From Wikitravel
The island of Hawai'i comprises over half of
the area of the state of Hawaii in the United States of America. To
avoid confusion with the state, it is almost universally called the
Big Island. It is home to the most active volcano
in the world, located in Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park, as well as the largest mountain in the world in volume
(Mauna Loa) and the tallest mountain in the world as measured from
its base on the sea floor to its peak (Mauna Kea).
- East Hawaii
- West Hawaii
- Kohala - the North Part of the Island.
- Ka'u - the South part of the
Island.
- Hilo -- Located on the east
coast along Hilo Bay. Hilo is the capital for Hawaii County and the
Big Island's largest city with a population of about 50,000. It is
the second largest city in Hawaii, after the state capital, Honolulu and home to the
county government offices, University of Hawaii at Hilo, and the
Imiloa astronomy center.
- Kona -- A district on the west
coast. Kailua-Kona
is the main town.
- Hamakua - Honokaa
- Holualoa
- Kohala - Waimea, Waikoloa, Hawi
- Naalehu - the
southernmost town in the United States.
- Puna - Pahoa, Keaau
- Volcano
Village - At the entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park
- Waikoloa - Resort area
of South Kohala district.
- Waimea - Ranch town in the
north part of the Island. Home to the Parker Ranch.
Get in
By plane
There are two major airports if you are flying into the Big
Island, Kona International Airport [1]
and Hilo International Airport [2].
There are a few direct flights from the mainland, mostly from California and Seattle, but it is more common
to arrive via Honolulu or
Kahului. You should try to
get a flight direct from the mainland to Kona to save time waiting
(and walking) around the Honolulu airport. There are no direct
flights to Hilo from the mainland.
If you can't find a direct flight, consider that Kona's airport
is by far busier and requires a lot of time to pass all
checkpoints. Hilo's airport has fewer flights, is smaller, so the
time between rental drop-off and boarding is much shorter.
Inter-island "hoppers" arrive from all the other islands several
times a day. Local flights are available through three main
airlines, Hawaiian [3], Island
Air [4] and go!
[5] to the two major airports.
These airlines provide frequent service between the islands,
largely connecting through Honolulu, although there are some direct
flights from Kona and Hilo to Kahului Maui. Daily round-trip
service is also available between Hilo and Kona. Pacific
Wings, [6] provides fun flights in
small prop planes between Hilo, Kona and Kamuela. Keep in mind that an
inter-island flight could use up almost an entire day, due to the
fact that you must pack, check out of hotel, get to the airport,
return rental car, go through all the airport procedures, fly, wait
for luggage, get rental car, check in, unpack. It's tempting to try
and see as many of the islands as you can on one trip, but it's
best to spend no less than three nights on an island. In the case
of the Big Island, think of the two sides of the island as
separate. It takes about 2 hours 15 minutes to drive from
Kailua-Kona to Hilo, and about six hours to circle the island.
By boat
Although several cruise ship lines operate in Hawaii, there is
currently no dedicated inter-island boat service. Hawaii
Superferry,[7] a private company
supported by the Hawaii state government, which current runs
high-capacity catamaran ferry services between O‘ahu and Maui, was planning to open a route between Maui
and the Big Island but that has been buried due to a recent Supreme
Court decision.
Get around
Renting a car is a good way to see the island, however, renting
a 4WD is best. Many of the Big Island's finest sights are only
accessable by 4WD.
Getting around by local bus, bikes, or on foot work well if
you're staying in one area. Many budget travelers are unpleasantly
surprised by the extremely limited public transport on the Big
Island. The county's Hele-On bus is free, but the schedules are
mainly intended for commuting [8].
There are some bus companies offering excursions from Hilo to
destinations like Volcano, but they require reservations.
Hitchhiking is extremely easy & convenient on the Big
Island. As most places are near the Mamalahoa Highway, you're never
too far from a good hitching spot. As traffic generally flows from
the Hilo side to resorts of Waikoloa Resorts in the morning, you
can easily make it to the beaches without waking up at by 5:45 to
catch the Hele-On bus. As a large amount of locals take the spirit
of Aloha seriously, hitching is the best way to travel for free
throughout the Island. It's not just the usual crowd of young
people picking up hitchers either, I've been picked up by families,
grandmas, and even the mayor of Honoka'a! As a note, the district
of Kau in the south of the island is very sparsely populated with
low traffic levels, so hitching isn't near as good here as it is on
the northern half of island.
