Hawaii - Big Island - Kona

[troutman]

Looking for travel tips for Kona (November trip). Didn't see a travel thread for the Big Island.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_%28island%29

I want to go to this:

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/

If you are planning to visit the summit, we highly recommend that you stop at the Visitor Information Station (VIS) at 9,200 ft to receive a current weather update, safety information, and to adjust to the change in altitude. Maunakea is one of the only places in the world where you can drive from sea level to 14,000 feet in about 2 hours, so altitude sickness is a high possibility. At 14,000 feet, there is 40% less oxygen than at sea level, so visitors should acclimatize to the altitude before proceeding further up the mountain. Anyone in poor health should consult their physician before planning a visit to Maunakea. We do not recommend anyone who is pregnant to go further than the VIS. People under the age of 16 should not go any further because their bodies are still developing and they are affected more rapidly when going to a high altitude. If you plan to scuba dive, do not plan to go up to the summit within 24 hours after your dive. Furthermore, we do not recommend anyone with a heart or respiratory problem to travel above the VIS.

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/v...mit-tours.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/hawa...the-big-island

[Buff]

I was there two years ago this past spring. We were there for a wedding and had limited time on the island.so we didn't see the summit. We did go down to the volcano park and that was pretty cool, I would recommend that.

http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

Found a great snorkeling spot just north of Waikoloa (where we stayed). It is called Beach 69 and not a lot of tourists would go there compared to Hapuna Beach (just north of Beach 69).

[Torrie the Whaler]

Weather was the only downside, it was great till about noon and the clouds drifted in. So make plans for early morning visits. We actually got some snowflakes as we drove from the westside of the island to the rightside over the two hills. Temperature was a little colder than the other islands but who can complain about the seventies?

[Hack&Lube]

The big resort on Kona, Waikoloa had a "swim with Dolphins" thing in what was basically a kiddie pool with a couple spinners in captivity for several hundreds of dollars. Avoid the resort tourist traps and find a local guide.

I'll find the name later on but we found a great rafting company that took us on their boat for very cheap and took us diving with Manta Rays in the ocean one night and the next morning, took us out to spots they were familiar with and Humpback whales were coming up beside us and on two occasions, they told us to jump overboard. As I got in the water, I heard dolphin calls and we were soon swimming with a wild pod in the ocean. I had flippers on and actually stayed with a group of 3 for a few minutes as they coasted along in the afternoon sun.

I'm not sure if the local sealife will be different in this season compared to when I went (Feb.).

[Inglewood Jack]

unfortunately I can't remember the name of the tour company (there's probably several that do the same thing) but it was an all day affair that had a lunch stop a few thousand feet up, another stop near the visitor centre, and then sunset at the summit. being up above the clouds during that time was an otherworldy experience, I didn't even mind the giant parka we all had to wear.

the best part of the tour though was stargazing at visitor centre level (you can't be at the summit at night when the telescopes are actually doing work). unless you're an elite mountaineer, you probably will not see a more brilliant night sky. there's so many stars that you can't even find any of the familiar constellations, and the Milky Way band looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. the Big Island is my favorite so far and this is a huge reason for that.

regarding the weather, I believe the Big Island is one of the few places where you can find all major climate types in a relatively small area, between the beach and Mauna Kea. if you like warmth, it's certainly more than warm enough in the resort areas, as I got cooked crispy playing around at Hapuna.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

regarding the weather, I believe the Big Island is one of the few places where you can find all major climate types in a relatively small area, between the beach and Mauna Kea. if you like warmth, it's certainly more than warm enough in the resort areas, as I got cooked crispy playing around at Hapuna.

My relatives stayed at a BnB that was actually a large estate up in the mountains in Kona. It was a nice get away because while it was blazing hot by the ocean, you could go up the mountain and it would be cool and misty.

[MolsonInBothHands]

Get this book!

http://www.hawaiirevealed.com/books-...sland-revealed

It has been a wealth of knowledge for both of our trips to the big island. It is how we found beach 69 mentioned above, which was fantastic, and far less people than Hapuna.

