Big Island Planning
 

We are in the beginning of planning our first Hawaiian vacation. We are a family of 4 and our girls are 17 and 14. We are an active family that loves hiking and snorkeling. Our oldest daughter loves to surf off the back of our boat (I know, way different) but she would love to try regular surfing. We are very low maintenance and prefer non-touristy areas and accomodations with a kitchen. We also love to eat at local places.

Preliminary plans involve flying into Honolulu (Friday-January 9, 2015), spending an evening and a full day there exploring Pearl Harbor and finding where his uncle that died in Iwo Jima is buried. We will then take a flight from Honolulu on Sunday morning to Hilo. We would like to rent a 4-wheel drive and make our way around the big island staying at 2-3 different locations around the island. Our must dos are VNP, Mauna Kea, Akaka Falls, a couple of beach/surfing days, and snorkeling.

We will have to be back in Hilo to fly out Sunday-January 18. We would like to keep our accomodations at around 100/night. We don't mind off the beaten path places as long as they are safe. Thanks in advance for any suggestions! :)

Tina

A couple thoughts.

See if you can fly into Hilo and out of Kona. That will allow you to see both sides of the island and not have to backtrack to fly out. Many rental car companies allow you to drop off at a different airport for no additional charge. Look at Costco or Discount Hawaii Car Rentals for the best deals.

You do not need a 4WD so save the money there. There are no roads on the Big Island for which 4WD is needed that you are allowed to drive on based on your car rental contract. If you do, you will void your contract and not be insured if something goes wrong. Harpers is the only company that allows its cars to go to the top of Mauna Kea but they are very expensive and difficult to deal with. Might be best to just do a tour for that.

The best snorkeling is on the west side. The beaches at the Mauna Lani have some great shore snorkeling. Really great. Other wonderful beaches are Kuana'oa, Kukio, Hapuna, Wailea (Beach 69). All are in the Kohala Coast.

You can see Akaka Falls and the Waipio valley on your drive from Hilo to the west side.

The beach district is in the Kohala Coast which is on the west side of the island. So, I would look there for your snorkeling and water sports activities. You might be able to find a condo in Waikoloa Beach Resort for around $100/night. It is low on the low side, though, for the Big Island. You could also look into condos in Kailua-Kona that might be in your price range but that area is very touristy and not near the good beaches (they are about an hour north in Kohala). So, that is your tradeoff.

On the East side, I would stay in Volcano Village, at least to explore VNP. Recognize that it will be very cold and wet at that time of year so dress accordingly. Fleece, long pants, gloves, etc. Lots of funky little places there, check out VRBO.

Read up on the area and ask more specific questions and I am sure you will get a lot of help here.

Tina, this may be more info than you want but here goes.

The island of Hawaii (aka the Big Island) is our favorite. We have been many times since 2000 (over 20 at last count) and we have never stayed at a hotel or in the resort area in Kohala--though the places there are gorgeous. We usually rent cottages or houses- I like to go to the farmer’s markets etc and to cook most of our meals. Your $100/night budget will be difficult since there will be four people. If you could raise it to ~$150 it would be easier. I would stay in only two places on the island. One around Volcano and one in south Kona (on the west side of the island).

We like to stay in Kapoho on the east side—it’s about 20 minutes from Hilo and about 45 minutes from Volcano—is sunnier and warmer than Volcano, has warm tide pools for snorkeling. We usually stay at Lagoon House www.lagoonhouse.com which is above your budget—but see the links below for other less expensive places in the same general area.

http://www.apoparadise.com/ and http://www.hawaiiwego.com/
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.../Details/68208
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals...it/Details/647
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.../Details/67674
http://book.bigislandvacationrentals.../Details/88220
http://www.castleinhawaii.com/index.html

In south Kona, we stayed at the Mango Farm several years ago—great view of the coast, very private. Mango Farm http://www.konamangofarm.com/ South Kona has great snorkeling, kayaking, very laid back but still only about 20 minutes from Kailua Kona.

