The damage has been almost entirely to private homes, far from areas frequented by visitors. But the volcano that has pummelled the southeast corner of Hawaii Big Island has certainly had an impact on the state’s vital tourism industry, officials say. I chatted by phone on Friday with Ross Birch, head of Hawaii Big Island Tourism. He told me there’s no doubt that the uncertainty has hurt his island’s economy. He also agreed that a lot of the concern isn’t necessary. “Less than 10 square miles has been affected by the volcano,” he said. “The island is 4,028 square miles.” Read more
Kilauea
I forgot just how big the Big Island of Hawaii really is. It’s been a few years since my last visit, and I hadn’t remembered that the Big Island, the most southerly in the Hawaiian chain, was as big as the other main islands put together. Impressive, and so much diversity, too; cities and fun towns and cool villages and fiery volcanoes and so much more. Here’s a photo display of some of my favourite moments….
