The Complete Big Island Vacation Guide

March 10, 2010 by admin-help · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Activities, Big Island Areas, Big Island Beaches, Big Island Hotels, Hawaii - general, Vacation Planning 

big island cover Aloha! So you are planning a vacation to the Big Island - you are going to have such fun! This is the complete Big Island vacation guide, which is the online version of my ebook Plan Your Best Vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii Ever! Where to Stay and What to Do on the Big Island.

Topics in this guide

Aloha!

So you’re planning a vacation to the Big Island (Hawaii Island) –

Congratulations! You are going to have SUCH FUN! First, you’ll be flying in to either Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) or Hilo International Airport (ITO). You may find a direct flight, but if not, your airline will probably schedule your connecting flight from Honolulu for you. If you have to do it yourself, you can do so with either Hawaiian Airlines http://www.hawaiianair.com/ or Go! Airlines http://www.iflygo.com/

My Favorites on The Big Island

My favorite area:

Tough one on this really big island, but I’ll say the Kohala Coast. This has two of my favorite beaches, Hapuna and the Mauna Kea Beach, and it’s also got my favorite resort, the Hilton Waikoloa – a beautiful and fun place to visit whether you stay there or not!

My favorite hotel:

This is easy – the Hilton Waikoloa. They’ve got Dolphin Quest, a great program for learning about dolphins – and if you want to spend the bucks, close encounters with them :-) The rooms are very nice, the pools with their slides and waterfalls are fantastic, there are several restaurants and lounges, tons to do, and you can ride around the place on the Disneyland-like free tram and boat shuttles. Also, they have a pretty lagoon and a cool art collection displayed around the pools, walkways and gardens.

My favorite luau:

Island Breeze. This is held on the historical royal grounds at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. The pre-luau activities begin when the royal court paddles in from Kailua Bay and the conch shell is blow. You can learn fun Hawaiian crafts and get a Hawaiian “tattoo.” The show features various dances of Polynesia, including hula of course, and concludes with the Samoan fire dance. The menu is traditional Hawaiian featuring the underground baked pig, fresh catch of the day and chicken.

My favorite activity:

Really hard to choose just one, but I’ve narrowed it down to the Fair Wind Snorkel Cruise at Kealakekua Bay (where I got to swim with dolphins!) and the lava flow view hike when the lava’s pouring over the cliff into the sea. For up to the minute lava updates, call the Kalapana Lava Viewing Hotline at (808) 961-8093 or the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at (808) 985-6000.

For more general lava updates see here http://www.hawaii-lisa.com/lavaupdate.html

Best Weather on the Big Island

Like all of Hawaii, the Big Island offers exceptionally good weather, especially on the west side.

Hawaii has two seasons: summer (May through October) and winter (November through April), and the temperatures change very little between these two seasons. Average daytime temperatures at sea level in the summer are 85°F and in the winter, 78°F. When the sun goes down temperatures at sea level rarely drop more than 5 to 10 degrees.

The weather does change quite a lot from region to region (the island has all but two of the world’s eco-climates), especially when you travel upland. Bring a sweater if you go up to Volcano. You can even find snow here in the winter at the top of Mauna Kea!

Like all of the Hawaiian Islands, the Windward side (here, that is the Hilo and Puna side) gets most of the rain. Hilo is the rainiest city on Earth in fact. The Windward side is very lush and tropical, and most of the rain falls at night and early morning, although sometimes in the winter the rain will fall for days on end. The Leeward side (Kona and Kohala) is usually sunny at sea level, and when it rains, it is usually in the late afternoon. Kohala is desert like in its dryness, which makes for lots of sunny beach days!

The ocean waters here aren’t too cold either. Surface temperatures average 74° to 77°F in the winter and 78° to 83°F, with the warmer temperatures found on the Kohala Coast – at Hapuna, you’ll feel like you are in a heated swimming pool.

Best Hotels on the Big Island

These are the best hotels in all of Hawaii Island, in my opinion.

If you consistently find higher prices than what I have found, maybe prices are up due to high season or some other reason. You find the best fares during the off-peak season, late September through the first week of June. And exception to this is fares go up around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, as well the days closely surrounding them and Spring Break.

You may find lower prices by bidding at Priceline and using Hotwire.com. This is all detailed below the tables. All listed prices are based on double occupancy. If you find lower prices than I’ve listed here, don’t question it, just book it!

Best Overall and Beachfront Hotels on the Big Island

Note that all with the exception of the Chalet Kilauea are beach front.

  • Chalet Kilauea featuring the Inn at Volcano, At website: $107 for a room at the deluxe Inn at Volcano. Less for some of the other properties.
  • Fairmont Orchid, $199 at Expedia.
  • Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, $495 at Expedia.
  • Hilton Waikoloa, $189 at Expedia.
  • Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, $296 at Expedia.
  • Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.

