Please comment on my itinerary so far for our trip
End of January-early February:
Day 1 Fly SFO-HNL-Hilo arrive around 9PM
Day 2 Hilo: Do Volcano NP, maybe Lava Boat trip
Day 3 Hilo: Drive north to Akaka Falls,Waipo valley lookout, Hawi,drive back
via Saddle Road, what else along the way
Day 4 Hilo: snorkeling/tide pools ? Tour of Mauna Kea
Day 5 Hilo ??
Day 6 Drive to Kona side
Day 7-11 Kona side: Hoping to have beach days/snorkle days
Where will be best for snorkeling this time of year.
Other day trip ideas ?
Day 12-This will be a loooooooooooong Day-
Day 12- A.M: Lounge around ?-take a hike ?
Day 12- P.M: Drive back to Hilo, drop car, fly to HNL for 11:30 PM flight to SFO

Any not to be missed activities ? Day trips I am missing ? Suggestions welcome !

Thanks very much !
R5

Hi there secret santa !
We have lodging for our nights on the Kona side-
actually in Captain Cook-not in Hilo.
Where did you stay ?
What did you do ?
What do you think of our plan so far ?
Can you ask Kal for my e-mail so we can "talk" ?

R5

Actually, I lost Kal's email address, so I'll do a mini trip report for you.

Last March we spent 20 nights on the islands. 9 in Kauai, 3 on Maui and then our first visit to BI for 4 nights in a private rental in Hawi, that is no longer in the rental pool and 4 nights in VV at this amazing rental.

http://www.mailetreehouse.com/952.html

After many trips to the island we were finally ready to head to Hawaii. Flying in on the last leg of the trip was wonderful. Driving past all the dark lava heading home was amazing. We never got the chance to right a message in white stone, but it is a wonderful tradition. We had also considered the Captain Cook area for lodging. I know longer have a travel guide for reference to offer proper names but I could have spent days at Place of Refuge, and strolling around Painted Church. I had busted my wrist, so snorkling or any water sports were not an option for me but that area is very special. As far as Kona, we simply drove thru to get to the park.

Farther up the road, we spent a day touring the high end resorts and visiting beaches. Beach at Pole 69 rocked our socks off. In Puako? The other Kahola beaches can be reached by public access lots at the hotels which may be more secure then the other public lots.

To and from Hawi we adored changing up the glorious mountain road and the ocean road that is called humpback highway to some of the locals. Beyond Hawi to the end of the road is a Pali to be reckoned with. Spectacular, but again I was not allowed to hike after my visit to the hospital in Kauai. Back in Hawi Bamboo restaurant and Sushi Rocks both rock as does Tropical Dreams Ice Cream. It's just a lovely corner of that side of the island that should not be missed.

We never made it past Place of Refuge or too the two tops of volcanos or saddle road.

More in a moment

Oh, Kealalani the treehouse looks wonderful !
Am going to start exploring your other suggestions
and can't wait to hear more !

Thanks !
R5

I tried to email you. If you have iamq in your addresses try him

And yes, there couldn't have been a more perfect home for us as the vv treehouse.

Try to find a few hours to go to Hapuna Beach; it is a wonderful beach.

[Is it still violation of rental car contracts to drive on the Saddle Road??]

If you're staying in Captain Cook--there is very good snorkeling close at Kealekakua Bay and Honaunau Bay by Place of Refuge - Puuhonua o Honaunau http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm (called Two-Step locally). To get to the snorkeling area--drive into the parking lot for Place of Refuge-and turn right before you get to admission booth--when that road curves right, to your left you will see people out on the lava--that is where you put it for snorkeling. Lots of fish and coral in the bay--sometimes dolphins--more crowded on weekends. Place of Refuge itself is well worth a visit. And you could make a stop at Painted Church on your way there--http://www.thepaintedchurch.org/

The snorkeling is also good in Kealekakua Bay- there are a couple of places to put in in the village of Napoopoo-this website explains about both of them. http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/bi...ng-manini.html I don't think the road back to Manini has a sign. But after Napoopoo Road dead ends in Napoopoo village--turn left and watch on the right for the first street-- very narrow with a rock wall on at least one side--that is the way back to Manini.

