The other side of Hawaii
November 14, 2023
The Hawaiian Islands, tucked away in the central Pacific Ocean, call to mind year-round sunshine, gorgeous white-sand beaches, and an iconic brand of global tourism. The fleeting few days of paradise amidst the daily grind of life can range from free campsites to resort hotels and secluded, thatched-roof bungalows charging thousands of dollars per night.
But the dark clouds hanging over Hilo, the rainiest city in the US, portend a feature of the Hawaiian Islands that is not often depicted in popular culture or in the media…
(more...)Volcanoes national park
(audio: Ledward Kaapana | Radio Hula)
A foggy hike in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to the largest active volcano in the world. Here you can make your way down into a stunning volcanic crater, meeting rare flora and fauna along the way. You might even catch a perfect rainbow. Pictured is the gorgeous and iconic ohi’a flower, a fixture in the islands’ history and culture.
The greens grow, unexpectedly, amidst a landscape of dark rock, lava tubes and cinder cones, and you’re reminded, each time you walk this trail, of how volcanoes rewrite the contours of the Earth in ways large and small.
The park is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.