Volcano Voyeurs: Skyscanner Reveals Top 5 Places For Lava Lovers

    EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, April 24, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Blasting billions of tons of ash and lava 10,000ft into the atmosphere, Iceland's unpronounceable volcano - Eyjafjallajokull - wreaked havoc on European airspace, grounding thousands of flights for over five days.

But where are the best places for lava lovers to see volcanoes up close?

Flight search engine, Skyscanner (www.Skyscanner.com) brings you the top five destinations for volcano voyeurs.

Stromboli, Italy

After all of the Icelandic volcano drama cools, there are bound to be some great European flight deals to be had by all; so your first stop should be Italy. Known as the 'Lighthouse of the Mediterranean' due to its spectacular night time explosions, this Aeolian Island has been attracting global lava lovers for years. Eruptions are so regular that the word 'Stromboli' is now used to mean 'small explosion' and its shape means you can get remarkably close to the action -just 200m above the active crater!

Kilauea, Hawaii

There are some reasonably-cheap flights from San Francisco which take you to Kilauea: on Hawaii's Big Island, this volcano claims the title of the "world's most active volcano" - so a visit here is likely not to disappoint. You'll need to take a boat ride to see one of its most spectacular sights - red hot lava oozing into the ocean which causes the sea to boil and vaporise into white plumes of steam.

Etna, Sicily, Italy

This fiery Italian mountain boasts the title of being Europe's most active volcano. In a state of almost constant activity, it last erupted as recently as this month (April 2010!). Take a 4-wheel drive excursion to explore Etna's lava fields, volcanic caves and tunnels, and eruptive fissures, but don't get too close!

Teide, Tenerife, Spain

If you prefer your volcanoes a little less active, hop on a flight to Europe and visit Mount Teide (a safer option), which hasn't erupted since 1909. At 3718m tall, it's the highest peak in Spain and easily visible from flights to Tenerife. Take the Mount Teide cable car to the summit to enjoy the view, but don't forget to apply for a permit first.

Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand

Part of the 'Pacific Ring of Fire' it's no wonder that New Zealand is home to many active volcanoes. Mount Ruapehu is the country's highest and one of the world's most active, having last blown its top in 1996. In winter its slopes become the North Island's largest ski areas offering snow sports at Turoa and the interestingly named Whakapapa resorts.

About Skyscanner:
Skyscanner is a leading travel search site, providing instant online comparison on flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines, as well as car hire, hotel and holiday price comparison.

Users can browse without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, and Skyscanner offers a choice of 23 different language sites including French, German and Spanish.

PR Contact:
Scot Carlson / Mary Porter
www.skyscanner.com
[email protected] / [email protected]
+44 (0)131 252 5353

# # #