jprs_phelan

Hi Everyone. I need help with locating a place to stay on the Big Island during June. We have stayed at the Kiahuna Plantation on Kauai and have loved it. We would like a condo with this type of atmosphere located on a beach were my two 10 year old boys can body surf. I have done some internet research, but I'm not finding anything. Can any of you that have been to the Big Island or the Kiahuna Plantation on Kauai help me?

Thanks.
Pam in New Mexico

Barbara5353

The Big Island offers many things, but not a condo located on a body-surfing beach suitable for young children. The best beaches for this are in the Kohala area, and the only accommodations right on the beach are expensive luxury hotels. The best compromise would be a condo in the Waikoloa area, but the nearest beach (Anaehoomalu Bay) is a very long walk and doesn't have much wave action. Have you considered Maui? Many options that meet your criteria on Maui. I like all the islands, but think Maui is by far the best for families wanting the combination of a condo and lots of time on a nearby beach. I also like the fact that there are lifeguards at many of the beaches.

jprs_phelan

Barbara5353,
Thanks for your reply. We have been to Kauai a few times and Maui once. Maui seemed too "touristie" for us. We have done a bit of research about the Big Island and were excited about seeing what it had to offer. Big luxury hotels just aren't us. We are pretty low key and want to have a good time experiencing the volcanoes, observatory, snorkeling and body surfing in the water. It sounds as if you have been to the Big Island and know about it. Do you have any recommendations on how we could approach accommodations on the Big Island? Resorts aren't for us.
Thanks Barbara5353.

Pam in NM

DebitNM

Pam,
Have you tried vrbo.com? We were on BI [along with Maui and Oahu] last October and really liked BI the best. Be sure to go to VNP and maybe stay there a night or 2. It makes life easier than having to drive back at night to some other part of the island.

Hope this helps...
Debi
{PS - where in NM are you?}

fdecarlo

Pam, what kind of budget do you have for accomodations? As Barbara said, good bodysurfing beaches on the BI are few and far between, and the best two (by far) are located at Hapuna and Kauna'oa beaches in South Kohala. But the only decent accomodations in the immediate area are the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and a few VERY expensive single family homes inside Mauna Kea Resort. A condo complex is in Puako just south of Hapuna, but frankly it's not nice enough to recommend.

If you don't mind driving to these two beaches, my favorite B&B on the island is not far away. It's called Waianuhea and is near Honokaa, a tiny and quaint town on the island's north shore. It's centrally located for your listed activities, except VNP. As Debi suggested, you might want to stay near the park for a night or two to avoid the long drives. B&B's are numerous in the VNP area.

wtm003

We stayed at Kiahuna Plantation with our boys and loved the condo and beach location. On the Big Island we stayed at the Marriott Waikoloa which is on Anaehoomalu Bay. We liked A-Bay for the snorkeling but as another poster mentioned there was little wave action.

I think Hapuna Beach is more what you are looking for, but I can't recommend a condo in that area. There are several condo complexes near the Marriott (I believe they are called the Fairways and Colony) and it is about a 15 minute drive to Hapuna Beach.

We have been to Maui, Kauai and the Big Island and the BI edges Kauai out as our favorite. One highlight of our BI trip was taking a snorkeling cruise with Fairwinds. Our boys loved the slide on the boat, snorkeling and the burgers for lunch.

Have fun!

jprs_phelan

Everyone:
Thanks oh so very much for your advice. Since we haven't been to the BI, I had no idea where to start. Thanks to your insights, I know where to start searching. DebitNM, I have looked at vrbo.com, but didn't know what district to search on the BI. I do now. (We are just south of Albuq. in Bosque Farms. Were are you?) fdecarlo, I will check out the B&B Waianuhea. Any recommendations for a B&B or condo around the VNP area? I think I'll take the recommendations and stay there 2 nights. I'll check out Hapuna Beach per wtm003. wtm003, our boys' eyes lit up with your recommendation re: the Fairwinds snorkeling cruise. Sounds like our families are on the same wavelength. Sincerly, thanks everyone for your help.

Pam in NM

DebitNM

Hi Pam,
I lived in Nob Hill area of ABQ and Rio Rancho before moving to SW Colorado in Sept 05.

I have trip report on here about our visit to BI. I'll will find it and get a link to it on here.

There are a some posts on here about staying near VNP. I'll look for those too.

We stayed at Prince Hapuna Beach and it was wonderful. We were there just before the earthquake in OCt. {We were on Oahu during the quake}.

Will find this stuff for you tomorrow.
Debi

ldls

Hi Pam,

My husband and I went in October to the Big Island - I organized a group tour for 24 of us, and now My husband and I are going in June with our boys. We also went with them to Kauai last August and they fell in love with surfing and snorkeling on the North Shore. The Big Island is very different - and has become our favorite. Fairwind to Kealkekua Bay was incredible and we will be taking our boys there. We will be staying at a large 3 bedroom condo at the Kona Coast Resort (aka Keauhou Gardens) - the Condos are beautiful and large - though not on the beach. I have researched and drove around scoping out places to stay with the boys, while we were there and opted for - comfort for the evening and drive to the snorkle areas (Two Step and Kahuluu). Most of the beach condos were not as close to the beach as we would like and if they were - they were small. We prefer the Keauhou area, as opposed to the Kohala area (more tropical setting in Keauhou).
Aloha!
Lucy
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