Exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Holei Lava Tube

by Donald B. MacGowan

Looking out Holei Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Graphic from Photo by Donald B MacGowan

There are many wondrous, enigmatic and fascinating attractions on the Big Island of Hawaii, some better known than others, many out of the way and generally off the beaten track. Tour Guide Hawaii has produced an encyclopedic collection of the most up-to-date information, presented as short GPS-cued videos, in an app downloadable to iPhone and iPod Touch that covers the entire Big Island, highlighting the popular and the uncrowded, the famous and the secluded, the adventurous and the relaxing.

Holei Lava Tube

Entrance to Holei Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

Beyond the Holei Pali turn out and just past Mile Marker 15, in the southeast side of the road, a good-sized lava tube may be seen in the road cut; there is a parking turnout just past the tube entrance. With care and a bike helmet, the tube can be explored for nearly 30 meters, until breakdown pinches it out.

Fern grotto in a skylight of the Holei Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

This tube has numerous skylights, so a flashlight is not absolutely necessary, but it is recommended. The cave is short, but interesting and easily navigable. Notice that most if not all of the stalactites have been taken by tourists as souvenirs—please don’t emulate this mindless vandalism.

Interior texture of Holei Lava Tube, note vandalized stalactites, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donnie MacGowan

Unless recent breakdown has now blocked it, with wriggling, skinny or determined people can make it to a small portal with a view into the fern grotto under the largest skylight; this is your turn-around spot. Please do not force your way into the grotto as it will kill the plants and destroy the miniature ecosystem that has grasped a wee toehold here. Besides which, the grotto is populated by numerous wasp nests.

A walk to the top of the hill which overlies the tube entrance brings one to the skylights along the cave, and wonderful glimpses down into the fern paradise that grows within. Remember that lava tube skylights are collapse features and do not approach the edges too closely; they are unstable and unsafe. The top of the hill makes a wonderful place from which to watch the setting sun light-up the Holei Pali.

Fern grotto in a large skylight, Holei Lava Tube at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Photo by Donald B MacGowan

To see the new iPhone/iPod Touch App, please visit http://www.tourguidehawaii.com/iphone.html. The best of Tour Guide Hawaii’s free content about traveling to, and exploring, the Big island, can be found here.For more information on traveling to Hawaii in general and on touring the Big Island in particular, please also visit www.tourguidehawaii.com and www.tourguidehawaii.blogspot.com.

For independent reviews of our product, written by some of our legions of satisfied customers, please check this out.

All media copyright 2010 by Donald B. MacGowan. All rights reserved.

Sunset at Holei Lava Tube, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Graphic from Photo by Donald B MacGowan