Hawai‘i Island is called the Big Island for a reason, as its vast expanse includes five volcanoes, a wild and rugged coastline and almost every one of the world’s climate zones. Here's everything you need to know about Hawai‘i Island.
PHOTO BY IJFKE RIDGLEY
Flying into Kona, you might think there is nothing more than miles of desolate lava fields, but there is more to the leeward side of the island than meets the eye. Kailua Kona is a funky historic town with a midcentury modern vibe and affordable accommodations, while just north of town starts a series of ultra-exclusive housing developments and luxury resorts. South of Kona, the road narrows, and the foliage increases while passing through tiny plantation villages on the way to Captain Cook (the heart of coffee country) and the stunning Kealakekua Bay.
HISTORY
In South Kona sits Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park (nps.gov/puho), a place of refuge for defeated warriors and those who broke kapu (sacred) laws. It is one of the most significant sites from ancient Hawaiian society. The park encompasses both the pu‘uhonua and the adjacent royal grounds and reflects over 400 years of Hawaiian history.
DON’T MISS
The expert guides at Hawai‘i Forest and Trail (hawaii-forest.com) have exclusive rights to lead small groups into two restricted-access preserves. Hikers explore Hualālai Volcano, which looms over Kailua-Kona, while bird-watchers traverse a wildlife refuge in Mercedes Sprinters. On the beach at Four Seasons Resort Hualālai (72-100 Ka‘ūpulehū Drive, Kailua-Kona, fourseasons.com/hualalai), the impeccable ‘Ulu Ocean Grill specializes in seafood grown on-site or nearby, including abalone, oysters and shrimp, as well as freshly caught fish and island-reared beef. The recently renovated Pacific 19 hotel (75-5646 Palani Road, pacific19.com) in Kona offers hip, retro décor at an affordable price point. Locals and visitors gather in the kitschy seaside Lava Lava Beach Club (420 Papaloa Road, Kapa‘a, lavalavabeachclub.com) for a toes-in-the-sand dining experience. In tranquil Keauhou, about 6 miles south of Kona, enjoy 18 holes on the championship course of Kona Country Club (78-7000 Ali‘i Drive, Kailua-Kona, konacountryclub.com). Head upcountry to explore family-run Kona coffee farms and the charming plantation town of Hōlualoa, home today to upscale art galleries.
LOCALS KNOW
With such fertile volcanic soil, almost anything will grow on Hawai‘i Island, which makes the farmers’ markets a must-see shopping destination. With six markets in Kona and Captain Cook alone, there is plenty of choice for top produce. Open Wednesday through Sunday, the Kona Farmers Market is the perfect stop for gifts and souvenirs, while the Pure Kona Green Market in Captain Cook on Sundays serves delectable meals and fresh fruit.
The Kohala Coast offers some of the most breathtaking views and enviable real estate in the area, including iconic resorts and shopping plazas. Wide beaches with white sand are some of the best on the island and can be found at Hapuna and Mauna Kea Beaches. As the road heads north, you drive high along the mountain slopes, overlooking sprawling ranches and the vast Pacific. The charming town of Hāwi offers boutiques and art galleries in historic storefronts, while the neighboring village of Kapa‘au boasts the original bronze statue of King Kamehameha. The end of the road leads to Pololū Valley, with stunning panoramas of the cliffed coastline and a hike down to the black sand beach.
HISTORY
Next to the Mauna Lani Resort sits a network of ancient Hawaiian fishponds, petroglyphs and lava tube shelters that date back to pre-contact times. The Kalāhuipua’a Fishponds are a series of seven brackish water ponds that were used to raise fish and are still maintained in the traditional way today.
DON‘T MISS
The legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (62-100 Mauna Kea Beach Drive, Kohala Coast, maunakeabeachhotel.com) was the first luxury resort on Hawai‘i Island when it opened in 1965, a year after its stunning golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. debuted. Manta, the hotel’s signature restaurant, and the Copper Bar restaurant offer diverse culinary treats with beautiful vistas, while the casual beachside Hau Tree is the perfect place to cool off with a frozen cocktail. On the Mauna Lani Resort, Fairmont Orchid (1 N. Kanikū Drive, fairmont.com/orchid-hawaii) is the setting of executive chef David Viviano’s lively Binchotan Bar & Grill, which gives a modern twist to the Japanese tradition of open-flame grilling, while his oceanfront Brown’s Beach House offers upscale open-air dining. The iconic Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection (68-1400 Mauna Lani Drive, aubergeresorts.com) recently underwent a $200 million renovation, and the luxe amenities are hard to beat, including the acclaimed Canoe House restaurant with farm-to-table Japanese and Hawaiian-influenced cuisine. For haute shopping and more restaurants, head to the Shops at Mauna Lani (68-1330 Mauna Lani Drive, shopsatmaunalani.com) or the Kings’ Shops (69-250 Waikōloa Beach Drive, Waikōloa Beach Resort, kingsshops.com).