If you're thinking about renting a Jeep, Alamo doesn't disable
the four wheel drive option in their Jeeps as some other rental
agencies do. However, keep in mind that you are violating
the rental contract by driving on "unpaved roads" (let alone some
of the four wheel drive only roads). As long as you are careful and
sensible about it though, you'll be fine. Just keep in mind that
you are "on your own" if you get in trouble while violating the
rental agreement. If you're going to violate the rental contract by
driving on unpaved roads, you have less of a chance of getting
stuck if you have the ability to shift to four wheel drive.
Harper Rentals [9] has four wheel drive
vehicles that are allowed by contract to drive on unpaved roads.
You will pay more for that right.
- Hawai`i Volcanoes National
Park Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to both
the world's largest volcano, Mauna Loa (13,677 feet high), and the
world's most active, Kilauea (continuously erupting since 1983).
Drive around Crater Rim drive to see the massive two mile diameter
Kilauea crater and steam vents, and down the Chain of Craters road
to see the fresh lava flow covering the highway and the active lava
flowing into the ocean. Also tour the Thurston lava tube. Be
advised that the total time for the trip from the Kona side of the
island to the Volcano and back will take at least nine hours. You
should leave enough time to exit the park before sunset to avoid
driving after dark. In the park, be careful not to hit any nenes,
the endangered Hawaiian goose on the roads.
- Mauna Kea, 28 miles (45.1 km) W of Hilo on
Hawaii 20, then N on the access road to the Onizuka Center for
International Astronomy, +1 808-961-2180, [10]. OCIA,
named in memory of U.S. astronaut Ellison Onizuka, open daily
9AM-10PM. Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), the largest mountain in the
world (measured from its base) is a dormant volcano which has
become an international center for astronomy. Several astronomical
observatories are located on its summit. The austere Mars-like
landscape dotted with technological marvels is worth a look; if it
is clear you might also get a look out to Maui. The elevation is high, and there are few
tourist support facilities so hiking and exploring are discouraged.
Also keep an eye out for the nene. No admission
charge.
- Four wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended above the
OCIA. Several tour companies offer tours to the summit and
observatories of Mauna Kea for a fee ($150-200 per person).
Observatory facilities are normally closed to the public. Most
rental car companies prohibit travel on Hawaii Route 200 (Saddle
Road) - although Thrifty will allow you to drive on Saddle Road and
drive up to the Visitor's Center at ~9,000 feet with a two-wheel
drive car. To drive beyond that up to the summit at ~14,000 feet,
you will need a 4WD vehicle.
- Kula Kai Caverns Great tours through a lava
tube ranging from a short walk that's ok for claustrophobics up
through full-day adventures. Located in Ka'u on the southern side
of the island. Website or
808-929-7539
- Akaka Falls A waterfall eleven miles north of
Hilo boasts a tremendous sight as the water tumbles 440 feet to its
base. The trip from the parking lot around to see Akaka and the
smaller Kahuna Falls is about 20 minutes and is suitable for
children and anyone who can navigate steps. Akaka is the most
spectacular of several waterfalls along the northeast coast of the
island on the highway from Wiameia to Hilo.
- Coffee Farms In the highlands above Kona the
coffee plants come right down to the road's edge. Greenwell
Historical Farms is a good plantation to tour.
- Black sand beaches formed by volcanic sand.
There are currently two well-known and many less known black sand
beaches. The former are Kehena Beach in the Puna district, and
Punalu`u Beach in Ka`u district.
- Green sand beach at South Point. There is a
parking lot and a shack which has been designated as a "visitor's
center." If you park in this lot, there is a chance that someone
will emerge with a clipboard and ask you to pay for parking.
Several guide books make the point that this is public land and
that you are allowed to park without paying any fee. While this may
be true, some travelers have been harassed or even threatened for
asserting their rights to park. A more promising alternative is to
park at the boat launch, adding half a mile to your hike. To drive
all the way to the beach definitely requires a 4WD vehicle, though
there are a few local guys who will drive you out there for a
donation. Keep in mind that with the drive from the highway and the
one hour hike from the parking lot to the beach, it is a three hour
round trip minimum from the highway.
- Kehaka Kai white sand beach absolutely
beautiful and a local secret until recently. Just north of Kona on
Hwy 19. Coming from Kona, go past mile marker 89 and turn left
towards the water at the sign for the Veteran's Cemetery.
Theoretically, the beach is closed on Wednesdays but not in
practice. Newly paved road (ok for 2WD) all the way to beach. Beach
has bathrooms, fresh water fountains and showers.
- Dolphin and whale watching - seasonal.
