ʻĪao Valley State Monument is a verdant 4,000-acre park home to one of Maui’s most recognizable landmarks, the 1,200-foot ʻĪao Needle. The peaceful area is popular among residents and regularly draws travelers. The park has been closed since Aug. 1, 2022, due to a slope stabilization project. After this nine-month closure, the Maui park is […]
Most visitors to Hawaiʻi know about Hawaiʻi’s endangered and protected animals, from Hawaiian monk seals to palila (finch-billed Hawaiian honeycreeper) to the colorful humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa (reef triggerfish). Read More: Your Guide To Viewing Hawaiʻi’s Endangered Wildlife But few know about Hawaiʻi’s unique native, endemic and indigenous plants. According to the Native Plants Hawaiʻi Project, about 90% of
Hawai‘i’s vibrant and extensive reef systems, unique marine life and year-round warm waters make for exceptional snorkeling. Beneath the ocean’s surface, you’ll see colorful schools of fish and vibrant coral reefs and maybe even a honu (Hawaiian green sea turtle) or two leisurely swimming by. For them, getting around in the ocean is effortless; for
On a cool Saturday morning, 45 volunteers wearing water shoes and hats start a 10-minute trek from Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park to Paikō Beach on O‘ahu, nets in hand. The group is on its way to the Paikō Restoration Area to pull out invasive algae with folks from Mālama Maunalua. The nonprofit stewardship organization is committed
As the sun sets over the Pacific, Maui’s sky turns into a fiery canvas. Off the beach, calm, glassy waters shimmer with vibrant shades of red and orange. From the mountains, lucky observers watch as the magic hour casts its spell over the Valley Isle, and from a delightful seaside restaurant, diners feast their eyes
In today’s world of technology with navigational aids in the palms of our hands, getting from here to there is pretty much a cinch. On land, smartphones provide turn-by-turn driving directions, and GPS devices can pinpoint your exact location on the globe, even in the middle of the sea. But at the turn of the
Updated Monday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. On Jan. 5, Kīlauea resumed erupting within Halemaʻumaʻu after pausing on Dec. 9, 2022. All eruptive activity has been confined to the crater. KĪLAUEA DAILY UPDATE Sun., Jan. 8, 2023, 7:45 AM HST Eruption of lava from vents in the east-central portion of Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor continued; active lava area
Nestled on Mauna Kahālāwai on Maui is a hidden oasis. Native Hawaiian plants like the a‘ali‘i, a shrub with small green leaves and burgundy flowers, grow in a forest among naio, a false sandalwood, and alehe‘e, a tree with delicate and fragrant white flowers. Nearby, kalo (taro) sprout from a lo‘i (an irrigated terrace, especially
On Tuesday scientists announced that Hawaiʻi’s two active volcanoes—Mauna Loa and Kīlauea on Hawaiʻi Island—have stopped erupting. Kīlauea has long been a draw on Hawaiʻi Island and began erupting again on September 2021, with a crater lake visible from inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. But it was the massive Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active
Updated Wednesday, Dec. 8, 4 a.m. The eruption of Mauna Loa continues today, though the flow has been slowing down as it approaches the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (aka Saddle Road). Fissure 3 remains the only active fissure, feeding the lava flow downslope. As of yesterday, the flow front was about 1.8 miles from the
For weeks, the largest active volcano on the planet has been rumbling, sparking a series of mini earthquakes. Since September, geologists have reported an increase in seismic activity and on Nov. 15, 50 small-magnitude earthquakes rattled Mauna Loa on Hawaiʻi Island. Then on Nov. 27, at around 11:30 p.m. a fissure opened on the floor
On Nov. 27, the world’s largest active volcano began erupting for the first time in 38 years. Mauna Loa’s historic eruption has drawn residents from across the islands as well as visitors from around the world to Hawaiʻi Island. Among the spectators are talented photographers who are capturing the sheer beauty and power of Mauna
