Back from Big Island with stays in Volcano and Hilton Waikoloa
 

Back from the Big Island. Stays in Volcano and at the Hilton

We recently returned from our Big Island adventure. We spent several nights in the Volcano Village at My Island Bed & Breakfast (www.myislandinnhawaii.com)
We rented their Sauna House. Two bedrooms (one with a queen, the other with two twins), full kitchen and living room. We purchased food supplies in Hilo for dinner.
This B & B is owned by Morse family and we quickly felt like family members. A delightful gathering of guests from Japan, France and Germany. Full and delicious breakfasts. Since our last trip 6 years ago, Volcano has several more restaurants and a clean laundry

Suggestions from Volcano Village:
(1) start your Kilauea Iki Crater walk early. Bring water, wide brim hat, and lots of sunscreen. We started at the Kilauea Iki Overlook and walked counter-clockwise. You end up across the street from the entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube. Bring a flashlight to explore the non-illuminated 1000 feet section. We wore good quality walking shoes, but wished we had our hiking boots for better traction.
(2) Explore the ?Vent Walk? just after dawn when the steam is rolling and being whipped about by the wind. Look for rainbows.
(3) Drive to Puna. Explore highways 132, 137 and 130. Drive the Pahoa Pohoiki Road. We were virtually had this narrow road to ourselves. Soaring Monkey Pod treetops interlaced over the road like a Gothic vault ceiling.
(4) Hike from the intersection of 130 and 137 over the 1990 lava flow.
(5) Between mile markers 14 and15 on 137, there is a memorial site on the ocean side. Sit on the chairs and just relax while watching the waves.
(6) To really see and enjoy the rainbow at Rainbow Falls, arrive between 9-10am. This falls is just outside of Hilo on Waianuenue Avenue.
(7) If you want to explore Kaumana Lava Tube/cave (outside of Hilo on Kaumana Drive), bring mosquito spray, strong flashlights and hiking boots. This is a ?at your own risk? crawl over fallen rocks.
(8) Spend some time at night looking at the stars. Such brilliance with no ambient light.

We then went to the Waikoloa Hilton Resort. www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com
We stayed on the top floor of the Palace Tower with an ocean view. As Hilton Honors members, we enjoyed a daily continental breakfast. We did not find the walks between the towers, pools and restaurants to be much of a bother. Just pleasant walks on beautifully landscape grounds with art and statues throughout.

Suggestions at and from Hilton Resort:
(1) Observe the preparation of the Imu Oven for the luau. Head Chef Willie was in charge of this. He then discussed the history of the island and the introduction of various plants and animals with their respective impact.
(2) Join the ?behind the scenes? tours of the resort as you are guided through the tunnel systems. Their laundry room facilities are HUGE. Look out for tricycles !
(3) Have some delicious Kalua Pig Quasadias at the Boat Landing Pavilion in the Ocean Tower. And, from the dock watch the schools of butter bright yellow Tang fish.
(4) Wake up early in the morning, walk to Buddha Point, find a hammock and enjoy the crash of the waves.
(5) Drive to Pu?uhonua o Honaunau (Place of Refuge). Arrive early. Walk the 1871 Trail and pick up a free guide booklet that you will return when finished. We found a deserted lava beach and spent leisurely hours sitting on our grass mats (available at Wal-Mart for 97 cents).

Other suggestions:
(1) Pearl Harbor. We had a late morning flight but wanted to pay our respects and give our thanks at the USS Arizona Memorial. Thus we arrived at 6:30am armed with hot coffee, tea, and books. By the time the gate opened at 7:30am, the line easily stretched over a 100 yards.
(2) Punalu?u Black Sand Beach. A delightful place to sit on the mats and literally watch sea turtle swim in the ocean waves.
(3) Car safety. Whenever we left the car, we rolled up the windows, left nothing in the car and opened the glove box.
(4) We flew into Hilo, picked up our car and then dropped it off at Kona when we departed.
(5) Guidebooks that we used: ?Hawaii The Big Island Revealed?, Moon Handbooks ?Big Island of Hawaii?, and Gordon Morse ?My Owhyhee.?
(6) Our Verizon cell phone picked up very well, even in the Volcano area.

Great info. Will be going to the Hilton Waikoloa next March with my 13 and 8 y/o boys - and of course, visitng the Volcano Park. Thanks!

Thanks for the great tips, MJ! I just booked the sauna house at My Island B&B. Can't wait for the trip!

Tell me about the pools at Hilton Waikoloa. My daughter would rather have a nice pool than a nice beach. It looks as if the HW pools are the nicest/most elaborate on this island? Is that why you chose HW or were there other considerations?

crazy4hawaii--- if your daughter likes pools better than beach, then the Hilton waikoloa is the place for you!

The pools have many many waterslides, and fun things and are not your basic pools. The beach is not a swimmable beach, but very beautiful IMHO with the waves crashings against the rocks. The beach at A bay next door is nice, walkable along a path (with proper footwear), and also Hapuna Beach , a ten minute drive away is awesome. Kids seem to love the Waikoloa, alothough there is nothing to do at night!

M J -
Would you stay at Hilton W again?

luv2go -
That's the only thing I don't like about all of the resorts in the Kona area. They feel so isolated. At night you are just THERE unless you want to drive a ways...