TammyC

Another post with questions about the big island. We are planning our trip for November, january or february so we will want sun. We have narrowed down choices to Kona or the Kohala coast. I have posted about resorts and decided I should decide what area we really want to stay in first! We will not want to deal with traffic-Honolulu or Kihei type of crowds. Is Kona quite large and noisy? Is Kohala very windy and far away things? Have a couple of condos and a resort in mind, but would love more information. Thanks so much for any input!
Tammy C

BrendaM

Kona and the Kohala Coast are really 2 dfferent experiences. Kona is sort of like the Kihei area in that it has all the shops and restaurants and that sort of thing. There are no real great beaches to swim, and you will find lots of hotels and condos complexes in the area.
Kohala has the big resorts, like Hilton Waikoloa, Orchid, Mauna Lani, Mauna Kea, Prince. It also has the best beaches on the island. Hapuna Beach is thought to be one of the best in Hawaii, and I can attest that it is superb for sunning and swimming. The beach in front of Mauna Kea is also fantastic, but parking can be a problem if you do not get there early. They only give out so many public passes per day.
There are some nice restaurants at all of the hotels, and there is the King's Shops area which has reestaurants and shopping. Roy's restaurant is there and highly recommend you go.
If I had my choice, I would choose Kohala because of the access to the great beaches. If you are in Kona and want to drive to Kohala , it is about 45 minutes.
Have a great trip!!!!

Miranda

It sounds to me like Kohala is more what you are looking for. We spent a very happy eight nights in the Kohala area last June and never even went into Kona! Not that there is anything wrong with Kona, but we'd been there before and were very content this trip to hang out at our Kohala resort most of the time. The little shopping we did was at hotel shops or a couple of local shops. We found enough variety in restaurants in Kohala and the upcountry area near the Parker Ranch to keep us happy. One caveat though --- the restaurants in Kohala are expensive. And there is no convenient grocery shopping if you rent a condo in Kohala. Especially if you want a "real" grocery store. You are stuck with a long drive if you want more than a convenience market.

Gardyloo

A couple of other factors -

First, the Kohala area is closer to Hilo and the other side of the island than Kona, so if you want to pop over to the rainy side (which you must do) it's more convenient, say 2 hours instead of 3, 3 1/2 to the volcano.

There are excellent restaurants in Kamuela, also grocery stores and other retail more sensibly priced than in the resort shops.

On the other hand, Kona is more convenient to a couple of the main historic sites, like the Place of Refuge or the wonderful painted church. The coffee plantations are closer to Kona (duh) and there are some stunning "old Hawaii" drives and outings available from Kona. These are available from the Kohala area, of course, it's just that they're 45 min. or so away. But you can easily take day trips there from Kohala, then retreat to the beautiful beaches and luxury when you're done.

Regarding traffic and crowds, nothing on the BI compares to Honolulu or the overpopulated, trafficky Mondo Condo areas on Maui. Kona is neither large nor noisy.

We love the BI because it has it all - scenery, volcanoes, tallest mountain in the world (Mauna Loa, measured from
the ocean floor) waterfalls, coffee plantations, black, white and green sand beaches, historic sites, two of the best down-home cafes in the island (IMO) - Sam Choy's cafe in the Kona industrial park and Ocean Sushi Deli in Hilo, and on and on...

islandmom

Kohala is luxury, Kona is for local beach bums. I love Kona and would like to move there, however if you want an amazing vacation stay in Kohala.

mscarls

We stayed in Kohala and would do so again because that is where the best beaches are.
Most shopping needs can be met at the King's Shops, and Kona isn't that far away and is worth it for a day trip to see the town. We liked Huggo's for dinner -- noisy but good food and view).
There are some mid-priced restaurants in the King's Shops (good ribs, of all things, at the Big Island Steakhouse) and elsewhere in the Kohala area but splurge if you can (Roy's,Merriman's)
We loved the Mauna Lani Resort!! Big room, attentive service, beautiful grounds. Nice, but not the best, beach. Wonderful snorkeling a short walk over to the Beach Club at the condos.

JohnD

Topping for Chrissie Novelle

lery

My husband and I spent 8 days in Kohala last August. AS most people said, Kohala Coast has the most beautiful beaches, hotels, great restaurants, shops(King's Shops). I would not choose Kona. We stayed at Marriott Outrigger Waikoloa. It's the least expensive hotel in Kohala. Still, we loved it! I hope I could help you!

Pumpy

Though growing, Kona is a small town. I would encourage you to stay at one of the resorts up the coast and drive down to Kona to eat, visit, and/or shop. My only other recommendation is to stay at any other resort than the Hilton. The locals don't call it the Disney Hotel for no reason. We enjoy the Hapuna Prince or the Mauana Kea as they have the best beaches. Enjoy!