LOCALS KNOW
The sleepy hamlet of Puako may be a drive off the main highway, but it is worth the detour. Restored plantation homes line a lava-rock coastline that boasts some of the best snorkeling in the state without the crowds. Pop in for provisions at the charming old Blue Wilderness General Store (69-1649 Puako Beach Drive), across the street from the historic Hokuloa Church, built in 1860. Puako Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, located next to the Fairmont Orchid, has a collection of 3,000 stone etchings dating back to 1200 AD.
On the fertile slopes of Mauna Kea volcano sits the pretty town of Waimea. This here is cowboy country, or as they are known in Hawaiian, paniolo. Ranches and farmland surround the area, and the culture is heavily influenced by the paniolo lifestyle mixed with a growing high-end and celebrity community. Cool days and colder nights greet you at this 2,700-foot elevation. The road less traveled from Waimea to Hawi is not to be missed, and you will be rewarded with incredible vistas. To the east of Waimea sits the sleepy historic town of Honoka‘a, the gateway to Waipi‘o Valley, known for its black sand beach, rural farming community and endless hiking trails.
HISTORY
Ranches and sugar plantations dominated the region in the 19th century. The sugar industry was one of the island’s economic powerhouses until the 1980s, and the last plantation closed here in 1992. One of the largest privately held cattle ranches in the nation, Parker Ranch (66-1304 Māmalahoa Highway, Kamuela, parkerranch.com), holds a rodeo with horse races every Fourth of July.
DON’T MISS
Chef Peter Merriman helped found the Hawai‘i regional cuisine movement in 1988 when he opened his flagship restaurant, Merriman’s (65-1227 Opelo Road, Kamuela, merrimanshawaii.com). Its farm-fresh, Asian-inflected menu remains popular today with foodies. For seafood and slow-cooked barbecue in a rustic, lively setting, head to The Fish and The Hog (64-957 Hawai‘i Belt Road, fishandthehog.com). Honolulu’s influencer-favorite Arvo Café recently opened a Big Island outpost in downtown Waimea (65-1227 Opelo Road A-1, Waimea, arvocafe.com). Just north of Honoka‘a is the lookout for Waipi‘o Valley, home to taro farms and a black sand beach. Fuel up at the longtime pit stop Tex Drive-In (45-690 Pakalana St., #19, Honoka‘a, texdriveinhawaii.com), where the flat, square malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) have been a local favorite since 1969.
LOCALS KNOW
Just outside of Waimea town is a short, scenic drive down Mud Lane. Hundreds of towering Eucalyptus and Iron Wood trees flanked by bushes of fragrant ginger line the street (which isn’t muddy), making it one of the prettiest and most photogenic streets on the island.
If Hawai‘i Island’s west coast is hot and arid, its east coast is the polar opposite. An average of 230 days of rain annually keeps the area around Hilo incredibly lush and green. While the Kona coast boasts the island’s best beaches and clear, blue water, the Hilo side offers dramatic cliffs and a wild, rocky shoreline. Though it is Hawai‘i Island’s capital city, Hilo retains its quiet, vintage charm with historic buildings and plantation-style residences. Further north, the Hāmākua Coast is dotted with small villages blessed with enviable views and more waterfalls than you can count, including the famous ‘Akaka Falls. South of Hilo lies the rural district of Pahoa, whose frequent lava flows continue to change its topography. The artist-friendly rainforest hamlet of Volcano provides most of the lodging and dining options for explorers of sprawling Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (nps.gov/havo), which straddles the lightly populated Puna and Ka‘ū districts to the south and west of Hilo.
HISTORY
Every spring, visitors from far and wide descend on Hilo for the week-long Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. It was named in honor of King David Kalākaua, a jolly man with a love of music and dance who reigned from 1874 to 1891. The festival was started in 1963 to help the community after a devastating tsunami and the decline of the sugar industry.
DON’T MISS
Downtown Hilo includes many early- to mid-20th century buildings on the National Register of Historic Places; take time to walk around town to enjoy their often colorful facades. The impressive Lili‘uokalani Gardens are 25 acres of Japanese-inspired botanical gardens created in 1917 overlooking Hilo Bay. Pickup fresh fruit, tropical flowers and sweet treats at the Hilo Farmers Market, while fresh poke is best from Suisan Fish Market (93 Lihiwai St., suisan.com). Local favorite Moon and Turtle (51 Kalakaua St.) is worth the stop for a rotating menu of standout seafood dishes. With billowing steam vents, entrancing trails through volcanic ash and rainforest, a spectacular sea arch and an enormous petroglyph field, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has always been a must-see, but the historic eruption of 2018 greatly expanded Kīlauea Volcano’s already-impressive Halema‘uma‘u crater. Enjoy the view of the latter over an early dinner at The Rim or Uncle George’s Lounge, inside the park’s historic Volcano House (1 Crater Rim Drive, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, hawaiivolcanohouse.com).
LOCALS KNOW
The landscape around the southeastern-most tip of Hawai‘i Island is constantly changing due to the lava flows of Kīlauea Volcano. If you wish to see a black sand beach, head to Pohiki Beach at Isaac Hale Park. Because of previous lava flows, you will have to drive through Kalapana, but the long coastal road along the ocean and through picturesque hamlets is worth the detour.
Photography by: IJfke Ridgley