Best Family Hotels on the Big Island

  • Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.
  • Sheraton Keauhou, $159 at Expedia.

Best Budget-Priced Hotels on the Big Island

Many of the following hotels don’t list with Expedia and Priceline. If you call them directly for reservations, be sure to ask “Do you have any discounts that could bring my rate down?” You could get a “Yes” and a better rate off the bat.

I also highly recommend bidding on Priceline. Many of these smaller operations do not sell rooms to Priceline, and so if you are bidding on Priceline you will normally get something like a resort or a 2 to 4 star hotel. Remember, you can’t pick your hotel if you bid, just your desired star level.

You’ll have the most luck with getting low bids accepted on Priceline when the hotels are hurting for visitors, but try anytime. You could really get some good deals.

Most of the following are condos and include full kitchens, private washer/dryer, pool and barbecue. The “Best Prices” are based on Expedia, Priceline (lowest prices without bidding) and the hotel’s site.

  • Hale Kona Kai, $140 at website, $10 extra per person after first two.
  • Kona Isle, $99 (2009) and many rent 5 nights get two free specials for 2010 with rates starting at $105.
  • Sea Village, $96 for 1 bedroom, $112 for 2 bedrooms at Expedia.
  • Dolphin Bay Hotel, $99 (one queen bed), $149 (one bedroom) and more options. Weekly rates discussed on request.
  • Hilton Waikoloa, $189 at Expedia.
  • Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, $159 at Expedia.
  • Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, $296 at Expedia.
  • Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.
  • Fairmont Orchid, $199 at Expedia.

Best Hotels for Romance and Weddings on the Big Island

  • Hilton Waikoloa, $189 at Expedia.
  • Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, $159 at Expedia.
  • Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, $296 at Expedia.
  • Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.
  • Fairmont Orchid, $199 at Expedia.

Bidding on Hawaii Travel at Priceline and Shopping at Deep Discount Sites, Expedia and Hotwire

Shopping for travel reservations through Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire is a great way to save money on hotels and sometimes even flights to Hawaii. You can often get even better prices than ones in the charts. I have personally bid and got $55 at the Royal Kona Resort and $120 at the Waikoloa Marriott. My friend got $110 at the Waikoloa Hilton and $85 at the Hapuna Prince. (All of these hotels are on the Big Island.) And I know someone who bid and received a round trip flight from San Francisco to Honolulu for $250. These are good deals!

Oh, and don’t forget car rentals. You can get great deals on car rentals by bidding.

The only issue with bidding for hotels is that you won’t know what hotel you get until you are locked in to paying for it. You just specify a certain star level or class of hotel.

And the only issue with bidding for flights is that you won’t be able to specify an exact time, but they do tell you it will be sometime between x morning hour and x evening hour, so not too bad. I have a friend who got a round trip flight Los Angeles to Honolulu for $179 through Hotwire.

At Hotwire you can get their regular low rates while specifying your hotel, airline/flight time and car model, but to give you the deep discounts Hotwire gets from their partners that they’re not allowed to publicize, you won’t know the names until after you reserve. As mentioned above though, you can choose general times, star rating on hotels, size of car, etc.

So How Should I Bid on Hawaii Travel?

Hotels:

I like to decide on a hotel I like, then find out what its star level is. Then on Priceline, I go directly to naming my own price, and during the process Priceline will tell you what the average price is for that star level. I then bid half of that.

The Priceline website will have a ticker of recently accepted rates in the area you are searching for that is helpful.

An awesome resource is the bidding for travel forum. If you scroll down on the home page you’ll see three Hawaii forums, based on which islands you are planning to visit. People bid, and then come here and post their accepted and rejected rates.

I have heard that the posted “median retail prices” at Priceline are sometimes inaccurate. I don’t worry about this in Hawaii because I am so familiar with what the hotels cost here. You, however, may want to check prices on the website of a few hotels that are the same star level as you want. You can then try to bid 50% of that.

Rental Cars –

$15 a day is generally a good place to start, and check the recent winning bids on Priceline.

Flights –

I like to bid 50% of whatever the going rate is and then bid up in $50 increments if that is refused.

Most Fun, Must-Do, Activities and Things to Do on the Big Island

This is my personal favorites list of the most exciting and fun things to do on the Big Island:

  • Atlantis Submarine Kona,Featured on National Geographic. The Big Island’s tour takes you down to visit underwater gardens of coral teeming with schools of tropical fish. You may also see manta rays and sharks.
  • Take the Fair Wind Snorkel Cruise at Kealakekua Bay. This is a must-do, in my opinion. You will snorkel in a pristine marine preserve and if you in the morning, chances are you will see dolphins. They also offer whale watch cruises.
  • Play with and pet a dolphin at Dolphin Quest. You do not need to be staying at the Waikoloa Hilton to enjoy this wonderful (and educational) experience, but slots fill up fast so sign up as early as you can. They book up to a year in advance.
  • See Waipio Valley from Horseback, Combine fun horseback riding with a tour of this legendary and beautiful valley. You might even see some of the wild horse herd!

