Planning a trip to Hawaii (The Big Island)

Getting Around

Note: The Hawaiian directions of makai (toward the ocean) and mauka (toward the mountains) come in handy when looking for unfamiliar sites, especially since numbered address signs may be invisible or nonexistent.

By Taxi and Rideshare

Ride-sharing Uber and Lyft came to the island in 2017, although at press time coverage was sparse outside of Kailua-Kona and Hilo, and drivers were not allowed to make airport pickups yet. Taxis are readily available at both Kona and Hilo airports, although renting a car (see below) is a more likely option. Rates set by the county start at $3, plus $3.20 each additional mile—about $25 to $30 from the Kona airport to Kailua-Kona and $50 to $60 to the Waikoloa Beach Resort. On the Kona side, call Kona Taxicab (www.konataxicab.com; 808/324-4444), which can also be booked in advance for airport pickups; drivers will check on your flight’s arrival. On the Hilo side, call Kwiki Taxi (www.kwikitaxi.wordpress.com; 808/498-0308).

By Car

You’ll want a rental car on the Big Island; not having one will really limit you. All major car-rental agencies have airport pickups in Kona and Hilo; some even offer cars at Kohala and Kona resorts.

The Big Island has more than 480 miles of paved road. The highway that circles the island is called the Hawaii Belt Road. From North Kona to South Kohala and Waimea, you have two driving choices: the scenic “upper” road, Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 190), or the speedier “lower” road, Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Hwy. 19). South of Kailua-Kona, the Hawaii Belt Road continues on Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 11) all the way to downtown Hilo, where it becomes Highway 19 again and follows the Hamakua Coast before heading up to Waimea.

North Kohala also has upper and lower highways. In Kawaihae, you can follow Kawaihae Road (Hwy. 19) uphill to the left turn onto the often-misty Kohala Mountain Road (Hwy. 250), which eventually drops down into Hawi. The Akoni Pule Highway (Hwy. 270) hugs the coast from Kawaihae to pavement’s end at the Pololu Valley Lookout.

Note: Saddle Road (Hwy. 200) snakes between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa en route from Hilo to Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 190). Despite improvements to its once-rough pavement and narrow shoulders, it’s still frequented by large military vehicles and plagued by bad weather; as a result, most rental-car agencies forbid you from driving on it. I’ve found the 29 miles from Hilo to the Mauna Kea Access Road to be very easy to navigate in good conditions, but be careful not to speed, especially close to Hilo.

By Bus & Shuttle

SpeediShuttle (www.speedishuttle.com; 808/329-5433) and Roberts Hawaii (www.robertshawaii.com; 866/570-2536 or 808/954-8640) offer door-to-door airport transfers to hotels and other lodgings. Sample round-trip, shared-ride rates from the Kona airport are $26 per person to Kailua-Kona, and $60 per person to the Mauna Lani Resort; Roberts agents meet you outside security and provide porter service in baggage claim, but be aware there may be up to five stops before your destination.

The islandwide bus system, the Hele-On Bus (www.heleonbus.org; 808/961-8744), offers a great flat rate for riders: $2 general; $1 for students, seniors, and people with disabilities; and free for children under 5. Yet most routes have limited value for visitors, other than the Intra-Kona line between Kailua-Kona’s big-box stores (Wal-Mart, Costco) and the Keauhou Shopping Center, which also stops at the Old Kona Airport Beach. Fares are cash only.

Travelers staying in Kailua-Kona and the Keauhou Resort can hop on the open-air, 44-seat Keauhou Resort Trolley operated by Roberts Hawaii (808/329-1688), running from 9am to 9:15pm daily along Alii Drive. It makes six stops a day at 29 locations from the Sheraton Kona Resort and Keauhou Shopping Center to Kahaluu Beach, Kailua Pier, and the shops of downtown Kailua-Kona. The fare is $2, free for those with vouchers from their hotel (such as the Sheraton) or stores in the Kona Commons Shopping Center, which give them to customers who spend $25 or more.

