The Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii is one of just 48 volcanoes in the world that is considered an active volcano. Tourists flock to the island to get a glimpse of it when it is active. While the Mauna Loa volcano got a lot of publicity in 2022 for its first eruption in decades, the Kilauea volcano is more consistently active.
While it had been quiet for a few months on June 7, 2023 it became active again. The lava is confined to the crater so offers no harm to nearby civilization currently. It also is not currently putting off a significant level of VOG so guests vacationing in Hawaii and staying on the Kohala Coast do not need to worry about the air quality. If it is a concern to you, we do recommend checking the air quality of where you will be staying prior to coming out. VOG can effect different areas of the island as the air quality in different areas is related to where the trade winds are pushing the VOG.
Seeing an active volcano is a spectacular site. If you enjoy hiking, you can see the glow of the lava at dawn or dusk. If you do make the hike, taking binoculars, water, good shoes, flashlight, and a good camera is highly recommended. If you are taking it at night, when you hike out it will be significantly darker than when you walked in and lava is difficult terrain to walk on. If you do not enjoy hiking, taking a helicopter tour is a great option. Full island tours are offered from the Kona side of the island or you can drive to Hilo and do a tour that just goes to the volcano.
If you are looking for a place to stay on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Waikoloa Beach Resort offers a great selection of places to stay.
