The Hawaiian Islands, with their lush landscapes and dramatic coastlines, are only the visible peaks of a much larger story written beneath the waves. Stretching across the central Pacific, they are part of a massive underwater mountain chain born of volcanic activity over tens of millions of years. What most people don’t realize is that this archipelago is home to the tallest mountain on Earth — a giant that rises largely unseen from the seafloor.

That mountain is Mauna Kea. When measured only from sea level, it appears shorter than Mount Everest. But when its full height is considered — from its base on the Pacific Ocean floor to its snow-capped summit — Mauna Kea towers at an astonishing 10,210 meters, or 33,500 feet. By this measure, it surpasses Everest by more than a kilometer, earning its place as the true tallest mountain on Earth.

The Hawaiian chain itself is a living timeline of geology. The islands and submerged peaks, known as seamounts, trace the movement of the Pacific Plate over a powerful hotspot deep within the Earth’s mantle. While the hotspot remains stationary, the tectonic plate slowly drifts northwest, carrying each island away from its fiery birthplace. As a result, the islands grow older, erode, and shrink the farther they are from Hawaii’s Big Island, which still swells with active volcanic activity.

From the still-forming volcano of Loihi, hidden beneath the sea south of the Big Island, to the ancient, worn peaks of Kure Atoll far to the northwest, the Hawaiian chain is a breathtaking record of Earth’s restless forces. Each island and seamount is a chapter in a story that spans more than 80 million years — a reminder that our planet is alive, dynamic, and constantly reshaping itself.

Though most of this vast mountain range lies hidden beneath the ocean surface, its impact is visible to all who set foot on Hawaii’s shores. The islands are a living testament to fire, water, and time — forces that create worlds, sculpt landscapes, and remind us of nature’s unmatched power.