Volcano Village
Volcano is like no other community: a modern
village in a lush tropical rain forest at 4,000 feet in altitude, a couple of
miles from the caldera of the world’s only drive-in volcano. The village of
about 3,000 people plays host to hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Bed & Breakfasts and businesses are tucked away in the rain forest to
retain a peaceful village atmosphere. The businesses are all small and
locally-owned; the strip cities that have marred other gateway towns to national
parks elsewhere simply haven’t happened here. Because it’s too high for
tropical termites, the village also has a large number of historic homes dating from
the early 1900s.
Temperatures in VolcanoVillage seldom fall below
46° F or rise above 75° F. The abundant rainfall generates an incredibly lush, green-on-green landscape. Gray-green ‘ohi’a trees with brilliant crimson
blossoms and 18-foot-high, primeval-looking tree ferns share village yards with
an abundance of introduced flowers, from purple and blue hydrangeas to
multi-hued orchids.Artists praise the
intense, high-altitude tropical sunlight that makes the flowers brighter, the
greens greener and the shadows blacker. On clear nights, the stars shine
brighter than most people have ever seen, and the world's largest astronomical observatory is just 50 miles away on the summit of Mauna Kea.
The village population is more eclectic, intelligent and
creative than average: a high percentage of artists and scientists share the
community with local shopkeepers, artisans and farmers.
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Just down the road is Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and
Kilauea Caldera. Kilauea is no Mount St. Helens; instead of building pressure
and exploding, Kilauea’s hot lavas burn
through to the surface and erupt constantly.Since the village is inland and uphill from the Volcano’s active East
Rift, it’s considered Hazard Zone Four, the safest level on the island. For further information on Kilauea Caldera, please visit the Hawaii Center for Volcanology or the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.
Recreational facilities, aside from the national park,
include CooperCenter- which hosts a Sunday farmer’s
market, yoga and exercise classes, a playground, basketball courts and a skate
park, as well as a police substation and a fire station. The
non-profit VolcanoArtCenter
hosts classes, workshops and cultural happenings, from chamber concerts to
poetry slams. The Volcano Golf and Country Club houses an 18-hole Championship golf course set in a world class location on the rim of the active volcano. Wine enthusiasts can enjoy an array of tropical fruit and macadamia nut Hawaiian wines at the daily free tastings in the Volcano Winery. Musical and theatrical events, including an annual summer
musical, take place at the Kilauea Theater in the national park.
