Kau

The most desolate region of the island, Kau is nonetheless home to some spectacular sights. Mark Twain wrote some of his finest prose here, where macadamia-nut farms, green-sand beaches, and tiny villages offer largely undiscovered beauty. The 50-mi drive from Kailua-Kona to windswept South Point, where the first Polynesians came ashore as early as AD 750, winds away from the ocean through a surreal moonscape of lava-covered forests. Past South Point, glimpses of the ocean return and hidden Green Sand Beach tempts hikers to stop awhile before the highway narrows and returns to the coast, passing verdant cattle pastures and sheer cliffs on the way to the black-sand beach of Punaluu, the nesting place of the Hawaiian sea turtle.

Logistics

Kau and Ka Lae are destinations usually combined with a quick trip to the volcano from Kona. This is probably cramming too much into one day, however. The volcano fills up a day and then some, and the sights of this region are worth more than a cursory glance. Our recommendation? Make Green Sand Beach or Punaluu your destination for a beach day at some point during your stay, and stop to see some of the other sights on the way there or back. Bring sturdy shoes if Green Sand Beach is your choice (reaching the beach requires a hike) and snorkeling gear if you're heading to Punaluu. The drive from Kailua-Kona to Ka Lae is a long one (roughly 2½ hours). It's a good idea to fill up on gasoline and pack a lunch before you leave, as there are few amenities along the way. There are a few places to eat if you forget or can't be bothered, but what's better than a beach picnic? As with the rest of the island, a 4-wheel-drive vehicle will make it much easier to explore this area. Weather tends to be warm, dry, and windy.