Sightseeing
The Best Idea is to buy the book, Hawaii The Big Island Revealed, from Wizard Publications. It is as fabulous as the Island itself. However, here are a few of our favorites:
(Many links require Quicktime. Click here to download)
Nearby Waikoloa Sights
'ANAEHO'OMALU BAY ("A" Bay) AND BEACH
Turn right at the second stop sign (if you want to drive) back along Waikoloa Beach Road and follow the short road to the A Bay parking lot. Or walk across the street from the condo, follow the walk to the shoreline, and the follow the shoreline to the left (takes about seven minutes). For a great view of the beach, click on this link to the Marriott Waikoloa Beach Hotel website for the 360 degree Panoramic View of "Beach at 'Anaeho'omalu Bay" to see this awesome beach and bay. Click here for panoramic view of Royal Fish Pond behind the beach.
THE GREEN FLASH - go to A Bay at sunset with no clouds on the horizon. Just as the orb of the sun disappears from view watch for a possible green flash of light as the last rays are refracted through the thick atmosphere along the curve of the earth. Kevin has seen it twice from the balcony of the condo.
KIHOLO BAY BEACH - "Fabulous" but a bit hard to get to. Beautiful, calm lagoon. Why is the water colder? Because much of it is freshwater flowing out of the lava. Turtles abound. Good snorkeling. Black sand. A bit of a hike to get there. Take the 20 minute trail just south from the Highway 19 mile marker 81. Park near the guardrail. Angle left down to the trail. Turn right at the abandoned pickup truck and go through the hole in the rock fence. Follow the trail to the beach. Check out the "Queen's Bath", go south along the beach, 100 yards past the tennis courts. On the left of the trail. Take a dip in the freshwater spring fed lava tube bath, the "Queen's Bath".
Turn left out of the Vista Waikoloa condos, park in the Kings' Shops by the gas station. Just past the gas station is the beginning of the short walk along the Mamalahoa trail (Kings' trail) (really horse trail) to some decent well marked petroglyphs (somethin' just don't see everyday in L.A.). Click here for additional photos.
Nearby (relatively) South Kohala Sights
MALAMA PETROGLYPH TRAIL - PUAKO FIELD- Go north on Hwy. 19 just a couple of miles to the first real left turn, the entrance to the Mauna Lani Resort Area. Take the first right on the roundabout. Follow the signs to the Petroglyph trail. About a 12 minute walk through the kiawe forest leads you to a large field of petroglyphs, carvings in the lava rock. Click here for additional photos and info.
HAPUNA BEACH - Renowned as one of the top 10 beaches in the United States (if not the world). Go north on Hwy. 19 about 5.5 miles, turn left. Click here for panoramic view.
BEACH AT MAUNA KEA HOTEL - Actually called Kauna'oa Beach. Just next bay after Hapuna Beach. Just as nice. Go north on Hwy. 19 about 6 miles, turn left into Mauna Kea Resort. Tell the guard at the gate you are going to the beach and will give you a pass. Click here for another panoramic view, from the hotel terrace. (Note: Hotel is closed for repairs until November 2008.)
MAUNA KEA - LIVE
WEBCAM AT SUMMIT- you can drive to the
Visitor's Center at about 9,300
feet, six miles from the Saddle Road and about four miles short of the summit (if your rental car company allows you to
drive on the Saddle Road). Stargazing Programs are held every night from
6:00 to 10:00 PM. There are guided tours to the summit at 13,796 feet. You
can drive you own four wheel drive vehicle to the summit. Click here
for panoramic view. Click
here for
view of Winter snow at summit. Call the visitor's center for weather and road conditions: (808)
969-3218. Visitors Center: (808) 961-2180
North Kohala Sights
POLOLU VALLEY OVERLOOK AND BEACH
Take Highway 19 north, turn left about 10 miles north (just past Mauna Kea Resort) onto Highway 270. The highway has a great view of the Ocean, many times a great view across to Maui. Go through the towns of Hawi and Kapa'au (stop and see the King Kamehameha Statue recently restored - click here for panoramic view). At the end of the road is the Pololu Valley Overlook. This great view shows the rugged northeast side of the Island. A 20 minute walk down the trail gets you to down to the black sand beach. Click here for additional photos.
South Kona Sights
HULIHE'E PALACE- The true summer home of the Hawaiian royal family. A museum with a great collection of koa furniture and other Hawaiiana. Located along waterfront in downtown Kailua Kona. Admission is $5.