If you dive, and are around the Kohala coast, check out Kohala divers. Robyn is by far the most enthusiastic dive master I have ever met. She is also a Yoga instructor, . She was so damn friendly and helpful, my wife couldn't even resent how easy on the eyes she was. The whole crew was great. You may not see as much 'big' stuff in the area they dive, but they are great at pointing out some of the smaller stuff in great detail.

Do the manta ray dive / snorkel. Amazing.

Helicopter tour over the volcano is probably the only way you are going to get close enough to see the lava flows. Definitely worth, every penny. Blue Hawaiian is the tour company we used. They are close to Waikoloa, have the newest helicopter, and the most knowledgeable pilots. We did the Volcano / Waterfall tour. Take a video camera, as the video quality of the DVD you can buy is not great. I am glad we still bought the DVD because it has the pilot's commentary in it, and I just spliced my video in where I had good shots that I could sync in. Take a morning flight, the lava contrasts in the dusk better.

If you have not done a Luau, I guess going to one is fun. The Marriot had a decent one.

If you want to see turtles, go to Puako. It is a tiny black sand beach, and there are almost always there. You can snorkel out there (or dive) and there is a 'turtle cleaning station' there, where the fish come in a clean off the turtles. Kinda neat. At the end of the road there, there is another public beach campground area with a nice lava rock bowl to step into to start your swim. Get beach shoes/aqua shoes. Fins with booties is also the way to go, or your feet will get beat up.

The place of refuge is neat to see, close by is the Captain Cook monument, another fantastic place to snorkel. Very mature coral structures. You can take a tour of the Captain Cook monument and learn the story of his demise.

We absolutely love this island. We have been there twice, and have not been to any other of the islands. I would move there in a heart beat. I am jealous, I am sure you will have a great time.

I am missing a lot... really, get the book.

[OldDutch]

I was there a few years ago. Will go back when the kids are older, as it is an awesome island for outdoor activities.

I found the beaches to be lacking compared to a Maui or Oahu. Most of the good ones have a hotel on them as the only access point (at least that was the case in the NW Waikoloa area). However, there is a law in Hawii that each beach regardless if a hotel is the only access point must have public parking and access. So drive up to the hotels and ask at the gate for a beach pass. Mauna Kea Beach is quite nice, and you can get passes at the gate.

Waimea has an awesome farmers market. Everything is grown local. We bought Vegetables, Fruit, even Tea that a local grows there. The eco-system allows for virtually anything to be grown.

If you are a diver, do a night manta ray dive. We did ours down by the airport. Just amazing as it is you and these massive manta rays coming out of the dark mouth wide open to feed.

Other than that there is a food place I did not try that is #1 in the world on yelp in Kona. It is called Da Poke Shack, Kailua-Kona, HI. Try it and let me know!

EDIT: Oh and there is this locally (Big Island) made Macadamia Ice Cream I bought at ABC store, get it. It is hands down best ice cream I have had anywhere. Oh and there is a coffee tour that is really good: http://www.huladaddy.com/. Kona coffee is a must when your there.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by MolsonInBothHands

Get this book!

http://www.hawaiirevealed.com/books-...sland-revealed

It has been a wealth of knowledge for both of our trips to the big island. It is how we found beach 69 mentioned above, which was fantastic, and far less people than Hapuna.

If you dive, and are around the Kohala coast, check out Kohala divers. Robyn is by far the most enthusiastic dive master I have ever met. She is also a Yoga instructor, . She was so damn friendly and helpful, my wife couldn't even resent how easy on the eyes she was. The whole crew was great. You may not see as much 'big' stuff in the area they dive, but they are great at pointing out some of the smaller stuff in great detail.

Do the manta ray dive / snorkel. Amazing.

