Hawaii's "Hottest" Hangout: Lava Tree State Monument at Pahoa

On Hawaii's Big Island, you won't find a 'hotter' hangout than Pahoa and Lava Tree State Monument.

Ryan grabs a shot of a huge lava tree.

If I told you that Pahoa, Hawaii, was one of the hottest spots on earth, you'd probably think I was exaggerating or that I was describing a spot with a lot of buzz. But Pahoa, on Hawaii's Big Island, is indeed one of the world's hottest spots and it's all thanks to its neighbour, Kilauea Volcano. 

Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and, as recently as 2014-2015, lava flows threatened to destroy part of the town of Pahoa and surrounding communities. Fortunately, the lava stopped just in the nick of time, but local residents were right to be wary. This region bears the scars - and the beauty - of centuries of volcanic power. From delicate wildflowers to the toughest "trees" you've ever seen, nearby Lava Tree State Monument (sometimes called Lava Tree State Park) is a captivating tribute to the prowess of mother nature.

Lava Tree State Monument: Hawaii's historic and volcanic powers meet.

In 1790, lava swept through the forest now known Lava Tree State Monument, just a few miles outside of where Pahoa now stands. The fast moving lava enveloped the trees and, when the molten lava made contact with the moist bark, it formed an instantaneous coating, casting a mold of hardened lava around the tree trunk.

The hollow core of a lava tree.

When the initial surge of lava subsided and drained away, these molds of tree trunks remained standing. The centers of the 'trunks' are hollow from where the organic matter burned away. From a distance, lava trees resemble petrified, or fossilized, wood but they're really more like a ghosts, a lava imprint of something that once grew and lived on earth. In short: lava tree molds are amazing!

You'd expect lava trees to be the harsh, charcoal colour of hardened lava, but so much time has passed since this forest was created that the lava trees are now covered in moss and grasses and some even had new trees sprouting out of the top! After over 200 years, the earth is reclaiming the lava trees to provide nutrition and a steady base for new life. (A big tip of the hat to my beloved Lonely Planet Hawaii guidebook for introducing me to Lava Tree State park in the first place!)

Visiting Lava Tree State Monument: What to expect.

With a little luck, you can spot lava trees at different spots around Hawaii, but a visit to Lava Tree State Monument is worth the trip to remote Pahoa. The paved nature trail (just over a kilometer long) takes you by several fine specimens of lava trees and offers informative plaques to describe exactly what you're seeing.  It really provides an excellent education about the ecosystem and history of the area. When it comes to Big Island points of interest, you can't go wrong here.

Man meets roots.

It also gives you the opportunity not just to see the ancient "forest" of the lava trees, but also the very real, still living trees that make up part of Hawaii's rain forest. There are beautiful wildflowers, enormous ferns, colorful shrubs, and a wide variety of trees, some so massive that they have toppled under their own weight and reveal a gargantuan root system. Ryan was absolutely dwarfed by the tree above and it wasn't the biggest one we saw!

Finally, visiting Lava Tree State Monument gives you the opportunity to see neighbouring Pahoa and gain better insight about what life is like living by a lava belt. I used to think that someone would have to be crazy to live so close to such a destructive force! But spending some time in the park reminded me of how nature is always changing and evolving and that there are some beautiful benefits to living in  Mount Kilauea's shadow, from the gorgeous plant life that can only come from volcanic soil to gaining an appreciation of living in the moment. 

Visiting information for Lava Tree State Monument: weather, hours of operation, parking.

Lava Tree State Monument was one of our favourite experiences around Pahoa and we highly recommend it to other travelers. It was an incredible Hawaii sightseeing moment that we won't soon forget.

A visit to the lava park takes about an hour and the paved nature trail is generally very flat, with one or two modest hills near the end.  The park is technically open 24 hours a day but I personally wouldn't visit when it wasn't daylight - having a good view is what this park is all about! Plans are underway to make the Lava Trees Loop Trail wheelchair accessible in 2018, a great thing. 

Like all state parks in Hawaii, admission and parking is free and there are basic bathroom facilities and picnic shelters on site. Frankly, a free price tag is a bit of a rarity among Big Island attractions, which only makes me love the lava park even more. 

Big Island weather can be a bit unpredictable. You're just as likely to get rain as sun - or sometimes both in one afternoon! You can get a detailed of the Pahoa weather here and it will help you plan your day.  During our visit, we were glad to be wearing our rain coats and carrying our favourite tiny travel umbrella in our backpack, along with some bottled water and granola bars.

If you haven't packed your own picnic to enjoy in the park, read on to see some of our favourite foodie spots in Pahoa.

Our picks for where to eat and drink in Pahoa.

Sirius Coffee Connection (15-2874 Pahoa Village Rd) is a one stop shop for everything that makes me happy when I travel. It's a small (okay, it's absolutely tiny) coffee shop and internet cafe. You'll find espresso based drinks and standard coffees all made from locally grown beans, as well as cafe standards like smoothies and tea and baked goods.

As far as I'm concerned, Sirius Coffee serves up the best coffee in Pahoa. The lattes really are impeccable, absolutely superb, and you'll get friendly service from the staff. Other bonuses include a little 'library' where you can pick up a new book (or lighten your pack and donate one you just finished), as well as its location on the main drag, with Pahoa's laundromat just behind the neighbouring building. (You know how we love to do laundry when we travel!)

If you're used to road tripping through mainland North America and stocking up on cheap caffeine at truck stops, you might have a little sticker shock here. But the prices are fair - you're in a remote area and this is an independent small business serving only locally grown and roasted coffee and offering up free Wi-Fi. Well worth the visit and investment. 

For more substantial fare in Pahoa, we went to Kaleo's Bar and Grill.  They have a nice patio area overlooking the main road. The staff looked at us like we were crazy when we requested a table outside as it was overcast and rainy during our visit, but it was a wonderful change from the Canadian winter we had just left behind. It was hard to convince them that we really did think it was beautiful weather, but it gave us prime, private seating.

I lucked out with my choice, a lunch special of chicken skewers with spicy peanut sauce. You know how much I love peanut sauce! Based on that alone, I'm happy to declare Kaleo's to be the best restaurant in Pahoa. Ryan reports that his basic burger plate was decent fare and, at $10 it was reasonably priced, but he was far more enamored with the previous day's "gravy burger" at the Black Rock Cafe, on the other side of town. (Never got a picture - sorry!) Black Rock has a much more diner-ish, greasy spoon vibe, the prices are cheap ($6.50 for the gravy burger), and it's a great spot for the basics like bacon and eggs or sandwich platters. If you're looking for cheap food in Pahoa, this is a good choice.

While in Pahoa, we rented a vacation property. It was a great alternative to traditional hotels (which are pretty much non-existent here anyway) and we found it a lot more affordable than lodges and inns. We ended up paying just $80 a night - one of our best Hawaii travel deals to date!
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Pahoa might look like it's off the beaten path, but it's only about two hours from Kona and about 30 minutes from Hilo - perfect for anyone visiting Hawaii's Big Island.

​You can even do it in a day trip, but I'd recommend taking a few days to enjoy the region. Travel to Pahoa is incredible. It has geography, plant life, and history unlike any other place in the world!


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