Jaunted

Science Travel / Big Ash Problems / Volcanoes / Volcano Travel / → All Tags

Alaska Volcano Erupts; Are Ash Cloud Flight Delays on the Way?

In case you missed it, over the weekend there was explosion over in Cleveland—but don’t worry—it wasn’t that Cleveland.

Apparently it’s time again for the annual volcanic eruption, and that means potential disruption to air travel. This time the ash and smoke is doing its thing up in Alaska, as the Cleveland volcano is getting a little cranky.

In case you want to know where to look for the troublemaker on the map, this volcano is roughly 940 miles southwest of Anchorage, stuck on Chuginadak Island within the Aleutian chain of islands.

more ›

Science Travel / Big Ash Problems / Volcanoes / Volcano Travel / → All Tags

Scientists Closer Than Ever to Figuring Out When Volcanoes Will Ruin Your Vacation

We live in a travel world where, for better or worse, Jaunted maintains categories for volcanoes and for volcano travel, to say nothing of our originally lighthearted but eventually kind of depressing big ash problems tag. Every January we wait the first eruption-driven airline cancellations of year. On particularly bad years we've even been known to slip into theological spculation about which gods exactly travelers pissed off.

Aside from angering volcano deities, there are also more mundane explanations for why travelers, every year, get stuck in airports because of volcanoes. A lot of those reasons have as much to do with badly planned and implemented safety regulations as they do with actual eruptions. But as those bad regulations get get fixed and as new technology comes online, we're getting to the point where we just have to admit that sometimes volcanoes erupt, and sometimes that delays air travel, and sometimes there's nothing anyone can do about it.

more ›

Nature Travel / Costa Rica Travel / Hiking / Green Travel / Active Travel / National Parks / Volcanoes / Volcano Travel / → All Tags

Froggies and Fumaroles: Hiking Costa Rica's Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park

Have you got a spare three or four hours? If you were in Costa Rica right now, those could be spent hiking around a volcano and petting frogs. Sure, everyone knows the giant Arenal volcano towards the center of the Central American country, but Costa Rica has six other active volcanoes, one of which is Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, located in the Guanacaste province and within its own National Park.

Rincón de la Vieja is serious business as far as volcanoes go. Heading up to its top rim and caldera is no longer allowed (too risky!) but local, experienced guides can easily lead you on a several-hour hike to spot fumaroles (steam vents), bubbly muddy water cauldrons, cute froggies and waterfalls so clear and cool you'd think it was Norway instead.

more ›

Big Ash Problems / EasyJet / Airlines / Airline News / Sicily Travel / Volcano Travel / → All Tags

EasyJet Buzzes Above Active Volcanoes to Test Anti-Ash Technology

Has it already been nearly two years since the massive, international air travel mess that was the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano? We suppose it's awesome that the world hasn't ended in the meantime, but now when the holiday travel season rolls around, we get a little anxious. Any weird Earth-spewing activity can throw a wrench into the whole delicate system, but not if EasyJet has anything to say about it.

In June 2010, the European low-cost carrier announced that they'd had enough of this volcano nonsense and would take it into their own hands (and US government laboratories) to develop a system to detect ash in the air in the plane's flightpath. It's called AVOID—airborne volcanic object imaging detector—and that's exactly the idea, to avoid ash so it doesn't gum up the engine and crash or cause malfunctions in planes.

more ›

Volcanoes / Big Ash Problems / Volunteer Travel / Volcano Travel / Hawaii Travel / Voluntourism / → All Tags

Learn About Those Pesky Volcanoes in Hawaii This Fall

If you've had your travel plans disrupted by one of the many recent volcanoes, here's your chance to learn exactly how they work, and why they're becoming such a nuisance. Volcano Discovery is hosting several trips this year for small groups of novice vulcanologist, including an exhibition to the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.

During the trip, participants will spend their time studying volcanic activity with an experienced vulcanologist guide. The Kilauea volcano is considered the most active in the world and also features the longest known continuous lava tube, making it one of the best places on earth to learn about volcanoes.

The five day trip will take place between September 25-29 and costs $1790, which includes hotel costs, breakfast, dinner and transportation daily. Air transportation is not included. For more information, visit VolcanoDiscovery.com.

[Photo: DoubleDeckerPress]

Volcano Travel / Volcanoes / Science Travel / Active Travel / Hawaii Travel / → All Tags

Hawaii Introduces Volcano Awareness Month Since Erupting Is So Hot Right Now

Thanks to a proclamation from the Hawaii County mayor, January is officially Volcano Awareness Month. Throughout the month the US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park—among other local organizations—are teaming up to share their knowledge and understanding about all things lava.

In addition to the usual offerings within the Big Island’s national park, there are going to be loads more programs, talks, and hikes focused on better understanding what the heck is happening both above and below the earth. Volcanologists will be on hand every Tuesday to answer questions about Kilauea and probably anything else you want to throw at them. On Saturdays, groups can meet up with a park ranger to head on a hike into the Kilauea caldera—it’s just shy of three miles round-trip. For those that are a little more into entertainment, January 16 is the day to learn all about a special hula that tells the story of Pele—the goddess of fire, not the famous soccer player.

more ›

World's Wildest Bungee Jumps / Bungee Jumping / Volcano Travel / Bungee-Jumps-Map / → All Tags

Two For One: Most Expensive And Most Dangerous Bungee Jump. Ever.

If throwing yourself off a platform with nothing but a bouncy cord tied to your feet is a bit too lame for you, then you're a candidate for the wildest bungee jump we've ever heard of: The Volcano Bungee near Pucon, Chile.

Basically you get flown up to an active volcano--yes, we mean a bubbly, smokin' volcano--and then you have to bungee jump off the helicopter into the caldera towards the molten lava. Are these people insane?

