Welcome to “The Big Island” of Hawai‘i. The largest and youngest island, Hawai‘i is still growing with an active volcano pouring thousands of cubic yards of molten lava into the ocean. When the hot lava hits the cool ocean, lava is pulverized into black sand, adding acres of black-sand beach on the island’s southeastern shore.

The land area of the Big Island is nearly twice that of all other islands combined, yet it has just 13 percent (158,423) of the state’s population. Besides the volcanoes in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the Big Island is noted for its orchids, macadamia nuts and Kona coffee. Occasionally in winter, it is possible to ski on Mauna Kea and catch a wave in the same day.

The county seat is in Hilo, on East Hawai‘i’s wet Hamakua Coast. Most of the luxurious resorts with their championship golf courses are carved out of lava deserts on the drier Kona/Kohala Coast in West Hawai‘i. Much of the visitor action is centered around the town of Kailua-Kona.