Five enormous volcanoes built Hawaii's Big Island and in the process created an island that is twice as large as all the other islands combined. It is also twice the size of Delaware and three times the size of Rhode Island with an area of 4,028 square miles. It is home to two of the largest mountains on earth, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, if measured from their base on the ocean floor. Two of the world's most advanced astronomical observatories are located on the summit of Mauna Kea. Scientists view clear skies from here well above 40% of the earth's atmosphere. It is one of the few places in the world where you can snow ski on a dormant volcano and then swim in the warm ocean waters the same day.

It is an island of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural people who treasure their heritage and you can see evidence of this ethnic pride everywhere o in the customs, architecture, language, food and lifestyle. It is also an island of contrasts, with semitropical areas, a rainforest, cool, wetter weather in the higher elevations, the rolling hills of Kamuela, the lava fields of the Puna District and Kohala Coast area, the rivers of red hot lava flowing into the ocean from Kilauea Volcano and the tropical rain showers of Hilo.

There are rainbows and waterfalls and lookouts to stunning views of valleys and native forest. There are white sand beaches, black sand beaches and even green sand beaches. Coffee plantations, macadamia nut plantations and one of the largest privately owned ranches in the U.S. There is still more ­ voted the world’s #1 dive destination and the best beginner dive destination in the world, with world-class snorkeling, deep sea fishing, sailing and surfing. It is an island of contrasts, an island of incomparable beauty, encompassing nearly every one of the earth’s major ecosystems, it is more than most people can imagine ­ it is the Big Island of Hawaii.