Anyone thinking that throwing themselves into a volcano sounds fun also needs to be fairly well off. You can do this bungee jump as part of a six-day package for $9,995, including accommodation and other (slightly less crazy) activities. And if you're asking the same question we are--Could you die doing this jump?--then the Volcano Bungee gang already has an answer for you:

Yes. You could. You'll be signing a waiver, so we're cool.

Related Stories:
· Volcano Bungee [Official Site]
· Bungee Turns 20: Happy Birthdaaaaaaaaaaaaay! [Jaunted]
· Volcano Travel: Chile's So Hot Right Now [Jaunted]

[Photo: willposh]

Volcanoes / Volcano Travel / Alaska Travel / PenAir / → All Tags

Alaskan Volcano Blows, Delays Regional Flights with Ash Cloud

Umnak Island, in the Aleutians of Southwest Alaska, experienced a rocking volcano explosion Saturday morning. Because of Mount Okmok's location in the isolated island chain, the only people immediately affected were on a cattle ranch located just six miles from the base of the 3,500-foot volcano.

Ranch owner and Arizona native Lonnie Kennedy fired up his helicopter when he heard the thunderous boom and began moving his family and ranch hands off the property towards the "Deadliest Catch" territory of Dutch Harbor.

The explosion tossed smoke and ash 45,000 feet in the air, leading PenAir to cancel two regional flights. Regular service returned by Sunday morning.

The last time this volcano exploded was 1997; that time it remained active for eight months. We're more amazed by how a cattle rancher goes from Arizona to Alaska. A-state pride, baby!

Related Stories:
· 10 Rescued after Eruption [AP, via ADN]
· Volcanoes coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Mt. Okmok in quieter times: Wikimedia]

Big Island Travel / National Parks / Volcanoes / Volcano Travel / Nature / → All Tags

Volcano Travel: Beware the Vog

Visitors have been enjoying the show at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park since March, when a new vent exploded open in Halemaumau Crater at the summit of Kilauea. The volcano has sent a continuous flow of fluffy white gas into the sky, adding some excitement to the park's already impressive lava flows.

But Kilauea has also covered the Big Island in a haze of "vog"--volcanic fog--which is heavy in sulfur dioxide and has some island residents wheezing and worrying for their health. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park has been among the voggiest areas, leading rangers to close parts of the park nearest the summit, and even temporarily shutter the entire park in April.

The Big Island Visitors Bureau launched a press push this week to bring visitors back to the park, noting that the trade winds returned last Friday, pushing the vog out to sea and creating clearer viewing opportunities.

If you'd rather check the vog from a distance, the NPS has set up a webcam on the volcano.

Related Stories:
· Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park [Official Site]
· Losing Your Cool in Hawaii [Jaunted]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: bobster1985]

Volcano Travel / South Pacific / Islands / → All Tags

Even Volcanos Aim to Please on Vanuatu

We've been pretty keen on a trip to the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu ever since we heard the people there are the happiest in the world. But apart from walking around and smiling a lot, we weren't really sure what there was to do there--until now.

A Sydney Morning Herald review this week has got us captivated by Vanuatu, because it is home to the world's most accessible volcano. By which we mean, you can basically sit on the edge of the caldera and watch a few explosions of lava, performing like clockwork every evening.

The tourist-friendly volcano is called Mount Yasur, which means "old man," and it is located on Tanna Island, a 45-minute flight from the capital of Port Vila. Don't feel you have to hurry--Mount Yasur has been continually erupting since 1774, and there's no reason to imagine it's suddenly going to stop now.

Related Stories:
· Fiery Beauty As Old Man Rumbles [SMH]
· Shiny Happy People [Jaunted]
· Volcano Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: phnk]

Volcano Travel / Jeju Island / World Heritage Sites / Sex-Travel-Map / → All Tags

South Korean Island Offers Volcanoes AND Sex

While the Korea north of the 38th parallel tends to make the headlines, the area below got a mention last week when it became the first natural site in South Korea to be added to the World Heritage List. After meeting in New Zealand, the UNESCO Committee placed Jeju Island on the list.

Best known to Koreans as a honeymoon paradise (no self-respecting Korean man would dare suggest any other destination) and home to the erotic Love Land, Jeju Island also has a volcano and lava tube caves. Spectacularly beautiful AND sexy, who wouldn't want to holiday here? Tourism officials are hoping the World Heritage listing will boost tourist numbers in winter and summer, the seasons when Koreans rarely marry.

Sex Travel Map

Related Stories:
· UNESCO Lists Jeju Volcanic Island [Chosun]
· Fellatio Monument in South Korea [Jaunted]
· Hotels in South Korea [HotelChatter]

[Photo Credit: Paul Lawley-Jones]

Adventure Travel / Russia Travel / Volcano Travel / → All Tags

Volcano Tourism: Spewing in Russia

Superlatives like "world's tallest" are cheap but effective ways to lure tourists to your attraction. The far east Russian peninsula of Kamchatka, east of Vladivostok, is trying to grab you with the "world's most active" volcanic regions along the Pacific Ring of Fire. A reason to visit or a reason to stay far, far away? Your call.

At first we weren't sure what makes a lava-spewing mountain appealing, but apparently it's the perfection of its conical shape, and a nice upper layer of snow adds some aesthetic beauty. And while exploring Kamchatka and its many volcanoes is still for the relatively rich adventure tourist, there were 14,000 foreign visitors last year and this is expected to increase. That is, until the beautiful volcanoes decide to bury us all.

Related Stories:
· In Russia ... [Mail & Guardian]
· Russia's Big Bang [Jaunted]
· Russia Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: robnunn]