Aloha again!

A little bit of background

Second time to Hawaii! Read here for the post about my first visit in 2010, to Maui to present at a conference with a bonus few post-conference days on Oahu.

We had two weeks in Hawaii in April 2013, staying mostly on Oahu, but also travelling to the Big Island. We went as a family to Hawaii to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.

I've structured this post around the key things we did while in Hawaii, rather than my usual chronological journal. I hope the post inspires you to visit Hawaii and journey beyond Waikiki Beach. There's so much to see and experience if you do!

Note: WED is the acronym I will use in this post refer to my family, made from the initials of their first names.

I have added my reflections on my second Hawaii experience and on what the trip meant to me at the end of this post.

Welcome to Hawaii!

We flew with Hawaiian Airlines from Brisbane to Honolulu in April 2013. The airline had only started flying that route the year before. I wrote this post in 2024 and I can't recall much about the flight other than being grateful that flying time from Australia to Hawaii is only about 10 hours.

Waimanalo Beach

We picked up our hire car upon arrival and spent the first little while getting used to the righthand drive. We had booked a lanai in Waimanalo, away from the crowds and resorts in Waikiki. Below you can see the lanai and the big black car we hired. The accommodation was perfect for us in size and amenities, and it was super close to the beach. The owners lived on the property at the front and they were warm and welcoming. I remember they left us a food basket and some Easter eggs for the kids.

Waimanalo is a small windward community near the eastern end of Oahu. The beach is 9km long, the longest stretch of sandy shoreline on Oahu. If you have been to Waikiki, you'll know how crowded it can get. We absolutely loved the peace and quiet and spent quite a bit of time at the beach, particularly since it was a short walk from our accommodation. Check out my beautiful shots of Waimanalo Beach, sans people.

The beach deserved a second collage of shots, as it is simply stunning. Note that the big waves in Hawaii that draw in the crowds for surfing competitions are in winter. The ocean is pretty flat otherwise.

The kids enjoyed swimming at Waimanalo, too. The owners of the lanai supplied beach towels and swimming stuff. We were often the only people at the beach most of the time and it was incredible to have it all to ourselves.

The shots below give a good indication of how close we were to the beach. The place we stayed in was just up from the two tall palm trees on the right in the righthand shot. The mountain backdrop was stunning as well. There was a park nearby where we went to get in some baseball practice as D was super into the sport at the time.

Fun Waimanalo facts: The first prisoner of war taken by US forces during WW2 was captured on December 8, 1941 on Waimanalo Beach, the day after the Pearl Harbour attacks. The Anderson Estate that was featured in Magnum PI is at Waimanalo.

I can't rate Waimanalo highly enough as a place to stay and enjoy the beach, especially if you are someone who likes to be away from crowds. Honestly, Waikiki Beach is prime real estate and it can be a challenge to find your own piece of the sand.

Travel tips: I highly recommend staying outside of Waikiki if you want a more authentic experience. We live in Queensland and close to some beautiful beaches and the Waikiki of our own at Surfer's Paradise. We wanted to feel more connected to Hawaii so we stayed at Waimanalo, even though the dude at border control seemed puzzled by our choice, letting us know that "no one stays in Waimanalo." OK, mate, whatever. There are no hotels at Waimanalo so you'd need to book accommodation via Airbnb or something similar. We found our cottage on HomeAway (now Vrbo). I'd also recommend hiring a car if you want to explore the island and experience more than just Waikiki beach and the shops. It's not really easy to get around the island without a car.

Pali lookout

One of the first things we did to take advantage of the hire car was drive up to the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout. The Lookout is only a few kilometres from Downtown Honolulu up the Pali Highway. It provides beautiful panoramic views of the Ko'olau Cliffs and Windward Coast. The Lookout not only has views, it is also historically significant as the site where King Kamehameha I won a fierce battle in 1795 to unite Oahu under one rule. The battle claimed hundreds of soldiers' lives, many of whom were forced off the sheer cliffs to their deaths.