Another beach we went to for the first time on our recent trip to the BI was the beach at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. http://www.nps.gov/kaho/index.htm
Follow the directions on the website--park in the Honokohau Marina parking lot--go through the gate and follow the path to the beach--there's a sandy beach with some shade, a shelter, ruins of a heiau, the water has a sandy bottom at the south end of the beach and is protected by an ancient wall (I think this was built by Hawaiians as a fish trap).

My DH and I have been going to the Big Island twice a year for a while(16 times total) We have stayed many times in south Kona and in the tide pool area in Puna (Kapoho). If you have any more specific questions (e.g., restaurants, other activities, other beaches, etc)-I'll be happy to try to answer them.

Hi Razzle. No matter what you choose, you can't go wrong on the Big Island. That's the good news. Personally, I'd spend more time on the sunny coast than the rainy/wetter coast. We stayed in Volcano and loved this place. We stayed in Cottage 44, a converted water tower of all things!
http://www.haleohia.com/44.htm
It's one of my favorite places I've ever stayed.
I LOVED the tiny Thai restaurant in Volcano. It's one of my favorite Thai restaurants anywhere. At the time we went we called to make reservations and the folks at the hardware store next door answered - same family. And, the spices came from "home" - they bring them back when they go home to Thailand for a visit. Just fabulous food!

I enjoyed Volcano NP. As a science major (concentration in geology) walking on the lava flow was high on my bucket list. There wasn't much activity when we were there. I'd do the boat tour if there's activity. I also took the helicoptor tour of the island (Blue Hawaiian) and that was a blast. The pilot was able to find the small amount of visible lava on the flow and flew over it. Loved seeing it from the air, even if we couldn't see it on land.

We did some sightseeing in Hilo, but for me, 2 days (3 at the most) would be enough. I'd rather get back to the sunnier side of the island. One of my favorite souvenirs came from Volcano NP - a rain parka. I get a lot of rain at home. I wanted sunny skies

I agree that the snorkeling near the Captain Cook monument is great. We went via boat tour and I wasn't thrilled with the company. Next time I'd go on a smaller boat than one of the big ones -
http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/bi...-monument.html
That was some of the best snorkeling I've done. Highly recommend it.

We loved the day we leisurely drove from Kona to Hilo/Volcano. I was amazed at driving through cowboy country in Hawaii. We enjoyed a hike on the north coast and LOVED the seeing Waipio Valley from the helicopter (spectacular scenery) but when I go back I want to spend at least a couple of days at one of these cliff houses -
http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/accom/bicotham.htm

One thing we didn't do that I'd love to do is an astronomy tour. I chickened out on taking a rental car on Saddle Road. This is not an endorsement of any company but a good description of what I missed. Next time, I'm getting up there!
http://www.galttech.com/research/tra...urs-hawaii.php

On the splurge part of our trip we were paddled out via Outrigger Canoe to a "private beach". When we got there, the 4S staff had beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers with food and drink, beach games I'd never seen before, etc. set up and waiting for us. The beach remained private for a couple of hours and then the locals started arriving via trucks on dirt road. Then the snorkel boats arrived. Three people swam/struggled up out of the water and it turns out that two of them were my Big Boss and her husband. It was so cool to walk down and offer her a cold drink and a snack. She arrived on a catamarran from the 4S so so much for the "private" beach. The outrigger experience was great though. When the staff returned to pick us up (and all the stuff) at the end of the day they came via truck and took us back on the dirt road with LOTS of potholes. Locals may be able to tell you where we were. The beach was VERY nice. The snorkeling, not so much.

Other than the night in Volcano, we ate at the hotels for dinner most of the time. The food was VERY good at both hotels so after a busy day of sight-seeing or relaxing we stayed on site. I like room service and I love room service on lanias overlooking the ocean. The one place we drove to for dinner was the Hapuna Prince Hotel. It was a nice dinner, a nice setting and a beautiful hotel. I think a Fodorite got a great deal on it on Priceline or Hotwire recently.

So, based on what you've already planned and what we did, I'd plan your days this way -

Fly into Hilo - 2 to 3 nights in Hilo
drive to Waipo area (I definitely wouldn't do the back and forth from Hilo. I'd do it from Kona if I were going back and forth).
I'd stay 2 nights at one of those cottages.
Drive to the Kona area - use it for a base for the rest of the days.

