Sights and Eats in Hawaii - Big Island (Hilo, Kona) and Oahu

[LChoy]

Hey CP

We are going to be honeymooning in Hawaii this September.
We have our flights and hotels hotels booked, now just got to plan what to see and where and what to eat. It's unfortunate we don't have time for Maui, so we'll do that next time.

Currently:

Hilo for 2 nights at the Naniloa Iloa Volcano Resort
Kona for 2 nights at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay
2 nights at Oahu (North Beach) at the Turtle bay resort

We plan to see:
- Volcano National Park (thinking the Volcano tour)
- Aloaka Falls
- Big Island candies
- Macadamia nut factory
- Black Sand Beach – Punalu’u Beach Park
- Luau at Kona
- Pearl Harbour
- Dole Plantation
- Diamond head crater

Are we missing some must see things in our area? Great places to eat?

Thanks CP

[DFO]

Cafe 100 in Hilo for some Loco Moco.

[Jordan!]

Pearl Harbor

[WhiteTiger]

Looks like you've hit all the highlights.

My wife and I loved the Macadamia Nut factory.

Also, if you again find yourself with some time (though it looks like you've really booked yourselves pretty solid in there) the Polynesian Cultural Center is well worth the time and money. It's a short bus ride from the Turtle Bay Resort. The Big Island's transit version of the #3 will take you right there (and is also the cheapest bus in Hawai'i to tour the island on) and back.

If you want to kill...3-ish hours, and want to see 'all' of the Big Island, jump on the transit bus. $2.50/head (when I was there last) and you'll circle the entire island with visual treats almost the entire way (A city is a city is a city, really, but you don't go through many) as you go around the entire island with someone else worrying about the driving, so you can watch the scenery.

Oh, and...personally, my wife and I were pretty disappointed with our volcano tour. Now, we both think, after the fact, that we had unrealistic expectations. We figured we'd go up there, see some lava flow, molten rocks, that sort of thing. Instead, we went up there and weren't allowed to close because the sulfur level was really high (giving everyone headaches) and it honestly looked like a lightly forested semi-flat land in the crater, as odd as that sounds. You may want to really look into exactly what it is you are going to see, be seeing, or want to see with a 'volcano' tour.

If you do eat in Honolulu, and like sushi, there is a place that is literally called "All you can sushi buffet". My wife and I went in there not expecting much (being used to a landlocked provinces idea of sushi...) but figured that since they were offering crab legs and the 'all you can eat' part was $30, it was a win. What we found was an amazing culinary experience that my wife (the bigger sushi lover of the two of us) STILL recalls very fondly. The place doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's about 3 times as huge on the inside, and it's worth every penny. They have a lot more than just sushi, too.

I'd skip Diamond head and go to Hanauma Bay instead. I wasn't a huge fan of Hilo...

[Uncarved]

Might be worth taking a hellicopter tour around the island. There are lots of spots and hidden treasures on the island that you would never be able to see otherwise.

As for eats I loved Bubba Gump's in Kona.

[Northendzone]

I understand there is a sbarros in honoloulou

[Byrns]

I'd personally skip the Macadamia Nut factory, and Dole Plantation. They're both giant expensive tourist traps, and my wife and I hated them both. Go to Hanauma Bay.

If you're looking for cheap T-shirts, Kona coffee, macadamia nuts, and other souvenirs to bring home, go to the flea market at the Aloha Stadium.

[wooohooo]

Agreed, Macadamia Nut and Dole plantation were pretty doozy. Probably good to say you went, but don`t plan too much time around it/expect much. No one in my group really enjoyed the Polynesian culture center either, a little boring to be honest unless you're really into that artsy fartsy stuff. Coolest thing was the pig roast... Then again, I'm more of the lie on the beach, go scuba/snorkling, paragliding, swim with turtles/fish kinda guy.

[Jing]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

Agreed, Macadamia Nut and Dole plantation were pretty doozy. Probably good to say you went, but don`t plan too much time around it/expect much. No one in my group really enjoyed the Polynesian culture center either, a little boring to be honest unless you're really into that artsy fartsy stuff. Coolest thing was the pig roast... Then again, I'm more of the lie on the beach, go scuba/snorkling, paragliding, swim with turtles/fish kinda guy.

I agree, the Dole plantation and the Polynesian cultural center were not that great. Hanauma bay is nice, although it is crazy busy (you need to go very early as they only allow a certain number of people in), and the snorkeling is not as good as it used to be due to overuse.

As for food, I usually stayed in Waikiki and loved Roy's and Nakamura Ramen. Check out Giovanni's shrimp truck as well (http://www.giovannisshrimptruck.com/).

[Vox]

You can swim with dolphins at Sea Life Park, which isn't to far from Turtle bay. Various different dolphin experiences including 'riding' them.

