Big Island Planning

Old Apr 29th, 2014, 10:06 PM
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Big Island Planning

We are in the beginning of planning our first Hawaiian vacation. We are a family of 4 and our girls are 17 and 14. We are an active family that loves hiking and snorkeling. Our oldest daughter loves to surf off the back of our boat (I know, way different) but she would love to try regular surfing. We are very low maintenance and prefer non-touristy areas and accomodations with a kitchen. We also love to eat at local places.

Preliminary plans involve flying into Honolulu (Friday-January 9, 2015), spending an evening and a full day there exploring Pearl Harbor and finding where his uncle that died in Iwo Jima is buried. We will then take a flight from Honolulu on Sunday morning to Hilo. We would like to rent a 4-wheel drive and make our way around the big island staying at 2-3 different locations around the island. Our must dos are VNP, Mauna Kea, Akaka Falls, a couple of beach/surfing days, and snorkeling.

We will have to be back in Hilo to fly out Sunday-January 18. We would like to keep our accomodations at around 100/night. We don't mind off the beaten path places as long as they are safe. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Tina
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Old Apr 30th, 2014, 04:24 AM
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A couple thoughts.

See if you can fly into Hilo and out of Kona. That will allow you to see both sides of the island and not have to backtrack to fly out. Many rental car companies allow you to drop off at a different airport for no additional charge. Look at Costco or Discount Hawaii Car Rentals for the best deals.

You do not need a 4WD so save the money there. There are no roads on the Big Island for which 4WD is needed that you are allowed to drive on based on your car rental contract. If you do, you will void your contract and not be insured if something goes wrong. Harpers is the only company that allows its cars to go to the top of Mauna Kea but they are very expensive and difficult to deal with. Might be best to just do a tour for that.

The best snorkeling is on the west side. The beaches at the Mauna Lani have some great shore snorkeling. Really great. Other wonderful beaches are Kuana'oa, Kukio, Hapuna, Wailea (Beach 69). All are in the Kohala Coast.

You can see Akaka Falls and the Waipio valley on your drive from Hilo to the west side.

The beach district is in the Kohala Coast which is on the west side of the island. So, I would look there for your snorkeling and water sports activities. You might be able to find a condo in Waikoloa Beach Resort for around $100/night. It is low on the low side, though, for the Big Island. You could also look into condos in Kailua-Kona that might be in your price range but that area is very touristy and not near the good beaches (they are about an hour north in Kohala). So, that is your tradeoff.

On the East side, I would stay in Volcano Village, at least to explore VNP. Recognize that it will be very cold and wet at that time of year so dress accordingly. Fleece, long pants, gloves, etc. Lots of funky little places there, check out VRBO.

Read up on the area and ask more specific questions and I am sure you will get a lot of help here.
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Old Apr 30th, 2014, 04:48 AM
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Tina, this may be more info than you want but here goes.

The island of Hawaii (aka the Big Island) is our favorite. We have been many times since 2000 (over 20 at last count) and we have never stayed at a hotel or in the resort area in Kohala--though the places there are gorgeous. We usually rent cottages or houses- I like to go to the farmer’s markets etc and to cook most of our meals. Your $100/night budget will be difficult since there will be four people. If you could raise it to ~$150 it would be easier. I would stay in only two places on the island. One around Volcano and one in south Kona (on the west side of the island).

We like to stay in Kapoho on the east side—it’s about 20 minutes from Hilo and about 45 minutes from Volcano—is sunnier and warmer than Volcano, has warm tide pools for snorkeling. We usually stay at Lagoon House www.lagoonhouse.com which is above your budget—but see the links below for other less expensive places in the same general area.

http://www.apoparadise.com/ and http://www.hawaiiwego.com/
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.../Details/68208
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals...it/Details/647
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.../Details/67674
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.../Details/88220
http://www.castleinhawaii.com/index.html

In south Kona, we stayed at the Mango Farm several years ago—great view of the coast, very private. Mango Farm http://www.konamangofarm.com/ South Kona has great snorkeling, kayaking, very laid back but still only about 20 minutes from Kailua Kona.

