| By Roy Witman | | | | vigorously pushes to the surface, forming a |
| | | | river of lava." This sight can be seen |
| Volcano eruptions are becoming increasingly | | | | firsthand during numerous tours available |
| rare. That's because very few active | | | | each day at the park. |
| volcanoes still exist. In fact, according to | | | | |
| the Global Volcanism Program, only 50 to 70 | | | | The Crater Rim Drive is a one- to three-hour |
| volcanoes erupt worldwide every year. That | | | | tour taken by car with intermittent short |
| means being able to witness an active volcano | | | | walks throughout. Stretching 11 miles, |
| - especially one that frequently erupts - can | | | | you'll travel a well-marked route with scenic |
| be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For | | | | stops along the way. If you have more time, |
| those lucky enough to visit the Big Island of | | | | you may want to take the four- to five-hour |
| Hawaii, you may become one of the privileged | | | | tour and explore the coastal areas. This |
| few who get to view this amazing site. | | | | 20-mile route descends 3,700 feet. For those |
| | | | who prefer to walk, an abundance of trails |
| On the Big Island, inside Hawaii Volcanoes | | | | lend themselves to day hikes and wilderness |
| National Park, you'll find Kilauea, | | | | hikes where visitors can often view active |
| proclaimed to be the most active volcano in | | | | lava flows. |
| the world. Although documented through | | | | |
| chants and songs in ancient Hawaiian history, | | | | Cruise ships sailing between the Hawaiian |
| the first record of Kilauea is that of | | | | Islands, including those from Norwegian |
| missionary Rev. William Ellis who saw the | | | | Cruise Lines, make a point to conduct night |
| summit in 1823. At almost 4,200 feet above | | | | tours, so passengers can get front-row seats |
| sea level, Kilauea has erupted over 60 times | | | | for the spectacular show. The brilliant |
| in its recorded history with its most recent | | | | colors of orange, red and yellow churn as |
| eruption to date on July 21, 2007. | | | | billowing smoke rises each time lava pours |
| | | | into the ocean below. Much more visible at |
| While most people are conditioned to think of | | | | night, Kilauea is quite a spectacle and |
| volcanic eruptions as a violent, erratic | | | | always a highlight of any cruise. |
| explosion that projects gallons of liquid | | | | |
| lava wildly into the air, this is rarely the | | | | Whether you choose to tour Hawaii's most |
| case. While nonetheless intriguing, | | | | active volcano by land, sea or both, you're |
| eruptions at Kilauea are more of a slow | | | | sure to find it a thrilling experience you |
| spewing of thick, red-hot lava that mixes and | | | | won't soon forget. Considering most people |
| melds with dried, black lava rock as it | | | | won't have the opportunity to visit a live |
| persistently carves out a new path. | | | | volcano, you can consider yourself an honored |
| | | | guest of the Islands who has witnessed a |
| According to the National Park Service, | | | | positively astonishing act of nature. |
| "Activity on Kilauea continues as magma | | | | |