KEALAKEKUA BAY
- Go on one of the boat trips (we enjoyed Captain
Zodiac) or drive south to town of Captain Cook, along the way rent a kayak, then turn
right down Napo'opo'o Road. Launch the kayak at the wharf. Go one
mile up the coast, across the bay to
Captain Cook's Monument (technically British soil). About
100 yards north of the Monument at the water line under the branches of an overhanging
tree you will find a marker cemented into the rocks at the exact point he was
killed. (His flesh was then eaten by the local Hawaiian chiefs, actually a sign of
respect for his power.)
PAINTED
CHURCH - on the way down or back up from Kealakakua or Place of Refuge, turn off for
Honaunau, St. Benedict's Catholic was built in 1875 and has brightly colored murals of
Bible scenes on its inside walls. Click here
for panoramic view. Click
here
for additional photos.
PLACE OF REFUGE - More properly called Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. A few miles down the coast from Kealakekua Bay. Marvelous ancient Hawaiian refuge from punishment. Take your snorkel gear because the snorkeling down the little road to the right just before the parking lot is absolutely the best on the island. Click here for very cool 360 degree view. Click here for additional photos. Info: (808) 328-2288
HO'OKENA BEACH PARK - a county park, short road down to is between mile markers 101 and 102. The white and black sand beach is OK, nice restrooms with fresh water shower outside. However, the best thing is the lava tube the locals keep secret. A trail goes up through the boulders at the south end of the camping area. About only 60 feet up you will come to the two entrances to the lava tube. Highly recommended. Click here for 360 degree view.
South Island Sights
South from Kailua-Kona on State Highway 11, just past mile marker 89 turn right, go down the road to the coast. Take the 20-minute walk to Honomolino Bay. Very nice coconut palm rimmed bay.
KA LAE (SOUTH POINT) The southern tip of the Island, farther south than Miami, Florida! South on Highway 11. Take the right fork in the road. See the cliffs. Walk to the left to the Point (do not venture far onto the treacherous rocks pounded by the surf!) Look for the beacon. Behind is the small Kailea Heiau (Hawaiian temple). Click here here for additional photos.
GREEN SAND (Mahana) BEACH - fantastic green sand beach, but at least a one-hour 3 mile hike each way from the usually locked gate. Gate is a couple of hundred yards to the east from South Point. Backtrack on the road in your car a couple of hundred yards to turn right onto the left fork in the road from Highway 11. Go to the parking lot. Have sturdy shoes, take lots of water and sunscreen, but worth every step. Can take a jeep if you can get the key from some government office in Hilo. There is a steep climb down to the beach.
PUNALU'U BLACK SAND BEACH - you seen green, now see black. Just south of Na'alehu, which is a few miles east along the coast from South Point. Off Highway 11. Surfing, snorkeling and swimming are safest at the north end. There is the county park at the south end of the beach.
Hilo Sights
WAIPI'O VALLEY- on the way to Hilo along Highway 19, past Waimea (Kamuela), turn left at Honoka'a and go to the Waipi'o Valley overlook. If you have a 4WD. you can go down into the Valley. Very spectacular scenery. Click here for panoramic view. Click here for additional photos.
LYMAN MISSION HOUSE AND MUSEUM - great
Hawaiian items in a missionary home built in 1839. Upstairs is one of the greatest
rock and mineral collections anywhere. 276 Haili Street, Hilo, tel. (808) 935-5021.
'AKAKA FALLSl
Further towards Hilo along Highway 19, turn right between 13 and 14 mile markers. Go
up a couple of miles to the state park. (There are a couple of fun shops in the
village along the way.) See a 420-foot waterfall. Take the 15 minute walk
through the bamboo forest, you will really know you are in Hawai'i. Click
here
for panoramic view of Kahuna Falls at the park.
HAWAI'I TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDENS - This is the best
(we are talkin' beautiful) garden on the Big Island. More than 2,000 species of rare
and exotic plants in a 40-acre valley. North of Hilo on Route 19 just before the 7 mile
marker. Taking the 4 mile scenic drive to get there is spectacular in and of itself. tel.
(808) 964-5233.
PANA'EWA RAINFOREST ZOO - Features exotic birds and animals, including a white Bengal tiger and pygmy hippos. tel. (808) 959-7224
RAINBOW FALLS -
one of the Big Island's loveliest waterfalls, located in Hilo.
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
If you do only one thing on the island, this is it. Click here for the park website. Kilauea volcano, on the side of Mauna Loa, is the most active volcano in the world. Click here for the eruption update. As of spring 2004, about a three mile 1,000 foot climb to see the lava. If not easy, buy the book, Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed, to find out about hiking. Second best are the instructions from the National Park Service. To see by air, we enjoyed flying Tropical Helicopters out of the Hilo Airport (they had the lowest prices). 1-877-879- 5566. You must hike the Thurston lava tube. For Park Info: (808) 985-6000
Thanks to Hawaiiweb.com for the links to many additional photos. It is a great website regarding all the islands.
