The Big Island is served by two airports, one in Hilo on the east side,
and one in Kona on the west side. The west side airport (KOA) is about 15 miles north of our condo.
If you've never been to the Big Island before, you will be startled to
look out the window as your plane is landing and see miles of black lava. It's the 'newest' island and, in fact, is
still being formed by continuing lava flows from Kilauea volcano on its south side. But
this is just one aspect of the island - it has a very wide variety of landscapes, climate zones, and activities. Because
the island is small, it's possible to visit any of these areas in a day trip.
The town of Kailua-Kona is on the west side of the island. It's a
lovely little oceanfront village, shaded by banyan and plumeria trees, with lots of restaurants and shops, a Farmers Market
that's open most days of the week, a historical palace and church, and a wonderful sea wall where locals and
visitors alike stop to watch the nightly sunsets. Cruise ships are anchored in the bay at least one day a week, more
often in some seasons. Near town are several beaches that are great for snorkeling and boogie boarding. The mountain
slope just to the east of the village is world famous as the place where Kona Coffee is grown. Many of the coffee producers
offer tours and samples of their products.
To the north of Kailua-Kona are beautiful white sand beaches and luxury
resorts and shopping. There are echos of the past in ancient
petroglyph carvings in the lava, the remains of an abandoned seaside village, and a famous statue of King Kamemeha who is
credited with uniting the Hawaiian islands.
A short drive to the northeast takes you through a landscape full of cactus,
wide-open grasslands, cattle and cowboys (called Paniolo in Hawaii), and the beautiful town of Waimea. Waimea sits at
the base of Mauna Kea, where the renowned observatories are located. You might even see snow on top of the
mountain! Near Waimea you can also tour the Parker Ranch, one of the largest privately owned ranch in the United
States!
The east side of the island, which includes the county seat of Hilo, gets
more rain, resulting in a variety of tropical gardens, waterfalls, and rain forests.
The southern side of the island includes Volcano National Park, South Point
(the southern-most spot in the United States), and black and green sand beaches. Even if lava is not flowing during
your visit, the park is a fascinating and starkly beautiful spot.
This just covers the highlights - there are too many things to do
and see to list them all here. There are many guidebooks that provide detailed descriptions of every attraction
on the island.
