The Big Island, Hawaii
We spent 5 days on the Big Island of Hawaii and it was such a wonderful trip. Here is a recap of our time there.
Day one:
Once we landed in Kona, got our rental car, and settled into our Airbnb, we went straight to dinner at Foster’s Kitchen where we inhaled Ahi Tuna tacos, octopus salad, and Foster’s Gumbo.
Pro tip: order a Lava Flow to drink If you want to immediately feel like you’re on an island vacation.
The sunset was lovely though blocked by a few power lines. Then, in true Dan and Laura fashion we found ice cream for dessert. We fancy ourselves gelato experts even though, Renee, if you’re reading this we know you’re the true expert. As we shared a cup of pistachio, we watched four local kids play a game of beach volleyball. Honestly, If we weren’t dressed in nice clothes, we would have probably joined them.
Day two:
Our first full day HAD to begin with coffee. Kona is known for their coffee farms because of the volcanic soil and warm climate making it an ideal location to harvest. The first spot we checked out was at Uncle Kimo’s coffee shop and it was definitely strong, rich, and delicious.
The rest of the day was reserved for snorkeling! We were told by several people that the best snorkeling on the island was at Kealakekua Bay so that’s where we headed. Admittedly, it took us a lot longer than we would have liked to hike down to the snorkel spot but there ended up being loads of fish in all kinds of varieties (Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Needlefish, and Sea Urchin, to name a few). The snorkel area was just below the Captain Cook monument (which is technically on British soil). If we had to do it over again, we would have found a snorkel spot that was more accessible and hit up a few different ones. But it was a memorable swim nonetheless!
Due to the remoteness of the snorkel spot and cloud cover rolling in, we decided to head back and get ready for dinner. Back at the Airbnb, our favorite feature was the outdoor shower which sat on the edge of the hillside surrounded by the native flora. The shower itself was enclosed for full privacy but had an open window that overlooked the ocean. It felt like we were bathing in nature. Imagine shampooing your hair as you watch the sunset over the coast—such a unique experience!
For dinner we chose Thai food. It’s a typically go-to cuisine for us no matter where we are, but especially in Hawaii. We would later find better Thai food on the Island but this was satisfying and we had plenty leftover for our beach day the next day.
Day three:
If you’re like us, when you go to Hawaii you have your heart set on a private beach secluded from the public and luckily enough, we found one. With our leftover Thai food in hand, we found a huge tree branch to sit and eat our leftovers, then did a little swimming. The water was crisp and clear—the best kind.
After our swim we headed to the volcano side of the island where we would stay in our second Airbnb. The drive from Kona to Volcano is strikingly similar to traversing from the leeward to windward side of any other Hawaiian island—a mix of pasture, ridgelines, fruit stands, and the occasional small town. The difference was that Big Island had volcanic rock…everywhere (even the Kona airport stands on an old lava field). One of the several pitstops along the way was Akaka Falls State Park. This lined up perfectly with our transition from the beaches in the west to the misty tropical forests across the island. The park had a one-stop 1.5 mile paved walkway which took us through the lush forest and to a view of the namesake waterfall.
Just outside of Volcano town, we arranged a stop at a local farm to play with some goats and baby bunnies before our check in time. Tickets were $15 and went towards the maintenance of the farm. Win-win! Note: there isn’t much to do at night on this side of the island so make sure you have a dinner reservation, because everything closes early and wait times can get long. After dinner we hung out at home, made some hot cocoa, and got to bed early for our first official hiking day.
Day four:
The inspiration for the trip was about to be unearthed. About a year ago, Dan was traipsing through Haleakala, Maui’s own shield volcano and sprawling national park, when he came to a viewpoint. 100 miles to the southeast on the neighboring Big Island, a ridge could be seen extending up into the clouds for what seemed like forever. Mauna Loa, or “Long Mountain”, is the largest active volcano on the planet and the object commanding Dan’s attention. “How could something that far away feel so massive?” It was at that moment he knew he had to experience it up close.
To start things off in the a.m., we hiked the Kilauea Iki trail. This loop hike took us through the eponymous crater and is one of the more popular park destinations. With very little vegetation and lava rock all around, we felt like we were walking on a darker version of the moon!
Our gecko friend hitched a ride and we didn’t realize it until we were at full speed.
On the eastern end of the loop, we checked out the Thurston Lava Tube. This short hike starts in the forest and goes below ground where lava had once channeled its way through. After hiking for several hours, we picnicked for lunch and decided to drive to the end of Chain of Craters Rd. The road ends on the rocky eastern coast of the island and we ended up hiking to a sea arch. This end of the park was stunning and much less travelled, so we were happy we made the drive down. Before calling it for the evening, we checked out the desert (western) side of the park and drove some of the way up Moana Loa Road. This area will definitely need to be explored further when we revisit.
Day five:
The final day. Cue Laura’s post vacation blues starting ahead of schedule. Our only mission on this day was to find a sea turtle. So, we headed to where we know they hang out and sunbath: Black Sand Beach. Unfortunately, they tend to bathe in the afternoon so it was too early to make a turtle friend, but I think if you go in the afternoon/evening your chances will be way higher. Before we caught our flight, we decided to squeeze in a little more swimming so as we made our way back over to the Kona side we located a few more beach spots. These weren’t sand beaches so entering and exiting the water proved to be tricky. Pahoehoe was our favorite as we had the whole beach park to ourselves. Two acai bowls and some people watching later we were on our way home.
Overall, It was a fantastic trip and our first on the big island. There is no doubt we will be back to explore more!
