VolcanoDiscovery Hawai’i

The best vacation we’ve ever had – period. We have traveled extensively and I can say without qualification that this was the most amazing experience of them all, and Philip is largely responsible.

Within 12 hours of being on the Big Island, we were walking on lava. Seeing the molten lava glowing between cracks of the cool black lava beneath our feet was the single best thing we have ever done on a vacation. Watching the landscape change before our eyes as molten lava would swell break through the surface, creating new land. Most importantly, Philip was there to take care of us. He let us know ahead of time what clothing to wear (long shirts, pants and gloves) and why (cooled lava is brittle and would make for a painful fall). And while we were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over this incredible experience, he constantly had an eye out to make sure we always had multiple escape routes (again, because the landscape can change quickly). It was something we never would have – or should have – done on our own, but we felt completely comfortable with Philip there as our guide.

When we wanted to see dolphins in the wild, Philip knew exactly where to go. The dolphins showed up right when he said they would (he knew they came into the cove to eat). Of course, we dove straight into the water to watch them pass under us (they were 15 feet away at most). But while we were caught up in the moment, Philip was securing our kayak so we’d have a way to get back to land.

Philip has extensive knowledge of the flora, fauna, “rocks” (of course – a geologist by training), and off-the-beaten path gems that most people who visit the Big Island probably have no idea even exist. Just as important are Philip’s driving skills, which let us reach those out-of-the-way places. More than once we turned onto “roads” I wouldn’t want to walk on, much less drive on. But Philip would skillfully maneuver our vehicle and keep us safe. I always felt I was in good hands, and we were never disappointed with what awaited us at the end of our off-road journey.

In addition to lava and dolphins, we also swam with sea turtles, saw wild horses at the bottom of a breathtaking gorge, and watched the sunset (and more shooting stars and satellites than we could count) from the top of Mauna Kea.

We also swam at a gorgeous secluded green sand beach (cliff diving anyone?) and hiked around a spectacular, lush, waterfall-covered gorge where we encountered only a few other people. Philip also took us to a couple of farmers’ markets (we love to cook) – where we saw green onions that were three feet long, pineapples that were, unsurprisingly, the best we’d ever had, and yummy homemade breads. We really felt like we experienced Hawaii from the inside.

A simply unforgettable experience.

Keisha & Matthew Burdick
North Carolina, USA
7 day custom tour of the Big Island