My Favorite Inexpensive/Free Activities on the Big Island

  • View the Lava! When it’s flowing into the sea, you can, from the Kalapana Viewing area, safely view the red hot molten lava pouring over the cliffs. The view point is about 1/2 mile away from the lava, so binoculars or a camera with good telephoto for optimal viewing. This is best viewed at night so also bring a flashlight (and good walking shoes!). For lava updates, call the Kalapana Lava Viewing Hotline at (808) 961-8093 or the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at (808) 985-6000.
  • If you aren’t staying at the Hilton Waikoloan, you can still tour the hotel and see the dolphins. Just park nearby, walk in through the gate and start looking around. People come in for just the restaurants and dolphin quest all the time.
  • Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, This is the island’s main attraction, and there’s lots to do and see up here – steaming craters, a walk-through lave tube cave, rainforests and moonscapes, a volcanic science and cultural museum, the famous Kilauea Lodge, a fantastic visitor’s center, lots of hiking trails and more. Most of the National Park activities are wheelchair accessible. It can get chilly up here so bring a sweater. Warm up at the lodge’s lounge with hot cocoa while you look out at the now active Halema`uma`u crater (spewing ash and steam but occasionally lava) and enjoy the big lava rock, fireplace (grab a free brochure on its history).
  • Kayak Kealakekua Bay,Take a guided kayak tour to the pristine marine preserve and snorkel the coral reefs. Ocean Safari Kayak Adventures offers “Early Riser Dolphin Quest Tours.” Or check out the sea caves of Keauhou Bay.
  • Visit Rainbow Falls in Hilo, For the best chance of seeing a rainbow over the 80-foot falls, go early when the sun and morning mist make their magic.
  • Puakō Petroglyph Archeological Preserve, This contains over 3,000 pertroglyphs. It’s a short hike from Mauna Lani Resort, which also has some to view. Non-guests can also access via the resort and pick up a map and brochure.
  • Akaka Falls State Park, On the Hamakua Coast (the Big Island’s answer to Maui’s Hana Highway), this includes a very pretty hike through lush gardens and over a stream with the famous 400-foot waterfall waiting for you at the end. Because it’s a big visitor attraction with an unguarded parking lot, don’t leave valuables in your car.
  • Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Also located near Hilo on the Hamakua Coast, this well maintained nature preserve is a must see if you’re into flowers and walking paths that meander among waterfalls and provide sweeping ocean vistas. Over 2,000 species including orchids (Hilo is the “orchid capital” of the world.
  • Parker Ranch, One of the largest and most historical ranches in the United States, Parker is home to the paniolo, the Hawaiian cowboy, and has a variety of visitors attractions including their Historic Homes Tour.
  • Hulilee Palace, Large, elegant museum in Kailua-Kona that was once the vacation home of King David Kalakaua (the Merrie Monarch), Queen Liliuokalani and other Hawaiian royalty.

Best Big Island Beaches

Many visitors who don’t leave Kona are disappointed in the small pockets of sand they find there. A good deal of the island’s coast is is rocky. The “Volcano Island” being so much newer than its neighbor islands doesn’t have as many of the kind of beaches you’d expect from Hawaii. Why? Beaches and their sand are made by hundreds of thousands of years of ocean surf pounding against shells, coral and rock. The Big Island is the youngest of the islands, so beaches haven’t had that much time to develop. Many parts of the coast is younger than 1,000 years old, while Kilauea Volcano still adds hundreds of acres of new land a year. The Big Island has many other incredible attributes that more than make up for this lack of beaches, but hey, we have a few really nice beaches too, including ones that make national and world wide “Best Beach” lists!

Don’t hit all of these unless you are really into beaches. Just pick a few and take your time.

Note: In Hawaii, all beaches are public. Anywhere that there is water, there must be public access to the shoreline. If you are in a residential neighborhood and want to check out the beach, just look for the blue signs that say “shoreline access” and follow the path, even if it’s directly between two houses. Sometimes, though, residential beaches do not have restrooms or showers.

Don’t worry about directions too much. You can see the ocean from almost everywhere, and there are signs designating the beaches. Here’s a link to Google’s Big Island Map. And here’s the Hawaii Ocean Safety Map.

