Mike in the Wild

The Big Island of Hawaii is most famous for its volcanoes, three of the five of which are still active.  Because of their sizes Mauna Kea (dormant) and Mauna Loa (active) dominate the landscape from about any point on the island.  But it's Kilauea with its seething caldera and rift zones in the heart of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that is the star attraction.   However most people visiting the island stay far away from the park, along the Kohala or Kona Coasts on Hawaii's western side.  It's no coincidence that they're enjoying the drier leeward side of the island; combine the inviting climate with sandy beaches and you have the perfect recipe for luxury resorts.   But there's no escaping Hawaii's volcanic history from the very moment you touch down at the airport; the runway is atop a lava flow from the 1801 Huʻehuʻe flow from Hualapai, the volcano (active) that dominates the Kona Coast's eastern horizon.  At the same time, the highway to...