Anyway, you can't go wrong no matter what you choose. I'd just spend more days on the sunnier side of the island (than Hilo or Volcano)

We were lucky to have 4 nights at the Four Seasons (after our previously scheduled visit). If you want a great spa experience, I highly recommend their spa. Heather Locklear and I spent the afternoon hanging out there. I'm sure she remembers me

Heather Locklear? Sheesh, the best I could ever manage was running into George Schultz at the KOA airport. Talk about scenery extremes.

LOL!
She was tiny. Tiny, I tell you. I really "got" the Q tip description seeing her in person. The circumference of her head was bigger than any other part of her body. She was very nice though.

I saw Chuck Woolery (years ago) at the Hyatt Regency Maui. He's a TALL dude.

Not sorry I missed George

We were discreet because he was clearly startled that someone had recognized him. He shook our hands and fortunately was off before I had time to remember any of the 1000 questions I've always had about Ronald Reagan. He and David Stockman were the only two people in Reagan's administration I had much respect for.

Thank you everyone !
I need to attend to some family stuff and will be back
in a day or so with questions.
Thanks again to all !

R5

Not sure I would go all the Hawi from Hilo on that day, seems like a lot of driving especially with the side trip to Waipio Valley. Might want to go to the Botanical Gardens on the old highway outside Hilo on that day instead and save Hawi for another time. You'll want to continue past Hawi and go to Pololu Valley.

I went to South Point and it was pretty cool, not sure its for everyone though. There is a green sand beach on the way but it's an hour hike one-way (I think).

Here are my comments on your itinerary:
Day 1 Fly SFO-HNL-Hilo arrive around 9PM
Day 2 Hilo: Do Volcano NP, maybe Lava Boat trip
Volcano NP takes an entire day (multiple if you fall in love with the landscape and hiking). There are places to eat in Volcano town (Like Lava Rock cafe) but the town is closed up on Sundays.
Day 3 Hilo: Drive north to Akaka Falls,Waipo valley lookout, Hawi,drive back
You can see Waipo valley from the Honoka'a side or the Hawi side. It will take you a while to drive all the way through Waimea and over to Hawi and back to Hilo. It would be a killer day. I would recommend Hawaii Botanical Gardens, then Akaka Falls, Honoka'a Waipo lookout and then back to Hilo. There are lots of other things too: World Gardens and a zipline ride over a waterfall.
via Saddle Road, what else along the way
- the only thing to see on Saddle road (beside wild pigs, goats and donkeys) is the Mauna Kea visitors center. It has a shop, exhibits and some nights a telescope viewing party. Going up to the summit is dicey because of the road and altitude. You can take a tour if you really want to see the summit.
Day 4 Hilo: snorkeling/tide pools ? Tour of Mauna Kea
- Hilo doesn't have good snorkeling. Richardson beach is pretty rough. You can swim off Coconut island, but it isn't anything to write home about. Save snorkeling for Kona.
Day 5 Hilo ??
- There is a lot to see in Hilo: Rainbow Falls (and Peepee Falls above it); 'Imiloa Astronomy Center with the world's only 3D planetarium; Liliuokalani Gardens on Hilo Bay and the wonderful Banyon drive with huge trees named for famous people; and Hilo's tropical zoo with Namaste the white Bengal tiger.
Day 6 Drive to Kona side
- if you go the Southern route - stop at the Punaluu black sand beach which often has turtles sunning on the beach. Check out the Punaluuu Bakery in Naalehu. It has a beautiful garden and great pastries. The drive has great views of the southern coast.
Day 7-11 Kona side: Hoping to have beach days/snorkle days
Where will be best for snorkeling this time of year.
Other day trip ideas ?
- Kona has great snorkeling. Our favorite is Kahaluu Park which is enclosed with a lava wall. Swimming off the Kailua pier is fun too - right in front of the King Kam hotel. You can park at the hotel.
Day 12-This will be a loooooooooooong Day-
Day 12- A.M: Lounge around ?-take a hike ?
Day 12- P.M: Drive back to Hilo, drop car, fly to HNL for 11:30 PM flight to SFO
- Is there anyway you can leave from Kona instead of having to drive back? The rental car companies have always allowed us to rent from one airport and return to another and if you are flying Hawaiian, one way from HNL is the same price as round trip.
Have a wonderful trip.
hiloliving.com
funhawaiitravel.com

Any not to be missed activities ? Day trips I am missing ? Suggestions welcome !