The surf conditions in Hawaii somewhat follow the seasons. During Hawaii’s summer (May - October), surf from the south occasionally has high surf conditions. During Hawaii’s winter, surf from the north has higher surf.

Hapuna (Kohala) - About 30 miles north of Kona on Highway 19 just before the Hapuna Prince Hotel.

Papakolea Beach (Green Sands Beach) – South Point, Kau – Green Sand - Take Highway 11 to Ka Lae (South Point) and drive about 12 miles to the end of the road. Then hike the 2 1/2 miles to the beach. For more details: Green Sand Beach.

Punalu’u Black Sand Beach – Kau – Black Sand - South of Kona near the 63 mile marker of Highway 11 (and about 20 miles south of Volcano National Park).

Ahalanui Park (The Hot Pond) - Puna - Near Kapoho. Directions are a little complicated, and there are two popular routes. Here’s a Google map from Hilo to Ahalanui. We travel the more scenic route: Take 132 and just past the Lava Tree Park where the road forks, stay to the right. This will be Pohohiki Road. Take it all the way to the ocean where it ends at Isaac Hale Park and Pohohiki Boat Ramp. Turn left and you’re there in just a couple minutes.

Kauna’oa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach) - Kohala - Take the Mauna Kea Beach hotel turnoff from Highway 19, about 31 miles north of Kona. They may not let you in if all the spaces have filled up. Try early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

Richardson’s Ocean Park – Hilo – Black Sand - Take Kalanianaola (Hwy 120) out of Hilo, heading towards Volcano Hwy and Banyan Drive. Cross Volcano Hwy and drive on about 5 miles past the fish ponds. Look for the sign just past Leleiwi Park.

While the “Volcano Island” isn’t known for its beaches there are some beauties here, including some of the best in Hawaii and even the world. The beaches above are just a short list of my favorites, but you may find many more that strike your fancy as you drive along the Big Island’s coastline.

Best Big Island Guidebook

The Big Island Revealed is my favorite guidebook. Absolutely straight talk and real opinions from 2 people who have done everything they review. The aerial photos of the hotels are awesome for choosing a hotel. I love this guidebook.

In Conclusion

So that’s it – have a wonderful, wonderful vacation! The Big Island is an awesome place, and you really can’t go wrong here.

Aloha!

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Beach Color in Hawaii and Beaches Quality in Kona

February 4, 2010 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Areas, Big Island Beaches, Hawaii - general, Vacation Planning 

I’m planning a trip and have read your q&a on doing so. My question that I can’t seem to figure out is, on what island/beach will I find the ocean water to be that crystal blue/green so clear that you can see through. I know it may sound silly but that’s what I’m looking for, I prefer white sandy beaches with that aqua turquoise color. I’ve done some searches on “what color is the ocean in hawaii” etc but haven’t found what I’m looking for.

I’d like to visit waterfalls, do some snorkeling, visit a volcano (not the highest priority) I’m thinking that I’ll take two weeks. I’m traveling with a friend who is providing me with free airline passes to get there, he said something about going to the big island first, then on to kona, he’ll be with me the first few days and then he’ll be leaving me on my own. I’d like a place to relax, enjoy the water, snorkel, do some sight seeing.

Ok, that crystal blue-green you are looking for, I think that comes from a play of the sunlight through the water, and only happens with very shallow, long, open beaches (meaning not coves) where the bottom is all white sand.

Hawaii is not the best place for these types of beaches, in my opinion, because of how quickly the water becomes deep almost everywhere.

You’ll be able to catch a glimpse of it when the sun is right on most any island, for example, look at the second to the last picture here on Kauanoa beach on the big island - and the last picture of Abay on the big island here - and look at the last couple pictures of Kailua beach on Oahu here - and then a pic of anini beach on Kauai here.

Now, although I have two examples on the Big Island, the Big Island will really be the hardest island to see something like this on - only beaches on the west side would even have a chance.

Here’s one more thing to kind of get you thinking. See my pictures here from a boat tour we did in the Kealakekua Bay. Notice the difference in the colors of the water in the pictures. we were in 50 to 75 foot deep, perfectly clear water, and all those pics were taken within 10 minutes and 20 feet or so of each other - to this day I don’t know why the extremem difference in the color of the water.

The beaches right in Kona are interesting, but not spectacular. The little beach to the left of the Kailua pier sometimes has the pretty green color, but it’s not a beach to hang out on - more like a tiny strip of sand that sometimes gets swallowed by the ocean when the tide is high. Kids like it.

There’s a few more beaches along Alii Drive like Magic Sands and Kahaluu, but none of them will wow you that much. Kahaluu has lots of turtles which is cool.

