Big Island

[Jazz]

DH and I are headed to the Big Island in a few weeks (can't wait, but boy, do I have a lot of work before then ... deep breaths, deep breaths).

The majority of our time will be on a live-aboard dive boat, but we have a few other spare days to see the sights. I do have the "blue book", but would love to hear must-do's for the short time we're on land. So, personal suggestions?

At the beginning, we have a bit more than 24 hours, with the night in Kailua-Kona (and a rental car, probably not 4 wheel drive). Then, at the end, we have two nights staying in/near Volcano Village (also with a rental car, probably 4 wheel drive). It would not be a bad thing if most of the day before staying in Volcano Village were closer to sea level, but we'll have our dive stuff in the car, so that will probably limit us a bit.

The only thing I really have planned is to probably do the big volcano hiking on that day between the two nights in V.Village so we can be out at the Volcano in the evening. Also, DH loooves Roy's, so I promised him we'd eat there either the first night or the last night. The Fodors posters love Kilauea Lodge Restaurant (over near V.Village) -- anyone else eaten there?

Anyhow, any tips are welcome. Thanks!

[jeneca128]

My DH and I Honeymooned on the BI in March/April this year. Wonderful place.

Volcanoes National Park, was probably the highlight of the trip and my absolute MUST do. If you have the chance, I would HIGHLY recommend booking a helicopter tour of the volcano. The hiking is good, but you never get a really good view of active lava (unless you happen to be very lucky....the week we were there we had a 3 hour hike over the flows and still no surface flows in sight. (there was an entry point into the water, but nothing on the surface you could get close to...still worth the hike though.)


some pics of the vent from the helicopter

http://www.screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/helivent3.jpg
http://www.screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/helivent5.jpg

So..I completely recommend that.

Also check out Queens bath.

and Hapuna or Mauna Kea beach.

[jeneca128]

Oh nearly forgot!

Akaka falls is beautiful as well (as long as it's not pouring rain!)

Also there is a waterfall you can see from along the highway between mile marker 18 & 19.....closer to mile marker 18 though. This one isn't in the guide book, we just saw it on our way to Akaka....very pretty and worth a stop.)

[SiValleySteph]

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Kilauea Lodge the year before last. It was quite good and we really enjoyed it. :D

Strangely, volcanoes national park was not a highlight of our trip. It just happened that we were there at a time when no lava was flowing. :p

We really enjoyed the Place of Refuge (I would butcher the Hawaiian name if I tried to type it) national park. It was so beautiful - we went there 2 days.

We also went to this (clothing-optional) hidden black sand beach that you have to hike down to that was another highlight. That was in the SE corner of the island - I am forgetting the name of that area now. It's in the Blue Book.

[houseblend]

How exciting! DH and I just got back from there actually. We spent most of our time on the volcano side.

You mentioned you are going to the volcano in the evening. Since you are into diving, I am assuming you are adventurous, so this will be an awesome experience. We hiked to the volcano and it was one of the most amazing, mind-blowing sites I have ever seen. At the same time, it was probably the most frightened I have ever been, so I just want to warn you of what to expect. Many of us out there did not feel the park rangers did justice to warning what it is like to be out there at night.

Start hiking out there by 4:30 pm, making sure you plan driving time in advance. It is a 3-4 mile hike out there (if it is the same hike as a month ago - it's always changing), so this will allow you to get there right around dusk.

Things you will need:
Strong-powered flashlights for each of you
Lots and lots of water (it is *hot*, so it is easy to dehydrate out there)
Extra batteries for all equipment - something about the volcanoes makes batteries drain quickly (we actually put new ones in our camera that morning and they died while out there)
A GPS if you have one
Snacks (it'll take 5-6 hours roundtrip, so you may get hungry)


The trail is only marked for a mile or so. There was no moon when we went, so coming back it was pitch dark. It is so easy to get lost there. You can't follow a straight trail because the lava mounds vary in height and it is difficult to climb the high ones since lava is sharp. It's hot, but it's a good idea to wear jeans because if you fall, you can scrape yourself pretty badily. The GPS comes in handy to follow your trail back. Otherwise, it is a bit hard to tell if you are heading back the right direction since you are completely surrounded by hardened lava.

It is definitely an amazing experience, but I really wish I had been more prepared on what to expect of the return journey. Have fun!!!

[Freckles]

We went on a lovely hike on the Hilo side of the island. Very lush. I wish I could remember the exact name of the location, but either way this is one of my favorite pics from the hike:

http://images.snapfish.com/34438%3A4%3B23232%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E2323%3D68%3C%3D528 %3D323268%3C4374%3A4nu0mrj

We also went on the helicopter tour over the volcano, which was exciting. I would fit that in if possible.

Enjoyed a natural sauna on the island-----the heat from the volcano heats these little "jacuzzi" like bodies of water, and then you can jump right into the cooler open ocean, which it borders----very cool.

I really enjoyed the Big Island.

Have a great trip!