A sample of other places available in south Kona (check VRBO for others)
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p95119vb
http://www.vrbo.com/144345
http://www.vrbo.com/424464
http://www.killino.com/rentals.html

Some of the activities you mentioned

visiting Mauna Kea summit http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/v...he-summit.html may be closed in winter due to snow and check with your car rental company if you are allowed to take your rental vehicle up there

surfing, kayaking, snorkeling on the west side see Kona Boys http://www.konaboys.com (if you would like specific directions to good snorkeling spots in south Kona, please let me know)

Akaka Falls drive from Hilo to Hamakua Coast on your way to south Kona-- take highway 19 - a beautiful drive. Sights along the way:
a. Akaka Falls—440 ft waterfall—easy walk through the rain forest to get to the falls
b. Waipio Valley west of Honokaa – you can hike down a short but very steep road to get into the Valley or take a tour (we did this one a few years ago http://www.waipiovalleywagontours.com ). If you do hike down and are too tired to hike up. Hold up a ten dollar bill and a local who’s going up will probably give you a ride in his/her four wheel drive.

Volcano National Park http://www.nps.gov/havo The hike across Kilauea Iki is interesting and only takes an hour or so-- take plenty of water if it’s sunny. From the Kilauea Iki overlook, take the trail to the right—it’s easier that way IMO. And an hour and a half later you will be back at the same spot. The trail takes you through the rain forest, down into and across the crater and up the other side http://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisi...kilaueaiki.htm
Lava Rock Café in Volcano Village is good for lunch—I always get chow fun

it tends to be rainier and cooler in Volcano than the rest of the island—so take a sweatshirt or sweater, just in case

Other day trips

1. Hawi in North Kohala—take highway 19 to Kawaihae—you can visit Pu’ukohola Heiau—a structure built by Kamehameha the Grea. Continue up highway 270 to Hawi. If it’s clear you can see Maui with its dormant volcano-Haleakala- looming to the west. Hawi is a charming little town with a few shops, one with Tropical Dreams ice cream-yum. Continue on highway 270 through Kapa’au (where the original King Kamehameha statue is located) to the end of the road at the Pololu Valley. http://tinyurl.com/l5ohh7 You can hike down into the valley—not really difficult—and go to the black sand beach that fronts the valley. I would not advise trying to swim there. The ocean is too dangerous. To return—go back to Hawi and turn left onto highway 250 which will take you up over the extinct Kohala volcano– great views of the ocean and of Mauna Kea as you come down to highway 19 just west of Waimea. Take 19 back to where you are staying.

2. on the way to Volcano—Just before you get to Volcano on highway 11, you may want to stop at Akatsuka Orchids—nice clean restrooms, gorgeous flowers and they usually have a basket of free little orchids—if you’d like one for your hair http://www.akatsukaorchid.com/store/

Restaurants with a local vibe

In south Kona
• Manago Hotel dining room in south Kona—you’ll be eating with the locals—inexpensive—usually have good fresh fish—you can also stay there-very inexpensive, but no kitchen-- http://www.managohotel.com/
• Coffee Shack http://www.coffeeshack.com/ breakfast and lunch great view from the lanai
• Super J’s – authentic Hawaiian food – laulau, lomi salmon, poi (Janice, the owner, says if you don’t like poi, it’s because you haven’t tasted hers)-- http://www.yelp.com/biz/kaaloas-super-js-captain-cook

In Hilo
• Ken’s House of Pancakes http://www.kenshouseofpancakes-hilohi.com/ Great place to try loco moco, a local dish. Something to eat when you are really hungry-- I like it with broiled mahi--

Other restaurants
• Tex Drive-In in Honokaa on the Hamakua coast http://www.texdriveinhawaii.com/ burgers, plate lunches, malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts)
• Simply Natural on the main street in Honoka’a http://www.yelp.com/biz/simply-natural-honokaa-3
• in Waimea—Village Burger-- http://www.villageburgerwaimea.com/ great shakes and fries and burgers

Here is a helpful website for all things Hawaii and Kona. www.konaweb.com

As taitai said-see if you can depart the island from the Kona airport—would save you the drive back to Hilo.

If you have other questions, let me know. I will do my best to answer them.

I know you will have a wonderful time. Hawaii no ka oi!

You have some great suggestions! I would just repeat to take a sweatshirt AND one of those dollar raincoats with you when you tour Volcano and the Hilo area, it really does rain 70% of the time there. The raincoats were fine for us.
We loved the market in downtown Kona, we were there for fresh fruit often. We also loved the snorkeling boat tour in Kona.
http://www.fair-wind.com/ They have two boats, we took the Hula Kai because it was smaller without as many people. They also provided a breakfast and lunch on board.

P.S. You will be there during whale season and the crew on the Hula Kai were wonderful sighting whales. One whale actually swam beside our boat for a brief period of time. Very exciting!

Another good whale watch cruise--Capt. Dan McSweeney--http://www.ilovewhales.com/ We've gone with him several times and have always seen whales.

