Hawaii: Big Island Recap

Short of moving to Hawai’i, I think you should spend as much time there as possible. It’s good for the soul.

The Big Island is definitely one of the islands that should be on your list. It’s got everything from lush tropical foliage to land that looks prehistoric. When I mentioned this to someone, they said it has like 8 out of 13 of the world’s climate zones. Seriously, we’re talking total dinosaur country and snow-capped mountains!

We only stayed a week so we weren’t able to explore everything the Island has to offer AND we were traveling with a group which always makes decision-making difficult. But we got quite a bit done! This is a recap of our trip + a compilation of everything you guys said we shouldn’t miss!

RENT A CAR

I have to put this out there in case you’re thinking you won’t need transportation – you definitely do. The island is big (hence the name) and a lot of places are an hour+ away. Rent a jeep if you can – that way you can take part in most activities!

WHERE TO STAY

The Westin Hāpuna

We stayed at the Westin Hapuna and while this is a promotional photo, I can tell you that it absolutely lived up to our expectations! We sat poolside for a few days (not normal for us and I HIGHLY recommend it) and it was amazing! Whale watching is ripe this time of year and we were seeing multiple whales each day breach the water – so cool!

The poolside food was also really good and the gym was great for a hotel gym (being in a swimsuit 24/7 and eating amazing food calls for mornings in the gym).

SHOES | SHORTS | TANK TOP | SPORTS BRA

SANDALS | DRESS | PURSE (similar) |

Staying Local

We were also told that you can find affordable ($100 nightly average) rentals on airbnb and vrbo, and that they are available in downtown Kona and Hilo (other side of the island) or up in the hills/mountains of the island if you want something more remote! We did our Kuaui rental on Airbnb and were totally happy!

No filter needed! The sunset was like this every single night!

Hāpuna Beach

Hāpuna beach is directly below the hotel and has an awesome sandy beach free of rocks! It rained almost every day we were on the big island but we read that this beach gets less than 10 inches of rain a year, but it’s got a ton of trees so there’s plenty of coverage! This beach is regularly voted among the ‘best beaches in the world’ and as a result, can get quite crowded! We were told that if you’re not a guest of the hotel and are hoping to score a parking spot – come early! Spots fill up fast!

SPEAKING OF BEACHES…

The beaches on Hawaii are not as breathtaking as some of the other islands but there are a few that stand out! Aside from Hāpuna Beach, there were two others we were told we should check out:

Punalu’u Beach (Black Sand Beach)

This was overwhelmingly one of the spots people said we shouldn’t miss! We loved this beach (especially Braun) because it’s not actually sand, it’s broken lava flow, so it doesn’t stick as sand does! Also, the turtles that hang out on this beach made it one of our favorite destinations. We headed here on Valentine’s Day and it definitely didn’t’ disappoint!

SHOP MY HAWAII FAVORITES

• • •

These turtles were so cool and we were able to get close enough to enjoy them without disturbing them!

We honestly had one of the best days. This beach was exactly the right destination for V-day and it was a fun adventure. This is one of the reasons you should rent a car on the island! There are remote beaches and old shipping ports that are now just local beach fronts that beg to be explored!

We even coerced one of our friends to step behind the camera and snap a few pics of us!

FLIP FLOPS | SHORTS | TANK TOP | SUNGLASSES

The last beach we were told to visit was Papakōlea Beach, one of only two green sand beaches in the United States. It’s also close to the southernmost tip of Hawai’i which is the 2nd most southern point in the U.S. We didn’t make it here for a few reasons: it’s an all-day activity and a 5-mile hike (roundtrip) to get to the beach! Maybe next time!

ACTIVITIES

We did 2 activities with tour companies while on the island a land tour on RZR ATVs and a night diving tour to see manta rays.

Manta Rays Night Snorkeling

If you haven’t seen a manta ray before, be prepared! These things are HUGE! If you’re scared of being bitten or stung, you can rest easy – these are the rays without teeth and stinging barb. This did not put me at ease, though. I don’t know what it is about the big black ocean at night but I’m a little scared! I live in terror thinking something might grab my leg or something!

But this trip out to sea at night was nothing if not educational. The guides were amazing and were telling us that manta rays around the world normally feed during the day. phytoplankton hang out near the ocean’s surface because they feed off of the suns rays, but like 50 years ago, a local hotel set up big flood lamps to light up the surf outside of their restaurant at night and the manta rays got used to it and know when there are lights at night, there is food!

Snorkeling VS Diving

There are two different types of tours you can take: snorkeling and diving.

We decided to do the snorkeling where they take you out in a boat and we had a couple of queazy passengers. If you have a crew that gets seasick easily, I recommend doing one of the snorkeling night tours that are close to the beach.

So you go out on these boats with your snorkels and you hang on to a surf/paddle board that has lights in the bottom of it and kind of float in the water over the manta rays that swim beneath you. It’s kind of insane!

We were cracking up because Braun and the other guys kept saying how excited they were to go see manatees – if you’re planning on seeing manatees, you’re going to be disappointed!

I’m just going to say what everyone is thinking: we look hot. Very sexy attire aside (these flip flops actually are the most comfortable thing on earth), this was a fun outing. We didn’t see very many manta rays and you’re not guaranteed to see any.

If you want to learn more about these excursions, check out Hawaii Oceanic – they have the top reviews and come highly recommended!