[Jazz]

Wow, you guys are speedy! I will hope for cooperative lava. :)

jeneca128 -- great photos! do you remember what helicopter company you used? Thanks for the waterfall tips -- I love waterfalls.

SiValleySteph -- thanks! I will definitely put place of refuge on the list ...

houseblend -- cool, thanks for the advice -- I, too, like forewarning. Hmmm, we don't have a GPS unit yet, but we've wished we had one a couple times. Good to know it would be useful there.

Freckles -- ooh, great pic! Finding the natural jacuzzies would be lovely. Do you remember the helicopter company you used?

Thanks!!

[jeneca128]

I used the Black Beauty Helicopters. Of course Blue Hawaiian is also wonderful :)

Freckles- Is that Rainbow falls? I wanted to see that, but we were on the Kohala coast and didn't really get to spend a lot of time on the hilo side. Saw it from the helicopter though.

[justHB]

We took a helicopter ride over the volcano because it was not gushing while we were there. It was a really neat experience.

[Jazz]

Thanks for the additional suggestions, jeneca128 and justHB. :D

[xine]

OMG - I *love* the Big Island! DH and I were there on a work-exchange last year and will be coming back later this year. I cannot wait.

SiValleySteph - Are you thinking of Kehena Beach? It's on the Hilo side, Puna area, right outside of Pahoa town. I highly recommend it - but watch out if you go barefoot on the black sand - it can get pretty hot! And I wore a bathing suit when I was there (DH wasn't so modest), and no one acted as if I were weird or anything.

If you go to Kehena during the right time of the year, they have migrating spinner dolphins swimming by, and you can swim out and watch them. Just be careful, though, because the waves on the Hilo side can be on the treacherous side.

There's also a green sand beach on the southern part of the island (might as well hit up all the colors you can) - I think it's called Kau or something.

I also cast my vote for Place of Refuge on the Kona side. Bring your swimsuit and swim with the turtles on the beach right next to it.

I also really enjoyed the observatory on Mauna Kea. DH is into astronomy, so if you're not as much into it, you might not like it. Be sure to bring warm clothes if you do it - it gets mighty cold up at that altitude.

And this is going to sound kind of stupid, but if you visit the volcano (which is also an absolute must), think twice before you bring any lava rock home as a souvenir. Being a diver, I highly doubt you'd do anything like that. But the Hawaiians are really superstitious about it, and the park office is always getting lava rocks sent back in the mail because some people have associated taking them with some sort of bad luck happening to them once they get home.

Have fun!

[Annette]

I highly recommend doing the Mauna Kea Summit Adventure. Basically, you go atop Mauna Kea at 14k feet elevation for the sunset then down to 9k feet still above the clouds for stargazing. Since its pitch black up there, you can see so many stars and the milky way. It was amazing! At 14k feet elevation, it is cold, but the excursion company brings along parkas to wear.

http://images.snapfish.com/3444858%3B23232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E2324%3D845%3D%3C38%3 DXROQDF%3E232347458375%3Aot1lsi

[justcbk]

Annette, did you use some sort of tour company for the summit adventure you mentioned? if so, i'd love to know what company you went through and if you'd recommend them.

thanks!

[HeatherFL]

I went to the Big Island in January 2004 with my ex-husband (Who is still a good friend.) Had a great time. Here's a link to my pics. They describe what we did. I figured you could take a look and see what you might like to do. :) (We stayed at the Four Seasons in Kona.)

http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANnDlmzZs2rHDg

I will be taking my seventh trip to the islands in January. I highly recommend the volcanos, helicopter tours and some snorkel/scuba if you can get it in!

~H.

[Annette]

Here's the website of the company we used http://www.maunakea.com/. I definitely recommend them. Plus since they provide the winter coats, you don't need to bring heavy clothes with you.

[Jazz]

Thanks for all the additional comments. I'm getting so excited!

Xine - Too funny about the lava rocks, I just read that in the "blue book". We'll be good. :) Thanks for all the tips, I would love to see spinner dolphins, and am thinking we'll have to try to work in Mauna Kea. What do you and your DH do on your work exchange?

Annette - Great photo! Thanks for the recommendation ... I'm trying to figure out when we can fit this in, it looks like something I'd really enjoy!

HeatherFL - Wow, thank you so much for sharing your photos. It looks like you had a great time (I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who takes little creature and bird photos :)). Great photos ... thanks!!

We're leaving Friday. I can't wait! Thanks again for all your help.

[laura]

I am taking my mom on a mother/daughter trip for her bday in October, and I am about 90% settled on the Big Island. I am leaning toward either the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel or the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa. I would love any input on either of these hotels and/or great restaurant recommendations. We will definitely go to Roy's, but that's about all I know of at the moment.

TIA! :)

[meatpie]

We were on the Big Island in April and had a great time. We stayed at the Hilton because we have a friend who got us her employee rate and really liked it. It's large, but we were there at a time when the hotel was not completely occupied so we had a great time. Our room was really nice, and overlooked the golf course. Drove by Hapuna, which is a bit farther North than the Hilton, and not directly on the ocean, but looked beautiful. I have no idea about the Sheraton...sorry.