A word of warning: Pali is known for its strong winds! You can see a little of them in my photos.

Pearl Harbour

I wrote about the Pearl Harbour Memorial in my 2010 post as I was fortunate enough to visit the museum as part of an island tour I did during the couple of days I had on Oahu after the Maui conference. I only had a short time on my first visit to wander around the main complex and take the launch out to the Memorial. This time, we purchased a passport ticket and spent the whole day at the museum. The passport included launch tickets to visit the Memorial, and admission to the Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbour Aviation Museum, as well as the Visitor Centre.

We visited the USS Missouri first. The battleship was built for the US Navy in World War II, participating in the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and serving in the Korean War. The Missouri was recommissioned in 1984 and completely modernised, serving in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 before being decommissioned again in 1992. It became a museum at Pearl Harbour in 1998.

Interestingly, the ship was placed well away from the Arizona memorial to ensure that the explosion and sinking of the Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941 remains the key landmark of the museum. The idea is that the Missouri's bow that faces the Arizona is so placed to watch over the remains of those interred in the hull. (See centre photo in the collection below.)

The ship is a fascinating part of the museum as there is so much of it that is accessible to the public. The kids enjoyed exploring the vessel as it's huge (270m long) and has four large engines and nine giant guns.

It's also pretty cool to go below deck and get a feel for what life was like for the sailors, even with the modern refurbishment. We even found a room with D's name on it!

The Missouri has huge historical significance and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 14 May 1971. The quarterdeck was the site of the signing of the Instrument of Surrender by the Japanese that ended World War II.

I highly recommend that you include the Missouri in your visit to the Pearl Harbour Museum. It's worth getting out to Ford Island to explore the ship and listen to the tour guide's explanation of the signing of the surrender document.

The other vessel that can be explored is the USS Bowfin. The submarine was launched in 1942 and eventually decommissioned in 1971 after being recommissioned during the Korean War. It's been a museum at Pearl Harbour since 1981.

While it's super cool to go down inside the submarine and feel how cramped it is, the Bowfin also offers wonderful views of the Missouri and the Arizona memorial. Pretty nifty shots, right?

The Pearl Harbour Museum is busy, but the process for visiting the Arizona memorial is extremely well organised. It is respectful, I think, of the historical significance of the site and the memories of those who lost their lives during the Pearl Harbour attack. Only a set number of people are allowed out onto the memorial at once. Visitors are issued a ticket with a launch departure time. Once the next group arrives, the previous one has to leave the memorial. There's plenty of time to explore the memorial before the launch departs.

I was impressed with our kids that day as they treated the whole visit with the respect it deserves and listened with interest to the commentary on the Missouri. They explored the battleship and submarine with excitement but behaved appropriately, especially since it was a long day for them.

We finished our visit to Pearl Harbour at the Pacific Aviation Museum, housed in an authentic World War II hangar on the site of Pearl Harbour attack. The museum is filled with aircraft, exhibits and artifacts that add to the overall museum experience.

We finished off the day with a visit to the Dole Pineapple Plantation as it's located near the Pearl Harbour Museum. The weather had packed it in a bit by then but we still had a ball at the somewhat kitschy tourist attraction.

The plantation opened as a tourist attraction in 1989 on the site of the original 1950 pineapple fruit stand. We didn't ride the Pineapple Express Train but we did explore the maze and the country store. The maze is actually kind of awesome. It's the largest maze in the world, stretching over 1.2 hectares with 4km of paths.

Koko Crater Trail

If you're into hiking and love a challenge, I highly recommend tackling the Koko Crater trail. The mountain can be seen from the Kalaianaoli Highway south of Waikiki. It's where the US military created a lookout bunker during World War II and built a railway on the extinct volcano to haul supplies to the top.

It's a 2.4km climb to the top, up 1048 steps. I've seen the hike described variously as easy and medium and hard. I vote for the hard! The climb to the top IS one of the hardest physical things I have done to date.

