Hawaii - The Big Island
After several visits to other Hawaiian Islands (Maui, Kauai and Oahu) we finally headed to the Big Island and we loved it. We stayed at the Kona Coast Resort located a few minutes drive from Kailua-Kona, close to the Keauhou Shopping Center and the Kahalu'u Beach Park. The one downside of this resort is that it has no swimming beach. Otherwise it is quite nice.
Our condo balcony overlooked a golf course. It had a fully equipped a kitchen, washer and dryer, two full bathrooms and had access to an outdoor barbecue. The close proximity to the shopping centre (a two minute drive or five minute walk) was handy. The golf course was populated with mongooses, which were probably originally imported by sugar plantation owners to keep the rat population down. We spent time watching beautiful colourful birds flying around the golf course and resort. There are also wild cats which have been adopted by the resort staff and neutered to keep the population from growing out of control. They are well kept and healthy and are regularly fed and therefore not a problem for tourists.
After we landed at the Kona Airport we rented a Ford Mustang convertible, which was excellent for driving al fresco around the main roads. However, it was fairly low slung so it wasn't so good for driving to hidden beaches over roads loaded with broken lava chunks and potholes. That would be a very slow careful drive to be sure. Not that we would do such a thing. These types of roads are better left to a Jeep.
We took two organized sightseeing tours.
Our condo balcony overlooked a golf course. It had a fully equipped a kitchen, washer and dryer, two full bathrooms and had access to an outdoor barbecue. The close proximity to the shopping centre (a two minute drive or five minute walk) was handy. The golf course was populated with mongooses, which were probably originally imported by sugar plantation owners to keep the rat population down. We spent time watching beautiful colourful birds flying around the golf course and resort. There are also wild cats which have been adopted by the resort staff and neutered to keep the population from growing out of control. They are well kept and healthy and are regularly fed and therefore not a problem for tourists.
After we landed at the Kona Airport we rented a Ford Mustang convertible, which was excellent for driving al fresco around the main roads. However, it was fairly low slung so it wasn't so good for driving to hidden beaches over roads loaded with broken lava chunks and potholes. That would be a very slow careful drive to be sure. Not that we would do such a thing. These types of roads are better left to a Jeep.
We took two organized sightseeing tours.
- The first tour took us to the Hawaii National Park, which comprises much of the Kau district and part of the Puna district. It also taught us that the local residents have coined a word vog for the air pollution that comes from an active, continually flowing volcano. The park is home to the active Kilauea volcano. To get there the tour bus drove for about 3 hours from Kailua-Kona. On route we stopped at a small village close to the southern tip of the Island - and the southern most point of the USA. Near the Kilauea Visitors Centre we saw the Kilauea Crater, volcanic steam vents and we trekked through the Thurston lava tube. Later we went to Kalapana where the lava flows to the sea. As lava flow varies depending upon the state of the eruptions, you may not get close enough to the lava to get a good view. We stopped for a meal in Pahoa village and visited the Lava Tree State Park. We returned to Kailua -Kona by continuing around the Island through Hilo. We stopped briefly in Hilo and were treated to the sound of another ex-pat pest, the wee small coqui frog from Puerto Rico. These frogs are tiny in size but huge in numbers. Their incessant chirping could drive you insane. It was dark for most of the journey from Hilo back to Kailua-Kona, it was a long day. We enjoyed sitting back relaxing in the tour bus and not driving, but this is a tour you could easily do yourself with a little research.
- We also took an organized tour up to Mauna Kea and the observatories located near the summit. If you drive yourself up this 13,796 foot mountain take along a heavy jacket, a cap and thick gloves. You will need them because it does get cold (well below freezing). The tour companies will provide jackets and gloves. Check out the photo below.You will see us bundled up like we are getting ready for an old fashioned snowball fight. We were there on a clear day and the sunset was incredible.To get to the road going up Mauna Kea we drove part way along Saddle Road, which dips and rolls through the valley between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. We stopped for an early picnic dinner at a mountain ranch camp on the way up the mountain and did some star gazing after dark on the way down. Before you drive the Saddle Road check out your car rental agreement. The road is narrow, dark, windy and roughly paved in spots. On our return from Hilo on our first tour, the driver bypassed Saddle Road in favour of the longer but safer highway. He too had a long day.
For the rest of our stay on the Big Island we did our sightseeing in our Mustang convertible. Some of our excursions included Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, the site of Captain James Cook's first landing in Hawaii, a good place for snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking; Kahaluu Beach, another good snorkeling area with green sea turtles playing along the shore; Keahou Bay where you can watch Manta Rays at night off the rear balcony at the Sheraton Kona Resort and & Spa; Hapuna Beach State Park, which has an excellent white sand beach; Pololu Valley Lookout; the village of Hawi, which has interesting shops and restaurants including an excellent sushi restaurant; Kapaau village with its King Kamehameha statue; a Kona coffee plantation; Holualoa village with its art galleries and coffee shops; and the historic town of Kailua-Kona. We also found several small but beautiful paradise beaches whose location shall remain a secret. We hope we can find them again on our next trip.
There are many sights and areas we did not get to see this trip. We did feel sad leaving. We expect to go back soon. Our departure turned out to be exciting. A tropical storm blew in the day we were scheduled to fly home. We sat for hours in the open-air Kona airport bundled up against the winds, watching the palm trees bend to the ground and swirl around, rain pelting the runways and blowing into the terminal areas. We secretly hoped the flight would be cancelled and we would have to stay! We did fly that day, but we weren't sure right to the last minute.
If you want to live on a field of rugged lava rocks you can buy some really cheap houses with incredible ocean views in some areas of the Big Island. But remember, just as lightening can strike twice, so too can molten lava flow where it flowed before.
Aloha.
There are many sights and areas we did not get to see this trip. We did feel sad leaving. We expect to go back soon. Our departure turned out to be exciting. A tropical storm blew in the day we were scheduled to fly home. We sat for hours in the open-air Kona airport bundled up against the winds, watching the palm trees bend to the ground and swirl around, rain pelting the runways and blowing into the terminal areas. We secretly hoped the flight would be cancelled and we would have to stay! We did fly that day, but we weren't sure right to the last minute.
If you want to live on a field of rugged lava rocks you can buy some really cheap houses with incredible ocean views in some areas of the Big Island. But remember, just as lightening can strike twice, so too can molten lava flow where it flowed before.
Aloha.
