Lava Viewing from land

[Chilcotin]

We are on the 11 day Norwegian Wind sailing on March 11th. Apparently, it does not sail by the lava as the ship heads to Maui which is the other direction.

 

In order to see lava we will have to do it on land. Since our port time in Hilo is limited would it be best just to do the tour from the ship or are there vendors that sell tours to see the lava on the pier? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

[jaynak]

Erin - I don't have a lot of info for you but I can say that there are a lot of companies offering tours right there when you get off - whether or not it is a good deal would be the question?? I think I would plan ahead to have a tour waiting for me. The day we were there it was a 7 hour walk from the point where tour buses had to stop to where the lava was entering the ocean. Needless to say, we didn't make the walk. You could see the steam in the distance though.

[sceptic]

Erin, if your goal is to see flowing lava you have two options - helicopter or hike. Search in this Hawaii area for info on Helicopter - Hilo for information on cost, etc for the aerial option.

 

As far as hiking to the lava, you do not need a guide. I'm personally not a fan of guides for this because you're going on either the guide's schedule or the slowest person in your group's timetable. Some folks just prefer the security of a guided tour, though. If you're thinking of doing it on your own, here's what you need to do.

 

Arrange for a car rental in Hilo.

Know beforehand how far it is to active lava from the end of the Chain of Craters road, or even if there is any active flows near the ocean. You can do this by checking http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/main.html

daily. Currently it's about 3+ miles each way over uneven terrain. The last time I was there, a couple of years ago, there was zero active lava either at the ocean or the pali. We hiked 30 miles in two days to briefly see some pretty decent activity at Pu'u O'o itself.

 

Anyway, if the lava IS flowing and you have your car, drive to HVNP. Immediately drive to the end of the Chain of Craters road, park the car, and start hiking. Take lots of water, wear sturdy shoes (high top hiking shoes are best because of the very uneven terrain.) Sunscreen. Rain Gear. Munchies. A camera. And start hiking.

 

I have no idea where the "seven hour hike" to active lava came from. Anyone in reasonable shape can do it (based on the current lava entry at East Lae`apuki) in a couple of hours each way. This actual entry site has been pretty stable for months, but it could change in hours. You never know, so check the above website on the morning you arrive in Hilo.

 

How long will it take? Rough guess - 1.5 hours from rental pickup to the end of CoC road. 5 hours of hiking total, to and from. How ever long you want to be at the ocean entry. Definitely doable.

 

The big question is - is it worth it? Assuming you're in shape to do it, the answer is yes. Absolutely yes.

 

But what if, upon your arrival in Hilo, the weather is horrendous or the lava has ceased flowing to the ocean? Then you'll be stuck touring the main part of HVNP, such as Thurston Lava tube, Kilauea Iki, the village of Volcano, etc, which is spectacular anyway.

[DonahCBrown]

We are on the 11 day Norwegian Wind sailing on March 11th. Apparently, it does not sail by the lava as the ship heads to Maui which is the other direction.

 

In order to see lava we will have to do it on land. Since our port time in Hilo is limited would it be best just to do the tour from the ship or are there vendors that sell tours to see the lava on the pier? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

Where does the Wind come FROM to get to Hilo? If you do Kona at all, I'd expect you would come around from the south and pass the lava flow at some point. Might be way early in the morning, though....

[Chilcotin]

Hi Donna,

 

The Wind comes in from Honolulu. Here is a copy of the itinerary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11-Day Hawaii - Norwegian Wind

2006: Feb 18; Mar 11; Oct 7, 28; Nov 18; Dec 9, 30

 

2007: Jan 20; Feb 10; Mar 3, 24; Apr 14

Day

Port

Arrive

Depart

Sat.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

 

 

8:00pm

Sun.

Hilo, Hawaii

9:30am

5:00pm

Mon.

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

8:00am

10:30pm

Tue.

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

7:00am

8:00pm

Wed.

Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii

8:00am

5:00pm

Thu.

At sea

Fri.

At sea

Sat.

Fanning Island, Republic Of Kiribati

8:00am

4:00pm

Sun.

At sea

Mon.

At sea

Tue.

Kona, Hawaii

7:00am

5:00pm

Wed.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

7:00am*

 

- -

 

* Disembarkation usually begins two hours after docking.

 

For more information contact your local

travel professional or contact NCL at 1-888-NCL-HAWAII

(1-888-625-4292)

- -

[DonahCBrown]

Hi Donna,

 

The Wind comes in from Honolulu. Here is a copy of the itinerary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

11-Day Hawaii - Norwegian Wind

2006: Feb 18; Mar 11; Oct 7, 28; Nov 18; Dec 9, 30

 

2007: Jan 20; Feb 10; Mar 3, 24; Apr 14

Day

Port

Arrive

Depart

Sat.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

 

 

travel professional or contact NCL at 1-888-NCL-HAWAII

(1-888-625-4292)

 

 

 

 

 

- -

 

8:00pm

Sun.

Hilo, Hawaii

9:30am

5:00pm

Mon.

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

8:00am

10:30pm

Tue.

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

7:00am

8:00pm

Wed.

Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii

8:00am

5:00pm

Thu.

At sea

Fri.

At sea

Sat.

Fanning Island, Republic Of Kiribati

8:00am

4:00pm

Sun.

At sea

Mon.

At sea

Tue.

Kona, Hawaii

7:00am

5:00pm

Wed.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

7:00am*

 

 

* Disembarkation usually begins two hours after docking.

 

For more information contact your local

- -

 

You MIGHT come past the volcano on the way into Kona from Fanning - just depends on the Capt. and the route he takes, but you're right, nothing looks particularly promising here, although there are several places where the ship COULD come past the volcano. I'd check some previous cruisers on that itinerary and see what the practice has been.

 

In any event, the hike out varies in length depending on the actual eruption site and conditions, so the posting earlier about checking the observatory site for current conditions is a good suggestion.

 

Closed toe shoes (no sandals or slippers) and use caution as the terrain is uneven and very slick. Lots of sunscreen, hats, water.

[segerd]

Just did this hike to the lava flow this past week. The active flow was 3+ miles out on the lava field. It was well worth the long hike. Bring lots of water and sunscreen though. Email me if you want some pictures from the hike. :)

[dinobja]

How long did it take you to reach the lava? Also I would love to see the pics? my email is jaime.dinobile@cox.net Thank you so much.

[Chilcotin]

I would also like to see the pictures.

 

Thanks to everyone who has replied.

 

chilcotin52@yahoo.ca

[Chilcotin]

I would also like to see the pictures.

 

Thanks to everyone who has replied.

 

chilcotin52@yahoo.ca