Travel tip: The trail begins behind a baseball field at Koko Head Park. You can park there for free, but it is quite popular so it's best to get there early if you want to avoid the crowds. There's nothing but a car park at the bottom of the mountain so make sure you take supplies with you.

Not only are there a lot of stairs, they are made from old railroad tracks that the military once used to transport equipment and supplies to the pillbox bunkers on top of the crater. The hike starts off OK, but gets progressively steeper until the end bit that is a killer (when calves are burning badly!). There's quite a bit of loose dirt and the sleepers are not easy to walk up and down.

At one stage there is a flat section that acts as a bridge, with a 12m drop below. There's a platform of sorts to cross, but there's no railing and it doesn't look terribly stable. I sort of crawled over the bridge on my hands and knees in a very inglorious manoeuvre as my balance is terrible.

We struggled a bit to get to the top, except for D who was super fit from all the baseball he played at the time and practically ran up. I can still remember the tough last bit that is very steep. All that said, it was completely worth the burn for the views at 365m.

It might sound naff, but I'm super proud of us all for making it to the top. As someone with limited physical abilities, I still can't believe that I did it. (Mind you, the walk back down was almost harder than the one to the top. My thighs were burning by the end of it.)

The below photos show our after-hike treat. We absolutely gave Yogurtland a workout while we were on the island. That stuff is delicious!

Lanikai

Another hike that we did that I highly recommend is the Lanikai Pillboxes. This is a ridge hike in Kailua on the east of Oahu that affords magnificent views of Lanikai Beach from the top. It's 2.6km to an elevation of 187m.

The hike begins in the suburban streets of Kailua opposite the Mid Pacific Country Club where it's just a matter of finding a park out of the way of the residential homes. You can see E and D at the start of the trail in the top lefthand photo below.

The trailhead is marked but it's not really a trail. It's more a case of following dirt paths and the natural shape of Ka'iwa Ridge. The paths aren't too hard to follow but there are a few rock walls and a bit of climbing required. I also found it a bit slippery. The pillboxes are cool, though, and there are several to explore where the observation posts were erected during the Second World War.

As with the Koko hike, the views are pretty spectacular when you get to the top. The top in this instance provides views of the Ko'olau Mountain Range, Lanikai beach, and the two islands (Mokulua Islands, or 'The Mokes') that are the focal point for the ocean views.

I can't compare the Lanikai hike to Koko Head as they are both spectacular and special in their own way. Lanikai is nowhere near as hard as Koko but the views are just as beautiful and they truly allow you to appreciate the magnificence of Hawaii's landscapes. Koko has incredible views as well, but it stands out to me for the endurance required to get to the top.

Diamond Head

You may have heard of the Diamond Head Hike as it's probably the most popular hike on Oahu. You can see from my photos that it was quite crowded when we went and I expect that's how it is most of the time. The hike, part of the national park, is properly set up for tourists and there is an entrance and parking fee.

The unique shape of Diamond Head (Le'ahi) that you can see from Waikiki beach sits near the eastern edge of the coastline. The national park covers 192 hectares, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater that was formed around 300 000 years ago during a single eruption. The trail to the top was built in 1908 as part of Oahu's coastal defence system. There is a concrete walkway at one point that was built to reduce erosion shifts and there are multiple switchbacks up the slope of the crater's interior.

As with the other two hikes we did, the views are amazing at the top. Diamond Head affords one of the best views of Waikiki with the beach and countryside as surroundings. Of the three hikes we did, Diamond Head was definitely the easiest physically. Even though it's described as steep, the proper pathways and stairs make it an easier climb. It's a 2.4km round trip and ascends 171 metres.

Manoa Falls Trail

While I'm writing about hikes, I'll mention our adventure at Manoa Falls. Manoa is quite close to the centre of Honolulu and it's a short walk to the Falls themselves. There's no charge to do the hike but there is a small charge to park in one of the nearby lots, or there's parking on the surrounding neighbourhood streets a few minutes' walk away.

