We stumbled upon this park on our way to the "End of the Road" and really enjoyed our time here. We…read morehad planned on visiting a black sand beach and found this one serendipitously. Its like being at goth beach and I truly appreciated it. We took a ton of photos and when we got too close to the Wahi Kapu sign it started raining on us out of nowhere, so we took that as a sign to walk back to the car. That being said we would absolutely recommend coming here, its spectacular.

2025 is different from 2024, in between they tried to put in the boat launch which didn't work. The…read morehot ponds are still here and toasty. Some palms are growning, very little shade near the water.

We found out about this oceanside swimming pool (250 feet long)from the Big Island Revealed app…read more It's five feet deep in some spots. Bring your water shoes and snorkel gear! It's 2.7 miles north of the corner from Highway 132 and 137 (so, go North on Government Beach Road). This is a paved road. Around 2.7 miles, you'll come across a small hill, on the downside of the hill, you'll see a dirt road on your right through a hau bush (twisted looking trees that are entwined). If you hit Pakaka Road, you went too far. There is no parking lot. There is a small one-spot parking space that you can back into (perpendicular to the road). There are two roadside beams indicating this spot. You can also park along the road. From Government Beach Road, on the dirt road, it's 1500 feet to the shoreline. The pool is 100 yards to the left once you hit the shoreline. I do not recommend driving down the path to the shoreline because the branches are low and it's super muddy. It's an easy walk. Towards the shoreline, you'll see an abandoned turquoise minivan. It's obvious that someone was squatting in the van at some point. The engine has been torn out, windows broken, carry-out boxes everywhere, and the rainforest has started to entwine itself with the car. On the coast, there were more signs of squatters. The pool was beautiful. We went during high tide and the pools were super full and the waves were crashing hard against the rocks. The app said we should go during low tide...whoops. We didn't run into a single person. It was super secluded and beautiful. Although the walk was really neat through the hau bush and having an oceanside swimming pool to ourselves was cool...I would not do this again. Honestly, I didn't feel safe. We didn't see any squatters but the signs made me uneasy. There is no cellphone signal and your completely isolated. I recommend this for large groups of people only.

Lava Tree State Park features unique natural formations called "lava trees" created when tree…read moretrunks are overtaken by lava. It is a smaller park with a paved walking trail and ample parking. We went on a Sunday on our way to the Maku'u Farmer's Market so the drive out was definitely worth it when you consolidate spots nearby.

Although, the park is a bit of a drive between the jungle and the aftermath of volcanic ash lies…read morethe famous lava trees formations after the hot lava scorched the land submerging with burned trees create these lava tree stumps. Over time the resilient jungle emerges from where the moisture collects. In the open parking lot are public restrooms and clearly market trail that loops around. The lush greenery reminds us how magical Mother Nature is.

I was in for the surprise of a lifetime with a proposal at the end of my adventure…read more The Crew, Gavin and Reed and our driver Heno were awesome in coordinating this special experience for me and my now fiancé! Had the best experience the ladies in office were also sooo kind and supportive in the whole process. 10/10 experience and customer service!! Thank you botanical world adventures for a great day and unforgettable experience!

This zipline must have the most beautiful views near Hilo and Reed and Kanani were exceptional…read moreguides allowing us to try fruit direct from the tree and capturing our photos for happy memories! Also included were a pretty botanical garden and maze to challenge you. :) It was an awesome experience and the whole crew is super knowledgeable and friendly!

Loved this 5 miles round trip hike to the beach. Huge variety of vegetation and most of the trail…read moretramps through a tree forest. The tree forest is interesting with some abandoned and vegetation encrusted old jeeps and cars, historic rock walls and towards the end, spur trails to the sea cliffs, and a collapsed lava tube. At the end is a gorgeous bay favored by sea turtles. We saw at least 23 turtles on our visit. Please note that this trail is muddy and very muddy in spots even when it has not been raining, and the footing is very uneven so it is not for the casual walker, for flip flops or any shoes that you don't mind getting very muddy. I found that having hiking poles was helpful in order to gage how thick the mud was at various places on the pathway. Go early as it is very humid by late morning or mid day.

Read the reviews. Is it muddy and rocky and uneven? YES. But it's mostly in the shade! Be prepared,…read morehave the right shoes, take your time, a lot of the really bad spots and walk around areas etc. if you're not careful, you will end up covered in mud. The beach is neat, we enjoyed snorkeling. Be careful as there can be some strong currents on the far left side (if you're looking out) according to some locals we met.

We found this place on our way back from the "End of the Road" and really enjoyed our time. The…read moreview from the cliffs are truly amazing and I took some really great photos. The parking lot is indeed small, but a great place to sit for a minute, use the bathroom, or have a picnic lunch. Highly recommended.

We took the red road and stopped here for some amazing views of the ocean waves crashing into the…read morerocks and cliffs. Nature at its best! You can also walk along the coast for a bit. Bathrooms are available and free parking. Quite private and little to no people. Highly recommend this place.

The black sand beach that was formed by the 2018 eruption - the newest black sand beach! The sand…read moreitself is super black, and the waves at this beach are super strong - so I wouldn't recommend going in to swim. As time goes, the sand won't be as black anymore - so better visit soon! Also there is no cell phone signal around this area, so you better take note of how you came here.

Very cool new beach that formed post lava flow in the beach park. It may not be here for long and…read morehas a very odd energy being it is new land. I'd recommend taking a trip to check it out before it erodes away. Isn't that a crazy thing to think about.