Welcome to Hawai'i, a.k.a the Big Island, a.k.a the
Orchid Isle. You probably landed in either Hilo or Kona,
and because we can't begin our tour from both places,
we'll start this guide in Kona and proceed counterclockwise
around the island. (If you landed in Hilo, just flip
ahead and start from there.) The only other way to travel
between Kona and Hilo is the rough Saddle Road, which
many car rental agencies consider off-limits. The Saddle
Road is currently being upgraded, however, and some
car companies now permit travel over it.
At just over 4,000 square miles, Hawai'i Island is
the largest of the Hawaiian Islands. At less than half
a million years old, it's also the youngest, a place
where the volcanic hotspot that created the rest of
the chain is still adding new real estate. (In about
100,000 years, when the Lo'ihi seamount off the southeast
coast of the Big Island breaks the surface of the Pacific,
Hawai'i will lose its status as the youngest island.)
Comprised of five shield volcanoes (Mauna Kea, Mauna
Loa, Kilauea, Hualalai and Kohala), Hawai'i Island is
a place of extremes: the barren lava deserts of Kona
to the verdant rainforests of Hilo, the snowy summits
of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea to the sun-scorched plains
of Ka'u. It's a place where fire meets water: The lava
flow from Kilauea, which began its current eruption
cycle in 1983, meets the ocean at the southern end of
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, sending a plume of
steam into the sky. It's a place of superlatives: the
world's tallest mountain, the world's longest lava tubes,
the country's biggest island, the world's clearest night
skies. It's a place of strange and magnificent landscapes,
a volcanic wonderland that will inspire and amaze you.
Kailua
and North Kona

Kona Coffee

Painted Church

Pu‘uhonua O Honaunau
National Park
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The district of North Kona is the busiest area of the
mostly sleepy Big Island; it's the site of the biggest
airport, most of the major resorts and the quaint seaside
village of Kailua-Kona. Until the nineteenth century,
Kailua was a fishing village; later Kailua served as
a harbor for exporting cattle, coffee and sugar. The
town itself had always been a sleepy village; up until
the early 1970s the population was no more than 700.
Today it's around 40,000 and growing. Now Kailua is
the epicenter for Big Island tourism and Kona coffee,
and it's not unusual to see giant cruise ships anchored
in its small bay. Kailua town is home to a number of
historical and cultural sites, many relating to the
ali'i nui, or monarchy, of old Hawai'i. Beside the Kailua
pier is Ahu'ena Heiau. This comparatively modern temple
(built in 1817) was dedicated to the patron deities
of learning, the arts and healing. King Kamehameha I
also made his home here; he could maintain control over
traffic in the bay and monitor farming activity. Stroll
along Ali'i Drive, the coastline road through Kailua,
for both shopping and historical sites. Moku'aikaua
is the first Christian church built by missionaries
in Hawai'i in 1820. Across the street is Hulihe'e Palace,
a nineteenth-century vacation home for the monarchy.
Hulihe'e was built in 1838 and recently restored; today
it's a museum open to the public. Throughout the week,
keiki (children) practice hula in the courtyard under
the shade of giant banyan trees. At the northern end
Ali'i Drive in Keauhou is a remarkable heiau complex
that's currently under reconstruction; the 600-year-old
Hapaiali'i Heiau served as a solar calendar, and at
high tide it's completely surrounded by water.
Kailua town isn't noted for its beach action; there
are very few sandy beaches in Kailua itself, and the
Big Island as a whole has fewer beaches than the older
islands. But a short drive north of town on Queen Ka'ahumanu
Highway past the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor takes you
to the beaches of Makalawena and Mahai'ula, which require
a short hike to access. Within Kailua town itself, though,
are Kahalu'u Beach Park and Magic Sands along Ali'i
Drive. There's ample parking at both, and you don't
have to hike to them; the tidepools at Kahalu'u Beach
Park offer some of the safest and best snorkeling on
the island (you're almost guaranteed to see honu (sea
turtles) lazily swimming among the coral).