From what I hear, the Hilton's spa is wonderful - and VERY popular. I had my eyebrows done, and wanted to get a facial, but we ran out of time. Maybe a spa day for you? The Hilton spa looked great, but I'm not easily impressed by spas.

We ate at Roy's (great, great time - ask the waiter for advice on what to order. The tuna appetizer was out of this world...), and did the Saturday night BBQ under the stars at the Four Seasons (bday present for my hus) - it was pricey but so much fun. You eat right on the beach, the food wonderful, and we got to check out the Four Seasons, which was fun for us.

If you get out and drive around the island, we went to a local place (can't remember the name - I can look it up if you want me to) and we had the best Ahi sandwich. It was all locals there and cheap as all heck.

We did the volcano national park, hiked the lava flow at dusk, all in one day but worth it. It was such a great experience. A ton of people told us to go on a helicopter ride if the volcano was active, but we weren't there for a vacation really - so that expense was really excessive for us.

Hope that helps!!

[Marie]

We stayed at the Hilton as well. The spa is awesome. The jaccuzzi is this huge thing formed of "volacano rock" and is outside but all sheltered. Relaxing. We also did an ocean side massage which was simply amazing.

We loved the big island. You have to see volacano national park. We also drove the "saddle road" through the middle of the island. I'd highly suggest doing that. The scenery was literally out of this world. You felt like you had landed on another planet.

We did whale watching - depending on what time of year you are there this is really fun.

[laura]

Thanks for your posts. The Hilton is going to be under construction while we are there, which is why I am not including it in my search. Unfortunately the construction includes the spa, but I do appreciate the spa input since we are planning at least 1 spa day.

I'm curious about you saying the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is not directly on the beach; all the pictures and the website seem to indicate it is, but it's obviously hard to tell just based on that. How far away from the beach would you say it is?

[HeatherFL]

Here's a thread that might help you on the Big Island that was recently posted:

Big Island Thread (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=1442)

Heather

[laura]

Thanks for the link, Heather. I should have said I did see that thread, but I was looking for more resort feedback and/or restaurant recs. Since it's with my mom, we're really interested in lounging, eating and spa-ing for the most part ;), so I'm looking for feedback on any or all of those aspects.

[wendalah]

Hapuna isn't right on the beach, I believe it's above the beach...but its sister resort Mauna Kea is...there is a shuttle that runs every 20 mins to Mauna Kea.

I don't care for Hapuna/Mauna Kea as they are little further up the coast and IMO not in as nice an area as the Mauna Lani resorts (Mauna Lani Bay and the Fairmont Orchid) and the Hilton Waikoloa.

The Sheraton Keauhou is in a totally different area...the others are on the Kohala resort coast; Sheraton is south of Kona-Kailua town. You won't have a beach at the Sheraton. (Nor at the Hilton to be fair.) I'm very curious to check this new resort out myself since I've been to the B.I. multiple times and am very familiar with the island--but for your first time there I think you might be happier with the Kohala Coast.

I'm not sure how much you want to spend, but I have stayed at both the Fairmont and the Mauna Lani and would recommend either of them over Hapuna.

The Hilton is cool, too--did they mention what areas are going to be under construction? The resort is HUUOOOOUUUUUGE (so big you can take a boat or monorail to your room) so you might not even be disturbed if they are doing something in a remote area of the resort. They have a huge swimming lagoon and the grounds are cool. The only downside is a lot of families stay here...so it can get crowded.

The Mauna Lani is where we stayed for our honeymoon and they have some nice packages going. I highly recommend this resort as they treat you like royalty and it's the most soothing place I've ever stayed at. www.maunalani.com. If you liked the 4Seasons on Maui's vibe, you'll like Mauna Lani. The rates are somewhat high, but keep in mind if you book a package that allows you to choose spa treatments/dinner/golf daily--they have a VERY NICE spa, excellent restaurants, and a champion golf course, so the rates really even out to be fairly reasonable. If you were planning on spending a few hundred dollars on meals and spa treatments, you might want to check out their packages as you actually get a pretty good deal with their "Pick Your Passion."

At any rate I'd suggest eating at Mauna Lani's CanoeHouse and at Fairmont's Brown's Beach House. Both great sunset dining experiences. You should also check out Roy's, as suggested. One night be sure to go down into Kailua-Kona and walk around. There's a bunch of restaurants down there...it's very similar to Lahaina on Maui. If you go to the Volcano Park, have dinner in Hilo. There are several really nice restaurants there and the town is fun...very old-school feeling. The kind of place where you can get real homemade ice cream, run by the same family for 100 years...that kind of town!

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions--I've visited B.I. um....four times now? I know it pretty well.