A sample of other places available in south Kona (check VRBO for others)
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p95119vb
http://www.vrbo.com/144345
http://www.vrbo.com/424464
http://www.killino.com/rentals.html

Some of the activities you mentioned

visiting Mauna Kea summit http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/v...he-summit.html may be closed in winter due to snow and check with your car rental company if you are allowed to take your rental vehicle up there

surfing, kayaking, snorkeling on the west side see Kona Boys http://www.konaboys.com (if you would like specific directions to good snorkeling spots in south Kona, please let me know)

Akaka Falls drive from Hilo to Hamakua Coast on your way to south Kona-- take highway 19 - a beautiful drive. Sights along the way:
a. Akaka Falls—440 ft waterfall—easy walk through the rain forest to get to the falls
b. Waipio Valley west of Honokaa – you can hike down a short but very steep road to get into the Valley or take a tour (we did this one a few years ago http://www.waipiovalleywagontours.com ). If you do hike down and are too tired to hike up. Hold up a ten dollar bill and a local who’s going up will probably give you a ride in his/her four wheel drive.

Volcano National Park http://www.nps.gov/havo The hike across Kilauea Iki is interesting and only takes an hour or so-- take plenty of water if it’s sunny. From the Kilauea Iki overlook, take the trail to the right—it’s easier that way IMO. And an hour and a half later you will be back at the same spot. The trail takes you through the rain forest, down into and across the crater and up the other side http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisi...kilaueaiki.htm
Lava Rock Café in Volcano Village is good for lunch—I always get chow fun

it tends to be rainier and cooler in Volcano than the rest of the island—so take a sweatshirt or sweater, just in case

Other day trips

1. Hawi in North Kohala—take highway 19 to Kawaihae—you can visit Pu’ukohola Heiau—a structure built by Kamehameha the Grea. Continue up highway 270 to Hawi. If it’s clear you can see Maui with its dormant volcano-Haleakala- looming to the west. Hawi is a charming little town with a few shops, one with Tropical Dreams ice cream-yum. Continue on highway 270 through Kapa’au (where the original King Kamehameha statue is located) to the end of the road at the Pololu Valley. http://tinyurl.com/l5ohh7 You can hike down into the valley—not really difficult—and go to the black sand beach that fronts the valley. I would not advise trying to swim there. The ocean is too dangerous. To return—go back to Hawi and turn left onto highway 250 which will take you up over the extinct Kohala volcano– great views of the ocean and of Mauna Kea as you come down to highway 19 just west of Waimea. Take 19 back to where you are staying.

2. on the way to Volcano—Just before you get to Volcano on highway 11, you may want to stop at Akatsuka Orchids—nice clean restrooms, gorgeous flowers and they usually have a basket of free little orchids—if you’d like one for your hair http://www.akatsukaorchid.com/store/

Restaurants with a local vibe

In south Kona
• Manago Hotel dining room in south Kona—you’ll be eating with the locals—inexpensive—usually have good fresh fish—you can also stay there-very inexpensive, but no kitchen-- http://www.managohotel.com/
• Coffee Shack http://www.coffeeshack.com/ breakfast and lunch great view from the lanai
• Super J’s – authentic Hawaiian food – laulau, lomi salmon, poi (Janice, the owner, says if you don’t like poi, it’s because you haven’t tasted hers)-- http://www.yelp.com/biz/kaaloas-super-js-captain-cook

In Hilo
• Ken’s House of Pancakes http://www.kenshouseofpancakes-hilohi.com/ Great place to try loco moco, a local dish. Something to eat when you are really hungry-- I like it with broiled mahi--

Other restaurants
• Tex Drive-In in Honokaa on the Hamakua coast http://www.texdriveinhawaii.com/ burgers, plate lunches, malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts)
• Simply Natural on the main street in Honoka’a http://www.yelp.com/biz/simply-natural-honokaa-3
• in Waimea—Village Burger-- http://www.villageburgerwaimea.com/ great shakes and fries and burgers

Here is a helpful website for all things Hawaii and Kona. www.konaweb.com

As taitai said-see if you can depart the island from the Kona airport—would save you the drive back to Hilo.

