You know those places you can travel to over and over without getting tired of visiting? Kona and the Big Island of Hawai'i is one of those places for me. Over the last five years, I've visited the Big Island three times and every trip brings new adventures and familiar feelings of relaxation. After spending around a month visiting the island across three separate trips, I've gathered my favorite spots that I'd recommend visiting if you’re planning a trip to the Big Island. And trust me, some of these are even worth repeat visits!
10 Things You Must Do While Visiting the Big Island
#1: HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Hawaii Volcanoes ranks pretty high on my list of must-visit National Parks, so of course it’s a must-do for the Big Island. To my dismay, I've yet to see active lava flow in my visits to the island (More reasons to go back I guess). Even without active lava, there's so much to see in the park. If you have a limited time, I highly recommend the Kīlauea Iki & Crater Rim Trail Hike. The trail descends into the caldera of a volcano and across the crater floor, then up the other side. It's easy to tack on a hike to the Thurston Lava Tube, a tunnel carved by flowing lava for a 3.8 mile total hike. My whole family of varying activity levels accomplished this hike and raved about it. Other highlights in the park include Puʻupuaʻi Overlook via Devastation Trail,Halema’uma’u Steam Bluff and Sulfur Banks, and Kilauea Overlook. We also dined at the Volcano House restaurant, The Rim, which is convenient for visitors and decent enough to warrant a stop.
#2: MANTA RAY SNORKEL/DIVE
After a few rounds of visits and a bit of convincing, I finally worked up the courage to try snorkeling with the manta rays. This nighttime ocean adventure is not for the faint of heart as you're in the dark ocean water within feet of 30-foot-wide ocean creatures. That said, the experience of seeing such unique animals up close is unbelievable. The mantas can be spotted from above by snorkelers, and down below by divers. The snorkelers typically hold onto surfboards with lights on the bottom which illuminate the water to attract plankton for the mantas. Meanwhile, divers circle a "campfire" of massive lights shining upwards from the ocean floor. The mantas then swim into the light, somersaulting between the ocean floor and the water's surface to collect plankton. The show is spectacular and I could not recommend it enough. We most recently snorkeled with Kamanu and I highly recommend their team of friendly crew members for your excursion.
Video courtesy of my father.
#3: COFFEE TASTING
I’ll be honest; I don’t take my coffee black and I don’t usually drink it hot. That said, I enjoyed touring the Moutain Thunder coffee farm, located up the hill not far from the Kona Airport. Not only was the coffee roasting process intriguing, but the plantation itself offered a unique view at some lava tubes on the property. And who can say no to a free sampling of Kona Coffee? There are several roasteries with touring locations on the island, so plan to stop by one of them if you enjoy a good cuppa.
#4: SUNSET SAIL
Sunset sail or booze cruise? The choice is yours. I’ve taken two all-inclusive sunset sails on the Big Island; one off the shores in Waikola VIllage with Hawaii Ocean Sports and one out of the marina near the airport with Kamanu. I adored the crew on the cruise we took with Kamanu and had a blast laying on the net as the waves crashed below the catamaran. Kamanu’s sailing out of the airport marina offered much more interesting views and a better experience overall. The sail included all you cared to enjoy mai thais, wine, beer, and sodas, as well as some deli wraps and salty snacks. We just so happened to book on a night where we were the only group on the tour which made for an intimate experience together that I’ll never forget. If manta ray snorkeling isn’t your speed, I’d highly recommend a tour like this to get out on the water and appreciate the island from afar.
#5: DINNER AT LAVA LAVA BEACH CLUB
My affection for Lava Lava Beach Club runs so deep that I’m counting this restaurant as a must-do activity on the Big Island. With unparalleled sunset views, unbeatable mai thais, and perhaps the yummiest sizzling shrimp ever, Lava Lava Beach Club is my Roman Empire of meals. It’s walkable from many of the rental homes and hotels in the Waikoloa area and gets my full endorsement as one of the best meals on the island.
#6: STARGAZING EXPEDITION
For an adventurous stargazing experience, I recommend a sunset and stargazing tour to the Mauna Kea summit. We booked with Manua Kea Summit Adventures and enjoyed the eight-hour excursion which included all of the transportation, ample viewing of the summit sunset and stargazing, and dinner. The summit views are remarkable with unparalleled stargazing and photo opportunities. This is a can’t-miss for photographers and space enthusiasts. Be forewarned that the excursion does see frequent weather cancellations (we had to reschedule our planned excursion due to high winds and poor visibility). It’s also important to take note of the health disclaimers on the tour website as a result of high elevations.
#7: DEEP SEA FISHING
Here’s a picture of the best fish I’ve ever eaten… And yes, we caught it ourselves! My dad and brother have gone fishing with the crew at Hooked Up Sportfishing a few times and have never come back empty-handed. My partner and I joined them on their last trip and had the best time enjoying the sun and hooking up our own catch. The crew takes care of the messy stuff (Literally everything from baiting the hook to cleaning your catch). All you have to worry about is what you’re bringing to drink on the boat and how you’re planning to cook your catch! A half-day private charter costs $750 plus tip.
#8: KONA BREWING CO.
It’s always 5 o’clock at Kona Brewing Co. The brewery offers an hour-long tour and tasting for $25. We were lucky enough to enjoy a private tour during our visit and enjoyed a welcome can of Big Wave in addition to a full flight of some of their exclusive beers on tap. The vibes are chill and our bartender was down to let us sample to our heart’s content. The brewery also has a restaurant with classic bar food and pizzas to enjoy. It’s not the best food or view in the world, but it’s a great happy hour hot spot after a day in downtown Kona.
#9: ZIPLINING
For adventure seekers, you can’t miss the 9-Line Zipline Experience with Umauma. This network of ziplines sends you soaring over 14 different waterfalls at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. It was pouring rain the day we went, and even in the poor weather, we had a blast zipping across the sky. I even worked up the courage to hang upside down for some of the lines. It’s a bit pricy at around $230 a person, but it’s a unique experience that I’d do again.
#10: HORSEBACK RIDING
My sister is an avid horseback rider, so my family includes horseback riding experiences on many of our vacations. We rode in the Waipi’o Valley on our first trip to the Big Island which I enjoyed, but that experience is currently suspended, as is most tourist access to the valley itself. We’ve also rode with Paniolo Adventures on their 2.5-hour afternoon ride. While the views aren’t quite as impressive as the Waipi’o Valley rides, there were plenty of opportunities to canter and trot the horses. The two-hour ride runs about $135 per person and is worth a stop for a unique activity on the island.
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