We were a little disappointed in the waterfall, I have to admit. It is said to be 46 metres and one of the tallest on the island, but as our photos show, it wasn't very substantial, despite recent rain. The lushness of the dense rainforest was the main attraction. It was stunning!

The below photos show why Manoa was memorable beyond the beautiful surroundings. It was the mud! The mud is something we will always remember. Information on the Falls is clear about the possibility of the trail being muddy, but we weren't prepared for the extent of it.

We slipped and slid our way up to the falls, determined to get there in the end. For someone with terrible balance, though, it was quite a tough trek. I still can't believe that we got to the falls as it was almost harder than the Koko hike, but for completely different reasons!

D gave up when it got super muddy as he'd just bought fancy new shoes a few days earlier and WAS NOT IMPRESSED that they were all muddy. Manoa mud aftermath: We battled Friday afternoon traffic the following week to drive back out to the shopping outlet to replace his ruined shoes...

Halona Blowhole

There are so many beautiful natural wonders on Oahu and we explored as many of them as we could fit into our time on the island. Again, having a car made this exploration possible.

One of most popular natural attractions is the Halona blow hole. It was created thousands of years ago when molten lava tubes were formed from volcanic eruptions. Halona means lookout in Hawaiian and it is possible to watch the magnificence of the blow hole and take in the views of the coastline from the lookout. The ocean water shoots up to 9 metres in the air!

The blow hole is only a 20-minute drive outside of Waikiki along the Kalaniana'ole Highway that takes you past Hanauma Bay and Koko Head.

The cove that you can see on the lefthand side of the below shot is Halona Beach Cove, known locally as Eternity Beach for the famous love scene in the 1953 film, From here to eternity, with Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster. The beach has also featured in Pirates of the Carribean, 50 first dates and Jurassic World: Fallen kingdom.

I found this cool photo on the Real Hawaii Tours website. It shows a different perspective on the lookout and the rocky coastline.

Makapu'u Point and lighthouse

Not far from the blow hole is the Makapu'u Point trail, with spectacular views of Oahu's southeastern coastline, including Koko Head. This is the windward side of the island where offshore islets and seabirds can be seen from the trail. Migrating humpback whales can sometimes be spotted from November to May.

I love lighthouses 💞. Makapu'u was built in 1909 and it sits majestically on the point, with its red roof a beautiful contrast to the ocean and surrounds. The lighthouse is off limits but there's a lovely view of it from the trail.

The park and trailhead are off the Kalaniana'ole Highway at the southeastern-most point of the island. There's free parking at the trailhead. The walk is a 3.2km hike round trip to a height of 152 metres to the lookout. As my photos show, the trail is mostly hard-surfaced and it's not a difficult climb. It's quite exposed, though, and I imagine it would be hot in summer.

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is a beautiful beach and marine ecosystem formed within a volcanic cone on the southeastern side of the island. The bay is protected by vertical crater walls and a peripheral reef. This protection keeps the water calm so it's a great spot for families for swimming and for snorkelling.

The Nature Preserve was declared a protected marine life conversation park in 1967. All visitors are required to watch a 9-minute video on park preservation and safety rules as part of the conservation program for the marine ecosystem.

There's an entrance fee (at the time of writing $25USD) but it's wonderful to know that the park can be enjoyed while preservation is being taken seriously. There's a snack bar and gift shop on the upper level and the dinky little tram down to the beach is included in the entry fee. We walked down and back, though!

We had a lovely time at Hanauma Bay and WED swam and snorkelled while I sat on the beach and relaxed. The views from the upper level are gorgeous and it's kind of cool to share the beach with giant palm trees.

Punchbowl

The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in Honolulu. It might seem an odd addition to a travel itinerary but I have a fascination with cemeteries, especially those with historical significance and stunning settings. Punchbowl, the informal name of the cemetery, sits in an extinct volcano formed 75 to 100 000 years ago. The crater was formed after hot lava was ejected through cracks in the old coral reefs that extended from the nearby mountains at the time. The Hawaiian name, Puowaina, means Hill of sacrifice. The crater was once an altar where human sacrifices were offered to pagan gods. During Kamehameha the Great's reign, two cannons were mounted at the rim to welcome distinguished arrivals and signify important occasions. At the end of WW2, tunnels were dug through the crater's rim for the placement of shore batteries.