If you have other questions, let me know. I will do my best to answer them.

I know you will have a wonderful time. Hawaii no ka oi!
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Old Apr 30th, 2014, 06:40 AM
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You have some great suggestions! I would just repeat to take a sweatshirt AND one of those dollar raincoats with you when you tour Volcano and the Hilo area, it really does rain 70% of the time there. The raincoats were fine for us.
We loved the market in downtown Kona, we were there for fresh fruit often. We also loved the snorkeling boat tour in Kona.
http://www.fair-wind.com/ They have two boats, we took the Hula Kai because it was smaller without as many people. They also provided a breakfast and lunch on board.
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Old Apr 30th, 2014, 06:45 AM
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P.S. You will be there during whale season and the crew on the Hula Kai were wonderful sighting whales. One whale actually swam beside our boat for a brief period of time. Very exciting!
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Old Apr 30th, 2014, 07:00 AM
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Another good whale watch cruise--Capt. Dan McSweeney--http://www.ilovewhales.com/ We've gone with him several times and have always seen whales.
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Old Apr 30th, 2014, 07:51 AM
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We have stayed several times at Sea Village, just south of Kona. There is good snorkeling just south of Sea Village.

They have some properties in your budget, with a 3 night minimum:
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals...atesfirm=fuzzy
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Old May 1st, 2014, 02:20 PM
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How far will you be flying to get to HNL? Unless your live on the west coast of the mainland your first day will be a bit of a blur as your body catches up to the time change. You'll be up before dawn and will fade early your first day in Hawaii. With such a short stay, I'd want a rental car for airport pickup -- not fool with bus schedules.

Check with the armed services beforehand to know where to look for the grave. (Possibly at Punchbowl?) You might want more time in Honolulu to see Pearl, Punchbowl, Iolani Palace, Waikiki.

Winter is a great time to stay on Big Island. No need for 4-wheel drive. Do try to fly into one side and out of the other. Sorry, but your lodging budget is too outside of Hilo.

Yes, Hilo-side will be cool and rainy. (I don't think Hilo ever really dries out, but winter is even wetter!) TWO locations are plenty. Kona Town is pretty touristy/tacky. Kohala area has the easy access beaches and vog-free sunshine.

January-March is whale season. You'll see them from shore, but try to get out on the water. A snorkeling expedition can double as a whale watch.
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Old May 1st, 2014, 03:03 PM
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The Manta Ray snorkel iwasa highlight for us. We went with Jake's Diving Locker. We also loved snorkelling at The Place of Refuge., and eating T Annie's Burgers on our way back to Kohola.
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Old May 6th, 2014, 05:23 PM
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Thank you for the responses. I am going to sift through all of this fabulous information then I am sure that I will have more questions. Thanks again.

Tina
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Old May 8th, 2014, 11:51 AM
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Okay, this is what I have so far...

We are going to fly into Honolulu on Friday, spend Friday night, Saturday all day, and 1/2 day Sunday there. Sunday afternoon, we are flying to Hilo, picking up a rental car and driving to VNP where we will spend Sunday night-Wednesday morning in a camping cabin. This gives us two full days to explore VNP. We will leave Wednesday morning and to a scenic drive to our next destination of South Kona. We are staying in Managa Hotel until we leave Sunday. I am returning my rental car and flying out of Kona. I am still looking for a hotel in Honolulu but am happy that our accommodations for the Big Island are taken care of. I am sure that I will have many more questions when I start planning my days. Thank you!
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Old May 8th, 2014, 12:30 PM
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Are you planning on staying at the cabins attached to Volcano House? Please understand that they will be very cold and damp in winter. Three nights is a long time to be cold. Do it if it is your thing but understand that it will be cold and pack accordingly...fleece, long pants, gloves, etc. I would cut a day off of the Volcano/Hilo portion and add it to the Kona side of the island. In winter, you will want the sun and warmth. While you are based in South Kona, do spend a day driving north to the beautiful beaches and vog-free weather of the Kohala Coast. If you can get there early enough, Kuana'oa near the Mauna Kea is the most beautiful beach on the island. Try that if you can get in.

