We found a few really cool places right near our place. First was the volcano heated tide pool (pictured)which was delightfully warm. Then there was the deserted black sand beach with very black sand (past a huge field of lava). It is strange to make black sand castles. Very cool though.
This picture is of a different black sand beach on the other side of the Volcano Park. Then there was the road to the black sand beach; twelve miles of roller coaster road along the beautiful coast. If you go twice the speed limit, it gets really fun because you get that flying and then sinking feeling in your stomach. And zooming through the occasional dark tunnels of jungle canopy is cool too. It is like going into another world briefly. We drove down the road a few times just for the fun of it. And then there are the Kapoho Tide pools. They are fantastic for snorkeling since they are shallow and filled with all kinds of colorful coral and impossibly interesting fish.
We borrowed a couple body boards from the hostel and have been swimming every day. We both got a little burned in the first few days so we are working hard to remember sun block every time now.
I am trying to find a green coconut for Eric to try. They are all over in the trees and look easy to get—Wrong! They are high up and are attached extremely well. We spent a considerable amount of time trying to get one down: climbing, throwing things, poking them with long branches, etc…. I hooked one with a rope and had to pull with all of my strength to get it loose. Unfortunately it was too young and not yet sweet. He will have to wait for Brazil to get a proper one. We did get some mangoes that had fallen by the road side. In the same place we swung off 50-60 foot vines like Tarzan. Cool! The vines really are strong and long enough like the movies.