On either side of the grand stairs leading to the memorial (lefthand photo below) are Eight Courts of the Missing, on which are inscribed the names of the 18 095 American World War II missing from the Pacific, and 8210 American missing from the Korean War. Two half courts have been added at the foot of the staircase that contain the names of 2504 Americans missing from the Vietnam War.

At the top of the stairs is a chapel flanked by galleries containing mosaic maps and descriptions of the achievements of the American armed forces in the central and south Pacific regions and in Korea.

The pathway shown in the top middle photo above is lined with a variety of memorials that have been donated by governments and organisations to honour American veterans.

More than 5 million people visit the cemetery each year. Even if cemeteries and military history aren't your jam, it's worth a visit for the fab panoramic views of Honolulu from the crater's rim, as these photos show, and for a wander around the beautiful grounds.

Honolulu

If you are wondering if we actually set foot in downtown Honolulu, the answer is yes! Honestly, though, it's the least interesting part of Oahu. The city is quite busy and touristy and similar to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast near where we live.

Below is a montage of shots from our city wanderings, including E's henna tattoo, the International Marketplace, and the US Army Museum at Fort DeRussy.

Below are some shots of Waikiki Beach, of course a must-see even if it's not the best beach on the island in my view. Diamond Head can be seen in the background. That the beach is framed by the Head is one of the best things about it. My impression from my first visit in 2010 remained the same - Waikiki is not as nice as the beaches we have in Australia and I think it's generally a bit overhyped. The kids were underwhelmed as well!

The best memory we have of Honolulu is the gorgeous sunset we experienced on our last night of the trip. The Hilton Hotel hosts fireworks, and we wandered along the beachfront then found a spot in the hotel grounds to watch the display. Awesome!

Earlier, we had dinner at the Wailana Coffee House, just across the road from the Hilton. I'd been there during my visit in 2010 as my hotel was close by. I just had to take WED there as it's iconic Hawaii, with its loud carpet and throwback meals. The restaurant was a popular spot for decades until it closed in 2018. I read recently that it's going to be converted into an ABC Store. ABC is a massive convenience chain in Hawaii that sells everything you can possibly imagine, including Hawaiian apparel and gifts. The store is cool and all, but losing the nostalgic experience that the coffee house offers is kind of sad.

H50 spotting

At the time of our visit in 2013, the reboot of Hawaii 50 was in full swing, starring Australian actor, Alex O'Loughlin, in the title role. We watched the first few seasons and knew of the filming locations, many of which are iconic landmarks on the island.

The Aloha Tower Marketplace and Liliha Bakery were often featured in the show. The Tower is a retired lighthouse (standing 50 metres tall) that first opened in 1926 at Pier 9 of Honolulu Harbour. The lighthouse was for decades the tallest building on the island. It was placed under control of the US Navy after the Pearl Harbour attacks and the beacon was shut off and the building painted in camouflage to minimise detection. Today it is a shopping centre, with eateries and spaces for community gatherings.

We sat on the pier eating our delicious bakery treats, as you can see in the shots below. Liliha is an iconic Hawaiian bakery, with four other locations besides the original one that we shopped at on Kuakini Street. The bakery has been in operation since 1950. Yum!

While we were out driving one day, we spotted signs that indicated H50 filming was taking place. You can see E and me in the top righthand shot below at the site where all the equipment sat. The other photos show where we sneaked a peek at some filming. The guy in the blue shirt in the bottom lefthand shot is Ian Anthony Dale, who played Adam Nakamori on the show. He spotted us in the distance and gave us a wave. Cool! The bottom righthand shot is of Treat Williams, whom we watched filming an evening scene along with a car chase down a city street.