[laura]

Thanks for your post - all the hotel stuff is very interesting and helpful! Unfortunately the Fairmont Orchid is sold out for when we will be there, but I will check out the Mauna Lani. Unfortunately the Hilton's construction will be some guest rooms (which I guess could be okay if we weren't near them) but also the spa, so that is a downer. I would rather not have to go to a different hotel to go to the spa if I can avoid it.

What restaurants would you recommend?

ETA: Whoops, I missed your edit. I'll be back w/ more questions!

[wendalah]

I keep editing my post as I think of things...so re-read :)

[wendalah]

Ohhh...re: The Hilton's spa being under construction. That is a total drag, you don't want that. You want to go right to your room and order a drink after your spa treatment!

Wow! I just checked out Mauna Lani's reservation system and looks like you can get a room for $264 a night (no inclusions) in early October. We just may join you there ourselves! :)

BTW, Fairmont and Mauna Lani are next to each other--you can almost walk from one to the other. The Fairmont has a small petroglyph trail and the Mauna Lani has ancient fishponds plus some preserved ancient Hawaiian dwellings, so you can get your archaelogical/nature fix without going too far.

I have heard the 4Seasons on the B.I. is the best ever, but it's super expensive. The restaurant Pahu I'a there is supposed to be out of this world. The 4Seasons is closer to the airport and Kailua-Kona, so you might want to have dinner at Pahu I'a and then drive into Kailua-Kona for ice cream and a little evening walk/shopping afterwards.

[wendalah]

BTW I'm not suggesting you rule out either Sheraton or Hapuna--this is absolutely my favorite Hawaiian island and everything is fantastic there!

[laura]

Hmm, so now it seems I can get a comparable deal at either the Mauna Lani or at the Fairmont - if you could do either for about the same price, which would you choose?

[wendalah]

Pros of either resort:
--Good restaurants
--Good spas
--OK beaches. The beaches on the B.I. are marginal at best but both of these resorts have a decent-sized beach area.
--They're equal in all these, to be honest.

Pros of Mauna Lani
--Hands-down the service. We were treated much better at this resort. The Fairmont was a bit impersonal and didn't go out of the way to make us feel welcome, or quickly solve any problems we had.
--Although the restaurants at both are great, the Mauna Lani's "sunset restaurant," the CanoeHouse, has a more romantic vibe.
--More tropical, Hawaiian feel to the room decor and grounds. The rooms are done in a koa-wood brown/cream decor, very modern and clean. The bathrooms have a wood-and-stone feel. Lots of ponds, bridges, Koi, turtles...pretty.

Pros of Fairmont:
--Easily the pool. Much bigger than the Mauna Lani's, and the jacuzzi is better too.
--They had a slightly more elaborate breakfast buffet.
--The Fairmont used to be a Ritz-Carlton and it still has that sort of "Ritz" feel to it--the decor is a bit more formal. Floral bedspreads, marble bathrooms, that sort of thing.

I prefer the Mauna Lani; my husband likes them both pretty much equally.

[wendalah]

Oh! And forgot. The Fairmont is bigger than the Mauna Lani. Mauna Lani has a bit of a boutique feel to it as it is quite a bit smaller.

[HeatherFL]

We stayed at the Four Seasons in Kona. It was amazing and the dining
(Pahu i'a & Beach Tree) was FABULOUS!!!!! We had a room with this outdoor shower. Very cool.

I travel a lot for work and for leisure and it was one of the best resorts/hotels I've been to. The spa was also great! :)

I have a feeling, you can't go too wrong anywhere in Hawaii, though LOL.

Have fun!

Heather

[jeneca128]

Hapuna isn't right on the beach, I believe it's above the beach...but its sister resort Mauna Kea is...there is a shuttle that runs every 20 mins to Mauna Kea.

Incorrect--

The Hapuna Prince IS on the beach...We stayed there for our honeymoon and it was FANTASTIC! Hapuna Beach and Mauna Kea Beach are rated as two of the BEST beaches on the island.

I have plenty of picutres if you're interested.

The hotel was lovely, and the beach is absolutely amazing. Highly recommend it. :)

[ejs]

The Big Island is my least favorite of the Hawaiian Islands. Fortunately, we stayed at the Four Seasons, which as Heather said, is an amazing resort.

[HeatherFL]

ejs I agree with you. I've been to Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. I will be going to Lanai in January. So far Kauai and Maui are my favorites (Kauai more peaceful and natural, Maui for more stuff to do.)

H.

[ejs]

Heather, and I agree with you! Maybe we should vacation together. :-)

[laura]

Unfortunately my budget for this trip won't accommodate the Four Seasons, but I would love to stay there if it did - we loved the FS on Maui. :)

Thanks for the input on the Big Island and on Hapuna Beach - hmm, the more I know, the harder it gets to decide!

[wendalah]

"The Hapuna Prince IS on the beach...We stayed there for our honeymoon and it was FANTASTIC! "

It is? Why is the entrance to the resort on the opposite side of the road? (Not arguing, just curious).

