What Hilo is known for

Hilo is located on the Hawaiian islands. The Hawaiian islands receive tourists from around the world. People often fly to Hawaii, but there are also cruises that visit the islands. In 2020 the tourism of the islands was at 2,220,009 visitors. However, due to COVID-19, this number is low compared to other years.[8] In 2019, the number of tourists that went to the islands was at 10,424,995 people. On average, there are around 249,021 tourists on the island each day.[9] 

The Hilo Region has many cities and forests, including the Ka'u Forest Reserve, the Hilo Forest Reserve, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It is located exclusively on the island of Hawaii. One of the main cities on the island is Hilo, for which the destination is named. In Hilo, there is an assortment of activities tourists can experience. Some of these activities include the Molokai and Maui Helicopter Tour, the Night Manta Ray Adventure, Captain Cook/Kealakekua Bay, and the Mauna Kea Summit and Stars Small-Group Adventure Tour. During the Night Manta Ray Adventure, guests can see rays while holding onto floating platforms. The platforms shine a light down into the water that makes the rays more visible. A boat takes the participants out to an open area where rays can be found. The participants then put on supplies and get into the water to hold onto the floating platform. At Captain Cook/Kealakekua Bay, there are many things available, such as snorkeling, seeing dolphins, eating at various restaurants, and swimming. The Molokai and Maui Helicopter Tour involves getting into a helicopter and flying around the islands. From the helicopter, guests can see the islands and the forests, beaches, volcanoes, and cities that they hold. The Mauna Kea Summit and Stars Small-Group Adventure Tour gives people the opportunity to look at the stars through telescopes.[4] 

Another thing to do in the region is going to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. While at the park, guests can go hiking and participate in tours. Some of the specific trails include the Crater Rim Trail, Maunaulu, Pu'uloa Petroglyphs, Keanakako'i Crater, and Kilauea Iki. Examples of tours are the Crater Rim Drive Tour and the Chain of Craters Road Tour. Another activity that guests can participate in is the Kahuku Unit. The Kahuku Unit is a place where people can learn Hawaiian traditions and history.[2]

Geography

The Hilo Region is made up of the largest of the Hawaiian Islands. The border of the destination surrounds the island. In the area are volcanoes, cities, the Ka'u Forest Reserve, the Hilo Forest Reserve, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The island has many forests, hills, and volcanoes, along with desert areas. The weather in the region is warm, with an average high of around 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The average low in the area is about 69 degrees. Rain is more likely in the months later in the year, such as November, but is also common from June to August and from March to April. It never snows in the destination. The area is usually humid with lower amounts of wind. The most popular time to visit the area is in July, but it is also common from January to March. The best time to visit due to weather conditions is from the beginning of December to the end of April.[5] 

Animals in the territory consist of both land and water animals. Some of the water animals include Hawaiian monk seals, northern elephant seals, hunchback whales, North Pacific right whales, minke whales, Bryde's blue whales, and dolphins. Other sea creatures in the area include stingrays, sea turtles, and various species of fish. Land animals in the region have many island birds such as black-billed 'apapanes, salmon-billed i'iwis, white and brown 'elepaios, and the yellow-green colored 'amakihi. Other animals on the island include nene, rabbits, rats, mice, cattle, pigs, goats, donkeys, sheep, feral wallabies, axis deer, mule deer, Indian mongoose, and Hawaiian hoary bats.[6] Plants in the area include bactris, Amargo palm, Pata de Gallo, and assai palm.[7]

History

The first settlers that came to Hilo came around 1100 AD. With them, they brought Polynesian knowledge and traditions. Though there isn't much, there has been evidence of people living near Hilo and the Wailuku and Wailoa rivers during the time of ancient Hawaii. The word Hilo means "to twist," according to oral history. Originally, Hilo applied to a district that encompassed much of the east coast of the island of Hawaii. Since then, it has been divided into the District of South Hilo and the District of North Hilo. In 1823 Willaim Ellis visited the islands. At the time, the main settlement was Waiakea, which was located on the south shore of Hilo Bay. Years later, missionaries came to the area after the founding of the Haili Church. Sugar plantations that were being created in the area required workers, which caused Hilo to expand. Most of the workers that came were from Asia. One of the mills, called the Hilo Sugar Mill, produced 3,500 tons of sugar annually. The construction of a breakwater across Hilo Bay began in the early 20th century and was finished in 1929. In April of 1946, an earthquake that occurred near the Aleutian Islands sent a 46-foot-high tsunami that hit Hilo 4.9 hours after the earthquake. The tsunami killed 160 people. Because of the tsunami, a warning system was developed in 1949 to warn against tsunamis. The system was called the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The tsunami also caused the end of the Hawai'i Consolidated Railway. Because of the destruction, the Hawai'i Belt Road was constructed instead. In May of 1960, another tsunami struck the island and claimed 61 lives. The tsunami was caused by an earthquake in Chile. The lives that were lost were because people failed to heed to the warning sirens. The city on the Waiakea peninsula, along with part of Hilo Bay, were turned into parks and memorials. Hilo began to expand again in the 1960s. In the 1980s, Hilo was given the role to act as the city's cultural center. Several galleries and museums opened because of this, one of these including the Palace Theater, which reopened in 1998 as an arthouse cinema. In the 1990s, sugar plantations began to close, which damaged the local economy. In recent years, Hilo has experienced commercial and population growth.[1] 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established in 1961. It was formally part of Hawaii National Park, which was established in 1916. The park is made up of 505 square miles of land and has two active volcanoes (Mauna Loa and Kilauea), which are located 25 miles apart. In 1987 the park was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Manua Loa, one of the two volcanoes in the park, is located in the south-central part of the island. It is the largest volcano in the world. The bulk extends up to 3 miles from the ocean bottom. It rises an additional 2.6 miles above sea level, reaching an elevation of 13,677 feet. It has erupted three dozen times since its first well-documented eruption in 1843. The volcano has been active for years, and it displays eruptions from its caldera and from fissures in its flanks. A flank lava flow traveled down the northeastern side of the volcano and entered the outskirts of the city of Hilo in 1881. A flow from the southwestern rift zone reaches the ocean in 1950. The most recent eruption was in 1984 due to earthquake activity beneath the volcano. Kilauea is considered to be the most active volcano in the world, and it is also Hawaii's youngest. It rises up to around 4,090 feet above sea level. In 1924 there were a series of steam explosions that ejected ash and blocks of lava. It followed the abrupt draining of Halema'uma'u's active lava lake. In 1952 there was a four-month-long sporadic eruption. Most of the eruptions in Kilauea primarily occur in the east rift zone. The Pu'u 'O'o vent produced lava fountains. The lava fountains reached the height of 1,540 feet in the air. In 1986 eruption moved to the Kupaianaha vent. Lava flowed from there down to the ocean. The lava buried the historic community of Kalapana. In 1992 the flow of lava shifted back to the Pu'u 'O'o vent. Lava once again flowed all the way to the ocean. The eruption continued until the early 21st century. A series of eruptions opened several fissures that released lava and clouds of sulfur dioxide gas in 2018. The fissures cut across residential neighborhoods.[3]