• Introduction
• Oahu
• Kauai
• Maui
• Big Island
• Off the Path: Lanai and Molokai
• Hawaii's Restaurant Revolution
• A Glossary of Hawaiian Cheap Eats
• Itineraries
• When to Go
• Getting There & Around

Big Island

The Big Island’s dramatic variations in terrain, from snow-capped mountains to sere black lava fields, make a visit seem like several vacations in one.

Hawaii’s largest island has 11 of the world’s 13 climates. Its tallest volcanic peak, Mauna Kea, rises 13,796 feet, though if measured from the ocean floor, the summit surpasses Mount Everest. In the south, Kilauea, whose crater is bigger than Manhattan, still erupts, sending into the ocean lava flows that harden and expand the island’s immense size. People who fly into Kona airport expecting lush tropics are shocked to land on a black lava field dotted with graffiti written in bleached coral.

To get oriented, picture the island divided in two: Kona is the dry, sunny western side with most of the resorts while Hilo is the wet, tropical eastern side. An ideal visit would encompass both coasts.

Two of the island’s star attractions stand in between. Volcanoes National Park spans 520 square miles and contains the still-active Kilauea. Hawaii Forest & Trail (www.hawaii-forest.com) naturalists lead trips to see the park’s rain forest, lava tubes, and, if the timing is right, flowing lava. The outfitter also runs tours up Mauna Kea, the other must-see, for an unforgettable sunset hike followed by stargazing through giant Celestron telescopes.

The island’s finest resorts lie on the Kohala coast, north of the west side’s twin towns of Kailua-Kona. The 243-room Four Seasons Hualalai (www.fourseasons.com/hualalai) stands out for its service, a newly remodeled spa with an apothecary where guests can concoct their own scrubs, and stunning new suites. Twenty miles north, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (www.princeresortshawaii.com/mauna-kea-beach-hotel), built in 1965 by Laurance Rockefeller, recently underwent a major renovation, which enlarged the rooms and added a spa. On the golf course designed by his father, Rees Jones recently replanted the famous third hole – the one that Robert Trent Jones once promised Rockefeller would be the most beautiful in the world. Left undisturbed: the wide crescent of beach, the finest of any resort in Hawaii.

Above Kailua-Kona in artsy Holualoa, the 30-acre Holualoa Inn (www.holualoainn.com) offers stylish rooms with updated plantation style
decor. In Kailua, drop in to waterfront Huggo’s on the Rocks (808-329-1493), a 40-year-old restaurant and watering hole serving super-fresh fish; the manager swears he can tell the time of day by which fishermen are claiming the bar.

Twelve miles inland, in the town of Waimea, lies one of Hawaii’s first great restaurants, Merriman’s (808-885-6822). For a fantastically scenic ride, keep driving north from Waimea to the bohemian village of Hawi via mountainside Highway 250. Cruise past horse farms and ranches, then return to Kohala on coastal Highway 270. In front of the Sheraton Keauhou, Fair Wind (www.fair-wind.com) offers thrilling night snorkeling or scuba diving with giant manta rays. The mantas, their huge mouths agape, do loop-de-loops right under divers. Nearby in Kealakekua Bay snorkelers can explore a marine reserve filled with sea turtles, spinner dolphins, and eels. Go with an outfitter such as Fair Wind, or rent a kayak. Afterward stop in at The Coffee Shack (808-328-9795), a hole-in-the-wall local favorite serving Kona coffee and casual fare on a clifftop lanai with smashing views.

On the Hilo side of the island, plan for rainforest hikes in lieu of beach bumming. In the town of Hilo, the five-room Shipman House Bed & Breakfast (www.hilo-hawaii.com) is a genuine piece of Hawaiian history, dating from 1899. For breakfast, the owners serve fruit plucked from their 20 types of trees and homemade macadamia nut granola. In town, browse the folksy farmers’ market for lychee-like rambutans and locally made clothing and jewelry.

From Hilo, drive north along the Hamakua Coast. First, visit the fern-filled gorges and cascades of Akaka Falls State Park. End the journey by hiking through taro fields into the isolated, emerald-green Waipio Valley, bound by jutting cliffs and saturated with towering waterfalls.

See Hawaii Travel Guide