The final nod to H50 was our visit to the Supreme Court of Hawaii buildings, featured in the show's opening credits and in numerous scenes. The most recognisable statue of King Kamehameha in Hawaii stands in front of the buildings, dedicated in 1883.

The North Shore

We spent a lovely day exploring the North Shore of Oahu. Again, if you have a car I highly recommend venturing beyond Honolulu and enjoying the beautiful natural landscapes of the island. The North Shore is famous for the winter surfing competitions as the big waves swell between November and February. It's about an hour's drive from Waikiki and there are lots of places to check out in the region. The below collage is a montage of the beautiful sights that we took in on the North Shore. The main town is Haleiwa, famous for surfing, arts and crafts, and shave ice.

La'ie Point

One of the stunning sights to see on the North Shore is La'ie Point State Wayside, featuring the iconic La'ie Point Needle, a unique volcanic rock formation that you can see in the below photos. The point has cultural significance, too, as the place where legend says the goddess Hi'iaka, sister of the volcano goddess Pele, threw the remains of the monster Kuiniolo into the sea. It's a beautiful part of the island, with the drama of the waves crashing on the rocks and the needle rising to create a fascinating silhouette against the ocean backdrop. The Point is easily accessed from the Kamehameha Highway although parking is limited.

Kualoa Ranch

Kualoa Ranch is on the eastern side of the island. The ranch is a 1618 hectare nature preserve incorporating three separate valleys. It was established in 1850 and is a sacred area of battlegrounds and traditional villages.

These days, there are a bunch of activities available on the Ranch, including horseback riding, ATV tours, ziplining, and movie tours. Over 200 television shows and movies have been filmed in the area, most notably Jurassic Park, 50 first dates, King Kong, and Godzilla.

OK, so it's super touristy, but we did a tour and we had a blast. The tour was basically a drive around the island (on the bus shown here) to look at film sites, with a few stops along the way.

I'm sure you'll recognise the scenery from television shows and films that have been filmed in Hawaii, especially Lost and Hawaii 50. The highlights for us were the Jurassic Park scenes. In the collage below you can see the kids and me posing by the giant log from the film that the main characters hid behind while the dinosaurs ran across the open field. Cool!

Despite the tourist vibe, the Ranch is a beautiful place. It's quite expensive to do the tours and activities so you may want to skip it if you'd rather put your money into something else.

Food and shopping

At the time of our visit, the US and Australian dollars were of equal value and while food on the island was expensive, shopping wasn't. We gave the kids a chunk of money each and they had a ball spending on it clothes and shoes as they were cheaper than at home back then. My recommendation for the best shopping is the Waikele Outlet, about an hour out of the city.

When I look back at my photos, it seems that food featured heavily. That's kind of weird for us as we're not usually into food! The kids were fascinated by the massive meals, the Americana - peanut butter and jelly - and all the varieties of Ben & Jerry's ice cream that we couldn't get at home (and the low cost of the tubs compared with what we paid). So...here is a collage dedicated to food, and the one and only time on all my travels where we ate it up!

A lovely opportunity to meet up

This is me with Sage, a remarkable woman from northern California I met on an online forum who shares our interest in Hawaii. We met up with Sage twice (and her partner and son) while we were in Hawaii, once on the North Shore and at a restaurant in Lanikai. It was such an awesome experience to meet Sage in person.

The Big Island

We planned an overnight visit to the Big Island to add something special to our trip. We visited on our actual 20th wedding anniversary 💖. The Big Island has a completely different vibe to Oahu as it's less touristy and busy. The main attraction is the natural landscape, including the active volcanoes. It's definitely worth a visit if you want to add to your experience of Hawaii's magnificent natural wonders.

The flight from Honolulu to Hilo on the eastern side of the island is less than an hour on a tiny plane that is buffeted about by the winds between the islands. The views of the island are pretty cool as the plane approaches.

There's a rugged beauty to the place and reminders, like the one in the below collage, of its dangers.

We hired a car as the island is big (hence the name The Big Island, when it's official name is the Island of Hawaii) and there are lots of different geological features to explore. These shots show some of the unspoilt scenery that we enjoyed after first leaving the airport and heading north. Pretty, right?

