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Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars

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A dining table with a bowl and placemats, set against a window with curtains, overlooking a landscape.
A chair in a room with a view of rocky terrain.
A house with a sloped roof and a porch, surrounded by a rocky landscape and vegetation.
A bedroom with a wooden ceiling, a bed with striped bedding, a nightstand, and a ceiling fan.
A compact kitchen with wooden cabinets, a gas stove, and a sink. There are two windows providing natural light and a view of the outdoors.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Firepit available
    One of the few properties with a dedicated outdoor firepit.

Popular amenities

  • Deck or patio
  • Barbecue grill
  • Free WiFi
  • Kitchen
  • Refrigerator
  • Onsite parking available

Explore the area

View in a map
Pāhoa, HI
  • Place, Star of the Sea Painted Church
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Place, SPACE Seaview Performing Arts Center
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Place, Pahoa Museum
    ‪21 min drive‬
  • Airport, Hilo, HI (ITO-Hilo Intl.)
    ‪53 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only · Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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  • Free WiFi
  • Parking available
  • Microwave
9.0 out of 10, Wonderful, (20 reviews)
"Puna Gecko" with Queen Bed & Private Bath

About the neighborhood

Pahoa

Located in Pahoa, this cottage is by the sea. Mackenzie State Park and Pohoiki reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include SPACE Seaview Performing Arts Center and Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. Hilo Coffee Mill and Aloha Candy Company are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with snorkeling and motor boating nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and ecotours.
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Map
Pāhoa, HI

What's nearby

  • Star of the Sea Painted Church - 7 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Kehena Beach - 14 min drive - 10.9 km
  • SPACE Seaview Performing Arts Center - 18 min drive - 13.9 km
  • Pahoa Museum - 21 min drive - 22.6 km
  • Mackenzie State Park - 23 min drive - 21.1 km

Getting around

  • Hilo Intl. Airport (ITO) - 55 min drive

Restaurants

  • The Tinkerbell Lava Flow
  • ‪Conscious Coconuts - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Kalapana Night Market - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Ono Korean Bbq - ‬21 min drive
  • ‪paradise - ‬20 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars?

As of Nov 13, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars on Dec 21, 2026 start from $82, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Living on Lavaland - Once In A Lifetime Experience! Oceanview - Wifi - Stars located?

Situated by the sea, this cottage is 2.6 mi (4.2 km) from Star of the Sea Painted Church and within 12 mi (20 km) of SPACE Seaview Performing Arts Center and Mackenzie State Park. Pahoa Museum is 12.2 mi (19.7 km) away.

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 19 out of 23 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 23 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 23 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 23 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 23 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

8.6/10

Location

9.0/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Awesome

Very cool spot, in paradise!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Mahalo Nui Loa for your stay Neil! We are happy to hear you had a great time in unique Kalapana. Hope to have you back one time. All the Best, Sonja & Alex
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The Lava Hale rocks..!!

What an amazing experience it was staying out on the lava. Epic sunrise and sunset everyday, ocean view, starry nights like nowhere else, rainbows occur often and got to see my first ever "moonbow" under a full moon so bright you'd have to shade your eyes to keep from squinting!! The hale itself is well stocked, clean and cozy. Wifi and cell service was always available, Netflix and other services are available on the flatscreen provided and the kitchen and bathroom provided all the comforts of home. The lava hale is completely private but when encountering some of the neighbors in the hood, I was met with wonderful local aloha :))) Thx Alex and Sonja for always being available and for providing such a great epic experience with the Lava Hale. Unique, once in a lifetime, living experience!! Can't wait to return! Big Mahalo
Stayed 37 nights in Mar 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Words can’t describe it!