The Waikoloa Beach Resort shopping trolley runs from 10am to 10pm daily from Hilton Waikoloa Village and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott to the Kings’ Shops and Queens’ MarketPlace; it costs $2 adults, $1 ages 5 to 12 (younger free). Guests at Kings’ Land by Hilton Grand Vacations can catch a free van shuttle to Hilton Waikoloa Village and pick up the trolley from there. Hilton Waikoloa Village also runs beach and golf shuttles for guests.

By Bike

Due to elevation changes, narrow shoulders (with the notable exception of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway between Kailua-Kona and Kawaihae), and high traffic speeds, point-to-point bike travel without a tour guide isn’t recommended. However, several areas are ideal for recreational cycling and sightseeing. See Biking under Active Pursuits for rental shops and routes.

By Motorcycle & Scooter

The sunny Kohala and Kona coasts are ideal for tooling around on a motorcycle, while those sticking to one resort or Kailua-Kona can easily get around by scooter. In Kailua-Kona, Hawaiian Adventure Rentals, 75-5669 Alii Dr. (www.hiadv.com; 808/445-6722), rents new and vintage Yamahas from $70 to $170 a day, including helmets and jackets, with discounts for longer bookings. Choose from a variety of heavier hogs at Big Island Harley-Davidson, 75-5633 Palani Rd. (www.bigislandharley.com; 888/904-3155 or 808/217-8560), with rates starting at $99 daily ($639 weekly), including gear and unlimited mileage, for qualified drivers. Big Island Mopeds (www.konamopedrentals.com; 808/443-6625) will deliver mopeds to your door for $40 day ($200 weekly; note prices rise to $100 daily/$500 weekly during Ironman week in mid-Oct).

The Island in Brief

The Kona Coast

Kona means “leeward side” in Hawaiian—and that means hot, dry weather virtually every day of the year on the 70-mile stretch of black lava shoreline encompassing the North and South Kona districts.

North Kona

With the exception of the sumptuous but serenely low-key Four Seasons Resort Hualalai north of the airport, most of what everyone just calls “Kona” is an affordable vacation spot. An ample selection of midpriced condo units, timeshares, and several recently upgraded hotels lies between the bustling commercial district of Kailua-Kona, a one-time fishing village and royal compound now renowned as the start and finish of the Ironman World Championship, and Keauhou, an equally historic area about 6 miles south that boasts upscale condominiums, a shopping center, and golf-course homes.

The rightly named Alii (“Royalty”) Drive begins in Kailua-Kona near King Kamehameha’s royal compound at Kamakahonu Bay, which includes the off-limits temple complex of Ahuena Heiau, and continues past Hulihee Palace, an elegant retreat for later royals that sits across from the oldest church in the islands. Heading south, the road passes by the snorkelers’ haven of Kahaluu Beach, as well as sacred and royal sites on the former Keauhou Beach Resort, before the intersection with King Kamehameha III Road, which leads to that monarch’s birthplace by Keauhou Bay. Several kayak excursions and snorkel boats leave from Keauhou, but Kailua Pier sees the most traffic—from cruise-ship tenders to fishing and dive boats, dinner cruises, and other sightseeing excursions.

Beaches between Kailua-Kona and Keauhou tend to be pocket coves, but heading north toward South Kohala (which begins near the entrance to the Waikoloa Beach Resort), beautiful, uncrowded sands lie out of sight from the highway, often reached by unpaved roads across vast lava fields. Among the steep coffee fields in North Kona’s cooler upcountry, you’ll find the rustic, artsy village of Holualoa.

