Sights & Attractions in Big Island

Nicknamed "The Big Island," Hawaii the island is a microcosm of Hawaii the state. From long white-sand beaches and crystal clear bays to rain forests, waterfalls, luaus, exotic flowers, and birds, all things quintessentially Hawaiian are well represented here.

But an assortment of happy surprises also distinguish the Big Island from the rest of Hawaii—an active volcano (Kilauea) oozing red lava and creating new earth every day, the clearest place in the world to view stars in the night sky (Mauna Kea), and some seriously good coffee (Kona, of course).

Geology

Home to 11 climate zones (missing only tundra), this is the land of fire (thanks to active Kilauea Volcano) and ice (compliments of not-so-active Mauna Kea, topped with snow and expensive telescopes). At just under a million years old, Hawaii is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands. The east rift zone on Kilauea has been spewing lava intermittently since January 3, 1983; an eruption occurred at Kilauea's summit in 2008 for the first time since 1982. Mauna Loa's explosions caused some changes back in 1984, and she's due to blow again any minute. Though these two are the only of the island's five volcanoes considered active, the others haven't been pronounced officially dead just yet.

Flora & Fauna

Sugar was the main agricultural and economic staple of all the Islands, but especially the Big Island. The drive along the Hamakua Coast from Hilo illustrates recent agricultural developments on the island. Sugarcane stalks have been replaced by orchards of macadamia-nut trees, eucalyptus, and specialty crops (from lettuce to strawberries). Macadamia nuts on the Big Island supply 90% of the state's yield, and coffee continues to be big business, dominating the mountains above Kealakekua Bay. Orchids keep farmers from Honoka to Pahoa afloat, and small organic farms produce meat, fruits, vegetables, and even goat cheese for high-end resort restaurants.

History

Though no longer home to the capital, the state's history is nonetheless rooted in that of its namesake island, Hawaii. Kamehameha, the greatest king in Hawaiian history and the man credited with uniting the Islands, was born here, raised in Waipio Valley, and died peacefully in Kailua-Kona. The other man who most affected the history of Hawaii, Captain James Cook, spent the bulk of his time here, docked in Kealakekua Bay (he landed first in Kauai, but had little contact with the natives there). Thus it was here that Western influence was first felt, and from here that it spread to the rest of the Islands.

On the Big Island Today

The Big Island is in a period of great change. In the last few years, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Costco opened, development went wild, and real estate prices skyrocketed. These sorts of things make locals unhappy. Work is underway to counteract some of the poorly planned development of the island. New developments are required by law to consult with a Hawaiian cultural expert, and most of the island's hotels have a Hawaiian historian on staff to teach visitors about the ancient customs and keep developers from breaking with Hawaiian traditions any more than is absolutely necessary.

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