BIG ISLAND RAINY DAY suggestions
 

I have been planning out my first trip to the BIG ISLAND in APRIL but now I think I may need some suggestions for alternate activities with all of the RAIN... ANY SUggestions??

SPAS? good restaurants with indoor ambiance?

I would also like some suggestions too... I know a few but they are personal. I guess just enjoy the beauty and the rain no matter what. Lets hope for sunshine!!

Just a FYI.... on the Kona side of the island, it rarely ever rains. This side of the island has a very desert climate. On the Hilo side, however, rain is very common. (Hilo is one of the wettest cities in the USA!)

If it starts raining, go shopping indoors, visit a museum, get a massage etc. Or just grab an umbrella and make the best of your day!

Remember what they say about March. :) With any luck, April will be a much better month for travel to the BI.

If it does rain, check out downtown Kailua, or Hilo, or the shops/restaurants/lobbies of the Kohala resorts. "Going with the flow" and trekking through horribly muddy rain forest during heavy downpours can also be incredibly fun and/or romantic.

Snorkle, Scuba, Kayak, when you are under the water it doesn't make much difference if its raining. Also, if its raining in one place, drive a few miles either direction, the BI is one microclimate after another (very noticable from a small aircraft).

If you are in the kona area or Waikaloa, I think you will be OK.

We just got back. Most days, it rained only a small portion of the day (and was still warm), so we just snorkeled, swam, etc... while it was sunny. If we woke up and it was nice out, we took advantage and got out in the water. There was only one day in the week where it rained ALL DAY. On those days be really careful driving--there were multiple wrecks (several that we witnessed) and a couple of fatalities. The heavy rain makes for hazardous road conditions.

Shopping at Hilo Hatties we had to do that one day when we were there in March.....

We just got back from the BI today--Stayed 5 nights in Kona, and 2 nights in Hilo. Guess what? We had rain every day in Kona except one, and no rain at all in Hilo--Go figure!! In fact, the weather in Hilo was gorgeous--a great time to be there. I believe the forecast was that all of this crazy weather was going to end soon, but on the other hand...they had forecast showers for Hilo for the few days we were there, and there were none. Just goes to show that the forecasts can be dead wrong--I guess it's just a gamble. While we were in Kona, we were seriously thinking of cutting out early and spending the rest of the week in Phoenix (where it was sunny)--But all the flights coming home from there were booked, so we just stayed put. The last few days of the week (in Hilo) were so rewarding, I'm glad we stayed! Have a good trip--The BI is so diverse and beautful!

When we flew back from Kona on the 29th of March, we spoke to a couple who was cutting their trip short by a week because of the rain. They were laughing that they decided to go home early and then found out that they were heading home to a snow storm in Colorado---you just can't second guess weather!

Allison- Did you do the Helicopter tour over the island-- I really want to do but my husband is a little hesitant based on the price etc. ??

Aprilmay--No, we didn't do a helicopter ride, although we were considering it. It seems that Blue Hawaiian is a reputable company to go with. You can take a flight out of Waikoloa, or out of the Hilo side, I believe, for about $200/person, depending on which ride you choose. We were thinking about riding over the volcano, but chose instead to hike out over the lava to the flows instead. We have done a helicopter ride on Kauai many years ago, and I remember it was well worth it. So many sights that you can't see by foot or car. If you're thinking about doing one on the BI, I would consider doing either the volcano, or the north coast tour. I'll try to post a trip report soon, after I get done catching up with laundry, mail, etc.! In the meantime, let me know if you have any further questions.

Hilo visitors -- two "must shop" places are Sig Zane (he makes his own fabric designs, mostly plant-based; makes his own dyes -- all plant-based; everything is made in Hilo), and Big Island Candies (take the tour -- they give samples! -- and be prepared to droooooool):
http://www.sigzane.com
http://www.bigislandcandies.com

Both shops will mail stuff home for you -- but climb back on the plane with a big bag from either of these shops, and the locals onboard might flash you a "shaka" for your shopping expertise! :D