Powershot SX230 use on vacation (volcanics)

Just got a brand new (I know, not so new) Powershot SX230. Next week I'll be flying to Lanzarote and wonder if someone here can give me some advice on how to use this camera properly, e.g. what settings to use for best images.

The landscape is mostly all tints of brown and black as it's a volcanic island, and white houses in villages. Will have to see how much vegetation there is in November. I don't know how overcast or hazy the sky will be.

In the past I had quite some problems with volcanic sceneries: details didn't really show, the sky was overexposed and all sorts of other problems.

I don't take a computer along so I will only see at home what the photos really look like.

Thanks for your advice.