Have fun.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 02:00 PM
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I have to ask, if one of your "must dos" for the Big Island is a couple days of beach, surfing, and snorkeling, why did you choose the Manago Hotel? The nearest good beach is 40 - 45 minutes away.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 02:13 PM
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Actually there is good snorkeling about 10 to15 minutes away in Kealakekua Bay and Honounou Bay, but good swimming beaches are further away up north in Kona and Kohala.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 02:45 PM
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Kealakekua Bay has good snorkeling. Makaiwa Bay up north near the Mauna Lani is much better but KB is good. The problem is access. You can try Kona Boys for a kayak trip to snorkel the bay or Fairwinds. You can hike in but it is long, hot, steep and with no facilities.

Honounou Bay is also good. In January you might have winter swells that will make entry and exit quite difficult so play that one by ear. It just might not happen for you.

The best swimming beaches (beautiful long stretches of sand, gorgeous ocean, etc....what you think of when you think of tropical beaches) are in Kohala area about an hour or so from your hotel.

Are you doing the Manta Ray snorkel or dive? That is a bucket list type of activity. Maybe that is why you chose the Manago as most of those depart from Kailua-Kona.

Have a good trip.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 03:17 PM
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What taitai says is true if you want to snorkel the side of Kealakekua Bay where the Captain Cook monument is located. You can also snorkel the other side of the bay. There are a couple of access points in Napoopoo village. One is at Manini Beach in Napoopoo. There is also good access from Keei village.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 03:18 PM
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Exactly why I asked, taitai; no snorkeling access at Kealakekua, and no beach at Honaunau. I suppose tmodav could go to Kahalu'u but even that's 15 - 20 minutes, and not much of a beach.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 03:37 PM
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I stayed in the Namakamipaio cabins in the winter and had no problem; their bedding is very comfy. But, 3 nights is probably 1 night more than you need.


I agree that one of the resort areas (like Waikoloa or those even a few miles farther north) would be way better for snorkeling, swimming, and beaching. (Kealakekua and Two Step, or Place of Refuge, is a great snorkeling tour to take in a boat.)
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Old May 8th, 2014, 04:00 PM
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Kahalu'u has poor snorkeling. The shallow water has created a situation where the reef has been ruined by people kicking it or stepping on it. It needs time to recover and for responsible visitors to stay away.

Hula Kai or Fairwinds might be a good option for boat snorkeling. They might be necessary if winter swells make shore snorkeling too difficult. I still think Makaiwa or Kukio or Wailea (69) are just better options both for the beach and the snorkeling. However, they are far north of where the OP wants to stay which is why I always advocate for staying in Kohala.

Kohala also has many heiaus, fishponds, etc. but the OP hasn't mentioned if exploring Hawaiian culture is part of the plan.
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Old May 8th, 2014, 07:42 PM
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When I looked up average temperatures for VNP, it said 68 high and 50 low. These are warm temperatures for us in winter and perfect hiking weather. Do you guys think that 2 full days is too much in VNP. I could always spend Sunday and Monday night then leave for the other side of the island on Tuesday.

I also read somewhere that you guys had some pretty scenic drives so I thought that The Manago Hotel was pretty central. I think that one day we want to go to the green sand beach and southern point and I was thinking a beautiful beach and sunset at Mauna Kea would be another day. I must add that we are not sit on the beach people. The girls will want to try their hand at surfing and a couple of hours of lounging in the sand is fine but we wouldn't go from sunup to sundown.

A friend of mine recently returned and suggested snorkeling near the Captain Cook monument...not sure yet how we will make that happen.

I am running out of days much more quickly than I am running out of things to do. Thank you for all of the suggestions.
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