Thanks very much !
R5

I agree with all of the above. For beach days be sure to check out Hapuna and Mauna Kea beaches, there's nothing else like them on the island.

Hi All-
have noted your many informative replies.
We have also had some terrific advice from matnikstym!
Over on the East side, it seems there is very good snorkeling down in Kapoho at the Waiopae Tide pools and near the Marine Conservation area.

So here's what we have finalized:

Thurs Jan 27 - Fly to HNL, one night stop in Waikiki
Fri Jan 28- Fly to Hilo, stock up supplies, explore as needed along the way and check in to rental house.
Staying at a Kapoho house.
Sat Jan 29-Waterfalls above Hilo and Hilo
Sun Jan 30-Day with matnikstym
Mon Jan 31-Tide pools/snorkel/Mr R'5's B'day/RELAX
Tues Feb 1- VNP
Wed Feb 2 -Tide pools/snorkel/explore

Thurs Feb 3 -Drive to Kona side-staying at Captain Cook.
Fri Feb 4 -Two step/Captain Cook/Place of Refuge
Sat Feb 5-Explore other snorkel spots ???
Sun Feb 6- Drive to Hawi via saddle road and back coast road or other ?
Mon Feb 7-Explore ? Snorkel ? leave for HNL at 8 PM

We have 2 dedicated beach/snorkel days on the Kona side
with a 3rd if needed for the day we leave due
to our lat night flight home out of HNL.

*****
Anyone know what the water temp will be
AND
where to get some good water shoes to wear with our fins ?
*****

Any restaurants ideas over on the Kona side-we probably wouldn't dine at the hotels-we prefer getting to know the local eateries - unless there is some compelling reason to venture into a hotel.

Any other thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks very much !
R5

Oh gosh, I never did finish my report to you R5!

Looks like you have things in good order.

I don't know the road, but when you head down to Kalapana to black sands beach and to check out the lava flow - you come to a road where it's either right into the rainforest or right onto other sites. It is rural, and with a car due caution and respect for locals is in order. But oh what a road. We stopped and talked story for a bit with a Mom and her kids. We never took many pictures as we thougth we'd have to turn back, but it ended up spitting us out back above Pahao. A really magical road that should not be missed if conditions permit.

Gosh there is just so much to see that - truly there are no mistakes and it's all good. So much we never saw or tried to in our 8 nights. And it brings me joy that is calls me back like Kauai has many many times.

that would be left into a rainforest rural area, damn that lack of an edit function

You've got mail R5

Glad to hear you're going to Kapoho--it's one of our favorite places on the BI. We've stayed at several houses there and love it.

We always buy our water shoes at Wal Mart ($7-$8)--there's a Wal Mart in Hilo and one in Kona.

Restaurants Kona side--some of our favorites listed below--also check out www.konaweb.com-- there's a restaurant list and restaurant reveiws and lots of other information

In south Kona
Mi's Italian Bistro--http://www.misitalianbistro.com/ good Italian -- moderate priced

Adriana's--on the lower level of the the Kealakekua Ranch Center--where Choice Mart supermarket is located (BTW-a good place to buy food)--very fresh, very inexpensive-Mexican Salvadoran food--open only for lunch--closed Sat and Sun--808-936-8553

also in the Kealakekua Ranch Center--on the upper level--is a wonderful cookie place--they're expensive but worth every penny--and the delightful owner will let you taste any one you like before you buy

Super J's--real home style Hawaiian food (lau lau, kalua pork etc)--inexpensive--on the makai side of the highway--in a yellow house--south of where Napoopoo Road enters the highway

Kalama--a take our place with a few outdoor tables on Napoopoo Road--awesome burgers and fish sandwiches--and there kim chee burger is fabulous--call ahead--it takes 25 minutes to cook 808-328-2828

Manago Hotel (an old timey, local hotel)http://www.managohotel.com/ --in Captain Cook has a restaurant--inexpensive--fresh fish usually good, pork chops in the evening-

Ke'ei Cafe--near Kainiliu--a little more upscale--I always get the catch of the day--piccata style--they don't take credit cards--they are also open for lunch 808-322-9992

Patz Pies--good take out pizza--808-323-8100

Coffee Shack--on the highway with a great view of the coast--good for breakfast and lunch http://www.coffeeshack.com/