[wendalah]

BTW, Heather--I'm curious to hear what you think of Lanai. DH and I went there on our honeymoon (we did BI, Maui, and Lanai) and we disliked Lanai. It's the only Hawaiian island we didn't like. It's VERY boring--NOTHING to do and not particularly tropical. Are you staying at the Manele or the Lodge? I hear 4Seasons is taking both over, which I think will make a big difference in the experience. We stayed at Manele and the customer service/activities choices were kinda lacking.

[Rancid13]

We spent our honeymoon on the Big Island in January 2004 and stayed at the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort. I can confirm that the resort IS on the beach. From the main road, you go down and around, underneath the road and towards the beach. The beach itself is a short pathway walk from the pool area of the hotel (like a few yards). Only hotel guests are permitted to use the private beach, and it's fairly good sized too!

The hotel is GORGEOUS! We loved everything about it...the room, the lobby, the proximity to other locations, the beach, the pool, the restaurant, the grounds, the buffet breakfasts. Here are some pictures of the place:

View from the lobby as we were checking in
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6b08585200000016108CZNWTZw2ac

The view from our room right after we checked in
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6b09d96300000016108CZNWTZw2ac

Dinner on the balcony
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6bf458ae00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

View from our room the next morning
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6b9258c800000016108CZNWTZw2ac

Sunset from our balcony
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6b91d9fb00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

I miss the food, mainly the breakfasts at Hapuna! They were so yummy-fresh fruit, juice. The buffet was delicious, I stuffed myself silly there. We went to the luau at the Mauna Kea hotel (Hapuna Beach Prince's sister resort) and didn't care for the design of the place. It was very Asian-inspired and not as islandly looking as the HBP. We were VERY glad we chose HBP instead of MK when were making travel arrangements, as they were very close in price and proximity of each other.

We were interested in doing lots of exploring, hiking, driving, horseback riding, snorkeling, looking at volcanoes. We will likely stay at HBP again should we visit the Big Island in the future, we were so enamored with it. It wasn't as humongously enormous as some of the other nearby resorts (Hilton Waikoloa?)in the Kohala Coast area, and it fit us perfectly. The staff was courteous and helpful, the rooms and grounds were kept clean and tidy, the restaurants had delish food, room service was fantastic, the pool and spa were great for relaxing in after a day of exploring, and I loved the open air lobby with the Hawaiian band playing in the evening. It was nice to sit in one of the comfy chairs in the evening, watch the sun set, and listen to the live music. God, I can't wait to go back! We're going to Oahu next month though, so I can't complain...

[wendalah]

"From the main road, you go down and around, underneath the road and towards the beach. "

OK this makes sense.
Again, just to clarify--I wasn't dissing it because it was/wasn't on the beach. I was dissing (for lack of a better word) it (and Mauna Kea) because I didn't care for the area they are in--didn't think it was as nice as the Mauna Lani or Waikoloa areas. I haven't stayed there so I can't comment on anything aside from the location.

[jeneca128]

Actually the area was very nice. It doesn't look too superb from the road way, but thats because the highway is a loooong way from the resorts itself. I actually preferred that area (more secluded) to the other resort area.

[Rancid13]

I thought that the Kohala Coast was a very great location. We wanted to stay away from the Hilo and Kona areas, and felt that the area we were in was perfect for someone who just wanted to get away from it all and relax the whole time. It was a bit of a drive from the Kona airport, but it was a very scenic drive. The scenery in and around the Kohala area was to die for-rolling green hills, the bright and dark blue ocean, white crashing waves, black lava rock jutting out into the sea. We went horseback riding in the hills, and it was just breathtaking.

[jeneca128]

Rancid 13- Ahhh I miss that place.

Some pics from our stay
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/dklanai.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/hapunabeach10.jpg

One from the beach with the hotel in the background
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/hapunabeach8.jpg

from the lobby
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/lobby2.jpg

from out lanai
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/view5.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/view7.jpg

[jeneca128]

Rancid-13- I completely agree with everything you've said. It was beautiful, and we plan to go back (hopefully sooner than later) I loved everything at the prince..(and we didn't care for the Mauna Kea design either)

The food there was fantastic, especially the breakfast buffet. YUM.

[scarlett]

We just got back from the Big Island 2 weeks ago. We stayed at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa. It was beautiful. We're not the sit around on a beach, do the spa kind of vacation people, so my experience may not help you much. The Sheraton is a little bit aways from Kona and there is no beach by it, but the pool area is simply fabulous. It was much better than any of the beaches I saw on the Big Island. We drove around the whole island (they're not kidding when they call it the BIG island) and we never saw a beach like what jeneca128 or rancid13 posted. We must have missed that part. Most of the beaches we saw were very rocky. Although the black sand beaches were very cool.

The best food we had was at the Kona Inn. The chef's special fish is delicious. I've been craving it ever since I had it, and trying to figure out how to make it. We also really enjoyed the Kona Brewing Company.

