Trip Report - 10 Days in Big Island
Oct 20th, 2003, 08:51 AM
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Trip Report - 10 Days in Big Island
My wife and I just returned from 10 days on the Big Island. Had a great trip; would be happy to answer any questions for fellow Fodors Forum readers, as I greatly benefited from the input on this board.
We stayed at a condo at the Mauna Lani resort, which family friends owned, so we essentially had a free place to stay. After much debate between a convertible and a 4x4, we opted for a Jeep Wrangler. Could not have been happier with our Jeep; we got the benefits of a convertible plus 4 wheel drive, which we definitely needed at times.
Day 1
- We arrived late in the day, so wanted to keep our activities low key. Ate dinner at the nearby Mauna Lani Terrace restaurant, which is the most casual of the Mauna Lani restaurants (Brown?s is currently closed for renovations). Beautiful setting with good food; we both had the grilled mahi mahi sandwich with a few mai tais.
- We then drove 15 minutes to Waikoloa Village to get a few groceries for our condo.
Day 2
- Had the breakfast buffet at the Mauna Lani Terrace; absolutely terrific and a good value all things considered. They make the best waffles; highly recommend.
- Spent the rest of the day at the beach. Rented snorkel equipment for the week from local beach club ($32 per person for the week). If I had it to do over again, I would probably buy our own snorkel equipment as the quality of the equipment would probably be better and the cost would be only slightly more than renting. Good snorkeling near the Mauna Lani; almost as good as Kealakekua Bay.
- Dinner at the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani; this was the best of many great meals on our trip. The ahi tuna appetizer is amazing as is the dark chocolate fondue for desert.
Day 3
- Drove to Waimea and hiked the back entrance of the Waipio Valley, as described in the Insiders Guide to the Big Island Revealed (a terrific guidebook for the Big Island?their advice is spot-on). Great hike and not that strenuous. Views of the Waipio Valley are fantastic, although it was a bit foggy the day we were there. Encountered several local hikers during the hike who indicated that is frequently foggy, but you have better odds of a clear view very early in the morning.
- Went to the farmers market in Waimea
- Drove down into the Waipio Valley; you definitely need a 4 wheel drive for this one; gorgeous beach and views of the valley when you reach the bottom.
- Drove to see Akaka Falls ? amazing waterfall with short hike through the rainforest; the drive and views on this side of the island are amazing
- Continued on to Laupahoehoe Park ? nice beach and interesting history, but not a ?must see? IMHO
- Late lunch at Tako Taco in Waimea ? not that great
- Dinner - The Four Seasons Resort has a ?surf, sand and stars? beachfront barbecue every Saturday night at the Beach Tree Bar and Grill. Amazing seafood (lobster, ceviche, shrimp, etc.) and other items. There is also a good live band near the beach and telescopes are set up for stargazing as well.
Day 4
- Went on the Fairwinds II snorkel cruise. Not sure if I would do this again. We definitely had fun, but not sure if the cruise is worth the $. You can snorkel in the same area (Kealakekua Bay) by driving to the beach at Captain Cook?s monument. Also, the boat and snorkeling were a bit crowded. Breakfast and lunch are served, which are only ok. Overall, this was just a bit too touristy for my taste, but others seemed to love it.
Day 5
- Drove on the Saddle Road to the Mauna Kea summit. In theory, you are not supposed to take a rental car on the Saddle or summit roads, but we chose to ignore this rule. The Saddle Road is not in bad shape at all. The road to the summit of Mauna Kea is not that bad either and you do not need 4-wheel drive. The Saddle Road drive is beautiful and the views from the top of Mauna Kea are amazing. We also briefly toured the Keck Observatory while at the top.
- Snorkeled and swam at the resort
- Dinner at the Fairmont Orchid Ocean Beach restaurant ? not a good place for dinner; would be better for a lunch by the pool; limited menu. Our mistake.
Day 6
- Drove to Volcano National Park via the South route.
- On the way to VNP, went to Road to the Sea beach. Beautiful beach, but a very long and bumpy road. Probably would not do this one again. Described in more detail in the Insiders Guide.
- Continued on the drive to VNP. Stopped at the Green Sand Beach. Relatively short hike to this beach; well worth the effort (where else are you going to see a green beach). Described in more detail in the Insiders Guide.
- Arrived at VNP. We stayed at the Inn at Volcano (also called Chalet Kilauea). Beautiful bed and breakfast; we stayed in the Lace Room
- Lunch at the Lava Rock Café ? decent burgers / sandwiches
- Briefly explored VNP via the Crater Rim Drive
- Drove to the end of the Chain of Craters Road to hopefully see the lava. Lava was not flowing to the road or to the ocean at the time of our visit. We stayed until after sunset to see if there was any visible lava flows further up the volcano. There were a few small patches of lava that could be viewed after dark.
- Dinner at Kilauea Lodge ? highly recommend
Day 7
- Hiked from the bottom of the Chain of Craters Road to the active lava flows near the top of the Volcano. This was a tough hike through difficult, but beautiful terrain. About 5 hours round trip, but definitely worth the effort. We saw several medium sized lava flows; truly one of the highlights of the trip. You definitely need hiking boots for his hike and I would recommend long pants and gloves as well. The lava is very sharp (which we learned the hard way).