[killer_carlson]

in terms of sights, there is also an ABC store every 5 steps or so it seems.

[LChoy]

Thanks for the tips guys

Good call on the volcano tour. Looking at it, it seems better to do the park ourselves, especially since we'll have a car.

Thanks for the tip for Hanauma Bay, we'll definitely try to drive by it. The wife is not a really strong swimmer so it would just be me if I wanted to go snorkling.

The Macadamia Nut and Dole plantation will be our "touristy" thing to do I guess. We won't spend too much time there.

I don't plan on going to the Polynesian centre. I'm already doing a Luau anyways
I've done the swimming with Dolphins and Rays as well before. Looking forward to just relaxing on the beach though.

Helicopter might be neat. We vetoed the travel agent's suggestion for that submarine voyage to explore the reefs.

Do you happen to know the name of that sushi buffet White Tiger? Sounds great

we were also checking out Chef Alan Wong's restaurant and Morimoto's in Oahu. I'm a big Iron Chef fan so I might have to go. Huggo's also seemed to come up a bunch during out research for food. I'll know to sample "Poke", Yam pies at Macdonalds, "purple fries", great seafood, and Japanese and Korean cuisine

Funny, someone else was mentioning to us about the prevalence of ABC drug stores

Appreciate all the tips and advice

[billybob123]

ABC stores are handy for water bottles - they have the 1.5 litre bottles for $1 or so and you don't have to walk more than a block to run into one!

I drove up the north shore of Oahu this year and it was pretty fantastic. If you're there on a weekend it will be swarming; during the week it's pretty quiet. I loved Lost (the show) so we went to the two beaches where they filmed it (one is across from Dillingham airport and wasn'st that great, the other was just before Haleiwa and was awesome -- it felt like I was on the show. Plus there was NO ONE on the beach). If you're there in the winter the waves are way too big to swim (Turtle Bay will be bad too I thnk), but I don't know what the water is like in September - best to find out. Watching the surfers is kinda cool too - there's lots of beaches on the North Shore that people surf from.

The Polynesian Ctr is ok but remember to anyone going that it's run by the Mormons so there's no booze at the Luau -- if that's your thing.

Diamond Head is cool - I've climbed it twice (once with my 2-year old on my back) but swarming with tourists. Go first thing when it opens or else you won't even be able to get photos from the top without people everywhere, plus it's extraordinarily hot because there's no wind inside the crater later in the day.

[SeeBass]

Originally Posted by Jing

I agree, the Dole plantation and the Polynesian cultural center were not that great. Hanauma bay is nice, although it is crazy busy (you need to go very early as they only allow a certain number of people in), and the snorkeling is not as good as it used to be due to overuse.

As for food, I usually stayed in Waikiki and loved Roy's and Nakamura Ramen. Check out Giovanni's shrimp truck as well (http://www.giovannisshrimptruck.com/).

Couldn't agree more with Roy's,
wife and I are major foodies and this is one of our favourite places. The food is great but the service is exceptional.

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by Jing

I agree, the Dole plantation and the Polynesian cultural center were not that great. Hanauma bay is nice, although it is crazy busy (you need to go very early as they only allow a certain number of people in), and the snorkeling is not as good as it used to be due to overuse.

As for food, I usually stayed in Waikiki and loved Roy's and Nakamura Ramen. Check out Giovanni's shrimp truck as well (http://www.giovannisshrimptruck.com/).

+1 on the Nakamura Ramen. I also liked Coco Ichiban for cheap food.

[Cowperson]

We spent a few weeks on the Big Island in March, Kona-side, including a memorable night in our car on high ground waiting out the Tsunami warning.

Drive out to Hawi, Kapaau, Halaula on 270 . . . . at the end point, there's a hike down to a beach that's pretty nice. The towns are nice to stop at. Take Highway 250 back and hit Waimea. Check out the Parker Ranch store. There's a bakery out back of that Mall that's interesting.

A look at the beach described above:



Along Highway 19, between Mauna Kea resort area and the juction of 270, you'll find this place . . . .



Below, on Saddle Road between Hilo and Kona . . . .



If you want to drive all the way up the volcano, you'll need a four-wheel drive. Or luck.

Mostly, if it were me, I'd hang out on the beach a lot . . . .



Have fun.

Cowperson

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Mostly, if it were me, I'd hang out on the beach a lot . . . .



Have fun.

Cowperson

That's a nice sunburn!

[Flaming Choy]

You should bring back Hawaiian coconut candy. It's pretty much roasted/candied chunks of coconut, often sold on the sides of streets and stuff. Looks sorta like this.

http://coconutcandynuggets.com/siteb...ananabread.JPG

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Byrns

That's a nice sunburn!

Its quite gay to notice my sunburn and not the two hot Asian chicks at the waterline!!!

Cowperson