I've read so much about crime...

We will have just 2 1/2 days (three nights) on the Big Island in October. We land in the early afternoon at Kona. I was thinking about drving from Kona to HVNP to see the lava at night (I know, it may or may not be flowing when we are there), staying the night in possibly Hilo or Volcano, touring the rest of HVNP the next day, then driving back to the Kona side for the other two nights. I%26#39;ve read so much about crime, I have become concerned about having my luggage in the trunk while touring that day. Is this a real concern? I%26#39;m beginning to feel very paranoid about this. Please give me some tips, and/or relieve my fears about this matter. Thank for your help!

I've read so much about crime...

I don%26#39;t think crime is an issue inside the park, at least I have not heard of anything going on during any trip we have taken there. I think the entrance fee deters some potential criminals plus the park service does patrol. Outside the park in some areas is another story. Akaka falls or around Puna can be dicey. I am not sure when you planned on arriving but you probably can leave your bags whereever you will be staying then you won%26#39;t have to worry about them.

I've read so much about crime...

As many times as we%26#39;ve visited the park we%26#39;ve never seen even a hint of any kind of crime.

I went there once many years ago. Fear the lava flow more that the crime...and that%26#39;s very seldom.

Enjoy!

Thanks for all your responses. I guess I am more concerned about stopping at other places i.e. Akaka Falls with our luggage than HVNP. Having our car broken into could kind of ruin our day, LOL! I can understand that if someone would see something of value in your car that you were at risk, but I always considered things in our trunk to be safe. I guess not, from what I%26#39;ve read.

Rental car trunks are not to be considered safe. I have no experience in the National Park, and theoretically agree that the fee should deter thieves. However, I would rather you drop your valuables at the hotel before sightseeing.

After having my purse stolen from the trunk of the company Taurus (not a rental but looks like one!) I am forever leary.

You know, I agree with ';Mom';. The best offense is a good defense. If you can leave your stuff at the resort please do so. Car trunks are not safes. But don%26#39;t worry!

I think you%26#39;ll be fine! One shouldn%26#39;t always worry. Life is too short. Just take anything valuable with you! Like that picture of Don Ho and Caddy singing tiny bubbles...it%26#39;s priceless!

Your car trunk is NOT safe -- if you define safe as definitely OK.

Your trunk is safe if you don%26#39;t turn your back on your car, and that%26#39;s about it.

As to the odds, is it LIKELY that your trunk will be ransacked if you leave your car -- probably the odds are with you. Whether you want to play the odds is up to you. I consider the risk to be too great when something really important is in the car.

When I drive across island and have my laptop with me that I can%26#39;t afford to replace, I watch my car closely. Also I have a good alarm. Do rental cars here have alarms? At least an alarm will draw attention to a thief ... in these parking lots, nobody knows who belongs to the car. A trunk can be popped very low key and casually, with lots of people around. They are not thinking about YOUR car. They are oblivious to all but the sights and their own trip.

There was a string of breakins at VNP around June. The police think they caught the guy. He was arrested. At least one of the break-ins occurred in the pre-dawn hours, which is not prime time.

starbulletin.com/2003/07/08/news/briefs.html

Still, the VNP admission is $10 and you can come back for a week, at least (I forget how long). So for about a buck a day a thief can have admission to a nice stock of good pickings.

Here is my honest opinion:

The best way to plan a trip in Hawai%26#39;i is to use your lodgings as a base. Explore while your belongings are left at your base. Leave them there before or after checkout to extend the period when you have this security.

Plan your movement from Point A to Point B and to and from airports so that the place you stay coordinates with seeing what you want to see using this rule of thumb.

When transiting your luggage, only make stops at places where one of you will be in view of the car.

I don%26#39;t view this as unnecessary paranoia. When I went to Europe solo and took trains, I read the advice and bought the steel cables that at the time were recommended to protect against lock and cable snapping bandits. I kept my passport, money and important docs on me, concealed, with a steel cable belt. I always held my bag so it couldn%26#39;t be easily snatched when I walked.

Was it annoying to have to take these precautions? Yes, but the reality was there were thieves, and I didn%26#39;t want to be a victim.

Compared to all the crime faced in some other destinations, including the need to lock the hotel room with your own lock to deter intruders -- all you need to do in Hawai%26#39;i is far less onerous.

Don%26#39;t leave valuables unattended on the beach, in your hotel room (outside the safe), or in your car. Anywhere in your car.

That%26#39;s about it. No real need to fear mugging, carjacking, assault, robbery, or lodgings invasion at night.

You cannot look at Hawai%26#39;i as the Land of Aloha. Hawai%26#39;i has the distinction of the second worst methamphetamine addiction problem of the 50 states. Iceheads steal stuff. Unfortunately they live here side by side with all the aloha.

%26gt;%26gt; I was thinking about drving from Kona to HVNP to see the lava at night (I know, it may or may not be flowing when we are there).

I%26#39;m wondering from this, you have heard that the lava viewing isn%26#39;t in the park, right? It%26#39;s in a completely different area not accessible through VNP ... and you would have to drive straight to it from the airport to get there in time to find parking.

%26gt;%26gt; staying the night in possibly Hilo or Volcano, touring the rest of HVNP the next day.

If I had to give you a tip I%26#39;d say to stay in Volcano Village and either forget Akaka or take a risk or leave someone at the car.

Check in before going to see the lava and leave your bags while you explore VNP.

Honestly, I have to say I am baffled by this plan. With such short time on the island, and an interest in VNP, you%26#39;re making it awfully hard on yourself flying in to an airport that%26#39;s as far around the island as you can get from it (maybe 3 hours drive), when there%26#39;s an airport within less than 45 minutes drive of the park.

Do you not have an option to fly into Hilo?

Never leave a purse in a car at any time.

Thieves are watching all the time... everywhere....

Slightly off topic... but I am amazed by the number of people whom leave their purses unattended in a grocery cart... while looking at something in the store. One%26#39;s purse should be strapped over their shoulder at all times.

Yes, the lava flow area by the sea is in the west end of Puna, not the park. You can stay closer than Hilo or Volcano.

I met a woman at the Kalapana viewing area who were driving the 3 hours back to Kona that night. Seems exhausting, plus she left before the best activity and stars.

My rental car out of Hilo did not have a trunk or any area that wasn%26#39;t visible. Be sure you get one, but I agree, don%26#39;t leave anything valuable in the car regardless. Not worth ruining a vacation because someone stole your ID (so you can%26#39;t get on a plane).

My rental in Kauai (from Hertz) had both a trunk and an alarm.

I was more paranoid about swimming on my own--what to do with my camera and little video camera and phone....