This area caught my eye because there were large tracts of red lava rock here, as against the usual black. Therefore I stopped and took this panoramic picture. I have no idea what causes the change in colour, maybe a different mineral in the lava, or a different cooling process meant some iron had oxidized. No idea, but it caught my eye and hence the image.

Koa'e and Kapoho - Hawaii Island visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Koa'e and Kapoho' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Hawaii.

Panorama of the a'a lava flows that has buried most of Koa'e and Kapoho. Both of these little paces were buried in the lava floe of 1960 that also threatened the Kumukahi Lighthouse. There is little here to see now, however there are numerous volcanic 'attractions' nearby which include the Lava Tree State Monument, Hot Springs next to Isaac Hale Beach Park, the Steam Vents on the Pahoa-Kalapana road, and the new Kaimu Beach at the end of where the H130 road and the old beach resort here were buried in lava flows around 1990. Along the H137 is also Kehana Beach, another secluded black sand beach.

Travel and Getting There:
Follow the I-11 to Kea'au, then the H-130 to Pahoa followed by the 132 to Kumukahi Lightouse. Turn left at the junction of the 130 with the 137 and go about a mile down the road.