Many places on the west side of the Big Island, which will be up north of Kona 15-30 miles, will make you happy.
… hmm, rereading I see you are going to be at the Marriott - if so, that would possibly be the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, which is on the West side and right on Anaehoomalu Bay (or A-Bay) and you willl probably like it, especially if you can make a trip to the Hapuna beach and maybe even the Kauanaoa Beach.

anyway, have an awesome time! Lisa

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Big Island MWR Army and Air Force Facilities

September 27, 2009 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Areas, Camping, Hawaii - general 

I stumbled upon your site while Googling military vacations on the Big Island of Hawaii. I am familiar with the military beaches and cottages on Oahu as I lived there for several years. I’ve also been to the one at Kiluea (she means Kilauea Military Camp or KMC) on the Big Island.

I have received an invitation to the Big Island in January. However, the location is unfamiliar to me. There is supposed to be cottages and/or tent camping on the BI at Bellows AFB. Is there such a place? I know Bellows on Oahu very well. Can you please tell me what military beaches/accommodations are available on the Big Island? I searched for it on the net, but came up empty. My friend may have her info wrong!

As far as I know there is no Bellows on the Big Island. There is a Bradshaw Army Airfield on Saddle road, and nearby there is Mauna Kea State park, where you can do tent camping or cottage camping. That is probably what she is thinking of. KMC is the only other Military MWR facility I know of on the Big Island, and there are no military beaches. There is not currently a large military presence on the Big Island. good luck! Have fun! Lisa

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Kona-Kohala Remote and Secret Beaches, Big Island Hawaii

August 19, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Areas, Big Island Beaches 

I will be traveling to the West side of the Big Island slightly north of Kona this coming January. Do you recommend any remote less crowded beaches to go too?

I have hiked from Hwy 19 to a couple of secluded beaches off of the beaten path. Is this safe to do?

It is 100% safe to do., in my opinion. People do it all the time. There is very little person on person crime here.

You could go to Maumae Beach through the Mauna Kea Beach hotel. The entrance station guard will give you a map. It’s a beautiful beach. There is Kiholo Bay and Beach 69 or Waialea Beach. the trailhead is by the 71 mile marker. Also try Makalawena, which you walk to from a trail at Kona Coast state Park. about 20 minutes.

Have a great time!

Beach 69 Video

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Kailua-Kona Cruise Port of Call Things to Do - Activities

July 11, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island Activities, Big Island Areas, Big Island Beaches, Vacation Planning 

We will be arriving by cruise ship and won’t have a car. I was wondering if there is a nice black beach close by to the pier at Kailua-Kona. And if you can give any other suggestions of things to do and see while we are there for the day.

The closest black sand beach to Kailua-Kona is Punaluu, and it’s over an hours drive. If you will be stopping in Hilo you will be able to easily bike or take a taxi to Richardson’s Beach- it’s less than 2 miles down the road from the Hilo Pier.

In Kailua Kona, I would go to Kahaluu Beach, decent snorkeling and lots of turtles - it’s 5 miles down Alii Drive. You can take a taxi or a shuttle. You could walk around Kailua town. There are shops and restaurants. If you just wanted to get in the water there is a tiny beach right there where the cruise tenders drop you off. Right there at the pier they various boats and jet skis and tours - some of the glassbottom boats are pretty inexpensive for an hour.

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SuperCharge your Big Island of Hawaii Vacation Planning; Hawaii Big Island Revealed Review

June 29, 2008 by Lisa · 1 Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Activities, Big Island Areas, Big Island Beaches, Big Island Hotels, Big Island Rentals, Hawaii - general, Hawaii Revealed Guides, Hawaii Volcanoes, Prices, Vacation Planning 

If you are planning a trip to the Big Island I highly recommend you get the book Hawaii the Big Island Revealed

I have lived in Hawaii for well over a decade, I’ve done just about every activity and hike I care to do, and I still refer to this book when someone asks me something I’m not sure about or just don’t know. I have each one they wrote. I don’t know who the authors are personally, but I have talked with many businesses and hear how they have been ’shopped’ by the authors.

The authors don’t put their pictures on the book and they don’t talk about who they are. When they go to research an activity or hotel they don’t try to get a free room or good service, they try to be treated like anybody else so they can give honest, accurate reports on just about everything there is to do on every island. They are even funny. And they are, really, brutally honest. If something is a dump they call it a dump. If something really rung their bells, you can tell.

The book is broken down well in categories like Activities and Adventures and Beaches and also by location. The index is very thorough. There are lots of spectacular pictures and area maps and complete driving directions. AND, maybe best of all, they provide aerial pictures of the hotels showing how close (or not) the hotel is to the ocean and which building is which (so you can request what building you want to have a room in).

