The Big Island of Hawaii should be on every traveler’s list. It offers spectacular scenery, attractions within quaint small towns and cities, beautiful beaches, towering mountains, lush rainforests, national parks and loads of entertainment options.
The Hawaiian Islands, known for their pristine beaches, beautiful weather, lush green peaks, swaying Palm trees and teal warm water, are a dream destination for many people. I’ve been to Hawaii numerous times, mainly to Oahu, where the state’s capital and largest city, Honolulu and famous Waikiki Beach is located. While Oahu has many beautiful sites to see, I much prefer the island of Hawaii, also known as The Big Island. Its nickname is appropriate – the island is nearly twice as big as all of the other Hawaiian islands combined, encompassing nearly 4,000 square miles. The island is known for its huge array of diversity, including volcanoes and lava fields, white, black and green sand beaches, snow capped mountains, thunderous waterfalls, jungles, coffee plantations, and quaint historic towns.
The island also possesses all but four of the world’s climate zones, ranging from Wet Tropical to Polar Tundra, due to the shielding effect and elevations of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. The dry side of the island is located to the west, where Kona is located, and the rainfall averages between 60 and 100 inches per year. In contrast, the island’s east side, where Hilo is located, is much wetter. Here, the rainfall averages 200 inches per year, resulting in lush rainforests and green landscapes everywhere.
Below are some of my favorite attractions on the Big Island. Visiting all of these sights can be done within a week’s timeframe.
Spend a Day Relaxing at a Resort
There are many hotels and beautiful resorts scattered throughout the island offering alluring views, beaches, pools, fine dining and recreational activities. Many of these offer day passes as well. During our visit, we stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, a massive 62 acre resort located on the Kohala Coast, on the northwest side of the island. This beautiful resort includes a variety of accommodations and activities within numerous buildings. It has 14 restaurants and lounges, two golf courses, a tennis court, luxury spa, shopping facility, and three large swimming pools. Kayaks and paddleboards are also available to rent. The resort’s multiple buildings are connected by a winding canal offering boat taxis, as well as a tram. The resort’s highlight is a four acre ocean fed saltwater lagoon surrounded by a white sand beach and cascading waterfall. The lagoon is home to rare green sea turtles, colorful fish and tropical wildlife. The resort offers day passes for guests not staying overnight ($50 per adult, $30 per child) to use the various facilities.
The Hilton also features the Dolphin Quest lagoon. It provides the opportunity to swim and interact with dolphins in a small group, lead by trainers. A number of different programs and packages are available, including children’s programs.
Just south, adjacent the Marriott resort is beautiful Waikoloa Beach facing Anaehoomalu Bay. The bay is the perfect spot for snorkeling or catching the sunset. The beach separates the bay from the Kuualii fishpond. The fish pond was built by ancient Hawaiian people for the collection and farming of fresh fish, a food source for the high chiefs that lived in and around the coastline.
Nearby are two upscale shopping areas, including the Kings’ Shops, and Queens’ Marketplace. Both offer an attractive and serene open air shopping experience, with numerous shops, restaurants, galleries, live entertainment, and weekly farmers market. A shuttle service is provided between the Hilton resort and the shopping malls.
Take a helicopter ride over Volcanoes National Park
There are five volcanoes on the Big Island, including Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Mauna Loa, and Kilauea. Kilauea volcano is the most active volcano in Hawaii, and one of the most active in the world. It is also the youngest of the five volcanoes. On any given day, you can see lava glowing within its crater, or flowing into the ocean. A trip to Volcanoes National Park offers opportunities to view Kilauea, Mauna Loa and numerous other craters, flowing lava, and lava formations. The park offers numerous drives, viewpoints and hiking trails. The historic Volcano House lodge includes guest rooms, a dining room and gift shop. Afirst stop should be the Kilauea Visitor Center (open daily from 9am to 5pm) which provides a movie and introduction to the park, information on guided tours, maps and other information.
The Halemaʻumaʻu crater is one of the most popular attractions, due to the glow of its lava lake. The best place to view the crater is from the Kilauea overlook point, but it can get very crowded. Other viewpoints include Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), the Volcano House, Waldron Ledge, and the Old Crater Rim Drive. Another must-see site is the Thurston Lava Tube, easily accessible from the Kīlauea Iki parking lot. The tube was formed 500 years ago when low viscosity lava hardened and formed a roof over still flowing lava.
At the Devastation Trail parking lot, hikers can take a 0.7 mile trail to Keanakākoʻi Crater. Other overlooks along the trail offer views of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater and Mauna Loa. Another view of Mauna Loa can be seen from the Moana Loa Strip Road an 11 mile one-way loop. The lookout is at an elevation of 6,662 feet.