Holualoa
Holualoa is well worth the fifteen-minute drive from
Kailua. Days pass slowly in the artists' retreat town,
almost like the gentle breezes wafting through the coffee
groves on the slopes of Mount Hualalai. Steeped in natural
beauty, this upslope coffee town blends modern art with
simple country living. The village's many private galleries
showcase the work of local artists in a variety of media,
and a number of small coffee shops and bistros serve
superlative Kona coffee.
South
Kona
There is perhaps no other region on the Big Island
more historic than the district of South Kona. Whether
it's the origin of Kona coffee, the ancient Hawaiian
sites at Pu'uhonua O Honaunau (Place of Refuge) National
Park or the Painted Church overlooking Kealakekua Bay-where
English explorer Captain James Cook met his fate-South
Kona will keep the historically minded visitor busy.
Coffee first came to Kona in 1828, when the Reverend
Samuel Ruggles brought plant cuttings to Kealakekua.
Japanese immigrants cultivated many of Kona's first
farms and engineered the system of milling and processing
coffee; you can experience that history firsthand at
Greenwell Farms in Kealakekua, which is both a working
coffee farm and living history exhibit. On highway 160,
among the coffee farms on the slopes above Kealakekua
Bay, is the Painted Church, where between 1899 and 1904
Father John Velge, a Belgian missionary, painted images
depicting biblical scenes of heaven and hell on the
interior walls of the church. At the bottom of Napo'opo'o
Road is Hikiau Heiau at Kealakekua Bay; the white obelisk
marking the spot where Cook was killed in 1779 (that
spot is still British territory today) is visible across
the bay. A coastal road connects Kealakekua Bay to Pu'uhonua
O Honaunau National Park. In ancient Hawai'i, people
who broke kapu (sacred laws) would flee to places of
refuge; if they could reach this sanctuary, their lives
would be spared. Today visitors can see loko (fishponds),
hale (thatched roof homes), heiau (temples) and rock
walls as well as demonstrations of ancient Hawaiian
crafts such canoe building and ki'i (tiki) carving.
Kealakekua also has one of the most popular beaches
on the Big Island; it's not a sandy beach (it's a shelf
of smooth lava), but the water's calm, there's excellent
snorkeling and a resident pod of dolphins can be seen
almost every day. Arrive early, as parking is sometimes
a challenge.
Ka'u
The Ka'u district is a sparsely populated and wild
area stretching from South Kona to Puna. It's an agricultural
area, primarily (it was once a sugar cane producing
area, and it's now home to a nascent coffee industry),
but there are a number of fascinating natural features,
including a massive lava tube system in the deserts
of Ocean View and a giant pit craters, formed when a
lava tube collapses, filled with native plants.
The spot where Polynesians first set foot in Hawai'i
will always remain a mystery, but it was probably somewhere
near Ka Lae, or South Point. When sailing north from
anywhere else in Polynesia (the Marquesas Islands being
the most likely point of origin), voyagers would likely
have spotted the Big Island first, and South Point would
have been the nearest landfall. There's archeological
evidence supporting that theory: Lava tube excavations
near Ka'iliki'i and Wai'ahukuni suggest that people
were using them by 750 AD, and other evidence indicates
that people were in the area as early as 200 AD-about
the time the islands were thought to have first been
settled. Ka Lae today is a wild and intense place, as
befits the southernmost extreme of the United States.
Fishermen today moor off the cliff near South Point
Park, which is a rich source of fish. The cliff rises
about forty feet high and goes down another thirty feet
below the surface of the water. Ladders hung to make
access to the boats easier swing freely in the air just
above the sea. While it's tempting to leap into the
water and climb back up the ladder, don't try it-the
swift longshore current can drag swimmers straight out
to sea. It's called the Hala'ea current for a chief
who was carried by it to his death. One of South Point's
scenic spots is Mahana Beach, also called Green Sands
Beach for its distinctive golden-green color. The grains
of green sand are olivine (also called peridot, though
the sand isn't gem quality).