Get the book, you will not regret it. Hawaii the Big Island Revealed

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Big Island Itinerary

January 24, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Activities, Big Island Areas, Hawaii Volcanoes, Vacation Planning 

Itinerary

  • Fri PM leave Oakland 3:30pm
    EVE arrive Hilo 7:05; drive to Honaka’a
    Hotel Hotel Honaka’a
  • Sat AM Mamane Bakery; HAWAIIAN MACADAMIA PLANTATION, INC., Waipi’o Valley; drive down Valley Rd, Kahuahine Falls & Waiulili Falls
    PM take Rt 19 west to Kawaihae; Pu’ukohola Heiau; Hapuna Beach swimming and snorkeling; Malama Petrograph Trail
    EVE check in at hotel and relax (die) or go to ukulele entertainers, Kings Shops at the Waikoloa Resort. Call (808) 886-8811
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Sun AM Hulihe’e Palace; Mokuaikauna Church; Cloud Forest
    PM Kahalu’u Beach, snorkeling
    EVE open
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Mon AM snorkeling/whalewatching
    PM open
    EVE open
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Tues AM Keauhou Sea Cave Adventure (kayaking/snorkeling)
    PM open
    EVE open
    Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel
  • Wed AM check out; Captain Cook; Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden; Holualoa Kona Coffee Company tour; Ho’okena, Green Sand Beach; Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
    PM continue drive to Volcanos National Park
    EVE open
    Hotel Volcano Cabins
  • Thurs AM Visitor Center, Jagger Museum, Crater Rim Drive, walk Devastation Trail and Thurston Lava Tube walk
    PM Chain of Craters Road
    EVE picnic lunch at End of Chain of Craters Road
    Hotel Volcano Cabins
  • Fri AM check out, leave park 5:30am, depart Hilo Airport 8:30am
    PM arrive Chicago

    • is this reasonable? I’m I getting at the good stuff or did I miss alot?

    It looks good to me - let me talk about a few things here:

    To drive down in Waipio Valley you need a four wheel drive. It’s not an easy drive. Have you found directions to the falls? Doing all this plus swimming at Hapuna beach will be quite a packed day.

    You’ll need a 4 wheel drive to get to the green sand beach too unless you plan on hiking a couple of miles each way.

    Don’t stress if you aren’t at the Hilo airport 2 hours before you fly out. ATA is the only airlines that goes to the mainland from Hilo. We just flew that flight to Oakland last week. We left our house at 7 am, got there at 7:15, and had NO problems. There were no lines - nothing. That’s just how the Hilo airport is usually. I’m not saying to plan to get there with only 1 hour and 15 minutes to spare like we did, but don’t stress about it.

    I think you covered about as much as possible in the time you have. Cool.

    Have fun! Lisa

    Flight departure to Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

    Monday

    Flight departure to Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

  • Drive: for 3 to 4hrs to the Town of Volcano (See map) and stop at supermarket for groceries for the Bungalow
  • Check-in: Kate’s Bungalow Address: 19-4039 Hapu Ln, Volcano Ph: (877) 967-7990
  • Evening: At leisure (Pack lunches for tomorrow’s Volcano National Park excursion)

    • Tuesday

  • Morning: Hawaii Volcano National Park
  • Visit: The Visitor Center and obtain information about Volcano and the latest info and location of lava flow also ask about directions in and around the park. (There are two scenic drives with a wealth of volcano views An 11-mile drive, called Crater Rim, passes by many rising steam vents)
  • Visit: Steam Sulphur Banks Vents, Kilauea Overlook, Jaggar Museum, Halemaumau Crater, Devastation Trail (45min hike)
  • Afternoon: Thurston Lava Tube (20min hike), Kilauea Iki Overlook, Kilauea Iki Trail (Little Kilauea), Hilina Pali Overlook, Holei Sea Arch (end of road where lava flowed)
  • Evening: Return to see the lava flow after dark, (take a flashlight, water bottle, and jacket)

    • Wednesday

  • Morning: (Check-out) Wake up early and drive to Hilo Airport (1hour drive-See map to Hilo Airport)
  • Tour: (1010hrs) Blue Hawaiian Helicopter (Circle of Fire plus Waterfalls Tour) #1963497799 Ph: (800) 786-2583
  • Afternoon/Lunch: Lunch at Kuhio Grille 111 East Puainako Street, #A106, Hilo (Located at Prince Kuhio Shopping Plaza)
  • Drive: Richardson Beach Park (walk around and take a look at the black sand beach and scenery), Rainbow Falls State Park (at the edge of Hilo town and view the falls), North to scenic drive detour at Onomea Bay along the Hamakua Coast,
  • Visit: Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens and Onomea Bay Trail (Stop at What’s Shakin Smoothie Stand near the Botanical Gardens for refreshments)
  • Drive: north to Akaka Falls State Park (Hike short trail-loop and view Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls)
  • Drive: North to the Waipio Valley Overlook,
  • Drive: from Waimea, descending down to Kona
  • Check-in: Surf & Racquet Club Address: 78-6800 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona Ph: (808) 331-8878
  • Evening: At Leisure
  • Morning: At Leisure
  • Afternoon/Evening: (1320hrs) Mauna Kea Summit Adventures Tour (tour pick-up: Buns in the Sun 75-5675 Palani RD) Ph: (808) 322-2366

    • regarding the Big Island - which way are you driving to Volcano? The southern route or the northern route? The southern route may be your best bet, and it should only take 2 to 2.5 hours unless you stop a lot, which you may.