ATV Tour

Our next excursion was the Historical Ocean & Kohala Ditch Trail with ATV Tours.

The Kohala Ditch Trail takes you along the shoreline of North Kohala. You’ll learn tons about the Hawaiin sugar industry (there are old factories on the island) and these trails take you along the old rail lines. They take you through private land that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to access and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

They have snacks for you on a secluded beach and then take you through the ditch system that was used for sugar transport. If you plan to go between December and March, plan to bring a wrap or light jacket – even Hawaii gets cold – especially when you go higher up in elevation!

WATERPROOF BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

CARDIGAN | LONG SLEEVE TOP | SHORTS

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You can do more tours during your stay but I plan to come back to again and 2 was plenty for the amount of time we were there. It’s $179 per driver / $130 per passenger for the AVT tour and $105 for each person who goes on the manta ray tour.

Other tours that were recommended to us:

1. Horseback Ride To See Hidden Waterfalls
2. Umauma Waterfall Zipline
3. Volcano & Waterfall Luxury Helicopter Ride
4. Waterfalls, Lava Cave & Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour with Astro-Photographer Guide
5. Keauhou Bay Ocean Kayak & Snorkel Tour

VISITING MAUNA KEA

If you want to see something really cool, this dormant volcano should be on your list. It’s almost 14,000 ft above sea level but if measured from its base under water, it measures 33,000 ft, making it the tallest mountain in the world!

There were some guided tours up to Mauna Kea and stargazing but if you have a car, this is free and totally worth doing. You should plan on an hour to an hour and a half drive to the visitor center which is halfway up the Mauna Kea volcano at 9,200 ft elevation. This stop is perfect to watch the sunset and the climb up a nearby hill will have you feeling like you’re standing on top of the world as the sun goes down. Bring your camera!

As you can see, even at that elevation you’re well above cloud cover – and it’s breathtaking!

If the visitors center is your destination to watch the sunset, get there early. 1-2 hours ahead. The crowds get big and parking becomes a headache. Also, make sure you dress warm! At 9,000 ft it’s like being in the mountains at night – you’ll definitely feel the cold as the sun sets! Also, any car you rent should be able to make it this far.

Mauna Kea Observatories

If headed to the Mauna Kea Observatories make sure you have a car with 4WD. A full tank of gas is a must to get up past the visitors center. It’s a gravel road at that point and has an incredibly steep incline. Make sure that you have a full tank of gas before you head up because the nearest gas stations are 35 miles from the visitor station. I don’t know why but something about the elevation and incline rapidly drains your gas tank! Up at the summit, you will get to see a number of independent astronomical research facilities.  Large telescope observatories make this one of the best stargazing spots on the planet.

Also, the summit is at 13,796 ft. This can be dangerous if you have any health issues. Stop at the visitors center for at least 30 minutes to acclimate before making your way to the top! You can learn more about venturing to the summit and the free stargazing schedule HERE.

Check HERE before you head up to check road conditions (snow and ice are a possibility).

Guided Mauna Kea Tours

Like I mentioned above, you can take a tour up there. But they cost over $200 per person and last about 8 hours.

There aren’t many times you’ll have to stand at the top of the world. This is definitely ones of those things that should be on your bucket list!

EATING LIKE LOCALS

If you followed my first visit to Kauai and our obsession with food (mostly snowcones) you know we had to find the good places to eat!

This is me pretending to eat what looked like the most delicious-looking malasadas! We stopped by the Hot Malasada Stand after our ATV tour and Braun and the rest of the crew pigged out! You can find these all over the island and have been told to check out the Punalu’u Bake Shop on the way to the Volcano National Park or Tex Drive-In if you’re circling the Island.

We did find some really delicious Italian food at Pueo’s Osteria and it was a food highlight of my trip!

I did look for shave ice and had heard that Original Big Island Shave Ice is the best shave ice on the Island but it’s a food truck and therefore the schedule may not match up with your schedule. Make sure you check their website to see where they’re at! If you don’t plan on traveling far from Kona, you can catch them at the Waikoloa Village.

Donkey Balls

And last but not least, the Donkey Balls Chocolate Factory!

I have never heard so many ‘balls’ jokes and puns in my life and they kept coming! They have salty balls, monkey balls, goat balls, etc. They even put our donkey balls inside a ball sack for us!

See what I mean? OUT OF CONTROL! And so funny. You know me: If it’s immature and inappropriate, I am going to have a hard time not laughing!

VISITING THE VOLCANOES

Another place we weren’t able to squeeze into this trip was the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. They had over 80,000 earthquakes during last year’s massive flow and it changed the park quite a bit!

Here are some images from my friend’s recent trip:

 

Gorgeous, right?

MAKING A SECOND TRIP

Braun and I will definitely be coming back. We want to see where our favorite macadamia nuts come from and visit the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation and we were told we needed to hike the Pololū Valley down to the black beach and make a day of it!

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Plus, we need to explore Hilo, Waimea, UmaUma Falls, ‘Akaka Falls State Park, drive Kapoho Kalapana road, the Wailuku River and Rainbow Falls.

One thing you can definitely count on? Sunsets like this every single night:

xx Tara

P.S. Have you been to the Big Island? Tell me what your favorite thing is and what we need to do next time we come! You can also check out my Kauai guide HERE!