Helicopter tour over the volcano is probably the only way you are going to get close enough to see the lava flows. Definitely worth, every penny. Blue Hawaiian is the tour company we used. They are close to Waikoloa, have the newest helicopter, and the most knowledgeable pilots. We did the Volcano / Waterfall tour. Take a video camera, as the video quality of the DVD you can buy is not great. I am glad we still bought the DVD because it has the pilot's commentary in it, and I just spliced my video in where I had good shots that I could sync in. Take a morning flight, the lava contrasts in the dusk better.

If you have not done a Luau, I guess going to one is fun. The Marriot had a decent one.

If you want to see turtles, go to Puako. It is a tiny black sand beach, and there are almost always there. You can snorkel out there (or dive) and there is a 'turtle cleaning station' there, where the fish come in a clean off the turtles. Kinda neat. At the end of the road there, there is another public beach campground area with a nice lava rock bowl to step into to start your swim. Get beach shoes/aqua shoes. Fins with booties is also the way to go, or your feet will get beat up.

The place of refuge is neat to see, close by is the Captain Cook monument, another fantastic place to snorkel. Very mature coral structures. You can take a tour of the Captain Cook monument and learn the story of his demise.

We absolutely love this island. We have been there twice, and have not been to any other of the islands. I would move there in a heart beat. I am jealous, I am sure you will have a great time.

I am missing a lot... really, get the book.

I can vouch for the book. My wife bought it online, unfortunately it didn't get to our house until we were actually in Hawaii, but it still had a lot of great info.

[Inglewood Jack]

just found the tour company I was referring to earlier, it was Hawaii Forest & Trail:

http://hawaii-forest.com/index.php/t...tars_adventure

probably not the cheapest, but they take dang good care of you.

A couple other favorites, if you want the world's greatest pork chop fried in an heirloom cast iron pan, visit Manago Restaurant/Hotel. scary sketchy both inside and out, but that just heightens your senses.

my preferred Kona coffee place is Greenwell Farms, they do free grounds tours and are ridiculously enthusiastic about their beans. I still order batches of their stuff online a couple of times a year.

[troutman]

http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/lava2.htm

The eruption of Kīlauea volcano continues at two locations. In the park, the vent within Halema'uma'u Crater is easily viewed from the overlook at the Jaggar Museum. The second location is the Pu'u 'Ō'ō vent located 10 miles (16km) east of the summit, on the remote east rift zone of Kīlauea. This area is not accessible to the public, (see "East Rift Zone Vents" below). Lava is no longer flowing into or towards the ocean.

[troutman]

Kailua-Kona woman injured in struggle with tiger shark
http://westhawaiitoday.com/community...le-tiger-shark

[troutman]

http://konabrewingco.com/

Kona Brewing Company’s Kailua-Kona Pub on Hawaii’s Big Island opened in November 1998. An enormous mahogany log that washed ashore in Kailua Bay was used to adorn the masterpiece Koa wood bar. The featured ohia wood posts used on the lanai came from South Kona. The rusty corrugated tin that provides a shade roof over the outdoor lanai came from an old Holualoa okolehao (liquor distilled from ti root) distillery. These are just a few of the local materials used to create this showcase restaurant. The pub is known for great hand spun pizzas, local organic salads and fresh beers on draft that you can’t find anywhere else. Every Sunday evening local musicians provide live entertainment.

http://www.nps.gov/HAVO/planyourvisit/index.htm

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a fascinating world of active volcanism, biological diversity, and Hawaiian culture, past and present.

[LChoy]

Sorry I'm late with this. We spent a week on the Big Island for our honeymoon, although most of the time was in Hilo.

The best attraction in the Big Island is Volcano National Park. There are a variety of drives in the park, or the much more involved hikes around the park. With lava activity high right now, would also be neat to see lava flow into the ocean. Take one of the many night time boat tours to see that.

Other things people already mentioned:

- Kona brewing company
- Punaluu Bake Shop Inc - The southernest bakery in the US
- The rare green sand beach (it's a bit of a drive and hike though)
- Night time diving with the manta rays - Check for tours in the Kona resorts area for this unique activity