    And groceries? There are no major grocery stores along the southern route. It’d be best to stop in Kona. There is one in Naalehu but it’s small with very high prices.

    There’s a lot of things to do in Kona - go to Kahaluu Beach to snorkel and see turtles. Go to the Puuhonua National Park - I think your pass from the Volcanoes National Park might get you in. Check with them. Go on the Fairwinds boat tour - go on a glass bottom boat and or the atlantis submarine.

    related: Multiple island itinerary

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    When is the Best time to Vacation on the Big Island of Hawaii?

    January 4, 2007 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: 808Talk Answers, Big Island, Big Island Areas 

    Shannon from Nebraska asks:

    One question, when would be the best time to visit the Big Island? My parents and I were originally going to plan on coming in October (2007), but I’m thinking June would be better; it looks like it rains a lot in the fall months.

    Hi Shannon - The Big Island is like all the Hawaiian Islands, in that it has a dry side and a rainy side and also that some times of the year and even some times of the day are rainier than others.

    If you are planning on visiting the dry side of the island, which would be most anywhere on the West side, also referred to as the Kona side or the Leeward side, then rain really isn’t an issue. I like to refer to WorldClimate.com when talking about rainfall in Hawaii because it is just so easy and accurate to compare and research using it.

    If we look at the rainfall stats for the area of Puako, which is a very dry area on the Big Island on the Kohala Coast, we see that for the last 32 years Puako has averaged less than 10 inches of rain a year, less than an inch of that in October.

    Hilo is one of the rainiest areas on the Big Island, and is on the exact opposite side of the island from Puako. Hilo rainfall stats for the last 42 years show almost 136 inches of rain a year, with March being the rainiest month at 15 inches of rain and June having the least rain with almost 7 inches of rain. October falls somewhere in the middle with 11 inches of rain average.

    My own experience of living near Hilo on the Big Island for over a decade is that March and April are the absolute rainiest times but many winter and spring days are overcast and it rains almost every night. June is the driest month but most of summer is consistently pretty and hot. If we absolutely have to have sunshine we go to the Kona side for the day.

    I hope this helps you with your decision. Have a wonderful vacation.

    Aloha, Lisa

    Ok, we have planned a trip in November and will be doing some island hopping Should we buy our inter-island tickets now or wait till we get there?

    A year ago I would have just told you to buy the tickets whenever was convenient for you, but earlier is better for being assured of the cheapest prices. These days, the answer is a bit more complicated because of the entrance of Go! Airlines into the market. Aloha and Hawaiian are being forced to meet Go’s current prices, which sometimes go as low as $19 one way. Considering Aloha and Hawaiian were charging $79 and up for one way tickets a year ago, this has got to be hard on them. It seems to me that Aloha and Hawaiian are both hoping that by maintaining their customer base Go! will eventually fail. I don’t know if the inter-island market can sustain three carriers, and I don’t want to speculate what the market will be like in November. I did check availability at the three websites and it seems that they are all already selling tickets that far out but there are lowest-fare seats available.

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    Ocean Views and Access in Hawaiian Paradise Park

    November 17, 2006 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Areas, Big Island Beaches 

    At the bottom of Hawaiian Paradise Park, Beach Road and Paradise Ala Kai run along the ocean. There is no beach in Hawaiian Paradise Park, it is all mostly 30 foot cliffs. The views are very beautiful - sunrise especially. Sunset is on the other side of the island, so you can’t see it, but the sky and ever-present clouds are still beautiful colors at sunset.

    Here’s some ocean-related activities in Paradise Park:

    If you went down Makuu and took a right at the dead end and parked where the road stops you could see the ocean and find some tide pools but I wouldn’t get in the ocean there - the waves are too big. We sometimes go in the tidepools. If you went down Makuu and took a left at Beach Road and parked your car at the boulders where the road is closed this is a great area to take an evening or morning walk on the dirt road or past and around this whole area. I’ve been walking or riding my bike here for 10 years - I see whales and dolphins and gorgeous sunsets (you can’t see the sun, but the colors are still amazing when the winds are right). The sunrises are probably phenomenal but I don’t get up till 7:30 :) . You can also get to this area by going down Paradise and taking a right on Beach Road and parking anywhere.

