Our group will be on the Big Island for Christmas this year and are looking for a nice restaurant for dinner. We would like more of a tradional Christmas dinner. Any suggestions?

Also-- any other restaurant suggestions you have on the Big Island or Maui is appreciated.

In addition we want to go whale watching and swimming with dolphins if anyone has advice on companys to book with.

Thanks for any help!

Here's a good site for Maui. It has a good restaurant list as well as lots of things to do.

www.mauihawaii.org

Here's a site that lists some whale watching tours as well as places to watch whales from shore.

http://www.activity-hawaii-travel-gu...ng-hawaii.html

Here's some other sites:

www.gohawaii.com

www.hawaiiweb.com

www.alternative-hawaii.com

www.thisweek.com

www.spotlighthawaii.com

www.101thingstodo.com

www.bigisland.org

Hi
Roys on the Big Island. Great food and atmosphere.
Karen

what side of the big island will you be staying? that would help to narrow it down. the only swim with dolphins is at the hilton waikoloa.

I stayed on the Big Island this past January in the town of Hawi. We did a 1/2 day trip with a company called Dolphin Discoveries. I did a lot of research on the whale watching tour companies on the Big Island and chose this one because it seemed to be the best choice in what it offered -- and I'm glad that I chose it.
Go to their "Trip Detail" page at www.dolphindiscoveries.com/trip.html. The Morning Dolphin & Whale Watch/Snorkel Trip is what we did. It's from 8:00a-12:30p daily. They repeat it in the afternoon, but it's an hour shorter (also a little cheaper) - but I recommend the morning so that you are out before the crowds and you get to enjoy that extra hour. The boat is MUCH smaller than the boats most other companies use, is driven faster, and doesn't carry a huge party crowd aboard. We had about 10-12 people on our trip and the captain was very personable, friendly, and helpful. They study the dolphins and whales and know how where to find them -- and will provide some educational information along the way. They get you to the two best snorkeling spots on the Big Island early in the morning before the crowds (big party boats) arrive. We swam with lots of beautiful fish and Hawaiian Sea Turtles, saw lots of dolphins and whales, and we were fortunate enough to come upon a whale shark that wanted to play with our small boat. The captain and his assistants took turns swimming with it and taking some awesome underwater pictures which he later e-mailed to us. They provided water and some small snacks (pineapple and some small bags of chips) and they took the safety of the passengers to heart. The only downside is that since it is a smaller boat, it bounces over waves, making for a bumpy ride on a windy morning. So, if you get seasick easily, then you may want to look into those big annoying party boat tours...or just accept the fact that you could get a little nauseous (and don't eat the Cheetos).
This tour was the highlight of my entire Hawaiian vacation. We didn't get to swim with any dolphins and my understanding is that the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island (north of Kona) is the only place that you are guaranteed to swim with dolphins. They are trained dolphins in captivity -- not exactly what I'd find most enjoyable, but if you want a guaranteed experience, that's it. You do have to book far in advance, so if you decide to do it, call now to make the reservations. The other option (at least on the Big Island -- I don't know anything about Maui) is to look into a sea kayak tour -- or renting a kayak and going out on your own. But please read about swimming with wild dolphins before doing it. Also, keep in mind that the boats are not allowed to knowingly get too close to a whale, so unless one swims up to you, then the tour operator will be required to keep a certain distance. If you have polarized sunglasses, I recommend wearing them so that you can see below the surface of the water.

We've had our favorite BI dinners at Brown's Beach House and at Roy's. Have never been in Hawaii for Christmas though...will have to try that sometime!

Hi Jess. WHERE on the BI? It IS a big island, and where you'll be will affect restaurant choices.
Once you've narrowed it down, make sure to call the places to see if they are open on Christmas Day.
IF you 'll be ont the Volcano VIllage/Hilo area side of the island, I can't think of a better Chirstmas setting, or better food in front of a huge stone fireplace, than at Kilauea Lodge. Here's their web site:

http://www.kilauealodge.com/TheRestaurant.html

As for Christmas dinner ideas on the Big Island, if you are staying near Kohala, look into the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel... or Pahuia (Pahui'a) if staying closer to the Four Seasons in the Kailua-Kona area. I've heard that they both do Christmas quite well, including the traditional Christmas dining options.

While we were on the Big Island, one of my favorite dinner experiences was Bamboo Restaurant in Hawi (I highly recommend that you allow a day for this area of the island, including Polulu valley). The drive is beautiful and much different than the scenery in the Kona region (very green and floral with beautiful ocean views - and you can see Maui in the distance).

In Kona, we had dinner at Huggo's. The restaurant is on the water's edge. It has 2 areas - an outdoor bar area and the restaurant. We showed up without reservations, stopped at the restaurant to put our names on the list, and went over to the bar to watch the hula dancer and band. Had a few drinks and an appetizer. Then we went over to the restaurant for our dinner reservations, where we had a table next to the water and were able to watch the eels and fish below. It was a beautiful experience and if we were staying closer to Kona, we probably would have gone a 2nd time.

On the Big Island, Merriman's in Waimea or Roy's Waikoloa, or Kilauea Lodge, should you be at VNP... all excellent!