Finding Adventure in Hawaii

Hawaii, or the “Big Island” as it’s called, is the largest island in the Hawaii chain. You could fit the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Maui, and Molokai in it and still have room to spare. It takes about 8 hours of nonstop driving to cover the island’s perimeter, though it’s a drive worth taking – new and beautiful vistas open up at every turn. Hawaii’s got a startlingly diverse geography, with a desert-like western half known as the “Kona side,” and a much more tropical eastern “Hilo side.”

The Big Island is packed with sights to see and adventures to go on; it’s an outdoor enthusiast’s dream!

Come with me on my Hawaiian journey…

Aloha, Hawaii

I landed on the Kona side of Hawaii. The airstrip is built right on top of a lava flow, carved into the igneous rock. It’s quite unique and beautiful, and a reminder of what you actually just landed on: a group of five volcanoes. Hard to imagine that a few hundred thousand years ago, this beautiful and abundant island was just a desolate black rock.

Immediately after arrival, I hurried to the rental lot. I suggest that you rent a car, as it’s one of the best ways to experience the island. GPS in hand, I set out for the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kona. The resort is located on the historic site of Kaupulehu, about a 10-minute drive from the airport, laid out along half a mile of white Kohala coastline. It’s an incredible piece of land, and the resort takes great care in keeping with the nature and solitude.

Four Seasons Hualalai is a quiet, serene place where you can take yourself or your family for a relaxing time. It’s got five pools, three wonderful restaurants, and a top notch fitness club. It also offers tons of recreational activities, including tennis, canoeing, surfing and, for those who want to relax while they’re relaxing, a full service spa where you can have an outdoor massage or body scrub.

Endless Adventure

Once I was settled, I ventured out of the resort, ready to take advantage of all the Big Island had to offer. There are dozens adventures to go on when you visit Hawaii; it’s an outdoor enthusiast’s dream!

One of the best adventures the Big Island has to offer is a tour of an active volcano on the Hilo side of the island. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters offers the most spectacular way to see it… and really the only safe way, if you want to get in close. They provide several aerial tours, which take you over and around the volcano, over the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes (now extinct), Parker Ranch, and through the Kohala Mountains to the magical 1,000-foot waterfalls that cascade down the cliffsides. It’s an experience you can’t afford to miss. Even if you don’t have time for anything else, make room for this helicopter tour. And while you’re at it, request pilot George Nischan for the adventure – he’s a great flyer and a very informative guide.

There’s another cool way to see this vast island: by boat! The ORCA Raft Adventure takes you on the ride of your life aboard their 28-foot, 350-horsepower hard bottom boat. It’s great fun and a fast way to get you in the water at Kealakekua Bay and snorkeling with spinner dolphins. Let the incredibly knowledgeable Mitch Stauffer and Kirk Hering round off the experience with detailed info about the island and its underwater life, sea caves, and lava tubes.

Did you know that the Big Island is one of the best areas to stargaze? For hundreds of years, explorers and astronomers have flocked from all over the world to Hawaii’s Mauna Kea, the highest point in the Pacific. It’s technically the tallest mountain in the world, (though more than half of it is submerged) rising 33,100 feet – more than twice the height of Mount Everest!

Mauna Kea is home to the enormous Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, where you can take guided tours up to the summit (about an 8-hour journey). But if you’re not keen on frigid day-long ascents, or if you just don’t have time for the climb, that’s okay! The Four Seasons, as well as many other resorts on the island, regularly invite expert astronomer Wayne Fukunaga (and his telescope) to share his knowledge with the visitors. It’s a very educational — and far less exhausting way to stargaze.

Scuba divers take note! If you’ve never tried a night dive, this is the place to do it. Multiple Kona diving facilities offer what’s called “dinner with the manta rays” (don’t worry, you’re not the dinner). It’s an amazing experience to be in the water with these shy sea creatures. The adults have wingspans of over 12 feet and can weigh as much as an elephant. Each manta has a descriptive pattern on its underside, and over 100 of these have been identified and studied. While I was there, three new ones were added to the list. If you’re a diving enthusiast, you won’t want to miss this one of a kind experience.

Take a Little Drive

Navigating Hawaii’s endless roads can be quite daunting at times, but driving offers some spectacular views that might otherwise be missed. Take Pu’u Mahana, for instance. Also known as the “Green Sand Beach,” it’s got a beach full of emerald sand. Yes, you read that right. Green. It’s probably the only time you’ll ever see signs urging you not to steal sand. Accessible from Highway 11, it’s a moderate 6-mile hike down to the beach area.

If for some reason you hate the color green, don’t sweat it. Instead check out one of the many black sand beaches around the island. Particularly famous is Kehena Beach, formed virtually overnight some time long ago when hot lava met sea water. Here you can explore the lava inlets, where sea turtles sometimes visit, and relax in lava-lined pools, heated by a volcanic stream to 95 °F.

In addition to gorgeous beaches, the Kona area is also known for its coffee farms. You’ll find a bunch just off Road 11, and more on the way to the green and black sand beaches. On one of these farms you can find Margaret McGuire in a makeshift tent, selling her specialized coffee from the mountains of Waialua Valley. Purchase a cup of coffee, a bag of roasted beans, or, for those not into the caffeine scene, some white chocolate and macadamia nut spread. McGuire’s coffee is called Kilauea Kofe, and is some of the best I’ve ever tasted. I recommend the Pahoehoe, a delicious dark blend.

There are some great restaurants to check out on the Big Island. Try the Kilauea Lodge, which won the Aina Award for being one of the best restaurants on the island. If you’re looking for a luau, head over to the Kona Village Resort for an evening to remember!

So Much to Do, So Little Time

There’s a tourist book I saw at the airport that says there are 101 things to do in Hawaii. If you ask me, that’s an underestimate! The entertainment and activities here are inexhaustible. You can “Go Flumin'” through the old sugar plantation waterways or Humvee-ing in the rainforest, hike under a 500-foot waterfall or ride an ATV from the mountains to the sea. You can go rafting, ride horses, roast your own coffee, watch whales, surf, kayak, visit Waimea Town, tour an ancient peace temple, and, of course, shop till you drop.

Whatever part of the Big Island you choose to visit, you’re in for a unique and unforgettable experience. And with the number of things that’ll be left to do at the end of your stay, you may just have to start planning a return visit.