- Dinner at the Four Seasons for their ?Asian Persuasion? beach barbecue ? Again, highly recommended. Amazing Chinese, Thai, Korean and Japanese food. Sushi was a particular highlight.
Day 8
- Played golf at the Mauna Lani South Course. Great course, but expensive. Water holes were terrific.
- Dinner at Roy?s ? our 2nd favorite restaurant of the trip.
Day 9
- Explored the North end of the island
- Drove to Pololu Valley Lookout ? beautiful drive and views
- Lunch in Hawi at Bamboo ? really good food. Try the potstickers as well as the Kalua pork.
- Stopped at Hapuna Beach on the way back ? frequently voted as one of the best beaches in the world.
- Dinner ? Canoe House; last night on the Big Island, so wanted to go back to our favorite place.
Day 10
- Watched part of the Ironman Triathlon before we had to catch our flight back in the late afternoon. 2.4 mile swim, 120 mile bike ride, followed by a full 26 mile marathon?amazing.
We stayed at a condo at the Mauna Lani resort, which family friends owned, so we essentially had a free place to stay. After much debate between a convertible and a 4x4, we opted for a Jeep Wrangler. Could not have been happier with our Jeep; we got the benefits of a convertible plus 4 wheel drive, which we definitely needed at times.
Day 1
- We arrived late in the day, so wanted to keep our activities low key. Ate dinner at the nearby Mauna Lani Terrace restaurant, which is the most casual of the Mauna Lani restaurants (Brown?s is currently closed for renovations). Beautiful setting with good food; we both had the grilled mahi mahi sandwich with a few mai tais.
- We then drove 15 minutes to Waikoloa Village to get a few groceries for our condo.
Day 2
- Had the breakfast buffet at the Mauna Lani Terrace; absolutely terrific and a good value all things considered. They make the best waffles; highly recommend.
- Spent the rest of the day at the beach. Rented snorkel equipment for the week from local beach club ($32 per person for the week). If I had it to do over again, I would probably buy our own snorkel equipment as the quality of the equipment would probably be better and the cost would be only slightly more than renting. Good snorkeling near the Mauna Lani; almost as good as Kealakekua Bay.
- Dinner at the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani; this was the best of many great meals on our trip. The ahi tuna appetizer is amazing as is the dark chocolate fondue for desert.
Day 3
- Drove to Waimea and hiked the back entrance of the Waipio Valley, as described in the Insiders Guide to the Big Island Revealed (a terrific guidebook for the Big Island?their advice is spot-on). Great hike and not that strenuous. Views of the Waipio Valley are fantastic, although it was a bit foggy the day we were there. Encountered several local hikers during the hike who indicated that is frequently foggy, but you have better odds of a clear view very early in the morning.
- Went to the farmers market in Waimea
- Drove down into the Waipio Valley; you definitely need a 4 wheel drive for this one; gorgeous beach and views of the valley when you reach the bottom.
- Drove to see Akaka Falls ? amazing waterfall with short hike through the rainforest; the drive and views on this side of the island are amazing
- Continued on to Laupahoehoe Park ? nice beach and interesting history, but not a ?must see? IMHO
- Late lunch at Tako Taco in Waimea ? not that great
- Dinner - The Four Seasons Resort has a ?surf, sand and stars? beachfront barbecue every Saturday night at the Beach Tree Bar and Grill. Amazing seafood (lobster, ceviche, shrimp, etc.) and other items. There is also a good live band near the beach and telescopes are set up for stargazing as well.
Day 4
- Went on the Fairwinds II snorkel cruise. Not sure if I would do this again. We definitely had fun, but not sure if the cruise is worth the $. You can snorkel in the same area (Kealakekua Bay) by driving to the beach at Captain Cook?s monument. Also, the boat and snorkeling were a bit crowded. Breakfast and lunch are served, which are only ok. Overall, this was just a bit too touristy for my taste, but others seemed to love it.
Day 5
- Drove on the Saddle Road to the Mauna Kea summit. In theory, you are not supposed to take a rental car on the Saddle or summit roads, but we chose to ignore this rule. The Saddle Road is not in bad shape at all. The road to the summit of Mauna Kea is not that bad either and you do not need 4-wheel drive. The Saddle Road drive is beautiful and the views from the top of Mauna Kea are amazing. We also briefly toured the Keck Observatory while at the top.
- Snorkeled and swam at the resort
- Dinner at the Fairmont Orchid Ocean Beach restaurant ? not a good place for dinner; would be better for a lunch by the pool; limited menu. Our mistake.
Day 6
- Drove to Volcano National Park via the South route.
- On the way to VNP, went to Road to the Sea beach. Beautiful beach, but a very long and bumpy road. Probably would not do this one again. Described in more detail in the Insiders Guide.
- Continued on the drive to VNP. Stopped at the Green Sand Beach. Relatively short hike to this beach; well worth the effort (where else are you going to see a green beach). Described in more detail in the Insiders Guide.