[HeatherFL]

Heather, and I agree with you! Maybe we should vacation together.
:-)

LOL you are on!

wendalah I am staying at the Manele Bay Hotel, and yep you are right--Four Seasons is taking over. I haven't really gotten much feedback on Lanai. I will definitely report back!

H.

[laura]

You sure are selling me on the Prince - well that and it is ~$350 cheaper than the Mauna Lani! :p Decisions, decisions...

[Rancid13]

Because I can't stop myself from posting pictures, here are some of my favorite pictures from our visit to the Big Island.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6bd2588800000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6bcdd9a700000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6bb1d9db00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6b9658cc00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6b8dd9e700000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df03b3127cce9c0a6870998300000016108CZNWTZw2ac

[Rancid13]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df02b3127cce9c0a687b000c00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df02b3127cce9c0a6878813f00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df02b3127cce9c0a685b002c00000016108CZNWTZw2ac

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df02b3127cce9c0a6827005000000016108CZNWTZw2ac

[wendalah]

Hey, seriously, I certainly would NOT say no if someone said, "Wendy, here's a week at the Hapuna (or Mauna Kea) on us." I'd be on that like white on rice, believe me. The BI is 100% my fave island and I think all of the resorts there are wonderful. I just liked the other areas better, all just my personal opinion weighing minutae.

Speaking of resorts I am glad to hear the new Sheraton is great! We really want to try it out.

Heather, the snorkeling is amazing at Manele Bay, that is one thing I can definitely recommend!...since it's such an uncrowded island the fish are huge and plentiful.

[jeneca128]

We drove around the whole island (they're not kidding when they call it the BIG island) and we never saw a beach like what jeneca128 or rancid13 posted. We must have missed that part. Most of the beaches we saw were very rocky.

Very true... We didn't find very any other beaches as nice as these. A-bay is a nice place, but the sand there is very grainy and rocky compared to hapuna. The sand on hapuna beach was literally the softest I've felt. Kinda velvety.

:( Talking about it makes me miss it. I want to go back so much.

[laura]

Any pics of the pool area at the Hapuna? I do love me a good pool area, in addition to a nice beach. :)

[jeneca128]

I've got some

http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/pool.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/pool2.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/oceanbar.jpg

[Rancid13]

Any pics of the pool area at the Hapuna? I do love me a good pool area, in addition to a nice beach. :)

Not my own pics, but here...

http://www.luxurioushotels.net/common2/photos/hotels/3592/habepool.jpg

http://www.hawaiitravelbureau.com/hapunabeach/pool1.jpg

[Rancid13]

:( Talking about it makes me miss it. I want to go back so much.

Me too!! It was such a great time, I was sad when it was our last day there and time to come home. :(

[laura]

When you say "different locations", how far apart are the Hapuna Beach Prince and the Mauna Lani? All the websites seem to indicate they are in the same area?

[jeneca128]

I can't help posting a few more pics either *sigh*

http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/akaka.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/falls2.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/helilava.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/helilava2.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/helivent5.jpg

[jeneca128]

http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/queensbath.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/sunset5.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/whale.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/snorkel2.jpg
http://screamingdogrecords.com/hmpics/turtle.jpg

[jeneca128]

Laura- Mauna Lani is about 5 miles south of Hapuna Beach

[justHB]

That beach area in front of the Hapuna looks gorgeous! That was the thing I disliked most about the Fairmont - no real beach area (the lagoon is rocky - DH cut his foot pretty bad). Oh, and the jacuzzi and hammocks at the Fairmont were, quite possibly - my favorite thing about the whole resort. We would fall asleep at night on the hammock and go back to our room in the middle of the night.

[justHB]

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=7501944&b=4l8l6xhehk2w2d5l4eth&c=b&d=0

Waipo Valley

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=7501945&b=dnzg2k6hewxfi3nucpgh&c=b&d=0

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=7501947&b=4zeif3c3gmjqndupzm4v&c=b&d=0

The Fairmont Orchid

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=7501948&b=2fi6rod9crz93rrxnrm9&c=b&d=0

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=7501949&b=mbjep21wd7c4dufzpss3&c=b&d=0

[wendalah]

Can you believe I cannot find my honeymoon photos? I've been looking all around--DH finally hooked up our scanner. If I find them I'll scan some Mauna Lani hotel photos. Warning: Most photos involve me in a bikini looking scrawny, boobless, and about 12 years old (I was a nervous wreck before my wedding and lost too much weight). And for some reason although I brought three bikinis, my husband captured me in every photo somehow wearing THE SAME bikini.

I also have some BI photos around the island. One of them involves naked men though. We went to the nude hippie beach (not realizing it was a nude hippie beach) on the Hilo side. It's a good one...the photo I mean. :P

[HeatherFL]

A link to some pictures I took while I was there:

http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANnDlmzZs2rHDg

Click on "View Pictures"
Then toward the left it will say "Slideshow"

ETA: I have since lost 20 pounds, gone blond and ummm, had some enhancements. LOL My next Hawaii trip I will be in a bathing suit A LOT more! :D

Enjoy :)

H.