South Kona

The rural, serrated coastline here is indented with numerous bays, from Kealakekua, a marine life and cultural preserve that’s the island’s best diving spot, down to Honaunau, where a national historical park recalls the days of old Hawaii. This is a great place to stay, in modest plantation-era inns or bed-and-breakfasts, if you want to get away from crowds but still be within driving distance of beaches and Kailua-Kona—you may hear the all-night cheeping of coqui frogs, though. The higher, cooler elevation of the main road means you’ll pass many coffee, macadamia nut, and tropical fruit farms, some with tours or roadside stands.

The Kohala Coast

Also on the island’s “Kona side,” sunny and dry Kohala is divided into two distinctively different districts, although the resorts are more glamorous and the rural area that much less developed.

South Kohala

Pleasure domes rise like palaces no Hawaiian king ever imagined along the sandy beaches carved into the craggy shores here, from the more moderately priced Waikoloa Beach Resort at Anaehoomalu Bay to the posher Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea resorts to the north. Mauna Kea is where Laurance Rockefeller opened the area’s first resort in 1965, a virtual mirage of opulence and tropical greenery rising from bleak, black lava fields, framed by the white sands of Kaunaoa Beach and views of the eponymous mountain. But you don’t have to be a billionaire to enjoy South Kohala’s fabulous beaches and historic sites (such as petroglyph fields); all are open to the public, with parking and other facilities (including restaurants and shopping) provided by the resorts.

Several of the region’s attractions are also located off the resorts, including the white sands of Ohaiula Beach at Spencer Park; the massive Puukohola Heiau, a lava rock temple commissioned by King Kamehameha the Great; and the excellent restaurants and handful of stores in Kawaihae, the commercial harbor just after the turnoff for upcountry Waimea. Note: The golf course community of Waikoloa Village is not in the Waikoloa Beach Resort, but instead lies 5 1/2 miles uphill from the coastal highway.

Waimea (Kamuela) & Mauna Kea

Officially part of South Kohala, the old upcountry cow town of Waimea on the northern road between the coasts is a world unto itself, with rolling green pastures, wide-open spaces dotted by puu (cindercone hills, pronounced “pooh-ooh”) and real cowpokes who work mammoth Parker Ranch, the state’s largest working ranch. The postal service gave it the name Kamuela, after ranch founder Samuel (Kamuela) Parker, to distinguish it from another cowboy town, Waimea, Kauai. It’s split between a “dry side” (closer to the Kohala Coast) and a “wet side” (closer to the Hamakua Coast), but both sides can be cooler than sea level. It’s also headquarters for the Keck Observatory, whose twin telescopes atop the nearly 14,000-foot Mauna Kea, some 35 miles away, are the largest and most powerful in the world. Waimea is home to shopping centers and affordable B&Bs, while the expanded Merriman’s remains a popular foodie outpost at Opelo Plaza.

North Kohala

Locals may remember when sugar was king here, but for visitors, little-developed North Kohala is most famous for another king, Kamehameha the Great. His birthplace is a short walk from one of the Hawaiian Islands’ largest and most important temples, Mookini Heiau, which dates to A.D. 480; you’ll want a four-wheel-drive (4WD) for the rugged road there. Much easier to find: the yellow-cloaked bronze statue of the warrior-king in front of the community center in Kapaau, a small plantation-era town. The road ends at the breathtaking Pololu Valley Overlook.

Once the center of the Big Island’s sugarcane industry, Hawi remains a regional hub, with a 3-block-long strip of sun-faded, false-fronted buildings holding a few shops and restaurants of interest to visitors. Eight miles south, Lapakahi State Historical Park merits a stop to explore how less-exalted Hawaiians than Kamehameha lived in a simple village by the sea. Beaches are less appealing here, with the northernmost coves subject to strong winds blowing across the Alenuihaha Channel from Maui, 26 miles away and visible on clear days.