One of the best vantage points of the park is by helicopter. We took Blue Hawaiian tours which offers a variety of helicopter tours throughout Hawaii from the Hilo airport. Our one hour Circle of Fire tour provided spectacular views of this beautiful island, and Kilauea and Hawaii Volcano National Park in particular. We were amazed at the views of the glowing red lava flowing into the Pacific from above. Helicopter tours can also be arranged through Viator.
Explore the Towns of the Big Island
Kona and Hilo are the only decent size towns on the island, but both offer an ample number of sights and activities. These towns are where most of the tourists arrive to the island, and stay.
Kona – The quaint seaside town of Kona, located on the sunnier west side of the island, is where most of the hotels and resorts are located. There are numerous shops, galleries, restaurants, services and tour operators along Ali‘i Drive, the main road through town. The Hulihe‘e Palace, located in the center of town, was built out of lava rock during the Kingdom of Hawaii. It was home to High Chief John Adams Kuakini, and later home to other members of Hawaiian royalty.
Nearby is Kealakekua Bay, where Captain James Cook first set foot on the island in 1778. In the same vicinity is the Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historic Park, a 180 acre park that was once home or royal grounds and considered one of Hawaii’s most sacred historic places.
Hilo – Hilo, located on the northeast side of the island, is the largest town on the Big Island. The town started as a farming and fishing village overlooking Hilo Bay before evolving into a center for the sugar industry in the late 1800s, attracting many workers from Asia. Hilo is the fourth wettest city in the US, averaging nearly 130 inches of rain per year. The compact downtown area faces the bay, and has numerous restaurants, shops, galleries and the Hilo Farmer’s Market that operates each day between 7am and 3pm. The Pacific Tsunami Museum is dedicated to a major Pacific tsunami that devastated the town in 1946. Visitors can explore tsunami artifacts, and exhibits showcasing first-hand accounts from survivors.
East of the downtown area are large park areas, such as the Wailoa River State Recreation Area, Coconut Island, and Liliʻuokalani Gardens, a Japanese Edo style garden that includes arching bridges over fishponds, rock gardens, pagodas and stone lanterns.
On the west side of Hilo is Wailuku River State Park offering various trails and viewpoints of geologic formations, including the 80 foot Rainbow Falls which cascade over a lava cave believed to be home to an ancient Hawaiian goddess of the moon named Hina.
Hike to a Green Sand Beach
The Big Island is known for its black sand beaches, but most people aren’t aware that it also has a green sand beach. Papakōlea Beach is one of only four green sand beaches in the world. It is located on the south side of the island facing a bay cut into the side of Pu’u Mahana, a cinder cone that erupted about 50,000 years ago. The green sand was created by a mineral called olivine, which is common on the Big Island. When the cone erupted, the lava contained high amounts of olivine. Eventually, the ocean and weather eroded the basalt rock, leaving just the olivine behind, giving the beach its unique green color.
Reaching the beach requires a long but scenic hike. From the parking area at the end of South Point Road (off of Highway 11), a hike along a two mile dirt road eventually leads to a dramatic view of the beach. Stunning views of the surrounding countryside and ocean can be enjoyed along the way. From the edge of the cliff, a trail leads down the side of the rim to the beach. You may encounter shuttle drivers offering rides to and from the beach, usually requiring passengers to pay a hefty fee to ride in the back of a pickup truck. These rides can get quite crowded, and the ride is very bumpy. More important, these rides are illegal, and they contribute to destruction of the road and also desecrate ancient burial sites in the area. It’s recommended to visit the beach in the morning, when the temperatures are cooler, and on weekdays when it is less crowded.
See the Spectacular Sights along the Hamakua Coast
The area north of Hilo, along the eastern side of the island, is known as the Hamakua Coast. The 40 mile drive along Highway 19 includes some of the most beautiful scenery on the island. While the area was home to sugar plantations during the 19th and 20th centuries, today it is popular with tourists wishing to see the quaint small towns, tropical rainforests, waterfalls, lush green valleys and numerous vantage points.
Akaka Falls – About fifteen miles north of Hilo is Akaka Falls State Park. An easy loop trail deep within a beautiful lush rainforest leads to two waterfalls. The first is Kahuna Falls, which drop 100 feet. A little further, the impressive Akaka falls plummet 422 feet from Kolekole stream into a deep pool surrounded by a bright green vegetated gorge. From Hilo, take Highway 19 north to Honomu, and then turn west on Honomu Road, to Highway 220. From the parking lot, there are trails that lead to the falls overlook.
