It’s the sheer size of Hawaii Island, a.k.a. the ‘Big Island,’ that differentiates it from the state’s neighbor isles. That size begets a diversity of things to do.
Here’s what tops Cheapflights’ list:
- Explore Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park. Sited some 30 miles south of Hilo on the island’s southeastern flank, this is the home to legendary Kilauea, one of the planet’s most active volcanoes. Watch the perpetual process of creation and destruction play itself out. Kilauea is a prolific producer of lava – as many as 650,000 cubic yards of the stuff per day. Stifle the urge to pick up a piece of lava for the trip home. Hawaiian folklore is rife with tales of the bad luck that’s befallen people who do.
- Meet manta ray up close and personal. They’re really friendly, and bereft of the dangerous stingers wielded by stingrays. The best way to get to know these rays is to take a nighttime (really) boat tour. They embark from Honokohau Harbor, just north of Kailua-Kona. Big searchlights on the boats illuminate mantas as they pursue plankton. The scene is magical.
- Over on the Big Island’s western side lies historic Kailua Village. It’s a place carved in time, yet just a 15-minute drive from Kona International Airport. Once a sleepy fishing village and retreat for Hawaiian royalty, it’s now a popular shopping and eating destination.
- A final suggestion: If you rent a car (really the best way to see the island), watch it out there on the roads. Many of them are two-lane, twisty affairs. The locals like to drive fast, blasting by Mainlanders when the opportunity opens up. Keep your cool and keep a watch out.
(Image: belindah)