We have stayed several times at Sea Village, just south of Kona. There is good snorkeling just south of Sea Village.

They have some properties in your budget, with a 3 night minimum:
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals...atesfirm=fuzzy

How far will you be flying to get to HNL? Unless your live on the west coast of the mainland your first day will be a bit of a blur as your body catches up to the time change. You'll be up before dawn and will fade early your first day in Hawaii. With such a short stay, I'd want a rental car for airport pickup -- not fool with bus schedules.

Check with the armed services beforehand to know where to look for the grave. (Possibly at Punchbowl?) You might want more time in Honolulu to see Pearl, Punchbowl, Iolani Palace, Waikiki.

Winter is a great time to stay on Big Island. No need for 4-wheel drive. Do try to fly into one side and out of the other. Sorry, but your lodging budget is too outside of Hilo.

Yes, Hilo-side will be cool and rainy. (I don't think Hilo ever really dries out, but winter is even wetter!) TWO locations are plenty. Kona Town is pretty touristy/tacky. Kohala area has the easy access beaches and vog-free sunshine.

January-March is whale season. You'll see them from shore, but try to get out on the water. A snorkeling expedition can double as a whale watch.

The Manta Ray snorkel iwasa highlight for us. We went with Jake's Diving Locker. We also loved snorkelling at The Place of Refuge., and eating T Annie's Burgers on our way back to Kohola.

Thank you for the responses. I am going to sift through all of this fabulous information then I am sure that I will have more questions. Thanks again.

Tina

Okay, this is what I have so far...

We are going to fly into Honolulu on Friday, spend Friday night, Saturday all day, and 1/2 day Sunday there. Sunday afternoon, we are flying to Hilo, picking up a rental car and driving to VNP where we will spend Sunday night-Wednesday morning in a camping cabin. This gives us two full days to explore VNP. We will leave Wednesday morning and to a scenic drive to our next destination of South Kona. We are staying in Managa Hotel until we leave Sunday. I am returning my rental car and flying out of Kona. I am still looking for a hotel in Honolulu but am happy that our accommodations for the Big Island are taken care of. I am sure that I will have many more questions when I start planning my days. Thank you!

Are you planning on staying at the cabins attached to Volcano House? Please understand that they will be very cold and damp in winter. Three nights is a long time to be cold. Do it if it is your thing but understand that it will be cold and pack accordingly...fleece, long pants, gloves, etc. I would cut a day off of the Volcano/Hilo portion and add it to the Kona side of the island. In winter, you will want the sun and warmth. While you are based in South Kona, do spend a day driving north to the beautiful beaches and vog-free weather of the Kohala Coast. If you can get there early enough, Kuana'oa near the Mauna Kea is the most beautiful beach on the island. Try that if you can get in.

Have fun.

I have to ask, if one of your "must dos" for the Big Island is a couple days of beach, surfing, and snorkeling, why did you choose the Manago Hotel? The nearest good beach is 40 - 45 minutes away.

Actually there is good snorkeling about 10 to15 minutes away in Kealakekua Bay and Honounou Bay, but good swimming beaches are further away up north in Kona and Kohala.

Kealakekua Bay has good snorkeling. Makaiwa Bay up north near the Mauna Lani is much better but KB is good. The problem is access. You can try Kona Boys for a kayak trip to snorkel the bay or Fairwinds. You can hike in but it is long, hot, steep and with no facilities.

Honounou Bay is also good. In January you might have winter swells that will make entry and exit quite difficult so play that one by ear. It just might not happen for you.

The best swimming beaches (beautiful long stretches of sand, gorgeous ocean, etc....what you think of when you think of tropical beaches) are in Kohala area about an hour or so from your hotel.

Are you doing the Manta Ray snorkel or dive? That is a bucket list type of activity. Maybe that is why you chose the Manago as most of those depart from Kailua-Kona.

Have a good trip.

What taitai says is true if you want to snorkel the side of Kealakekua Bay where the Captain Cook monument is located. You can also snorkel the other side of the bay. There are a couple of access points in Napoopoo village. One is at Manini Beach in Napoopoo. There is also good access from Keei village.

Exactly why I asked, taitai; no snorkeling access at Kealakekua, and no beach at Honaunau. I suppose tmodav could go to Kahalu'u but even that's 15 - 20 minutes, and not much of a beach.

I stayed in the Namakamipaio cabins in the winter and had no problem; their bedding is very comfy. But, 3 nights is probably 1 night more than you need.


