2023-06-12 15:04:00
One of the most active volcanoes in the world
SPlumes of water vapor and sulfur drift from the caldera rim. Visitors at the viewpoint overlooking Halemaumau Crater wait for the sunset. Gradually, the sky and clouds are colored, first pink, then orange, later red. As night falls, bubbling lava deep in the mountain becomes visible on active days.
The glowing mass then spills out of several fissures in the crater and flows into a lava lake. Sometimes it sprays and hisses like a fountain. Kilauea is considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world. He is part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and is located on the largest island in the archipelago, Big Island.
For decades, Kilauea has alternated periods of activity and rest. The recent outbreak started last week. After several months of rest, fresh lava was sighted in the crater again. “Nobody knows when and how long Pele is active,” says Jessica Ferracane, who works as a ranger at the park. How many on Hawaii she also believes in the power of Pele: according to legend, the goddess of fire lives in the Halemaumau crater and repeatedly causes eruptions and earthquakes. With every lava flow she creates new island land.
The most recent eruption: The image shows Kilauea on June 7, 2023
What: AFP/-
In addition to Kilauea, there are three more on the Big Island volcanoes as active, including Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on earth. In 2022 he broke out again – after 38 years. But only for a short time. Hiking trails near the summit are still closed, but the Mauna Loa Trail has reopened from the trailhead near Mauna Loa Lookout to Red Hill Cabin.
Most volcano tourists, about two million a year, prefer to head to Kilauea. The Crater Rim Drive goes around the crater area. The Keanakakoi viewpoint with the best view of the crater is particularly popular. For how long? years, maybe decades. Everything depends on Pele. Or how to on Hawaii says: It is “Mana”, Hawaiian for an act of nature.
A romantic beach on the Big Island
Barefoot, the bride and groom face each other on the beach, waves lapping their ankles. She’s wearing one Flower wreath of orchids around his neck he has an open necklace made of the green leaves of the fire palm. A musician in hawaiian shirt plucks his ukulele and hums “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.
Beach weddings like this are common at Beach 69, a bread tree lined area Strand on the west coast of the Big Island. At first glance, the beach does not fit the South Seas cliché: instead of coconut palms, you will find bushes and trees here, the sand is golden ocher, with gray and black lava pebbles in between.
Source: Infographic WORLD
“Beach 69 is one of my favorite spots, also for weddings,” says event planner Patricia Thumann, who is from Hamburg and has been organizing dream weddings in Hawaii with her agency Nani Weddings for a few years. “It’s perfect for smaller beach parties and represents the scenic diversity of the Hawaiian Islands.”
In fact, the beach near the village of Puako, fringed by solidified lava, is one of the most pristine in the archipelago. On Beach 69 you will find – unlike on Hawaii’s most famous party mile Waikiki Beach – no hotels, loungers or umbrellas, nor waitresses serving mai tais. Instead, families with charcoal grills, six-packs and coolers come to the sunset, a few visitors swing in the hammocks stretched between the trees, snorkelers dig in the water.
Bread trees instead of palm trees: Beach 69 is natural – and romantic
Quelle: Shutterstock/instacruising
Officially, Beach 69 is called “Waialea Bay” and is part of the Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. But nobody calls him that in Hawaii. The beach got its common name from a telegraph pole number 69, which long marked the entrance to the once-hidden cove. At that time, only a dirt road led there, today there is a narrow road. It didn’t damage his good reputation. Beach 69 remains a romantic beach.
Thousands of whales off the coast of Hawaii
Suddenly it hisses off the coast of the island Maui. A fountain shoots up, then another. A whale cow and her calf jump out of the water one after the other and then drop violently to the surface of the water as they land. What a sight!
Standing at a vantage point on Maalaea Bay near the McGregor Lighthouse, spectators can’t believe their luck. You can admire this spectacle of nature with the naked eye and without binoculars. The whales cavort just a few hundred meters off the coast.
Water features: A humpback whale performs a leap off Maui
Quelle: Beth Cagnoni /Getty Images/500px
November to April is whale season in Hawaii: Thousands Buckelwale then visit the shallow, warm coastal waters between the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai to calve. Nowhere can you get as close to marine mammals from land as on Maui’s Coastal Route 30, also known as the Honoapiilani Highway.
It is a road trip for nature lovers. The highway between Maalaea Bay and Kapalua meanders along the west coast of Maui for almost 40 kilometers, but you hardly make any progress on it during whale season. Again and again it’s time to brake, be amazed, take pictures: at the McGregor Lighthouse, at the Maalaea Lookout, at Ukumehame Beach, at the Papalaua Wayside Park.
“The waters off Maui are warm and only about 200 to 330 feet deep. For whale cows and their calves, the sea here is like a gigantic toddler pool,” says biologist Annelise Cochran of the Pacific Whale Foundation, a non-profit foundation that offers sustainable whale-watching tours on catamarans off Maui.