The Hamakua Coast

This emerald coast, a 52-mile stretch from Honokaa to Hilo on the island’s windward northeast side, was once planted with sugarcane; it now blooms with macadamia nuts, papayas, vanilla orchids, and mushrooms. Resort-free and virtually without beaches, the Hamakua Coast includes the districts of Hamakua and North Hilo, with two unmissable destinations. Picture-perfect Waipio Valley has impossibly steep sides, taro patches, a green riot of wild plants, and a winding stream leading to a broad, black-sand beach, while Akaka Falls State Park offers views of two lovely waterfalls amid lush foliage. Also worth checking out: Laupahoehoe Point, with its mournful memorial to young victims of a 1946 tsunami; and the quirky assortment of shops in the plantation town of Honokaa.

Hilo

The largest metropolis in Hawaii after Honolulu is a quaint, misty, flower-filled city of Victorian houses overlooking a half-moon bay, with a restored historic downtown and a clear view of Mauna Kea, often snowcapped in winter. However, it rains a lot in Hilo—about 128 inches a year—which tends to dampen visitors’ enthusiasm for longer stays. It’s ideal for growing ferns, orchids, and anthuriums, but not for catching constant rays.

Yet there’s a lot to see and do in Hilo and the surrounding South Hilo district, both indoors and out—including visiting the bayfront Japanese-style Liliuokalani Gardens, the Pacific Tsunami Museum, the Mokupapapa Discovery Center, and Rainbow Falls (Waianueanue)—so grab your umbrella. The rain is warm (the temperature seldom dips below 70F/21C), and there’s usually a rainbow afterward.

The town also holds the island’s best bargains for budget travelers, with plenty of hotel rooms—most of the year, that is. Hilo’s magic moment comes in spring, the week after Easter, when hula hālau (schools) arrive for the annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival hula competition (www.merriemonarch.com). Plan ahead if you want to go: Tickets are sold out by the first week in January, and hotels within 30 miles are usually booked solid. Hilo is also the gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where hula troupes perform chants and dances before the Merrie Monarch festival; the park is 30 miles away, or about an hour’s drive up-slope.

Puna District

Pahoa, Kapoho & Kalapana

Between Hilo and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lies the “Wild Wild East,” an emerging visitor destination with geothermal wonders such as the ghostly hollowed trunks of Lava Tree State Monument, the volcanically heated waters of Ahalanui Park and the Kapoho warm ponds, and the acres of lava from a 1986 flow that rolled through the Hawaiian hamlet of Kalapana and covered a popular black-sand beach. The ocean has since carved out a new, more rugged cove, while Kalapana’s Wednesday-night farmer's market and live music on Friday nights attract a large local crowd all may join. In 2014, a new lava flow from Kilauea’s East Rift Zone began oozing toward the part-Hawaiian, part-hippie plantation town of Pahoa, the region’s funky gateway. The flow consumed miles of forest before stopping in early 2015 within 550 yards of Hwy. 130, the only road in and out of lower Puna; you can stop at the town’s transfer station to gawk at the massive black wall of hardened lava just a few feet away.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
 
This is America’s most exciting national park, where a live volcano called Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983. In 2016, lava began spewing into the sea across a gravel access road, drawing thousands of visitors a day through 2017. At press time, it no longer reached the ocean, although surface breakouts could be seen by hardy hikers and helicopter tours. While you may not be able to witness molten lava—or have to walk across miles of rough rock to do so—there’s always something else impressive to see. A plume of ash, which at night reflects the glow of the lava lake below it, has been rising from Kilauea’s Halemaumau Crater since 2008, while steam vents have been belching sulfurous odors since long before Mark Twain visited in 1866. Ideally, plan to spend 3 days at the park exploring its many trails, watching the volcano, visiting the rainforest, and just enjoying this spectacular place. But even if you have only a day, it’s worth the trip. Bring your sweats or jacket (honest!); it’s cool up there.

Volcano Village

If you’re not camping or staying at the historic, 33-room Volcano House inside the park, you’ll want to overnight in this quiet hamlet, just outside the national park entrance. Several cozy inns and B&Bs, some with fireplaces, reside under tree ferns in this cool mountain hideaway. The tiny highland community (elevation 4,000 ft.), first settled by Japanese immigrants, is now inhabited by artists, soul-searchers, and others who like the crisp high-country air.