[Jazz]

Just wanted to say a belated thank you to everyone for the great advice. We didn't have nearly enough time off the boat to see everything the BI has to offer, so I hope we will make it back again some day!

The diving was fantastic -- if anyone stumbles across this thread and is interested in live-aboards, feel free to pm me. Oh, and if you're certified, definitely look up one of the day (night) trip operators for the manta ray night dive, it was amazing.

We did make it to the Place of Refuge, very cool. Didn't squeeze in a helicopter ride or the Akaka falls, or the night trip up Mauna Kea, but we did make it up during the day, as well as to the souther tip, the black sand falls, and had a nice day and evening at Volcano N.P. They are (were) currently restricting how far out you can go, since they think a shelf is likely to break off in the near future. We had a comfortable 30 minute hike out on rocks, for a pretty decent view of red flowing down the hillside and also into the ocean. Very cool! We came back to Kona from Hilo via the Saddle Road, and went up to the top of Mauna Kea to look at the observatories.

All in all a great trip, and thank you all for your advice! Now back to catch up on work ... :D

[Jazz]

Thanks for the link, Heather. I should have said I did see that thread, but I was looking for more resort feedback and/or restaurant recs. Since it's with my mom, we're really interested in lounging, eating and spa-ing for the most part ;), so I'm looking for feedback on any or all of those aspects.

LOL! :D Yeah, I can't help with spa-ing and beach-ing, but maybe with eating? We loved Roy's as usual, but make sure you make a reservation (oops). Parking's a bit of a beast, too (though it was a Friday).

If you want a casual food evening, at the north end of Kona, Kona Brewing Company is great -- their strawberry/mac nut/spinach salad is delish.

Take a pass on Huggo's (it's okay, but Roy's prices without quite the same attention to detail). We ended up there the last night before the airport since they had a parking lot we felt okay leaving our car w/ all the bags (definitely skeeved out about parking in the Kona public lots ...) -- so I'd recommend either staying at your hotel or up in the Waimea area for dinner on the last evening.

And I few I'm sorry to have missed (based on great feedback on the Fodor's travel boards): in Kona, Itzakaya KAI for sushi behind Pancho and Lefty's (looked great, and near a public parking lot -- fine if you don't have things visible); in Waimea, Merriman's (http://www.merrimanshawaii.com/) , supposedly Roy's-ish, they also have a market near Roy's; and Cafe Pesto for great inexpensive italian in Kawaihae Shopping Center (about 10 minutes north of the Hapuna Beach Prince), 882-1071.

Oh, and from the NYTimes travel section: Kaikodo, in the Dolphin Bay Hotel ... "an outpost of fine dining … spring rolls stuffed with big fresh chunks of white mahi-mahi … best part of the meal was the hot lava cake dessert."

This sounds like such a cool trip! I miss the ono, ahi, and mahi mahi already! :)

[jki]

We just got back from the Big Island 2 weeks ago. We stayed at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa. It was beautiful. We're not the sit around on a beach, do the spa kind of vacation people, so my experience may not help you much. The Sheraton is a little bit aways from Kona and there is no beach by it, but the pool area is simply fabulous.

Really? We stayed there in February of this year and thought it was TERRIBLE. Terrible service, terrible services offered... the rooms were ok but completely un-soundproofed. The slide attendant was constantly on break and talking to the towel girls, even though he was supposed to be manning the slide. The food was good. I guess they opened fairly recently - the bar was very makeshift with banquet tables/chairs. The only thing I can't complain about was the rate - I think we paid in the low $100s per night.

Thankfully, we moved to the Mauna Lani for our last 5 nights on the Big Island.

Here are some pictures:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9AYtGrJu3aMmA

I'll be back with some restaurant recommendations!

[laura]

First - I've already searched and read the other threads, but I'm just looking for any and all ideas.

I am headed to the Big Island next week, and I have been so crazy busy lately that I have had zero time to research. I'm going with my mom, and we're staying at the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort. We are planning 1 spa day and lots of relaxing, but I am open to all suggestions of things to do and definitely places to eat. We are renting a car, if that matters.

I'm so behind, I don't even have a book about the island yet (!!), but I'm planning to pick one up this weekend.

Thanks! :)

ETA: I am planning/considering dinners definitely at Roy's, and then at Mauna Lani's CanoeHouse and the Fairmont's Brown's Beach House, but we are there for 5 nights.

[Jad]

Rent a four wheel drive and go to the top of Mauna Kea for sunset. It's spectacular! (You could also do this with a tour, but if you're renting a car anyway, you can do it on your own.)

There are some really nice hikes at Volcanoes National Park and you can drive down in the evening to watch the lava floes (which are almost always visible.)

Take a snorkeling cruise down to Captain Cook's monument.

And it's not an "attraction" so much, but have breakfast at the Coffee Shack on the highway south from Kona.

Most of the other stuff we did was probably too far for a comfortable there-and-back day trip. But there's plenty to do. We loved the big island!