But even without a boat, the underwater world is within reach on Maui – right on the highway. The Maui Ocean Center in Maalaea features one of the largest tropical reef aquariums in the world. More than 2000 species of fish can be seen here, including rays, hammerheads and tiger sharks. Here you can even dive with sharks in the tank – and virtually with whales.
Fantastic bay for snorkeling on Oahu
The waters of Hanauma Bay shimmer in turquoise, including colored corals as far as the eye can see. Palm fronds sway in the wind on the beach. Hanauma Bay is considered the most beautiful snorkeling bay in Hawaii and is therefore one of the most popular travel destinations on Oahu. Here visitors snorkel with parrotfish, seals and sea turtles.
“For me, this bay is one of the most amazing but also one of the most vulnerable places in Hawaii,” says Aidan Abe, a guide with Oahu Hikes. The hiking guide took a small group to the bay on foot.
Off the coast of Oahu: Snorkel with surgeonfish in Hanauma Bay
Quelle: Shutterstock / Gordon Fahey
Up until a few years ago, thousands upon thousands of holidaymakers swam and snorkeled here every day and left an oily film of sunscreen on the water. Some broke off coral as a souvenir. “Hardly any other destination in Hawaii has suffered as much from tourism as Hanauma Bay,” says Abe.
But with the lockdown, the underwater world recovered. Between the corals settle again schools of fish on, the Hawaiian monk seals are returning, conservationists are breeding new corals and releasing them. Water quality improved by 50 percent.
The bay is now open again – with restrictions. The authorities only issue 1,400 tickets a day, and nature keeps to itself two days a week.
Hiking or trekking on the island of Kauai
The island of Kauai is best known for its spectacular northern cliffs, which have already served as a backdrop for Hollywood films such as “King Kong” or “Pirates of the Carribean”. The only land access to the lush green cliffs, tumbling waterfalls and sandy beaches beyond the Napali Mountains is the Kalalau Trail. It is probably the most famous, but also the most difficult hiking trail in Hawaii in its entire length.
Famous: The Kalalau Trail on Kauai leads through the jungle along the cliffs
Quelle: picture alliance/All Canada Photos/Steve Ogle
The cliffs of the rugged Napali Mountains drop almost 100 meters vertically at the legendary viewpoint “Crawlers Ledge”. Pacific down. From there, experienced trekkers hike through Hā’ena State Park to Kalalau Beach, which can only be reached on foot or from the water.
It is 35 kilometers and a good 2,000 meters in altitude to the other end of the Napali Coast. An adventure for several days. You can stay overnight on the beach, here are probably the loneliest, but also most idyllic campsites in Hawaii (only with registration at the park administration, the equivalent of 32 euros per day).
Fortunately, the legendary Kalalau hike is available in several lengths. The short variant leads to the Hanakapiai waterfall. At twelve kilometers there and back, the route is significantly shorter and easier to walk. After just a short climb, it leads directly along the cliffs and offers phenomenal views of the Pacific and the Napali cliffs. Below the 100 meter high waterfall you can go swimming.
for minihikes but the first three kilometers from the parking lot at Kee Beach to Hanakapiai Beach are popular with everyone. Some of Kauai’s most beautiful natural wonders are already on this stretch: jungle-like forests, majestic cliffs, azure waters.
The beach is also a popular surf spot. The cliffs are also an experience from the water: in summer you can paddle kayaks along the cliffs in a relaxed manner.
Tips and information:
Getting there: For example with Lufthansa and United Airlines with a stopover from Frankfurt to Honolulu.
Accommodation: Oahu: “Ilikai Hotel & Luxury Suites”, rooms with kitchenettes in Honolulu, half an hour’s drive from Hanauma Bay, double rooms from 260 euros (ilikaihotel.com).
Maui: “Plantation Inn”, colonial-style guest house in Lahaina near the Honoapiilani Highway, double room from 360 euros, minimum stay two nights (theplantationinn.com).
Kauai: “Hanalei Colony Resort”, apartments with sea views near the Napali Coast, double rooms from 335 euros (hcr.com).
Hawaii: “Fairmont Hotel Orchid”, luxurious beach resort on the west coast near Puako, double room from 560 euros (fairmont.com/orchid-hawaii).
Activities: Oahu: guided hikes in small groups, from 140 euros per person with transfer from/to Honolulu, (oahuhike.com).
Maui: The Pacific Whale Foundation organizes catamaran whale watching tours, from 65 euros per person, (pacificwhale.org/cruises).
Kauai: Kalalau Trail parking must be reserved online, $9.50 per vehicle, $4.50 per person; (gohaena.com, kalalautrail.com).
Hawaii: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, admission 28 euros per vehicle, valid for seven days. Webcams from the Park Authority provide information about current volcano activity at nps.gov.
Further information: Visit USA: visittheusa.de/state/hawaii; Go Hawaii: gohawaii.com/de
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