Not one, not two, but three waterfalls await you at Umauma Falls where the river plummets off multiple lava stone steps into calm pools below. An overlook provides a perfect view of the falls framed by a dense cluster of wild guava trees and sugarcane—certainly a lovely sight to behold. However, if you’d prefer a less tranquil experience, a third party company operates a zip-line that follows the river’s path, running directly over the majestic falls. After all, why just see when you can soar?

You’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the stunning, meticulously manicured gardens of Kyoto, Japan once you enter Hawaii’s renowned Liliuokalani Gardens. The site was established in 1917 as a tribute to the many Japanese immigrants who left home to start a new life working for Hawaii’s thriving sugar cane industry. The gardens were built around Waihonu Pond and designed in the Edo-era style, featuring statues, stone pagodas, koi ponds, and concrete bridges.

If you’re prepared for a half-mile hike that includes plenty of stairs (we’re talking 300 plus!), you’ll experience one of the best sights Hilo has to offer. Akaka Falls is 422 feet of plunging, misty, majestic glory framed by lush, tropical greenery. Even if you don’t make the entire hike up, the falls are visible from afar, offering the lesser-inclined a pretty decent panoramic view nonetheless.

You know about white sand beaches, black sand beaches and maybe even salt and pepper beaches. But a green sand beach? Nope, it isn’t a whimsical invention of Dr. Seuss, there are actually two (and only two) green sand beaches in the entire world, and the Big Island is home to one of them. The half-circle shaped beach is actually the tip of Pu’u Mahana, an ancient cinder cone volcano, and the unusual hue is the result of a semi-precious mineral called olivine.

The stunning view from the Waipio Valley Lookout on the north side of the Big Island is considered by many to be one of the most breathtaking sights, not only in Hawaii, but anywhere on earth. The tropically lush Waipio Valley runs five miles inland from a black sand shore and stretches one mile across, and is encompassed by majestic green cliffs towering at 2000 feet.

Make sure to visit on a sunny morning and you just might be treated to a cheerful display of rainbows reflected off the mist of these breathtaking falls—a frequent and glorious sight which has given Rainbow falls its colorful name. A well-placed viewing platform provides visitors with a terrific view as the waters of the Wailuku River plummet 80 feet down to a deep pool below. For more info, check out our app.

We live on a constantly changing earth with Mother Nature rearranging her furniture (i.e. mountains, rivers, entire continents, etc.) as she pleases, while we can only stand back in awe and watch. Nowhere else is this fact more salient than at Volcanoes National Park—a landscape displaying the evidence of 70 millions years of Hawaii’s evolution through volcanism. The park features 323,000 acres of diverse landscapes—from wet rainforests to barren deserts—and, of course, volcanoes.

This centuries-old lava tube was first discovered in 1913 by a local newspaper publisher named Lorrin Thurston. It was opened to the public, and now anyone can stroll through this dimly lit natural cave, taking the very same path upon which a river of molton red lava traveled from Pu-O’o to the Pacific. Lava stalactites once decorated the ceiling of the stone tube but, alas, they’ve all been pinched by folks looking to take home a souvenir.

One of the best-reviewed destinations in Hawaii, Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park was once a holy “place of refuge” for native islanders who’ve broken ancient laws to seek asylum and absolution. Now under government protection, this 182-acre park is still sacred ground for those seeking refuge from the daily grind.