miamatusow

Greetings! We are a family of four trying to plan a possible trip to the Big Island for this August. We have vacationed in Maui several times and are looking for something new, but I have a few questions for those in the know:
- How much of a drive is it to beaches and other sights from the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, which is where we'd need to stay (because that's where we can use points)? In Maui, we're spoiled because we can just walk out of our hotel onto a great beach with good snorkeling - I know this isn't the case at that hotel, but how much of a haul would it be?
- Have you gone to see volcano stuff as a day trip from the Kona area? If so, did you hate yourself for doing it? I'd rather not switch hotels and wouldn't mind a long day, but if everyone tells me it's awful to do it that way, I will believe them.
- What's your favorite thing to do on the Big Island? (We are big fans of snorkeling, playing on the beach, and food-related stuff like markets and farms.)

Thanks for any advice!
-m

martym

DH and I have been to the Big Island more than 20 times and we obviously love it there. A good website of all things Big Island is http://www.konaweb.com/ --they also have a forum where you can ask questions.

As to beaches - the best ones IMHO are north of of Kailua-town. So it would take you a half hour to get to the ones closest to Kailua and maybe an hour to get to the furthest north one (at Mauna Kea resort)

* Kaloko-Honokohau--just north of Honokokau Harbor--which is south of the Kona airport--you can park on the north side of the harbor and a short walk to take you to the beach--there are the remains of an ancient Hawaiian fishtrap and ruins of a heiau--it is usually uncrowded--like maybe 10-15 people there the times that we've gone
*Kakaha Kai (formerly Kona Coast) State Park)-closed on Wed. access is down a very rough, bumpy but usually passable road across the lava—we’ve done it in rental car—just go slowly—we’ve been there on weekday mornings when no one else was there and you can walk north to Makalawena Beach with its beautiful white sand crescent
*‘Anaeho’omalu Bay (aka A Bay)- lots of palm trees provide some shade at the south end of the beach
* Hapuna- classic wide, white sand beach--just started charging for parking--$5
* Kauna’oa Beach—it’s the beach at the Mauna Kea Resort—only ~30 parking passes are available so go early—pull up to the entrance and ask the guy in the little building for a parking pass for the beach—and if they are all gone, drive south to Hapuna Beach

If you want to snorkel, Kealakekua Bay and Honounou Bay by Place of Refuge (also called Two-Step though no sign says that) are two places with lots of fish and coral in south Kona. There are a couple of places to put into the Bay in the little village of Napoopoo. In addition, the area in front of the little village of Ke’ei has excellent coral.
DH says the most beautiful coral on the island is at the Wai’opae Tidepools (Kapoho Tide Pools) on the east side of the island in the Puna district.

The largest farmers market is in Hilo and on Saturday they have the most vendors. However, the Sheraton has a quite nice market on their grounds on Wednesday. The Keauhou shopping center has one on Saturday. And there is one on Sunday at the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanic Garden on Sunday. See konaweb for a complete listing.

The Sheraton Keauhou also does manta ray viewing and, I think, offers opportunities to dive or snorkel with the manta rays.

Restaurants on the Big Island
in south Kona
Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai very close to the Keauhou Sheraton http://www.samchoy.com/

Annie’s http://www.anniesislandfreshburgers.com/index.html

Ke’ei Café http://www.keeicafe.net/

Mi’s Italian Bistro http://www.misitalianbistro.com/

Coffee Shack http://www.coffeeshack.com/

Ka’aloa’s Super J’s authentic Hawaiian food prepared by a wonderful Hawaiian--if you want to try poi--this is the place -right on the makai side of the highway in south Kona

Kalama’s--right on Napoopoo road on the way down to Kealakekua Bay--great fish sandwiches and we love the kim chee burger

Kona Coffeehouse and Café at Honounou http://konahomesteadcoffee.com/?page_id=44

We have never done a day trip to Volcano -- so I cannot advise you on that. We usually spend a few days on the east side of the island in the Puna district at Kapoho Beach Lots (no beaches but lots of tidepools)--there are lots of rentals there--we usually stay at Lagoon House www.lagoonhouse.com.

If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to try to answer them.

Tomsd

If you are staying south of Kona - a day trip to the Volcano is about a two hour trip - each way. Start early - take snacks and drinks - and stop along the way if you like.

Enjoy the lush green scenery on the way - and then the kids can sleep on the way back if they like

IMO - the Volcano is DEFINITELY worth a visit - even for a day if so be it.

DanM

When our family of four took our first trip to the Big Island, the number one favorite was a helicopter tour.

I would echo that a trip to VNP is very much worth it despite the drive. I would also stay on the Hilo side if possible, but it sounds like it is not possible. Nevertheless, make the drive. You already flew all that way.

ChiSue

August will be very HOT on Big Island, with all of its' bare lava radiating the heat, and if there is a lot of vog it will be more annoying in the heat. It doesn't have the wide variety of easy-access beaches you are used to on Maui, and the beaches it does have are an hour away. Kona Town is somewhat 'tacky' and will suffer more from vog than the Kohala area. You cannot drive to see the volcanoes in a day and have much time there, and you do not want to drive after dark on this island -- but it would be a shame to be there and not do an overnight.(Volcano Town is nicer than Hilo; plan flights into KOA and out of ITO or the reverse.)

You might like to sample Kauai -- even Waikiki with some trips north.