Before I get into the details of the alternatives, let me make sure that I emphasize that an active volcano is extremely unpredictable . In the most recent few months, the lava flow went from pooling in the flats at a restricted area to dramatic flow into the ocean easily visible by a short hike. It is possible that if you schedule a flight or tour to see the lava flowing, you may not get to see it. So, please be aware of that risk when you are booking a flight or tour. No company can guarantee that you ll see lava flowing.
Volcano Air Tours operates an flight tour from Maui over to the Big Island and back. The tour is narrated by the pilot. In addition to flying over the active lava flow, you ll also get to see the beautiful Hamakua Coast and Mauna Kea on the Big Island.
If your time is tight, this tour may be your best alternative. You will see quite a bit of fascinating scenery in a short amount of time. Tours leave from Kapalua airport in West Maui and from Kahului at the main airport. The tours last between 2hr and 2hr 15 minutes. Tours cost $355 and $395 depending map of united kingdom on the tour and your point of departure.
A representative from Volcano Air Tours was kind enough to provide the photo (above right) that was recently taken from one of their tours. One important fact to consider when selecting an air tour is how much time will be spent flying around the active lava flow. I asked the Volcano Air Tour representative and she said that the pilots spend about 15 to 20 minutes flying map of united kingdom there. That should be very adequate for allowing everyone to get a good view
I did some research and Hawaii Tours was the only company I could find that offers a comprehensive air/land tour package from Maui to the Big Island . You fly to Hilo, then they tour you around this part of the island on a bus. You would need a dedicated day for this tour as it leaves around 6am and returns around 7pm.
This alternative gives you the most freedom, but will require that you work out the logistics and details of renting a car, navigating the island, etc. As of Feburary 2012, Hawaiian Airlines provides map of united kingdom the only non-stop flight service Kahului Maui (OGG) to Hilo (ITO). Per the current schedule, the flight arrives at 10:05am and departs at 7:13pm.
You could choose map of united kingdom to fly there and back in the same day or stay overnight (or longer). If you attempt to do it all in one day, you will be pushing it to the limit because the lava viewing point doesn t open until 2pm and the flight from Hilo back to Maui leaves at 7:13pm. Allow at least an hour for your round trip hike to and from the lava viewing. Then add another 45 minutes to drive back to the airport. Then factor in time for refueling and returning the rental car, etc. See what I mean about pushing it to the limit?
Since the current lava viewing point doesn t open until 2pm, you could spend the morning exploring Hawaii Volcanoes map of united kingdom National Park which is about a 45 minute drive from Hilo Airport or you could check out the waterfalls in and around Hilo. (See this link for suggestions of what to see and do on the Big Island .) Another alternative you could consider is picking up a helicopter tour from Hilo.
Please note that all information was accurate at the time of publishing. Lava activity and location is subject to change. To check where the lava activity is, see the resources in this article: How to find out what's going on with the lava on Hawaii's map of united kingdom Big Island .
Hawaii Vacation News Roundup for December 4th When Lava Meets the Road Hawaii s Big Island Lava Is On The Move Again! See the Big Island grow right before your eyes! Video of Current Lava Flow into the Ocean
It seems that the prices mentioned above for Volcano Air Tours are from 2007. Prices for 2008 and 2009 are $355 to $395 per person + tax, and they are the only company on Maui allowed to fly scenic air tours over the active volcano area on the Big Isle. Also the owner of Paragon Air left the islands and his phone number does not seem to work anymore.
No comments:
Post a Comment