Kau District

Pronounced "kah-oo," this windswept, often barren district between Puna and South Kona is one visitors are most likely to just drive through on their way to and from the national park. Nevertheless, it contains several noteworthy sites.

Ka Lae (South Point)

This is the Plymouth Rock of Hawaii. The first Polynesians are thought to have arrived in seagoing canoes, probably from the Marquesas Islands, around A.D. 500 at this rocky promontory 500 feet above the sea. To the west is the old fishing village of Waiahukini, populated from A.D. 750 until the 1860s; ancient canoe moorings, shelter caves, and heiau (temples) poke through windblown pili grass today. The east coast curves inland to reveal Papakolea (Green Sand) Beach, a world-famous anomaly that’s best accessed on foot. Along the point, the southernmost spot in the 50 states, trees grow sideways due to the relentless gusts that also power wind turbines. It’s a slow, nearly 12-mile drive from the highway to the tip of Ka Lae, so many visitors simply stop at the marked overlook on Highway 11, west of South Point Road.

Naalehu, Waiohinu & Pahala

Nearly every business in Naalehu and Waiohinu, the two wide spots on the main road near South Point, claims to be the southernmost this or that. But except for delicious malasadas (doughnut holes) or another pick-me-up from the Punaluu Bake Shop or Hana Hou Restaurant, there’s no reason to linger before heading to Punaluu Beach, between Naalehu and Pahala. Protected green sea turtles bask on the fine black-sand beach when they’re not bobbing in the clear waters, chilly from fresh springs bubbling from the ocean floor. Pahala is the center of the burgeoning Kau coffee-growing scene (“industry” might be overstated), so caffeine fans should also allot at least 45 minutes for a visit to the Kau Coffee Mill.

Getting There

The Big Island has two major airports for interisland and trans-Pacific jet traffic: Kona and Hilo.

Most people arrive at Kona International Airport (KOA; http://hawaii.gov/koa) in Keahole, the island’s westernmost point, and can be forgiven for wondering if there’s really a runway among all the crinkly black lava and golden fountain grass. Leaving the airport, the ritzy Kohala Coast is to the left (north) and the town of Kailua-Kona—often just called “Kona,” as is the airport—is to the right (south).

U.S. carriers offering nonstop service to Kona, in alphabetical order, are Alaska Airlines (www.alaskaair.com; 800/252-7522), with flights from the Pacific Northwest hubs of Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage (plus Nov–Apr from Bellingham, Washington) and from San Diego, San Jose, and Oakland, California; American Airlines (www.aa.com; 800/433-7300), departing from Los Angeles and Phoenix (also June—late Aug from Dallas); Delta Air Lines (www.delta.com; 800/221-1212), flying from Los Angeles and Seattle; Hawaiian Airlines (www.hawaiianairlines.com; 800/367-5320), offering summer service from Oakland and Los Angeles; United Airlines (www.united.com; 800/241-6522), with year-round flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver.

Air Canada (www.aircanada.com; 888/247-2267) and WestJet (www.westjet.com; 888/937-8358) also offer nonstop service to Kona, with frequency changing seasonally, from Vancouver.

United offers weekly nonstop service from the mainland to Hilo International Airport (ITO; http://hawaii.gov/ito), via Los Angeles.