Doesn’t even matter that lava isn’t flowing right now. I’ve never experienced such a complete sense of relaxation in just one night at this gem of a spot. Research the energy benefits of just one single lava rock then imagine that energy multiplied by 1000 because it’s surrounding you. Simply amazing! We had clouds so no night stars but we received the most amazing rainbow we’d ever seen!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Adventurous :)

We stayed here four nights and loved it: walking along the lava field, watching the stars, enjoying the view when having breakfast.
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Check-in, communication
Disliked: Location

Cozy, small place with amazing stars, but i'd rather pitch a tent.

My wife and I spent our honeymoon on Hawai'i, and this was our second stop. The place certainly has it's flair, is very cozy and is a worthwhile experience, but for the price I wasn't expecting it to be this close to camping. In hindsight, a tent would have been more fun. We came during the rainy season, so the entire place was pretty damp, the bed sheets are the exact ones you see on the picture, which makes me wonder if and how often they get changed and the shower and toilet are on the patio (with no 4th wall). The kitchen was overall a bit messy and not very clean. The driveway to the cabin is approximately 1.5 miles on an unpaved, veeeerrrry bumpy road, and I am almost certain that no rental car company would allow you to use it. Just my two cents.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Mahalo Nui for your stay. Too sad you didnt respond to any of our messages if everything is good over there... We always want to make sure our guests have a memorable vacation and many of our guests return year after year. Our little Lava Hale is an eco friendly off-gridd country house - not a hotel room. A piece of Alternitive Hawaii. Its for adventure seekers & nature lovers. Quiet and peaceful places like this are rare. You have stayed on one of the newest land on earth. Sorry it rained, Kalapana is one of the sunniest spots here on this side of the island. All of your complaints are clearly described and illustrated with pictures. If you had read the discription of our cottage or checked all the listed pictures, you wouldnt have been surprised. In our description you can see its an half outdoor bathroom. "Take a hot shower at moonlight". All guests loved our full equiped kitchen. And just because the linens are the same design like on the picture....its doesnt mean that we have only one set. We got planty of these linens, because we loved the colours. Hoping you kept some special moments of this unique area in your memories. Take care. Aloha, Sonja & Alex
Verified review

8/10 Good

Cabin was great!

We enjoyed our time. The cabin was well stocked (minus water or I would given 5 stars). Just make sure to pick up a few gallons before you go out. The owners communicate well and provided a great experience! They made sure to do the little things to make your stay more enjoyable!!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Wonderful off grid living

This is a beautiful tiny home in the middle of a lava rock field. My boyfriend puppy and I all decided to stay our first night here to disconnect from the real world! With living on Maui and coming or a staycation this is exactly what we needed! Walked around the lava field at night and for sure recommend waking up early to watch the sun rise! Beautiful home would stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in May 2019
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Thank you so much for beeing such lovely guests and taking good care of our cottage. We love to share our sweet home with people like you. We are happy you had a good time out there. You are always welcome to come back here, if you need some time off the gridd! ;) Mahalo Nui Loa for your stay. Sonja & Alex
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Top rate

Great off-the-path place to decompress.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Aloha Dan, thank you for staying again in our little Lava Hale. We love to share our beloved cottage with people like you. People who love adventure and nature, like we do! It made us very happy to hear we provided an unique place to calm down and feel home :) You are always welcome to return. Mahalo Nui Loa!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Great place to decompress

Amazing and magical location. The house is comfortable and very clean and well appointed. We were able to make a full day of doing nothing. We brought water, coffee, and food to cook for two days and nights. We didn't turn the TV on, but we did use the WiFi. The neighborhood was quiet day and night. We enjoyed being off-grid and we would certainly stay there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Aloha LisaAnn & Matthew! we are happy to hear you loved out there! It's a pleasure to have guests like you :) We love to share our little cottage with lovely people like you. Thank you for taking care of our Lava Hale. Isnt this a magical place to get away from all stress?... Wishing you all the Best. You are always welcome to come back! Mahalo Nui Loa for your stay, Sonja & Alex
Verified review

8/10 Good

Lava House

House was fine, but the area was secluded. Definitely for someone who wants to get away. Although the neighborhood is secluded, the location is good - close to beach, Hilo, and other attractions.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Einzigartige Unterkunft! Direkt auf dem Lavastrom!