I agree that one of the resort areas (like Waikoloa or those even a few miles farther north) would be way better for snorkeling, swimming, and beaching. (Kealakekua and Two Step, or Place of Refuge, is a great snorkeling tour to take in a boat.)

Kahalu'u has poor snorkeling. The shallow water has created a situation where the reef has been ruined by people kicking it or stepping on it. It needs time to recover and for responsible visitors to stay away.

Hula Kai or Fairwinds might be a good option for boat snorkeling. They might be necessary if winter swells make shore snorkeling too difficult. I still think Makaiwa or Kukio or Wailea (69) are just better options both for the beach and the snorkeling. However, they are far north of where the OP wants to stay which is why I always advocate for staying in Kohala.

Kohala also has many heiaus, fishponds, etc. but the OP hasn't mentioned if exploring Hawaiian culture is part of the plan.

When I looked up average temperatures for VNP, it said 68 high and 50 low. These are warm temperatures for us in winter and perfect hiking weather. Do you guys think that 2 full days is too much in VNP. I could always spend Sunday and Monday night then leave for the other side of the island on Tuesday.

I also read somewhere that you guys had some pretty scenic drives :) so I thought that The Manago Hotel was pretty central. I think that one day we want to go to the green sand beach and southern point and I was thinking a beautiful beach and sunset at Mauna Kea would be another day. I must add that we are not sit on the beach people. The girls will want to try their hand at surfing and a couple of hours of lounging in the sand is fine but we wouldn't go from sunup to sundown.

A friend of mine recently returned and suggested snorkeling near the Captain Cook monument...not sure yet how we will make that happen.

I am running out of days much more quickly than I am running out of things to do. Thank you for all of the suggestions.

The boat Hula Kai that I recommended above for snorkeling goes to the Captain Cook Monument to snorkel.

Here are a few comments re: things that you want to do on your vacation.

We have hiked the Kialuea Iki trail in VNP twice and suggest that you consider it. We did it once on a rare sunny day there and once in misty rain. I preferred the misty rainy day (really hot the other day)--we were wearing shorts and light shirts with sleeves and tennies and were comfortable. The hike takes about an hour or so. The easiest way is this--when you are standing at the overlook facing Kilauea Iki crater, take the trail to the right. That will take you through the rain forest, down some staircases and into the crater. Then out of the crater on the other side, through the rain forest and back to where you started. (I suggest this so you are going down on the steepest side).

The original building of the Manago Hotel is right on the highway, so be sure to get a room in the newer building behind it and on the third floor facing the ocean. We've never stayed there but a friend has and said the rooms were very clean and somewhat spartan and he missed having a TV :). They have a pretty good inexpensive basic breakfast everyday but Monday, I think. And the lunches and dinners are and interesting mix of local and Japanese dishes.

Now as to snorkeling, I just talked to my DH about snorkeling in south Kona, which he does twice a year. He says that, first of all, you always need to be aware of the ocean conditions and that in January there is more chance of big swells and high surf—so depending on your swimming ability and your comfort with swimming in the open ocean—there may be some days the snorkeling is not a good idea. Now with that caveat out of the way—he says the coral and fish are probably the best in Honounau Bay (also called Two-Step locally-though you will not see name on any sign). It is right next to the Place of Refuge (also an interesting place to visit) http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm If the swell is a little high and you don’t feel comfortable entering off the lava, just go to the left and enter the bay where canoes put in.

He says some of the best coral is in front of the local village of Ke’ei. There is also a nice surfing break off the beach at Ke’ei. Again you will not see that name (Ke’ei) on any sign.

How you get to Ke’ei. Take Napoopoo Road down to the village of Napoopoo. When leaving the Manago Hotel, going north toward Kailua, not far from the hotel make a left turn on Napoopoo Road (it is marked) and take it all the way down to the village. When the road ends, take a left and follow it out of the village until you reach the waste collection station on the left. Turn around there and head back toward Napoopoo and take the first left (not far). That is the road to Ke’ei. It is very rough but just go slowly and you will be fine. There is a parking lot on the right just before you get to a ‘gate’ that says no cars beyond this point. To the right of the parking lot is a good place to put in for snorkeling. Or you can walk on down the road to the beach and put in from the beach.

