Hawaii Wrap Up, Part 1: The Big Island



Pololu Valley

Allison and I visited the Hawaiian Islands from late January through early February.  Our first stop was the Big Island of Hawaii, which we had previously visited in 1996.

Mauna Kea and lava fields

The Hawaiian Islands are quite varied, and the Big Island is especially different from its counterparts.  It is the largest (by far), youngest and most rural of these volcanic islands, with dry barren lava fields in some areas and lush rainforests in others.  The center of the island is dominated by the two highest mountains in the Pacific Ocean: Mauna Kea (13,803’) and Mauna Loa (13,679’).

Pool and beach at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel

We stayed at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, which is ideally situated on one of America's best beaches.  We had yearned to return to this idyllic place after spending a day at Hapuna Beach State Park in 1996.

Rainbow over the Kohala Coast

Hapuna Beach and our hotel are located on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast, which is very arid and sunny with only a few small towns and limited development.  The Kohala Coast is on the Big Island’s northwest side, about 30 miles north of the more developed Kailua-Kona region.

Statue of King Kamehameha I in Kapaau

We enjoyed exploring the nearby towns of Kamuela (also known as Waimea), Kapaau and Kawaihae.  The huge Parker Ranch, one of America’s oldest cattle ranches and home to Hawaii’s famous “paniolo” cowboys, is located in the foothills outside Kamuela.

Allison's birthday at Merriman's

We celebrated Allison’s birthday during our visit, with a delicious dinner at Merriman’s in Kamuela.

Keokea Beach Park in Kapaau

East of Kapaau lies a region of wild and beautiful valleys accessible only by rugged hiking trails.

Pololu Valley overlook

I took four dive trips with Kohala Divers out of Kawaihae Harbor.  The diving was fantastic, with colorful coral and abundant marine life of many types and sizes.

Preparing for a dive

Humpback whales were breeding off the Kohala Coast during their annual migration from Alaska, and we saw many from the dive boat and our hotel.

Humpback whale off the Kohala Coast

Adult humpback whale and her new baby

We also ventured out to explore the southern and western sides of the island.

South Point (Ka Lae), the southernmost point in Hawaii and the United States

As regular readers of America Out of the Box may recall, one of the goals of our trip to the Big Island was a visit to South Point (Ka Lae) – the southernmost point of land in both Hawaii and the United States.  This rocky, windswept landmark lies 12 miles down a rough one lane road.

Ancient wall at South Point

South Point is an important archaelogical site, believed to be the place where polynesians first landed on and settled Hawaii.  It is also a popular fishing spot, because two powerful ocean currents join there.

 

Papakolea Beach

From South Point we hiked several miles to picturesque Papakolea Beach, one of only two beaches in the world comprised of green volcanic sand.  Anyone attempting this long hot walk would be well advised to bring plenty of water!

Sea turtle at Punaluu Beach

We then drove north to Punaluu Beach, a dramatic black sand beach frequented by sea turtles.

Hot Lava 808 at Huggo's On the Rocks in Kailua-Kona

Allison and I also made several trips to Kailua-Kona for dinner, entertainment and shopping.  This lively city – the center of the Big Island’s tourist industry – is home to many resorts and restaurants.

Coffee blossoms and cherries

The Kona region is well known for its fine coffee, grown in the lush hills above Kailua-Kona.  We toured the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, learning how coffee beans (known as cherries in their raw state) are grown, harvested, processed and roasted.

 

Coffee from beginning to end

Coffee Roaster

Of course, our visit to the Big Island could not last forever.  But our sadness at leaving was mitigated by the fact that we would next be traveling to Kauai, a trip that will be detailed in Part 2 of our Hawaii Wrap Up on America Out of the Box.

Sunset at the Kona Inn in Kailua-Kona