Danhauser Travel Blogs

  2/7/26– Today’s weather forecast shows mostly cloudy throughout the day, but I still see sun. Not wanting to waste it, we grab our swim wear and head to the beach.  We find a perfect spot to set up our chairs making it feel like our own private area. The sounds of the waves crash continuously as we enjoy the relaxation, and stay for a good hour before changing clothes and driving south toward the Volcano National Park. Along the way we notice the dark clouds hovering over with touches of rain here and there. Luckily it doesn’t last long as we take a pit stop at Punalu’u (Black sands beach, which was created by lava flowing into the water and popping back onto shore). The place is packed but we mainly stop over to see the sea turtles and find one laying out in the sand as chill as can be and seemingly not caring about anyone around. We finally reach the volcano park around 3:30pm, a bit later than expected but should be enough time to cover what we want to see. The fee ...

  2/6/26– Wake up, eat breakfast and get ready for our day out… same-o, same-o. Except for one minor detail. We need to get Sharece some long pants and a jacket. Hmmm Jeff, why would you need that in Hawaii? Well, apparently their mountain, Mauna Kea, can get pretty cold and windy and we didn’t think about this coming in. No worries, we leave a bit earlier and Wal-Mart is on the way so Sharece runs in for her warm clothing and presto we are on our way. The drive takes an hour and a half. We can’t ask for a better day as there’s hardly a cloud in sight (unusual for this side of the island). By the time we reach Waipio Valley Lookout, we jump out the car and dart down the short hill to see an incredible view of the valley and coastline. All the greenery is lush, the sky nice and blue and our cameras can’t get enough. It is a touch warm at 80 degrees so we escape to the shade every now and then, but the view is simply amazing. Next up is Akaka Falls which features a 442 foot wat...

  2/5/26– A restful night with a comfy bed and the place stayed nice and cool. What more can you ask for? With the time difference we get up around 8am but still feeling groggy. It takes a few hours before we are ready to leave and luckily it’s to a place we both are very excited about. Takes only ten minutes to Kahalu’u Beach Park for snorkeling. According to what we read, this is one of the better places to go to for clear water and to see plenty of fish. Parking is $12 at the venue, but luckily we find street parking for free right across the street. Already a win. We grab our beach chairs and snorkel gear (courtesy of our AirBnb host) and prepare to find shade on the black sand beach when we notice they have a covered area with tables. Forget the chairs as this looks much more inviting and secure. We take a few photos and toss the nerf around (who knew she could throw) before putting our masks on and head for the water. We’re a bit nervous about the tide at first as not...