Nicht so schnell zu toppen in puncto Einzigartigkeit! Kein Riesenkomfort, aber absolut ausreichend und für amerikanische Verhältnisse sehr ursprünglich und sehr nahe an der verlorengeglaubten alten Freiheit, dem Vertrauen und der Freizügigkeit der 60er und 70er Jahre. Die nette Nachbarschaft sieht das offensichtlich auch so. Unter diesem Anspruch absolut zu empfehlen und mit dem vorhandenen WiFi holt man sich dann noch die passende Musik ins Häuschen und alles passt! Wir hatten etwas Pech mit dem Wetter, aber wenn man es schafft, den Regen als liquid sun zu verstehen und den Regenbogen als unbedingtes Zubehör, ist die Welt in Ordnung. Etwas mehr Info zur Historie dieses Häuschens und dieses besonderen Ortes wäre für nächste Besucher auch in der Objektbeschreibung schön. War schön hier! Not so quick to top in terms of uniqueness! No huge comfort, but absolutely sufficient and very original by American standards and very close to the lost old freedom, the trust and the free movement of the 60s and 70s. The nice neighborhood obviously sees it that way too. Under this claim absolutely recommendable and with the available WiFi you get then the right music in the cottage and everything fits! We had some bad luck with the weather, but if you manage to understand the rain as liquid sun and the rainbow as an essential accessory, the world is fine. A little bit more information about the history of this little house and this special place would be nice for next visitors also in the object description. It was nice here!
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2018
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Aloha Ihr Lieben, wow, vielen vielen Dank für die wunderschöne Bewertung! Es freut uns sehr, daß Ihr diesen magischen Ort genauso liebt, wie wir ;) und auch das ständig wechselnde Hawaii-Wetter. Ihr seid jederzeit wieder herzlichst willkommen, wenn es Euch mal wieder nach Hawaii zieht... Mahalo Nui Loa for your stay and beeing such wonderful guests! Sonja & Alex
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

staying on the flow...

Lava Hale is a cozy, remote surprise close to Pahoa. The expanse of lava it sits on is incredible especially under a full moon! The little cottage is thoughtfully equipped, clean and has a great prooperty manager. We loved our stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2018
Verified review

8/10 Good

Great place!

This was by far the most unique place we stayed in Hawaii. We loved it!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Aloha Sarah, we are happy to hear you loved it out here in this unique Kalapana area. Thank you so much for beeing such lovely guests and taking good care of our little cottage. You are always welcome to come back ;) All the Best. Take care. Mahalo Nui Loa, Sonja & Alex
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Cute off grid cabin on the lava

As described in the listing. Cute, clean off grid cabin. Such a lovely place to stay. Nice breeze coming through and even though it’s off grid, there is a ceiling fan, internet, tv and hot water. AMAZING view of the sunrise. Bring your own drinking water as the water is from catchment and not safe for drinking. Thanks for sharing your place with us!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018
Response from VrboOwner on Mar 17, 2020
Aloha Courtney, thanks so much for beeing such lovely guests and taking good care of our little cottage. We are happy to hear you loved it out here in this unique Kalapana area. You are always welcome to stay ;) All the Best. Take care. Mahalo Nui Loa, Sonja & Alex
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Very comfortable and great lava.

