Spelunking

Courtesy Big Island Visitor Bureau.

Yes, you can really go spelunking on the Big Island. Lava tubes are one of the most intriguing geological features caused by Hawaii volcanic eruptions. These caves form when spatter from a river of lava gradually builds up walls and a ceiling. Then, when the flow of lava stops and the last of it passes downhill, a cave is formed. These caves can be a few feet high and only yards long, or they can stretch for miles with high ceilings. Your flashlight reveals beautiful shapes and colors of minerals leeching from the rock. And when you turn your light off, you can’t even see your hand an inch in front of your face! Waterdrops from the ceiling plopping into a puddle sound like music. A species of blind spider in these tubes exists nowhere else.

There are several guided lava tube tours on Hawaii Island.

Kilauea Caverns of Fire
P.O. Box 733,
Middletown CA 95461
Email
www.kilaueacavernsoffire.com
(808) 217-2362