Kilauea (4091 feet)

A gently sloping shield volcano, Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii has been erupting continuously since 1983. A solid tourism infrastructure and heavenly climate make Volcano National Park a popular destination. “But,” warns Hawaiian native guide Warren Costa who conducts by-appointment-only tours of many little known areas, “it’s a six mile round trip to the hot lava and many people come back without really seeing anything.” The trick is to know what to know what to look for. “I watch for the way the air distorts but a lot of the times you can hear lava before you see it. Imagine taking a handful of little pieces of glass and dropping them a few at a time onto a concrete floor.” He shows clients Pele’s tears and Pele’s hair, two unique geological formations. He also ventures a thousand feet into a rarely visited section of Nahuku Lava Tube to see lava stalactites. “On our Puna Coastal Adventure Tour we also visit some caves for a steam bath and thermally heated pools you can soak in.”

For more information: Native Guide Hawai‘i