We'd had an early start so we found a local bakery for some nourishment. Ishigo's pretty much sums up the vibe of the island. Super chilled.

The stunning Akaka Falls Park was next on our itinerary. The park is 18km north of Hilo, at the end of Akaka Falls Road. We found it easily enough and there was hardly anyone there when we visited. The only fee is a $5USD parking charge (at the time of writing).

Akaka, Hawaii's most famous waterfall, plunges 135 metres into a stream-eroded gorge. The park in which the falls sit is 26 hectares and is a beautifully peaceful setting.

The looped trail from the park to the falls is less than one kilometre and, as you can see in the below photos, it's an easy walk on a well-maintained path. The vegetation is lush and there are multiple viewpoints along the way. You'll see wild orchids, bamboo groves, and draping ferns. Simply stunning!

One of the cool natural landscapes on the Big Island is the black sand. We headed south from the Falls to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. We'd never seen a beach like this before so we were fascinated by it! We had lots of fun poking around and were lucky enough to see several giant turtles, including the one in the shot below that was sunning itself on the sand.

Oh, and we visited the southernmost bakery in the United States for a late light lunch.

The main reason to visit the Big Island is to experience the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, first established in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson and covering 135 000 hectares. The park extends 4145 metres from the sea and is home to two of the world's most active volcanoes - Mauna Loa and Kilauea. There are lava tube caves, cultural sites representing six centuries of Hawaiian habitation, and a plethora of native flora and fauna species. The park is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its history is closely linked with Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, whom legend says created the Hawaiian Islands through the destructive force of volcanic activity.

The park is 50km southwest of Hilo but we were already down the southern part of the island at the black sand beach. There's a visitor's centre at Kilauea for information on the park and its features. There are guided tours but we followed the park map and explored Crater Rim Drive on our own. There's an entrance fee per car which is currently $30USD. Here you can see us exploring the super cool lave tube caves formed 500 years ago...

...and the hardened lava stretching across the road...

...and experiencing geothermal activity, including the incredible evening views of the active volcano.

Vising the park remains one of the most incredible things I have done. It's absolutely worth the trek from Oahu if you are visiting Hawaii. It is humbling to see such a powerful display of nature.

We had a huge first day on the Big Island and ended up at our hotel on the western side of the island late into the evening as it was a long drive from the park. We couldn't find anywhere to stop for dinner that was open so we ended up falling into bed and refuelling at the vast buffet breakfast the next morning. I'm not usually picky about accommodation and I always book cheap-ish places, but the hotel was the worst one I've ever stayed in, really only because it was...well...not very nice. That said, it was only for one night and the views from the breakfast room were gorgeous.

We were due to fly back to Honolulu in the evening of the second day but we continued our trek around the island, stopping for more lava exploration.

There are loads of beaches on the island. Here we are at Hapuna Beach on the west coast. It was much less crowded than Waikiki and a beautiful protected beach that is perfect for families.

Lunch was in Kapa'au on the northern tip, in an adorably island-y café with a King Kamehameha statue out front.

We explored the island's dramatic scenery along the top and back down the eastern side to the airport at Hilo as the weather turned a little cold and cloudy later in the day. The rugged coastline sure is spectacular!

Our Hawaiian experience

I couldn't recommend Hawaii more for an experience of incredible natural beauty and historical and cultural significance. I'd love to go back again and explore the islands I haven't yet visited. As I have said numerous times in this post, hire a car if you are visiting and make sure you venture outside of Honolulu. We absolutely made the most of our two weeks and we'll always have the best memories of the trip and all the cool things we saw and did.

This was my second time to Hawaii and the first time that we had all been on an international holiday together. With WED in tow, it felt like a different experience. I had memories already of Hawaii so the thrill of being somewhere new was a little dimmed. That said, the experience was such an important trip for our family, as my reflection below explain. The trip also cemented my love for natural landscapes and how they make me feel at peace.