If you want to snorkel in Kealakekua Bay, there is a good place to put in at Manini Beach park in Napoopoo. Directions—after you dead end at the end of Napoopoo Road in Napoopoo, turn left and then take the first right (it is a very narrow street between rock walls) which will take you to a tiny parking area. Manini Beach park has a little inlet when you can enter the bay and it also has shade a picnic tables. DH says the coral isn’t as good there as it was before the tsunami that occurred in 2011 ( a house and lots of debris was washed into the bay) but that it is still pretty good.

We have never gone to South Point and the green sand beach--just get good directions and take plenty of water--it is usually hot and very windy there.

The average temperature will be in the 50s...maybe 40s at night. Sounds like you are from a cold weather climate so you will have the right clothes for that weather. Personally, I wouldn't spend more than two nights in Volcano in winter but YMMV. Maybe if the lava starts flowing again I would add a day.

You can't take a rental car to Ka Lae or the Green Sand beach (Papakolea) so that is another hike for you all. Takes about an hour or so and it is very windy. Do not leave any valuables in your car. NONE at all. If seeing green sand is your thing, you will probably have a nice time. You cannot swim here.

You could visit one of the pretty swimmable beaches up north like Hapuna or Kuana'oa and then hit the Visitor's Center. You can't take a rental to the Summit but you could always do a tour to that.

Sounds like you have a nice trip planned for your family. Have fun.

I keep reading responses about not being able to swim at certain areas. Is it just because we are going in January? I had read other places that you could swim at the Green Sand Beach and jump off at the southern point of the island. I don't think I want to drive down to the GSB if this is not possible. Also, some have also said this about snorkeling places. Is this also because of the time of year? We are strong swimmers but not into pushing safety limits. Will we know if it is a safe swimming area? Thanks :)

Well, there are a couple issues. First of all, you can't really drive down to the Green Sand Beach. South Point Road is prohibited by all rental agencies. So, even getting the parking area is going to be problematic. Then, you have to hike in to the beach which is often a very windy, long, hot hike. There is a 4WD trail but no rental agency will allow you to bring your car there and you need a permit from the gov't to legally use them anyway. If you drive a rental there you are not covered by any insurance at all so it could be an extremely expensive bill if you need to replace a rental car. If you make it this far, bring a lot of water for the hike. The ocean itself at the beach is quite prone to strong currents and rip tides. So, swimming there is not advised. Of course, you will hear a story about someone who did and had no problem but that is not the norm. The area is very isolated so getting help if you did get caught in a bad tide is not going to happen. There are no lifeguards. There is no one setting out red flags. It is just a tremendous amount of effort to see olive colored sand. However, if it is your thing, just go in knowing what you are getting yourself and your family into.

In terms of shore snorkeling in winter, just understand that large swells which are more common in winter can make that difficult. Either there will be poor visibility due to the swells or tough entry and exit (such as can happen at "Two Step"). If large swells are projected during your trip, switch gears and do something like the Fairwinds or Hula Kai which can motor to secluded coves where the swell issue won't be a problem.

If you are strong swimmers and enjoy snorkeling, try the Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Jack's Dive Locker. A very cool experience. Being comfortable in the water helps as there is a lot of kicking and jostling around in the cold dark ocean. It can make even the most avid snorkeler uncomfortable at first but it is a cool experience.

The road to South Point (the landmark) is paved and fine; it's the 4WD road that isn't allowed. Yes, you can jump in the water at the parking area, depending on conditions, but getting out again can be tricky. (After a hike to the green sand beach, yes you can swim, but it is as taitai states, not often advisable.)

Be wary wherever you want to swim or snorkel; it can be much rougher in the winter, or you might have splendid conditions (we snorkeled 69 one day, and went back the next to see people surfing the waves right over where we'd set up our chairs the day before!).

We were in Hawaii, Big Island and Kauai, last Jan and Feb and there were 11 deaths due to drowning. Our son and friend had every intention of going to the Green Sand Beach but when they found out how much time was envolved and what they had to do to get there they decided their time was best spent elsewhere. I was very relieved.

I believe South Point Road was recently added to the no rental car list even though it is now paved (rental cars are prohibited on any unpaved roads). I think it could be due to all the break ins but I have no way of knowing for sure. Just double check with your rental agency when you get the car. Disallowed roads are listed on your contract and on the little driving map/magazine they give you. Not a ton especially now that the Saddle is allowed.

I don't think so; I scoured my last two rental contracts (2013, 2014) and found absolutely nothing stating that. (Breaks in occur everywhere.) At any rate, it wouldn't stop me from driving on a perfectly valid paved road leading to a well-known monument.