- Arrived at VNP. We stayed at the Inn at Volcano (also called Chalet Kilauea). Beautiful bed and breakfast; we stayed in the Lace Room
- Lunch at the Lava Rock Café ? decent burgers / sandwiches
- Briefly explored VNP via the Crater Rim Drive
- Drove to the end of the Chain of Craters Road to hopefully see the lava. Lava was not flowing to the road or to the ocean at the time of our visit. We stayed until after sunset to see if there was any visible lava flows further up the volcano. There were a few small patches of lava that could be viewed after dark.
- Dinner at Kilauea Lodge ? highly recommend
Day 7
- Hiked from the bottom of the Chain of Craters Road to the active lava flows near the top of the Volcano. This was a tough hike through difficult, but beautiful terrain. About 5 hours round trip, but definitely worth the effort. We saw several medium sized lava flows; truly one of the highlights of the trip. You definitely need hiking boots for his hike and I would recommend long pants and gloves as well. The lava is very sharp (which we learned the hard way).
- Dinner at the Four Seasons for their ?Asian Persuasion? beach barbecue ? Again, highly recommended. Amazing Chinese, Thai, Korean and Japanese food. Sushi was a particular highlight.
Day 8
- Played golf at the Mauna Lani South Course. Great course, but expensive. Water holes were terrific.
- Dinner at Roy?s ? our 2nd favorite restaurant of the trip.
Day 9
- Explored the North end of the island
- Drove to Pololu Valley Lookout ? beautiful drive and views
- Lunch in Hawi at Bamboo ? really good food. Try the potstickers as well as the Kalua pork.
- Stopped at Hapuna Beach on the way back ? frequently voted as one of the best beaches in the world.
- Dinner ? Canoe House; last night on the Big Island, so wanted to go back to our favorite place.
Day 10
- Watched part of the Ironman Triathlon before we had to catch our flight back in the late afternoon. 2.4 mile swim, 120 mile bike ride, followed by a full 26 mile marathon?amazing.
Oct 20th, 2003, 02:27 PM
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Thanks for the report. I'll be going with my husband and kids to the BI in about a month, and it's nice to get a second opinion regarding information in the BI Revealed. There are some places that look really interesting, but they take a lot of time. I was having a hard time deciding whether to take the Road to the Sea, for example.
We'll have 11 days, and I'd worked out an itinerary very similar to yours, except we're doing 4 days at Kona, 3 at Volcano, then 4 at Kohala.
I'm hoping it will be a little easier to view lava when I'm there. 5 hours is a long walk, especially if you're planning to return to the car after dark. Good idea about the gloves. We'll have to remember to take our first aid kit.
We'll have 11 days, and I'd worked out an itinerary very similar to yours, except we're doing 4 days at Kona, 3 at Volcano, then 4 at Kohala.
I'm hoping it will be a little easier to view lava when I'm there. 5 hours is a long walk, especially if you're planning to return to the car after dark. Good idea about the gloves. We'll have to remember to take our first aid kit.
Oct 20th, 2003, 05:37 PM
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Nice report - thanks
Bamboo Resturant - one of my favorites, and I too get the Kalua Pork. They also have very good smoothies.
Hilo - No mention of Hilo, did you by pass it,or just not find anything noteworthy?......The scenic road just north of Hilo is nice....and "What's Shakin'", on the scenic road, has the BEST smoothies.
Laupahoehoe Park - can understand you perception. We walked out on the large rocks and sat for about 1/2 hour and watched the very large waves. Sort of peaceful, but it is a very rough area (water). Still interesting to visit in rememberance of the 1946 tsunami tradgey.
Lava Flow - Been to the lava several times, but never a 5 hour hike - You guys are troopers! Wonderful sight. Hope you enjoyed it.
When you going back?
Hawaii....it's all good.
Bamboo Resturant - one of my favorites, and I too get the Kalua Pork. They also have very good smoothies.
Hilo - No mention of Hilo, did you by pass it,or just not find anything noteworthy?......The scenic road just north of Hilo is nice....and "What's Shakin'", on the scenic road, has the BEST smoothies.
Laupahoehoe Park - can understand you perception. We walked out on the large rocks and sat for about 1/2 hour and watched the very large waves. Sort of peaceful, but it is a very rough area (water). Still interesting to visit in rememberance of the 1946 tsunami tradgey.
Lava Flow - Been to the lava several times, but never a 5 hour hike - You guys are troopers! Wonderful sight. Hope you enjoyed it.
When you going back?
Hawaii....it's all good.
Oct 20th, 2003, 05:52 PM
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Circa, Unfortunately we did not have a chance to really explore Hilo. We drove through the town on the way back to the west side of the island. I was surprised at how big the town was. I was expecting it to be smaller and maybe a bit more run down. We were also hoping to go to the farmers market in Hilo on Wednesday morning, but ended up hiking up to see the lava. Laupahoehoe was beautiful, but we were visiting near the end of a long day and were tired and it was raining and very, very windy. On a different day, we may have had a different impression. Can't wait to return...maybe same time next year.
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