From the largest "lava river bed" on the island, to a morphing black sand beach, roads with gorgeous canopies, to a tropical flower and pineapple garden, we take you to East Hawaii’s Puna District located on the Big Island’s southeast shore.
Three years ago in early May 2018, an eruption started on the East Rift Zone of Kilauea which ultimately changed the landscape of Puna by wiping out homes, beloved hot ponds and a highway.
01:58 To see what the area looks like now, 3 years later, we drove on the re-built 132 highway (Pahoa-Kalapana Road) and show you what we found in the air and on the ground.
05:53 We also visited Isaac Hale Park, where the lava froze before demolishing the park, but where the harbor was turned into a large black sand and rock beach that continues to change.
08:29 We also visited the Hawaii Island Tropical Farm to meet the owners, tour the grounds and talk story about their heliconia, Birds of Paradise, and white pineapple farm. (They ship the pineapples AND the tropical flowers to the mainland! Check it out at https://hawaiiislandtropicalfarm.com.)
You can see the "before and after" of the lava flow in this USGS photo: https://cdn.bigislandnow.com/file/bigislandnow/2018/09/USGS-Sept-28a.jpg
If you would like to learn more about the lifestyle of Hawaii, check out https://365hawaiiliving.com/
And if you are visiting Hawaii Island, check out our www.365Kona.com site for suggestions on things to do, places to eat and places to visit!
