In one of the most remote parts of the world where land is vast and lava rocks are scattered throughout is Mauna Kea, the tallest volcano in Hawaii located on the Big Island. To get there involves a quick flight from Honolulu and an hour or so drive up to the summit where you can expect ears to pop and roads to wind and narrow. Heading up Mauna Kea guarantees a whole other experience for the adventure craze mongers that swaps out the sun, surf and tan culture for the cold, and sometimes, snowy, terrain.
Whether you want to catch the sunrise or chase the sunset, you’re in for a special treat from none other than Mother Nature. Mauna Kea offers jaw-dropping skylines and views that don’t come by often. Given the rarity of witnessing a spectacular sunrise, we’ve decided to do just that while in the most beautiful place in the world.
A 2am wakeup call is worth every sleepless second. Not only did we plan to catch the sunrise, stargazing at the volcano summit was a priority. Arriving at around 3:30am, we saw so many stars with the naked eye, and arguably caught astounding images with just an iPhone lens. It was only fitting to make a wish upon a star while here. Time passed by quick thanks to the dazzling view as we waited for daybreak and the world to wake up. A glimmer of light slowly painted the horizon with hues of orange, pink and purple. This warranted a walk out in the distance and hike up a neighbouring mountain that literally gave us a “head above the clouds” moment amid the cool, crisp air. A soft blanket of clouds covered the horizon. It was a breath of fresh air, leaving us mind-blown.
Standing atop a mountain overlooking a volcano on one side and the sun rising on the other filled my soul with newfound life. If you don’t feel on top of the world after this experience, then I don’t know what will! At certain points it felt like we journeyed to Mars (as if we’ve been there though!). And, if you haven’t already noticed, yes, we were bundled in layers because it was that cold in this part of Hawaii. Come back in the winter months of the Northern Hemisphere and you might just see snow.
If you want to see another side of Hawaii that’s less travelled, Mauna Kea is a must. The Big Island essentially offers the best of both worlds – a hot summer’s day at the beach and chilled weather at the brink of dawn or cusp of dusk at the top of a mountain!