- Dolphin Quest Hawaii - The Hilton Waikoloa
Village
[11] offers the opportunity to swim with their group of
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in their lagoon, with the dolphins
dancing and jumping as the group communicates with them through
hand signs. Visitors are not allowed to hold on to their fins while
they swim, though. Be prepared to spend between $150 and $200 per
adult for a memorable thirty minute experience.
- Pu'uhonua o
Honaunau National Historical Park Puuhonua o Honaunau
is a great place to visit if you're interested in learning about
Hawaiian heritage. Breakers of kapu (taboos) who could make it to
this place and performed a series of rituals were granted
sanctuary. Tours, traditional craft demos, simulations of the
Hukilau (fishing with ti leaf ropes) and other activities can be
seen here (schedules vary). Honu (turtles) can frequently be
observed swimming in the royal fishpond. May be crowded with other
tourists. The 1871 Trail follows the old paths between fishing
villages and offers great views of coves.
- Waipi`o Valley, a large, verdant valley in the
North of the islands. This valley was inhabited for a millennium,
until a tsunami washed away all dwellings. Left for good by the
native population, it then became the green paradise of
counterculture types. Van and horseback trips are available from
the scenic crest down to the gorgeous valley floor.
- Hawaiian Vanilla Company a nice look at the
only vanilla farm in the US. [12]
- Lapakahi State Historical Park a
partially-restored fishing village dating back 600 years but
abandoned in the 1800s. The self-guided tour around the two 0.5
mile loops is pretty good. Located in Kohala, north of Kona, on
Highway 270. No admission charge.
[13]
- Hawaiʻi Tropical Botanical Garden off Route 19
in Pāpa'ikou.
- Pua Mau Place Arboretum and Botanical Garden
an early-stage, nonprofit facility in Kawaihae, on the dry slopes
of the Kohala Mountain Range.
- Sadie Seymour Botanical Gardens at Kona
Outdoor Circle Educational Center.
- University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Botanical
Gardens in Hilo.
- World Botanical Gardens, commercial gardens in
Umauma, north of Hilo.
- Nani Mau Gardens in Hilo.
Do
The Big Island has the usual array of sub-tropical island
activities. While the Kona side has a number of white sand beaches,
the coastline on the Hilo side tends to be rocky. This is due to
the relative age of the coastline.
Astronomy
Due to its altitude, latitude, and the lack of interference from
city lights, Mauna Kea provides among the best sites on earth for
telescopes. You may notice the strange orange and pink hues put out
by street lights on the Big Island. They are sodium lights used to
ensure that the views from Mauna Kea are unpolluted.
Stop at the Visitor Information Station of the Onizuka Center
for International Astronomy. They set up several telescopes nightly
for the public to enjoy. Volunteers provide programs daily at 6PM,
and will answer any questions you have as you look at the
unbelievable number of visible stars. Remember to bring your
jacket, as the elevation is over 9200 feet at the Visitor
Center.
Swimming
The beaches of the Big Island, especially on the Kona side, have
been consistently voted amongst the best beaches in the world. Some
(like Mauna Kea Beach) front hotel resorts, while others (like
Makalawena) remained unencumbered by modern tourism. Hapuna
Beach is reputed to be one of the best, consistent with
the picture many outsiders have in their head of what a Hawaiian
beach should be.
The island has one of the few green sand beaches in the world
(see above), and several black sand beaches.
Snorkeling
The Big Island has some fantastic snorkeling. Go to Kona Boys [14] to get your gear and some
guidance on the best places to jump in. The Kona side has most of
the best snorkeling, but Puna also has some excellent sites. Go in
the morning on the Kona side, and in the afternoon in Puna, for
clear and calm conditions.
- Two Step at Pu'uhonua O Honaunau (Place of
Refuge). Great for beginners and experts alike. Teeming with fish
and turtles.
- Ho'okena Beach Park south of Honaunau is not
as spectacular, but getting in and out of the water is incredibly
easy: just walk. The enter at the left side of the beach for the
best snorkeling. Go during the week, if you can (save the weekends
for the locals).
- Kapoho Tide Pools on the southern Puna coast
are not to be missed. This is some of the calmest snorkeling you
will ever see, and the fish will come right up to you. The pools
are spring-fed, and some are volcanically heated. There are no dive
shops anywhere near here, so bring your gear with you (although a
local may take pity on you and loan you theirs). Again, go during
the week if you can. Marine scientists frequent this spot, and are
usually happy to share their knowledge to make your visit to the
tide pools more fulfilling.
