Think of the panoramic views that are available from high upon one of the volcanic mountain sides as you look down on the lush landscape and the gorgeous beaches below.

Depending on what exactly a honeymoon couple wants to see and experience, there are a number of ways to explore the volcanoes (all except two on the Big Island are considered dormant or extinct) - everything from hiking tours, to ATV tours, to Mountain biking tours, to horseback tours - they are all options. Just be sure to investigate where each individual tour goes and what they do. Hopefully they are all great (obviously I haven't been able to take every tour in Hawaii) but while some horse tours ride along ridge lines with vast panoramic views - others explore valleys.

Of course, we can't forget about the two active volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. Mauna Loa (sound familiar? Think Macadamia nuts. You can visit the factory just outside of Hilo!) and Kilauea. Both are considered active, but right now all the visible action is on Kilauea. There you can currently see lava flows (this changes from day to day, but the active lava eruption has lasted for a long time now.

Go to Volcanoes National Park. The entrance fee, I believe, is about ten dollars but it is good for multiple entrances for a week. There you can get current (within fifteen minutes) information about the volcano, hike among steam vents, look down into the massive caldera, hike lava tubes, see lush rain forest and a wide variety of landscapes trying to recover after being wiped out by a lava flow.

Volcanoes National Park is approximately thirty to forty minutes southwest of Hilo, making it convenient - and as of a couple weeks ago you could only approach the lava flow from outside the park, on the Hilo side down by the beach.

Of course, there are tours available that will take you to see the volcano and surrounding sights: The most common is the coach tour. It has the advantage of a guide who knows where things are, the ability to get out and do a bit of hiking, and the convenience of not having to drive. For my money though, I'm more inclined to say the air tours of the volcanoes are worth the money because, if it is possible to see a lava flow an air tour will be most likely to be able to make it happen as they can fly in at the angle that will give everyone the best possible view!

If even one of the honeymooning couple members are adventurous or scientifically inclined then this is a must do a Hawaiian honeymoon adventure.