Up the coast from South Point's main town, Na'alehu,
and heading toward Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park,
you'll pass by Punalu'u black sand beach and later a
sign marking the road to Pahala. The short drive to
Pahala is worth the excursion. There are the remains
of the old Pahala Theater and a community supported
by macadamia nut farming as well as scores of small
family-owned coffee farms on the lush hillsides. Many
of the homes date back to the early twentieth century,
including the two-story plantation manager's home, which
is now a museum. Pahala is a great place to get a glimpse
of life on a sugar plantation a hundred years ago. Take
time to drive into the lush Wood Valley and to a Buddhist
temple.
Volcano

Hawai'i Volcanoes National
Park

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Welcome to Madame Pele's house. Hawai'i Volcanoes National
Park has one entrance off Route 11, thirty miles south
from Hilo or ninety-five miles southeast from Kona.
The park is open twenty-four hours a day all year round
(though the roads within the park might sometimes be
closed because of volcanic activity). If you enter the
park after hours, you may pick up a brochure and map
at the Kilauea Visitor Center located a quarter-mile
from the entrance on Crater Rim Drive. Carefully read
the park regulations and guidelines; the volcano fumes
can be dangerous to pregnant women, infants and people
with heart or respiratory problems. People at risk should
avoid Sulphur Banks, Halema'uma'u Crater and other areas
where volcanic fumes are present.
Overnight trips in the park require a backcountry
permit that you can obtain free at the Kilauea Visitor
Center. To learn about the park's volcanic activity
and history, visit the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum on Crater
Rim Drive; also of interest along Crater Rim are the
Volcano House, Thurston Lava Tube and many scenic vistas.
The highlight is, of course, Halema'uma'u, the active
crater at the top of Kilauea. Depending on when you
visit, you might have a chance to see the volcano erupting.
A forty-five-minute drive to the end of Chain of Craters
Road and a short hike will take you to the most recent
lava flow area; the best time to view lava is at sunset,
when the red glow stands out against the darkening sky.
Be sure to bring a flashlight to negotiate the rough
lava on the return hike. Also be aware that this new
coastline is unstable and could collapse at any time
without warning. The park also offers many other hiking
opportunities, which are mapped out in the park brochure.
A favorite is Kilauea Iki; this easy, four-mile hike
takes you across a frozen lava lake and through native
'ohi'a forest, where you can also see native forest
birds. A reminder: please drive carefully while touring
the park so as not to hit the nene, the Hawaiian goose.
Puna
and Pahoa
The residents of the Puna district sometimes brag
that of all the six Big Island districts, theirs never
submitted to Kamehameha the Great's rule; Puna remained
independent while the warlike king went on to conquer
the rest of the Big Island and the other islands. Puna
today still retains a sense of that separateness and
ruggedness; it's a place most visitors pass through
rather than explore, though there's tremendous beauty
here.
If you want to experience the feeling of old Hawai'i,
Pahoa retains a sense of its past. First a rugged sawmill
town, then a sugar town and also a crossroads on the
old railroad, Main Street Pahoa has maintained its old
West-style storefronts and wooden boardwalks. The town
is home quaint shops-from surf to curio-and restaurants
that span the ethnic flavors of the globe. Also located
in Pahoa is the Akebono Theater, Hawai'i's oldest theater.
The Puna countryside is filled with natural wonders
like the Lava Tree State Park, steam vents, groves of
papaya, warm springs (visit the ponds at Ahalanui) and
black sand beaches along the rugged coast. The town
of Kalapana, which was mostly buried by lava in 1990,
is at the southwestern end of the Puna district and
offers a surreal look at the risks of living in the
shadow of an active volcano.
Hilo
and East Hawai'i

Rainbow Falls

Hilo
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At the corner of Pauahi and Kamehameha Highway you'll
see the statue of Kamehameha the Great, placed here
because you're standing on his father's land. Nestled
among royal palms and behind is the mouth of the Wailoa
River, with its winding waterways and a fishpond. You're
in Hilo town, the second largest city in the Islands.
Downtown Hilo is both quaint and urban, with a number
of good restaurants and a farmers market (Wednesdays
and Saturdays) along a section of the main road locally
called "Front Street" (actually Kamehameha
Avenue). But there's also a wealth of natural beauty
nearby. An easy-to-find waterfall is Rainbow Falls,
located along the Wailuku River at the north end of
town. If you're lucky you will see the rainbow for which
it's named arcing over the falls. Accommodations in
Hilo town are few; apart from a couple of hotels by
the water, your best bet is the b&bs, some of which
are hidden away in beautiful jungle locations.
