Hawaii BIG Island.tell me your experiences ?
Francine S asked:
Anyone who has been there, please share all the best things you did/ activities and adventures you went on. Also, the house we are staying at is on Lako Drive…….anyone familiar with that area?
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Anyone who has been there, please share all the best things you did/ activities and adventures you went on. Also, the house we are staying at is on Lako Drive…….anyone familiar with that area?
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
big island…is boring…lol
sorry…but yea, my friends just recently went there…like left last thursday got back sunday…
they said it was hard finding malls, and it wasnt anything but land and lava rock…lol
well…i guess the view is awesome n there is alot of volcano tour sites…but not alot of ppl…
well…it actually depends on what side of the bigisland…hilo or kona…kona is the boring side…hilo is less boring…
more ppl…but still…
November 24th, 2008 at 9:18 am
LOVE the first poster’s answer! “Malls were hard to find…” Um, yeah. It’s a VACATION! Seriously, why do teenagers even answer questions like this one?
OK, here you go. I used to live on the Big Island — Kona side. I will send you a separate email with my favorite sites and restaurants on the island.
I know where Lako Drive is. It’s a residential area not too far outside Kailua-Kona proper. It’s a fairly short drive to the shops and restaurants along Ali’i Drive and the seawall.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
i cannot believe that first answer!!! boring?? malls hard to find??? are you freaking kidding me!!!
seriously though, i went to the big island for 2 weeks and it very well could’ve been the best 2 weeks of my life…here what i did:
1. snorkeling everyday–may very well be the best snorkeling in the world–tons of sea turtles, colorful and exotic fish, nice coral..you can rent gear at Snorkel Bobs
2. go to all the different colored beaches: my favorite was Green Sand beach–the sand is literally green!! it requires either a 4 whell drive car or an easy 2 mile hike along tthe ocean cliffs to get to..but so worth it!!
theres also Black sand beach and white sand beach
3. hawaii volcanoe national park–uterly amazing!! you can look over the edge of the volcanic crater!! its still smouldering…Devastation Trail is a must see hike
4. hike to the flowing lava at night..dont do it in the daytime, i almost killed myself trying it and you cant see it in the daylight…the lava rock under you is so hot and the air above you is so hot that you feel like you’re in an oven–i thought i was gonna pass out hiking out..much easier at night just have 2 good flashlights and lots of common sense
5. i took a deep sea fishing charter out of Kona…i caught a mahi-mahi that was almost 6 feet long!!!
6. explore the hilo farmers markets—very cool and you can mingle with the real hawaiin locals
7. drive to the top of mauna kea mountain (14,000 feet!!!)
8. explore the rain forest on hilo side–lots of nice waterfalls and forests
i’m done rambling now but thanks for reminding me of my 2 weeks there… this is the guide book that i used and strongly recommend
November 26th, 2008 at 2:32 am
The first time I went to the Big Island was in 1983. My dad built a house for a friend in a place called Kalapana. It’s still on the map, but none of the houses are – they were destroyed by lava a couple years later. I stayed a month so I got to know the island pretty well as a non-tourist.
The best thing I’ve done there has to be snorkeling at Honaunau. If Lako Drive is in Holualoa then you’re actually pretty close. It’s about 15 miles south of there right next to a national park. It’s not a real beach (no sand, life guards, etc.) so there isn’t a lot of parking. Some guy charged us $3 to park in his lot (worth it). The snorkeling here was the best ever. All the fish you usually get plus sea turtles and spinner dolphins.
I chartered a boat out of Kona for some of the best fishing in the world. A marlin hook-up is spectacular to see. I caught a 65 pound yellowfin. This is an expensive trip ~$500 and ask about fresh bait (not just lures) to increase your odds of getting something. Also a boat with A/C will make things more comfortable.
Addendum:
Yes, malls are hard to find. If you need to shop count on finding small boutique type stores and only a few here and there. Since you are staying near Kona, do most of your shopping at Costco. They have everything you need including macadamia nuts, gasoline and Kona coffee for cheap. The Hilo side of the island is a lot more lush and wet. The Kona side is much drier and has been developed for resorts.
November 26th, 2008 at 5:42 am
i went there it was awesome for volcano’s and towns buried in lava also the black sand beach was cool but stay out of the sulfur pits the place reeks
November 28th, 2008 at 2:44 am
I went to college there and lived for a year. I recently went back for my honeymoon.
My biggest suggestion is to rent a car. Regardless of where you are, drive to the other side of the island.
Hilo: Farmer’s Market, Waterfront Area, Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls
Closer to Kona: Flumin the Ditch
Volcano National Park – Observatory (make reservations), Hiking
Kona area: Snorkeling!!! , Heiau
Waikoloa Shopping
I love the big island – much mellower than Oahu