For connecting flights or island-hopping, Hawaiian (see above) is the only carrier offering interisland jet service, available from Honolulu and Kahului, Maui, to both Kona and Hilo airports; it also flies daily nonstop between Kauai and Kona. Hawaiian’s Ohana by Hawaiian subsidiary also flies from Kona and Hilo to Kahului on 48-passenger, twin-engine turboprops. Island Air (www.islandair.com; 808/652-6541) uses 64-passenger, twin-engine turboprops for 10 daily flights between Honolulu and Kona. Mokulele Airlines (www.mokuleleairlines.com; 866/260-4040) flies nine-passenger, single-engine turboprops to Kona from Molokai (Hoolehua) and Maui’s Kahului and Kapalua airports, and to Waimea from Kahului. Note: Mokulele weighs passengers and their carry-ons to determine seats; those totaling 350 lbs. or more are not allowed to board.

Fast Facts

ATMs/Banks ATMs are located everywhere on the Big Island, at banks, supermarkets, Long’s Drugs, and at some shopping malls. The major banks on the Big Island are First Hawaiian, Bank of Hawaii, American Savings, and Central Pacific, all with branches in both Kona and Hilo.

Business Hours Most businesses on the island are open from 8 or 9am to 5 or 6pm.

Dentists In Kohala, contact Dr. Craig C. Kimura at Kamuela Office Center, 65-1230 Mamalahoa Hwy., Waimea (808/885-5947). In Kailua-Kona, call Dr. Christopher Bays at Kona Coast Dental Care, 75-5591 Palani Rd., above the KBXtreme Bowling Center (www.konacoastdental.com; 808/329-8067). In Hilo, Island Ohana Dental, 519 E. Lanikaula St. (www.islandohanadental.com; 808/935-4800), is open Mon–Sat, with three siblings—Drs. Germaine, Garrett, and Jill Uehara—on staff.

Doctors For drop-in visits, head to Urgent Care of Kona, 77-311 Sunset Dr., Kailua-Kona (www.urgentcareofkona.com; 808/327-4357). It’s open 8am–5pm weekdays and 9am–5pm on Sat. Kaiser Permanente has an affiliated Urgent Care Center at 45 Mohouli St., Hilo (808/969-3051), open 8:30am–8:30pm weekdays and 8:30am–4:30pm weekends.

Emergencies For ambulance, fire, or rescue services, dial 911.

Hospitals Hospitals offering 24-hour, urgent-care facilities include the Kona Community Hospital, 79-1019 Haukapila St., off Highway 11, Kealakekua (www.kch.hhsc.org; 808/322-9311); Hilo Medical Center, 1190 Waianuenue Ave., Hilo (www.hilomedicalcenter.org; 808/932-3000); North Hawaii Community Hospital, 67-1125 Mamalahoa Hwy., Waimea (www.nhch.com; 808/885-4444); and the tiny Kau Hospital, 1 Kamani St., Pahala (www.kauhospital.org; 808/932-4200).

Internet Access Pretty much every lodging on the island has Wi-Fi; resorts typically include it in their exorbitant resort fees, but some hotels offer it for a daily charge. All Starbucks and McDonald’s locations, plus numerous local coffee shops also offer free Wi-Fi.

Pharmacies The only 24-hour pharmacy is in Hilo at Longs Drugs, 555 Kilauea Ave., one of 12 around the island (www.cvs.com; 808/935-9075). The rest open as early as 7am and close as late as 9pm Monday through Saturday; some are closed Sunday. Kona and Hilo’s national chain stores such as Kmart, Safeway, Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco (Kailua-Kona only) also have pharmacies with varying hours.

Police Dial 911 in case of emergency; otherwise, call the Hawaii Police Department at 808/935-3311 islandwide.

Post Office The U.S. Postal Service (www.usps.com; 800/275-8777) has 28 branches around the island, including in Kailua-Kona at 74-5577 Palani Rd., in Waimea (Kamuela) at 67-1197 Mamalahoa Hwy., and in Hilo at 1299 Kekuanaoa St. All are open weekdays; some are also open Saturday morning.

Volcanic Activity Before you visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, learn if lava is flowing and check for road closures and other conditions at www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/ index.htm. For daily air-quality reports, based on sulfur dioxide and particulates measured at eight sites around the island, visit http://hiso2index.info.
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