The drive north from Hilo takes you over scenic gorges
once crossed by cane-hauling trains in the heyday of
sugar. The waterfalls and the river mouths under the
bridges on the road leading north up the Hilo coast
are awesome sights. Take the four-mile scenic coastal
route off the main highway to pass Onomea Bay. The lush
ravines and botanical gardens are well worth the detour.
The village of Honomu and 'Akaka Falls State Park
can be reached by taking Highway 220. Once you reach
the park, a short paved trail will take you past a network
of small waterfalls and colorful foliage to a lookout
where you'll see 'Akaka Falls plunging 422 feet to a
pool below.
Honoka'a
and Hamakua
The Hamakua coast, once among the most productive
sugar cane growing regions, is today home to a small-scale
agricultural revolution. Small farmers are growing an
enormous variety of crops, some of them exotic and even
almost unheard of in the United States. If you see it
at a Big Island farmers market, there's a good chance
it was grown somewhere in Hamakua.
In the early twentieth century, it was quite a trip
across the coastal ravines to get to Honoka'a, which
was the third largest city in the Territory of Hawai'i.
From Hilo, vacationers and soldiers on leave would travel
up the Hamakua coast to Honoka'a, where nightlife was
king. A dance hall was built above the Botelho building,
which housed the first car dealership in the town. Now
there's a curio and antique shop, but one can easily
imagine what a Friday night might have been like at
the Botelho in the 1940s. Many of Hawai'i's old theaters
are being restored, and the historic People's Theater
of Honoka'a is no exception. The theater shows feature
films every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. If
going to a movie isn't on the itinerary for your Hawaiian
vacation, go for the nostalgia, which is definitely
present once you're inside the huge old movie hall.
North of Honoka'a is Waipi'o Valley, a dramatic and
storied landscape. Legend has it that it was in Waipi'o
Valley, "the land of the falling water," that
King Kamehameha I received his leadership training and
learned to surf. Today a few family homes still dot
the area, which is bisected by a river. Local farmers
continue to farm taro and fish along the shore of this
peaceful and remote valley. The valley can be accessed
only on foot or horseback, and several tour operators
on the Big Island offer excursions above and into Waipi'o.
Outside of Waipi'o Valley and Honoka'a are other early
and small settlements of the Hamakua region, such as
Pa'auilo, Kukuihaele and Laupahoehoe. These towns are
all filled with the rich and local culture that happily
survives in this region of the Big Island.
Waimea
Between snow-capped Mauna Kea and the Kohala mountains,
the green hillsides of North Kohala roll under wispy
white clouds, and afternoon rainbows frequent the skies
above Waimea. Herds of cattle graze in sloping pastures
filled with cactus and dry brush as Hawaiian cowboys
work the range on horseback. Ranching began here after
King Kamehameha appointed a young seaman named John
Parker to thin the herds of wild cattle that had grown
uncontrollably since Captain George Vancouver brought
a few head as gifts to the king in 1793. Parker managed
to domesticate a herd of his own before marrying a Hawaiian
chiefess. The marriage gave Parker the land he needed
to found the 250,000-acre Parker Ranch in 1847.
Today the town of Kamuela, more often referred to
by its district name Waimea, remains immersed in the
ranching lifestyle. The brightly colored Victorian houses
and shops, tidy yards filled with flowers and the skeletal
remains of wagons give visitors the opportunity to see
yet another aspect of the diversity of cultures that
exist in Hawai'i. Being close to the big resorts in
South Kohala, Kamuela is surprisingly cosmopolitan,
with a number of top-flight restaurants and even its
own symphony orchestra.
North
Kohala
Following highway 270 north, visitors will encounter
a landscape filled with historical landmarks including
the original King Kamehameha statue, Kalahikiola Church
and Mo'okini Heiau, which is regarded as the oldest
pre-Western contact temple in Hawai'i. King Kamehameha
is believed to have been born at Mo'okini in 1758. Also
in North Kohala are the remnants of a once-thriving
sugar industry of the 1880s, which are still visible
in the old storefronts of Hawi and Kapa'au.
