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Anyone been to BI Volcano National Park since it reopened?

magmue

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We leave for 2 weeks in Waikoloa 2 days after Thanksgiving. Yay!

Friends from Australia will be joining us for the second week. They have never been to BI before. Our original plan was to book one night somewhere in Volcano Village and eat dinner at the Rim in Volcano House - we have fond memories of watching the lava from our dinner table last time we were there and food was good too). On a different night, we went to the Jagger museum outlook for lava viewing, and went back for sunrise.

If I understand correctly, Jagger is gone and will not be reopening? I see Volcano House has reopened, including hotel, restaurant, and bar. Volcano House's website is touting "no steam, so great night sky viewing". "No steam" strongly suggests to me no lava either. If that's the case, not sure an overnight makes a lot of sense.
 

DaveNV

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If you can manage the time to see it in the daytime, you're probably ahead of the game. The crater is HUGE now, but no evening glow, no steam, and once the sun goes down, very dark. I wouldn't waste the money staying overnight. Maybe have lunch there instead?

I haven't been there since the eruption, but I've followed it fairly closely. Jagger was so undermined, it was unsafe, so they've closed it permanently. A lot of the Crater Rim Drive is gone. The dramatic vistas are definitely worth seeing, since they are all brand new, but it is no longer the benign volcano park you remember. Here's one example of what I'm talking about:

Hawaii-volcano-update-eruption-pictures-before-after-Kilauea-Big-Island-USGS-1382424.jpg


Worth seeing, but very different than it used to be. Still worthwhile, I think. Have fun!

Dave
 

magmue

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I wouldn't waste the money staying overnight.
That's kind of what I was thinking, and helps explain why there were so many airbnb options in Volcano Village when I looked yesterday for a single night, 2 weeks out. I'm guessing those businesses are not recovering well, even with the park reopening.
Thanks!
 

DaveNV

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That's kind of what I was thinking, and helps explain why there were so many airbnb options in Volcano Village when I looked yesterday for a single night, 2 weeks out. I'm guessing those businesses are not recovering well, even with the park reopening.
Thanks!

I agree. Staying overnight would be fine if you had plans on the south end of the island for the next day. But if you're there only to see the volcano at night, there just won't be a lot to see. :shrug:

Dave
 

Luanne

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I agree. Staying overnight would be fine if you had plans on the south end of the island for the next day. But if you're there only to see the volcano at night, there just won't be a lot to see. :shrug:

Dave
There were many years we would stay overnight in Volcano Village and not go see the volcano at night. We just liked to do it because it made the trip there, and back, more relaxing and gave us some time to spend in the park and in Hilo.
 

JIMinNC

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Yes. As of now, the Kilauea eruption has stopped. No lava is flowing anywhere on the Big Island for the first time in many, many years.
 

carl2591

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that was some EPIC lava flow, fountains, eruptions etc. in a WHILE.. So bummed not able to get there to see it in person.. the videos were amazing and I cannot imanage how the island, especially that side, has changed forever.
 

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We'll be there in mid-late March, a few weeks from now :banana:. I'll post what we find, but at most we'll likely just do a day trip.
 

magmue

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we did make a day trip from Waikoloa to volcano park in early December - we had guests from Australia and wanted to give them some idea about the other side of the island. There was a wee bit of steam coming from the sealed over crater, nothing dramatic of course. After lunch in Volcano Village we drove through Hilo with a s top at the farmers market, and then up to the Waipio Valley lookout and then “home” to Bay Club.
 
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