Hawaii – Day 4 – Travels with Carolyne

Big Island – Day 4 of a 8-Day Trip in Hawaii

Big Island is the largest of the Hawaiian islands, but it is the least touristy of the islands. That does not mean there is not a lot to do on the Big Island! There are beaches, volcanoes, coffee plantations, and more to explore.

Day 4
Big Island

The day started with breakfast (Foodland poke!) at the house. The house had a real island vibe to it with a hammock in the backyard as well. Note there are lots of bugs on Big Island, so it is important to use a lot of insect repellant! Foodland poke is honestly the best poke in Hawaii despite it being from the grocery store. The fish is fresh and affordable, and there is a great selection – tuna, salmon, and octopus. Tuna is the more prevalent option as the fish base with varying flavours (shoyu, spicy, etc.).

After breakfast, we drove to the Hilo’s Farmers Market to pick up some fresh fruit. The Hilo’s Farmers Market is a daily market open 7am-3pm. It has a food section and souvenirs + knick knacks section for souvenirs. There is also a small building selling poke bowls, burgers, other Hawaiian meals and shaved ice options – great if you are hungry.

Next, we drove to the Hawaii Volcano National Park to spend the day. There is lots to do at the Hawaii Volcano National Park (Kilauea overlook (very active volcano!), Kilauea Iki hike, Thurston Lava Tube, the Sulphur Banks, the Chain of Craters, etc.) – we actually had allocated two full days at the park. For the first day, we were headed to the Kilauea Iki hike and the Thurston Lava tube. Entrance to the park is on a per car basis and the ticket is valid for 7 days (unlimited number of visits). We first parked at the Visitor’s Centre and ate our homemade sandwiches for lunch, then headed to the start of the Kilauea Iki hike. Kilauea Iki is a pit crater, which is a depression formed as a result of the collapse of the surface. It last erupted in 1959 producing a lava lake. The lava lake has since cooled creating a thick layer above any magma and now serves as a popular hiking trail. The trail involves hiking down to the crater, then back up. It is flat in between, but there are broken rocks (once lava) which make it a bit tricky in some areas. There is also no shade, so make sure to wear sunscreen and pack lots of water. Kilauea Iki could erupt again one day, but it is not active like Kilauea, the main volcano in the Hawaii Volcano National Park.

Next, we walked to the Thurston Lava Tube. The Thurston Lava Tube is a cave that formed as a result of lava flowing through the rock. It was formed over 500 years ago.

Tired from a long day under the sun, we headed back to the house for the evening. For dinner, we stopped at Foodland to pick up more poke (so tasty!). We also got cooked octopus, but it was not as flavourful as the poke. Worth a try though.

Complete Day 4 Itinerary

*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.

9:00am: Breakfast (pick-up items from Foodland!).

10:00am: Explore Hilo’s Farmers Market.

11:00am: Visit the Hawaii Volcano National Park (42 minute drive from Hilo’s Farmers Market). Start at the Visitor’s Centre, then hike the Kilauea Iki Trail, and finish with a visit to the Thurston Lava Tubes.

6:00pm: Dinner (pick-up poke from Foodland!).