Honokaʻa – Midway along the Hamakua coast is the historic village of Honokaʻa, also known as the gateway to the Waipiʻo Valley. Like Hilo, the town was heavily reliant on the sugar industry in its early days. Today, it is a bedroom community of Hilo, supports the surrounding ranch and agricultural land, and is heavily reliant on tourism. Its small main street (Mamane Street) includes numerous boutiques, restaurants, gift shops, antique stores, and the historic People’s Theater. A Saturday farmers’ market is held each Sunday from 9am to 2pm.
Waipi’o Valley Lookout – Continuing north along Highway 19 you’ll eventually reach the Waipi’o Valley Lookout. The lookout overlooks a lush pristine valley, also known as the Valley of the Kings, and 2,000 foot high cliffs that rise above the valley. The area was the boyhood home of King Kamehameha I, and an important center for political and religious life in Hawaii.
Watch the Stars from Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea, a million year old inactive volcano, reaches nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, making it the highest point in the state, and the second highest island peak on earth. It last erupted over 4,000 years ago, and the name translates as ‘White Mountain’ due to the snow that can be seen near the summit during parts of the year. The mountain is located in the north central part of the island, accessible from Saddle Road (Highway 200). At the summit is the Mauna Kea Observatory, the largest astronomical observatory on the planet. The Mauna Kea Visitor Information Center is half way up the mountain, and also offers a perfect spot for stargazing, or watching the sun rise or set. It was a mystical experience to be surrounded by hundreds of others, quietly watching the magical moment of the sunset. Summit and stargazing tours can also be arranged through Viator. Make sure to bring a coat, as it gets very chilly this high up the mountain.
Take a Catamaran Tour
What could be more enjoyable than spending the day relaxing on a catamaran sailboat, enjoying the sea, sights, and sunset while feasting on a delicious buffet and cocktails. There are numerous operators and types of tours that offer a variety of sailing excursions, such as whale watching, dolphin watching, snorkeling, and sunset tours. Most of the tours leave from the west side of the island, near Kona or Waikoloa. Tours range from two to four hours. I’ve enjoyed some of the best times on these types of tours, that often include music or entertainment by the staff. They are also a great way to meet other tourists and make new friends. Tours can be arranged from Viator or Booking.com.
Feast at a Traditional Luau
No visit to Hawaii would be complete without attending a luau, a traditional celebratory feast that includes an open air buffet dinner featuring traditional Hawaiian cuisine, cultural dancing and music performances. The Luau dates to the early 1800s, when King Kamehameha II initiated the first ‘coming together of the genders and classes’ through a celebratory gathering. Since then, luaus have been held for various occasions, such as the launching of a canoe, a birthday or graduation. Early luaus were also used to communicate with the gods by offering food. In 1847, King Kamehameha III held one of the largest luaus in history—including 3,125 saltwater fish, 1,820 freshwater fish, 271 pigs, 2,245 coconuts, and 4,000 taro plants made to fill 482 containers of a poi.
Guests are typically given a lei upon arrival, and are seated at communal tables offering the opportunity to mix with other guests. A typical dinner includes slow roasted Kalua pig, salmon, poke, poi (taro root that has been pounded into a thick paste), salad and tropical fruit. Laulau is also a common dish, which is comprised of chicken, fish or pork wrapped in banana leaves that have been cooked in an underground oven. Dessert often includes haupia (a coconut milk pudding), or pineapple cake. Drinks usually include punch, cocktails such as a Mai Tai, wine, beer and non-alcoholic choices.
The highlight of the luau is a performance that includes hula dancing, dancing to drums, and fire knife dancing as the finale. Some luaus offer opportunities for interactive entertainment, such as lei-making lessons, ukulele lessons, or hula dancing lessons.
Luaus can be found throughout the island, often held at the major resorts. We participated in a luau at the Royal Kona Resort that offered a stunning sunset view over the Pacific Ocean.
When to Go
Any time is a good time to visit Hawaii, as the temperatures are great all year round. The high season for visiting Hawaii consists of two parts. The Summer high season lasts from mid June through the end of August and temperatures average 85 degrees. The Winter high season lasts between mid December and mid March, with cooler temperatures averaging 75 degrees.
The low season also consists of two parts, including from mid March to mid June, and from September through mid December. During low season, there are less crowds and better rates can be found for flights, accommodations and activities.
Getting There and Around
There are two airports on the Big Island offering commercial air service. Seven miles northwest of Kona is the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA). The airport accommodates domestic overseas, international, and inter-island air services, with ten airlines. The smaller Hilo International Airport (ITO) on the east side of the island provides inter-island service with four airlines.
It is recommended to get a rental car while staying on the island, in order to see the numerous sights throughout the island. Rental car agencies are located at both airports, as well as some resorts.