    You also could go down Makuu and take a right on Beach Road and go in for about a 1/2 mile. You’ll see big concrete poles cemented into the ground at the head of what looks like a very long driveway, blocking any vehicle access in. You could park your car (I see people do it, but I would be uncomfortable because I would be afraid someone would break in - we ride bikes down here to avoid leaving cars at the top) and walk in. At the end of the ‘driveway’ there are fantastic tide pools big enough to swim in if the ocean is calm. One of them is over 10 feet deep and there are tons of fish in them. However, if the ocean isn’t calm this is a very dangerous place - the waves come right up over the rocks and drag you across them if you are in the way.

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    About Hawaiian Paradise Park on the Big Island

    November 17, 2006 by Lisa · 2 Comments
    Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Areas 

    Hawaiian Paradise Park is a quiet, large, residential subdivision in Puna, sometimes shortened to HPP. It is located makai (ocean-side) of Highway 130 somewhere before the 3 and just past the 6 mile markers on Highway 130. The main roads of Hawaiian Paradise Park are Shower Drive, Kaloli Drive, Paradise Drive, and Makuu Drive, in that order if you are driving South (from Keaau towards Pahoa). Directly across the Highway is the subdivision of Orchidland Estates.

    Kaloli, Paradise, and Makuu all run over three miles to the ocean and are paved. Most of the crossroads are currently red cinder. The top-most crossroad is 32nd Street, and the bottom most complete road is 1st Street. The drive from the highway to the ocean is over 3 miles. The crossroads between Paradise and Makuu and Kaloli and Shower are all about 1 mile long. The HPP community association website has a gorgeous aerial picture of the entire area.

    Most of us in the park are on catchement tanks. We have phone, DSL, and electricity. Mail delivery is via post office boxes on the side of the main roads. There is no county garbage pickup (most of us drive to the transfer station and dump our trash ourselves) but some entrepreneurs pick up trash once a week for a fee. We pay $140 or so annually in fees. It’s been going up every year for 10 years by 5 or 10 dollars.

    We have no stores and no park in the subdivision. The community association is trying to get the county to put a park in right now and asking the residents for input. There is a gas station and a small grocery store and plate lunch place right across the highway. Pahoa and Keaau are both about 4.5 miles away in opposite directions. Hilo is about 17 miles away. There is only one road in and one road out of Hilo, and the traffic is starting to get crazy.

    Most lots in HPP are 1 acre. They have been zoned agricultural in the past and there are plenty of orchid farms and some people have horses or greenhouses in their back yard, but mostly the subdivision is just residential houses with really big yards.

    Other roads in HPP are Railroad, Paradise Ala Kai, H Road, K Road, Ala Heiau, and Beach Road. However, there is no beach, just cliffs and some tidepools.

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    The Big Island’s Kohala Coast Hotels - Expensive but Worth It

    November 3, 2006 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Areas, Big Island Hotels 

    Check Kohala Coast Hotels and Condos Prices and Availability

    On the Big Island, the Kohala Coast is the most expensive and most luxurious area available with some of the nicest beaches in all of Hawaii. The coast itself is bordered by the Queen Kaahumanu (call it the Queen K) Highway and stretches from north of Kona to Kawaihae. It’s a road blasted through miles and miles of old lava. Some of the hotels were lucky enough to be placed on a little green oasis in all this lava with a natural beach. Some of the hotels blasted their own ground, shipped in a beach, and planted coconut trees that were already 20 feet high and grown on the Hilo side. Regardless, it almost never rains over here, but every hotel lawn is as green as a rain forest.

    In my opinion, the best Kohala Coast Hotel is the Hilton Waikoloa Village - great for families and singles and romance and fun with waterslides, a tram, boats to take you to your room, and the dolphin quest program. This is barely a medium-snooty hotel, so if you want snootiness go to the Mauna Lani or the Fairmont or the Mauna Kea or the Four Seasons.

    Kohala Coast Hotel Reviews
    More Kohala Coast Hotel Reviews

    Now, it’s hard to find Kohala Coast Hotels on the Internet, because if you don’t know the area you don’t know what to look for. Some online sites lump all these hotels under Waikoloa, but this is misleading, because even though a group of them have Waikoloa in the name, they really are several miles from Waikoloa Town. Waikoloa Town is no where near the water, so don’t expect a beach if you are actually staying in town. Some online booking and discount sites say these hotels are in Kamuela, but Kamuela is another name for Waimea, and Waimea is even farther away than Waikoloa, so I don’t know why they do that. In truth, no one city can be said to be near every Kohala Coast hotel.

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