Highway 270 leads through North Kohala's fertile pasturelands,
forests and ultimately to Pololu Valley, which offers
one of the best scenic lookouts on the island. If you
plan to hike into Pololu and beyond, be ready for a
trek. The trails are narrow, steep and slippery and
should not be attempted by novice hikers. If the skies
are clear in North Kohala, you might catch a view of
Maui to the west. Between December and April, you're
almost guaranteed a humpback whale sighting off the
coast of North Kohala.
Kohala
Coast
Almost always under sunny skies, the Kohala coast
is a tropical playground. It was once a retreat for
Hawaiian royalty, and today it's the site of luxury
resorts and spas sprawling through the otherwise barren
lava fields: The Four Seasons Hualalai, the Mauna Lani,
the Fairmont Orchid, the Hilton Waikoloa and the Mauna
Kea Beach Hotel. There are a number of historical sites
along the Kohala coast, and one of the country's best
beaches is at Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. Hapuna's
long, white sand beach, rolling surf, clear skies and
accessibility make it a popular destination. There are
several renowned championship golf courses. Seen from
a distance or from the air, the green fairways stand
out in stark and beautiful contrast against the black
lava. Connecting this forty-plus-mile coastline is the
King's Trail, an ancient road used by ali'i and by runners
who transported pond-raised fish wrapped in ti leaves
to the tables of Hawaiian royalty down in Kailua-Kona.
Today the King's Trail passes through several resort
properties, through Pu'ukohola Heiau and scores of petroglyph
fields. The impressive Pu'ukohola ("whale mountain"),
now a national park, was the last Hawaiian temple built
during King Kamehameha's reign. A popular trail for
viewing ancient petroglyphs starts near the King's Shops
on Waikoloa Beach Drive. A massive ancient fishpond
system has been restored on the grounds of the Mauna
Lani resort, which is worth a visit.
The
Saddle Road

Mauna Kea
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The infamously rough, rutted and twisting Highway 200
traverses fifty-three miles between the Kona and Hilo
sides of the island; traffic is usually commercial or
military, there are no towns, services or gas stations,
and many rental car agencies forbid drivers from traveling
on it. But the adventurous will be rewarded (not least
by the shortest route between Hilo and Kona). From the
Kona side, the road rises through ranch lands filled
with wild turkeys, francolins, wild donkeys and, if
you're lucky, the pueo or native short-eared owl (which
is active during the day). If you're in a four-wheel
drive vehicle, you can turn off at the Mauna Kea Access
Road and drive to the top of the tallest mountain in
the world (bring a jacket-it's usually extremely cold
at 13,796 feet). You'll see the seven astronomical observatories
at the summit, built there to take advantage of what
are some of the clearest night skies on Earth (the public
is not permitted inside the observatories). If you're
not in a four-wheel drive vehicle, do not attempt to
reach the summit. Instead stop at the Ellison Onizuka
Center for International Astronomy at 9,300 feet, where
on any given night amateur astronomers come to set up
their telescopes and stargaze. Several Big Island operators
offer Mauna Kea stargazing tours, which is often the
best way to visit the summit of the mountain.
Continuing on Saddle Road, you'll pass through the
Pohakuloa training area, where you might get stuck behind
armored personnel carriers. Twenty-two miles west of
Hilo at about 6,000 feet, you'll come to the Pu'u O'o
trailhead. This easy trail winds through high-elevation
koa and 'ohi'a forest, where birdwatchers will be able
to view some of the most endangered birds in the world
up close. Along the trail are several kipuka, or protected
forest areas, filled with remnants of native forest.
Walking through one is as close to "the real Hawai'i"
as most people will ever get.
Top
5 Things To Do On Your Visit...
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1.
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Visit a Kona coffee farm
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2.
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View an active volcano at Hawai'i Volcanoes
National Park
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3.
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Sample fresh produce from a local farmers
market
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4.
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Visit a sacred Hawaiian heiau
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5.
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Stargaze from the summit of Mauna Kea
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