This house is just like they say. Very comfortable, no AC but we didn't need it. The bathroom is on the porch but very nice. The only thing is that there are a lot of other houses out on the lava, some are nice and some are not. It was very quiet while we were there but just as we were leaving someone started building on their house and the saw was very loud.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

A place where time stops

If you've ever wanted to step into a surreal dream, this is the place. At first, the lava rock may jar your senses, but it becomes a lulling comfort. Kalapana Gardens is like a modern day frontier land. Sonja & Alex operate the perfect place at the perfect price. Very clean and in order. If you have any problems, they are very responsive.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Exactly what we expected for living on the lava, off the grid

This was a great experience, it defies description. I believe a number of the neighbors were original homeowners in this neighborhood when the lava flowed over their property nearly 30 years ago. The area has the feel of modern day homesteading in inhospitable terrain. We enjoyed the stay at the house and tried to be sensitive to the residents who still live in the area, some of whom are able to profit a bit from the lava tourism. (Our shuttle driver had grown up in the area and had plenty to say about it.) I'm sure visitors are both a blessing and a curse to the original residents of Kalapana. The house itself is adequate and clean. There was plenty of hot water, basically outfitted kitchen, comfortable enough bed, a place to charge our phones. No need for frills out on the lava. We loved the outdoor bathroom, there is a sliding door for privacy, but there is something kind of fun about looking at the landscape while showering. At night storms blew through and cleared just as quickly. The rain pounded and wind shook the structure wildly but never for very long. The location is perfect to access the flowing lava. We parked at the shuttle pick up. It took us to the second gate, cutting off about 4 miles round trip (still a 4 mile hike part way on the road, but mostly on the lava.) We were out after dark, but with headlamps and back up flashlights we were able to navigate our way back to the road and shuttle. If you want to see flowing, oozing lava, as long as Pele cooperates, this is a very convenient place to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

it’s OMG!

Don’t miss this place! If you need more than one night here, EVEN BETTER!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Fantastic opportunity to be out on the lava

The small house is pleasant and clean. We enjoyed all the sunlight in the home, and the mattress on the bed was good! At night, you can see the lava flow on the distant mountainside. To get as close to the lava as the National Park Service will allow, you need to hike or bike on a gravel road 4.5 miles from this home. You can rent a bike on your way in. It is best to arrive during the daytime hours as the property is a bit tricky to find within the subdivision. Sonja and Alex might want to put a map of the subdivision in the directions that they send once you rent from them. Though the directions are complete, it is easier for some of us to navigate with a map than with written directions or photos. We enjoyed the outdoor shower and restroom. It was extremely windy one night we were there. There is nothing to break the wind out on the lava, so it was loud and we were initially concerned that the little house and its roof might not make it through the night, but lo and behold, it did! Thank you, Sonja and Alex for allowing us the chance to have a special experience!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

AWESOME location, off the grid & on the Lava,

Off the grid but we had electricity, solar, WiFi, running water, showers, flushing toilets. The shower & toilet are outside on the side porch but private & airy. So while being off the grid we were not roughing it. Clean & cozy, lots of windows& light, cool breezes, great sunrises while sitting outside at the picnic table having breakfast, sunsets on the side porch. Also from the side porch in the evening you can see the lava glowing on the side of the volcano! And after your hike up to see the lava up close you do not have to drive back to anywhere because you are still there! The town of Kalapana is a short drive away for food, music, beer etc. even if you are not vegan the “sampler plate” at “Karuna’s” can’t be beat for the tastiest filling meal after a walk to the Lava.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Perfect for lava viewing convenience

Such a unique and interesting experience. Offered everything we needed.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2018
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Ever wanted to live on Mars?

Now's your chance! Truly, truly unique opportunity. While the cottage is admittedly bare bones, this is much more about getting to be near the lava flows, see spectacular stars, and live on terrier that''s unlike anywhere else. It was a total kick, and we'd do it again in an instant. Thanks!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Unique place on earth!

Aloha Sonja & Alex, we LOVED our stay in your cozy and cute Lava Hale! We had an amazing time out here in the lava fields. An exceptional place for vacationing. The eco-friendly home has everything you need. The solar power works great, even on cloudy days. The fridge and stove worked perfect with propane. Well equiped kitchen. Great views. You can see the glow of Kilauea by night. After our evening hiking tours we took a hot outside shower under the moon light. Fantastic! Recommanded! There is so much too explore. Not only "once in a lifetime" - We will return very soon. MAHALO for the great tips and maps.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2017
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