South Pacific Journey- Captain Cook Monument. Big Island. Hawaii. April 2025

 1st April 2025

Big Island. Hawaii Adventures – Captain Cook Monument, Volcano Views & Onward to Kauaʻi

Today we drove to the Captain Cook Monument Trail, and I’m glad we set out early — there are only a few parking spots at the start of the trail on the Hawaii Belt Road. The hike down to Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park was well-marked and easy to follow.

Captain Cook Monument Trail

 We passed through shady sections and stretches of old lava fields. Since it was early in the day, it was still cool and the downhill walk wasn’t too challenging.

At the bottom, we reached the Captain Cook Monument, which marks the spot where Captain James Cook was killed by Native Hawaiians in 1779. 

The bay was already busy with tour boats full of eager snorkelers. My husband jumped in, but the water was too cold for me. 

The monument itself stands on a patch of British soil, marked by four cannons, and nearby there are signs of an ancient Hawaiian village.

The walk back up was a different story — hot and uphill! But we took our time, stopping often under the shade of trees, and eventually made it back to the car.

Afterwards, we drove up the coast to Magic Sands Beach Park, then spent some time exploring Kailua-Kona. We watched local kids practicing rowing in outrigger canoes and others swimming a long and challenging course in Kailua Bay. 

We wrapped up the day with a relaxing sundowner at a local bar.
Later, we checked the volcano webcam and saw that it was still erupting, so we decided to head there the next morning. 

2nd April 2025

We took the Hawaii Belt Road again — effectively driving the full circle around the Big Island — and arrived at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park just in time to see the volcano in action. It was absolutely worth the drive. We were especially lucky, as the eruption paused just after we left at midday.

On the way back, we stopped for some fresh lemonade at a farmers market, then visited Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. Oddly, they weren’t accepting cash, and the website to pay by card was down — so we just entered without paying. Honestly, the park was a bit underwhelming; it looked much more impressive in the photos.

Since we’re moving on early tomorrow, we packed up for our flight to Līhuʻe on Kauaʻi. 
The next day we boarded a plane that was Moana-themed and packed with travellers — a fun way to end our time on the fabulous Big Island!