It’s the end of the year 2020 and an active volcano just erupted on the Big Island of Hawaii, what do you do? Well, I decided to buy a reduced price plane ticket and non-refundable Airbnb to work remotely for a month. This could arguably be one of the most dangerous decisions I’ve ever made, but it turned out to be my best yet.

If you’ve read my previous post, then you know that I’ve promised to share a few of my memorable experiences from this tropical trip. With quite a few topics to cover, I’ll be starting with what I consider to be 4 extraordinary aspects of visiting the Big Island of Hawaii.

4 Extraordinary Aspects of Visiting the Big Island of Hawaii

1. The Floor is Lava

While the floor is lava is an imaginative game on the mainland, the floor is literally lava on the Big Island. As the youngest of the Hawaiian islands with two massive volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, the Big Island is still actively growing via lava .

Likewise, the first and most noticeable aspect of the Big Island is that dark lava rock dominates the landscape. There are distinct lava flows from different years cutting across the island, with the newest forging expansive, unforgiving fields of black rock. These striking lava features are immensely powerful, both physically and spiritually. It’s said that Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and the creator of the Hawaiian islands, lives within the Kilauea volcano on the southern tip of the island.

Pele is highly respected on the Big Island, with many locals leaving her beautiful and sacred offerings. Her powerful eruptions embody the duality of visceral violence and the fertility of new life: her formidable obelisks scrape into the sky, her craggy cliffs culminate into a cacophony of seaside steam, her forceful lava flows lay Jurassic jungle to the ground, and last but not least, her delicate young leaves sprout with strength from the deadly rock. Observing this overwhelming puissance was quite impressionable for me, and I will always carry a deep respect for Pele and her resplendent lava flows.

2. Brutal, Breathtaking Hiking

As someone who spends most of my days staring at a laptop for work, it’s immensely exhilarating to step away from my desk, get out of my comfort zone, and experience the humbling power of nature. That being said, I’ve never pushed myself as far outside of my comfort zone as I did hiking on the Big Island.

On the northern side of the island, there are several colossal valleys with remote hiking trails and camping flats. Since my companions and I flew to the Big Island sans camping gear, we decided to tackle the Muliwai to Waimanu Valley Trail as a day hike. Just to be clear, this is a 17+ mile hike in dense wilderness with over 5,000 feet of elevation change and two rivers to ford.

Determined to undertake this beast of a hike in one day, we woke up at 5am, packed our bags with 4–5 Liters of water, and whipped our Jeep into 4WD to make the gnarly descent into the trailhead. The first mile of the hike was a rigorous 1,500+ foot climb up a rocky cliff in humid heat. I thought I was in decent shape prior to this hike, but this first mile chewed me up and spat me out almost as much as the mosquitoes did.

Further along, the dense jungle trail crossed several waterfalls, winded through Jurassic trees with unfamiliar yet impressive leaves, and triangular above-ground root structures. Precarious cliff side vistas offered occasional glimpses into the majestic valley, with perfectly picturesque views that were almost as breathtaking as the inclines themselves. Once in a while the cliffs gave way to loose rocks and slippery steps. Descending into the valley, we waded through a painful river of palm fronds lined with razor blade edges, and finally stumbled onto a lava rock beach.

Rising from the sea to sky were two monumental mountains of vines, fronds, and flowers. One of the tallest waterfalls in the U.S. cascaded effortlessly 1,600 feet down one of the valley walls. Wild horses roamed across the lush and vibrant green valley floor, adding to the paradisal vibe. After soaking in this majesty for an hour-long lunch, we did the entire hike again in the other direction.

When we arrived back at the beach trailhead bruised, beat up, and possibly missing a few toes, a ripe guava rolled across the black sand and stopped directly at our feet. Starved for electrolytes, we ripped it open revealing the signature citrus smell, and each took turns indulging in the tropical nectar. This was the perfect ending to our sweaty island adventure, and I don’t think I will ever be able to appreciate a piece of fresh fruit as much as I did in that exhaustion-fueled moment.

3. Fresh Fruit Everywhere

Fresh fruit is so abundant on the Big Island that it actually falls from the sky. In fact, you have to be mindful not to get pummeled by a coconut, papaya, guava, or even a gargantuan avocado.

One afternoon watching the waves roll in at Magic Sands Beach near Kona, we witnessed a “meet-cute” centered around this subject, more specifically, a palm tree laden with ripe coconuts. A young lady with short blonde hair positioned her towel beneath this bountiful palm tree, and a guitar player wearing overalls with nothing underneath warned her of her precarious placement. High on island vibes, or perhaps island greens, she insisted that she was pleased with her location and that even a surprise encounter with a coconut could not ruin her euphoria. The local musician warned her once more that this would not be a pleasant surprise, returning his attention to his guitar.

A sensual sunset and a few songs later, she asked him to join her under the tree for a joint. He said yes, cast a cautious glance upwards at the coconuts, then proceeded to cozy up on her towel beneath the tree. This goes to show that sometimes the risk of a coconut to the head is worth it on the beach in Hawaii, at least it was for this sunset soaked pair.

In addition to initiating spontaneous beach romances, the tropical fruit on the Big Island makes for an undeniably tasty treat. Passionfruit, orange, guava (POG) juice tastes like the nectar of the gods, and I would argue that this needs to become a mainland staple as well.

4. Stoked Travel Partners

Lastly, this month-long adventure would not have been as positively energetic and exciting without such friendly, stoked, and go-with-the-flow travel partners. As many of you know, traveling often presents stressful, uncomfortable, and tiring situations. Your companions’ reactions to these hiccups can easily make or break the trip. Fortunately, my travel partners were a supreme source of positivity, inspiration, and shameless fun. Don’t just take my word for it, meet my charming travel partners for yourself:

• KB: the epitome of a good sapien – full of heart, motivation, and an insatiable curiosity to learn. Living by the book he upholds OSHA regulations, keeps a clean kitchen, and would never dare break any manners. However, don’t be fooled by his midwestern politeness, because he has a flair for spontaneity that will keep you on your toes.
• Colonel Mustard: an infinite source of energy, inspiration, and unparalleled athleticism. He recently reached his ten year anniversary of running every single day, but don’t be intimidated by his athletic prowess. He is approachable, creative, and kind, uplifting those around him with impromptu dances, photography, and word-for-word renditions of entertaining songs.
• Aloha Toha: a wildly intelligent, competitive, and playful spirit. As a natural leader and team captain he transforms any situation into an enjoyable game, but don’t mistake his instinctive ability to win as arrogance. He is patient, caring, and able to build a bonding sense of team spirit with all skill levels.

Over the course of numerous homemade dinners, game nights, road trips, educational books on tape, body surfing sessions, boundary-pushing hikes, and spontaneous dance parties, these friends quickly became family, or more aptly put- Ohana. While travel partners are the one aspect of the trip that’s not specific to the Big Island, they framed the entire island experience in a positive light and for that I’m immensely grateful.

Summary

Back home on the west coast, I now get excited when I see a guava IPA, passionfruit salad dressing, or a ripe papaya at the market. These sweet glimpses and smells remind me of the Big Island and its immense magnitude of love, abundance, and generosity. While I wish I could be back on the island eating fresh guava on one of Pele’s black sand beaches, I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to experience this in the first place. In the end, I have a renewed sense of respect for the power of nature, friends, and the growth that is possible when you push yourself out of your comfort zone.