- Captain Cook, Kealakekua Bay Considered to be
the best snorkeling on the Big Island. Rent a kayak from Dexter
across from Captain Cook's monument.
Surfing
Hilo Surfboard Company: Is the Big Island's most ‘authentic’
surf shop. People travel all the way form Kona to check out boards
as they REALLY DO have the largest selection of boards. And unless
you want a Hilo Surfboard Company T Shirt or shirts from a couple
‘locals. Like Moku Nui or KRU, better go to the mall. This is a
real core surf shop! Owner Scott Murray will be stoked to see you
and talk story! 84 Ponahawai St. Hilo. 808.934.0925
Hiking and camping
There are also hiking and camping tours too. Very convenient
since humping camping equipment on a plane is difficult.
- Waipi’o Valley - Awe-inspiring volcanic valleys and gorges
filled with rain forest vegetation. It's possible to do an ATV tour
of the Waipio Valley rim.
Tours
The Big Island has a tour company for every possible tourist
endeavor. If you don't see it covered here, search for it. Chances
are there will be a tour guide for what you want to do.
- Helicopter tours over the volcano
- Snorkeling. A lot of fish and coral ogling can be done without
getting a license, only a snorkel and some flippers are required.
There are several good areas, like Cooke's cove and some of the
more secluded beaches between Waikaloa and Kawaihi.
- SCUBA Diving
Kona has some great diving opportunities during the daytime, but
the real thing to see here is the Manta Rays. All the dive
operators in town do a night dive to see the giant mantas, and this
is the best and most reliable place in the world to see them. The
manta rays of Kona can be up to 16 feet wide and weigh almost 2000
lbs! On any given night there are 1-20 rays feeding at the dive
site, and by bringing lights in the water, plankton (their food) is
attracted to feed them. Divers sit in sand on the bottom about 30
feet deep and watch these huge but harmless fishes swim inches from
their faces. A must do! Though it's at night, there is so much
light in the water and it's so shallow that this is an easy dive
for novice divers, as well as a very rewarding dive for even the
most seasoned divers. Snorkelers can also get a great up close view
of the mantas at the same time. All you have to do is float on the
water and hold a light, it's very easy.
Companies to go with to see the mantas: Manta Ray Dives of
Hawaii or Big Island Divers
- Fishing charters are available out of any of the port
towns.
- Biking. The Big Island hosts the Iron Man
competition every year. So there is a lot of touring style
cycling. Most of that is done on Highway 19 between Kona and
Kawaihi. But there are also big trucks on that road, so be careful.
Mountain biking is good around Waipi'o valley and in the Volcano
park. But it can be technical. Mana road is also good for off-road
cycling, but it is very long (65-70 miles). You will need support
or legs of iron to do it in a day.
Learn
Dance, culture, and traditional crafts classes are available for
long or short term students. Many resorts offer 1-3 day classes in
hula or lei making.
Work
Hawaii's unemployment rates are among the lowest in the nation,
and thus it is impressive that the Big Island boasts one of the
lowest unemployment rates in the state. While tourism, military,
and agriculture have typically been the largest employers, recent
new job growth has resulted primarily from a residential building
boom. The astronomical observatories are another important group of
employers.
- Hawaiian chocolate macadamia nut cookies
- poke (salad of raw fish)
- Ka'u oranges (ugly, but delicious)
- Kona coffee
- Kona Brewing Company offers great microbrews and pizza, it is
located within downtown Kona.
Sleep
The Big Island has 2 resort areas on the Kohala coast - Mauna
Lani and Waikoloa Beach resort. The two resorts neighbor each other
and feature hotels and condo/townhome rentals. There are also great
Bed and Breakfast type places, vacation rental homes and small
operator hotels too. The Big Island is the only county in Hawaii
that has no restrictions on the operation of vacation rentals.
Before making reservations it's best to review a map of the island
and plan ahead. Think about the activities and sightseeing you'll
want to do.
Stay safe
Note that even solidified lava flows can still be very
dangerous, as there are hidden flows of molten lava with only an
overlying thin crust of rock in many places between Pu'u O'o and
the shoreline. And of course there's the threat of methane
explosions and lava bench collapses, so do not walk to the edge of
the lava bench unless the rangers say it is safe to do so.
The usual disclaimers about the more active things to do apply.
If you have a tour guide, they often have insurance premiums to be
beholden to and as such make them more aware of safety issues. But
otherwise the island is mostly remote and help can be far away.
Know your physical limits.
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