[Annette]

Get the book "The Big Island Revealed." If you are renting a car this book will tell you practically what's at each milemarker. We did the Mauna Kea Summit Adventures where they drove us up to the top of Mauna Kea for sunset and we stargazed above the clouds afterwards. This is a must do and not to be missed. They give you parkas so you don't need to pack winter clothes except for jeans.
Volcanos National Park was awesome too and I wish we got to spend more time there.
Have fun!

[wendalah]

Laura,
Drive up north to Hawi and Kapaau (adjoining towns); they are little Hana-type artsy towns with interesting shopping. Continue north and at the end of the fwy you'll hit the Pololu Lookout which is an amazing photo op. You can try dinner at Kawaihae Harbor Grill--it's fish and steak--nothing too unique foodwise but kind of kitschy and fun decor and you can sit outdoors on the patio.

Take a full day to go to the east side of the island--it will take about 3(ish?) hrs to drive over there. It's totally different from the Kona side.

Visit the Place of Refuge one afternoon (you can schedule it in if you are going down to Kailua-Kona to shop).

There are lots of restaurants in Kailua-Kona--it's very similar to Lahaina in Maui--you can pretty much just go down there and park and walk around until you find something interesting. Lots of Hard Rock-esque places.

Hope that helps!

[kd 9.21.02]

Definitely Dolphin Journeys (http://www.dolphinjourneys.com) if you love dolphins. It's expensive but worth it; it was an experience of a lifetime.

[jeneca128]

I second what everyone else has already said....especially this:

Get the book "The Big Island Revealed." If you are renting a car this book will tell you practically what's at each milemarker.

That book was our bible while we were there, and we saw a lot of things we wouldn't have otherwise known about.

...and I always, always recommend a helicopter tour over volcanoes national park....That was one of the highlights of my trip!

You're gonna love it no matter what activities you choose, and the Hapuna Prince is heavenly. Have a great trip! Bring back pictures so we can all wish we were there again too! :)

[HeatherFL]

Helicopter tour

Hawaii Volcanos National Park

~H.

[laura]

Thanks everyone! I did pick up "The Big Island Revealed" today when I was out since "Maui Revealed" was such an asset when we went to Maui last year. Hopefully I will have time to read through it this week, but otherwise there is always the 5 hour flight! :p

[SiValleySteph]

I totally agree with Big Island Revealed. This may not work with where you're staying, but we had a lot of fun just driving around the island stopping at interesting places (Southern most point of the U.S., waterfalls, hidden nude black sand beach :eek:, lava tube national park, etc.)

Just a sidetrack - is there a website somewhere to check if the lava is flowing? We were there 2 years ago and there was no visible lave. :( We're considering another trip at Thanksgiving if the lava is flowing.

[laura]

I have another question about rain. First, has anyone been this time of year? Second, if it rained at all while you were there, was it just showers for a little bit and then it cleared up, or did it pour for days?

Weather.com is predicting lots of rain for this week and next, but it doesn't say if it's just brief or all day or whatever. Boo!

[SiValleySteph]

We went in Novemeber. It did rain 2 or 3 days, but it was just showers for a bit and then cleared up. We still were able to spend the majority of our time outdoors. :D

[Annette]

No rain when we went Oct 03. It was overcast on the east side of the island, due to the mountains and it was drizzly when we did the Summit Adventure. Since we were above the clouds for that the rain didn't make a difference.

[kd 9.21.02]

I was there in early October and it rained one day during our two weeks.

[wendalah]

I have only been there in February and May/June, sorry. There was no rain at any time except when we visited Hilo.

[justHB]

I have only been there in February and May/June, sorry. There was no rain at any time except when we visited Hilo. We went in February. While it poured in Maui and (apparently) Honolulu, it was bright and sunny on the Kohala Coast.

We took a helicopter tour over the volcano and that was definitely one of the most exciting things I've ever done.

We also took our Jeep down a very steep hill in Waimea Canyon to go to a black sand beach. They only recommend this if you have a Jeep. DH loved the drive. He thought he was cool.

I didn't like Hilo very much. It was kind of 70s and depressing to me.

I also didn't think the snorkeling at Captain Cook's monument was all that spectacular. Supposedly there are always spinner dolphins there, but I think we're the only people who didn't see them.

[laura]

Curse this weather! Curse it!

Thanks for the feedback - not a lot we can do either way, unfortunately. :p

[wendalah]

It'll probably be fine over where you are staying.

If you do visit Hilo, try to go on a Wednesday if possible--I think that's when they have their big farmer's market if I remember correctly. You can get sarongs, crafts, Hawaiian music CDs, etc. really cheap. Take the drive out of Hilo and into the Puna region, it's beautiful.

[wendalah]

We also took our Jeep down a very steep hill in Waimea Canyon to go to a black sand beach.

BTW we wanted to do this sooooo bad! I'm jealous. (We only had a crap economy car when we checked it out!)