Halemaʻumaʻu Crater

Halemaʻumaʻu is Pele's home. This is sacred ground in present-tense Hawaiian religious practice — not historical religion, not metaphor, but actively recognized by contemporary practitioners. Treat it accordingly. Do not leave offerings unless you have been trained by a Native Hawaiian practitioner; the cultural-source consensus is unambiguous that casual offerings are offensive. Do not pick the ʻōhelo berries growing on the rim. Do not remove rocks, lava, soil, or anything else from the area; the Pele's curse story is tourism folklore but the value behind it is real. Stay on marked overlooks.