Hawaii

Big Island Favorites

By: Mark Verone

The Island of Hawai’i also known as The Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian Island chain. The Big Island features the southern most point in the United States and closest part of the country to the equator. The Big Island is young because it is still growing and full of volcanic and seismic activity. In fact the Island is actually made up of five volcanoes: 1) Hualalai, 2) Mauna Kea, 3) Mauna Loa, 4) Kohala, and the always active 5) Kilauea which despite it’s rest after the big 2018 eruption, there is still plenty of seismic and lava activity from the goddess Pele. A sixth volcano, Lo’ihi, is slowly growing underwater off the coast of Hawaii but is not expected to reach the surface for another 10,000-100,000 years. The Big Island is actually larger than ALL of the other Hawaiian Islands combined. You will find all but two of the worlds climatic zones on the Big Island. Yes, it snows on the top of Mauna Kea and probably one of the only places in the world where you could surf and ski in the same day. We decided to settle in the Kohala Coast area which is known as the desert or leeward side of the island. It is dry, sunny and the weather is perfect everyday.
The rich history of Hawaii and the Big Island began over 1,500 years ago when Polynesian voyagers landed on this magical island. It is a land of Kings and Queens and Gods where the Hawaiian royal family made their original home. It is the place where King Kamehameha unified the Hawaiian Kingdom and remained the seat of the royal family until they moved to Oahu in early 1800’s. It is where the fire goddess Pele created the Hawaiian Islands and formed her home in the fire pit called Halema’uma’u crater at the summit caldera of Kilauea. This island has a rich history of agriculture. First, with the sugar plantations then Macadamia nuts and many fruits and vegetables and unique crops like cacao, Papaya, Passionfruit, Pineapples, Avocado and the world-famous Kona Coffee. It is the only place in the United States with coffee production and a coffee industry. There is also a chocolate festival to celebrate the chocolate products being produced in Hawaii.
After spending time on all of the islands except Molokai, the Big Island quickly became our favorite Island in Hawaii. We love all of the islands and the Hawaiian people. Each island has its own charm and they are all different from each other. Oahu is nice to visit once in a while or for when we have a long layover but the bustle of Honolulu is not too different from any other major city. Oahu is more populated and corwded and the traffic can be a nightmare unless you plan accordingly. We enjoy spending time away from the bustle of Waikiki and love the Ko Olina Resort area. Maui is also spectacular. Beautiful beaches, great diving, snorkel and surfing. Over the years we have watched Maui become more developed and more commercialized and we were so saddend by the tragic events that destroyed Lahaina and took the lives of so many. We have fond memories of getting ice cream at Lapperts and strolling under the banyan tree. We love Maui but for us the Big Island was speaking to us. Kaua’i is the rain-forest island, with spectacular canyons and lush tropical landscapes, it maintains a rural small-town charm. Lanai is the place you go to escape and relax among the two exclusive Four Seasons resorts properties and the Hotel Lanai in Lanai City. Lanai was known as the Pineapple Island and is mostly a private island originally owned by the Dole Pineapple company and now 98% owned by Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison. The other 2% of Lanai is owned by the State of Hawaii and private owners. Lanai but it was good to experience once in a lifetime. Molokai is on our list but we haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet.
When we first landed on the Big Island, it felt like we were landing on the surface of the moon. The new Kona airport was built on top of a major lava flow from Hualalai, (the old Kona airport is now used for recreation). When we first drove around the entire island, we fell in love with the Big Island. Outside of Hilo and Kona there are no big cities. There no skyscrapers or tall buildings. It is rural with a small town charm. There are farms, ranches and cowboys. Hawaiian Cowboys are known as Paniolos. At some point while driving through those farms you forget that you are in Hawaii as the green and lush landscape looks like anything you would find on a back country road on the mainland.
Rachelle and I have been coming to Hawaii since our honeymoon in 2001. Rachelle had been to Oahu before on a high school trip during a stopover to Asia. Hawaii earned a special place in hearts after we got married. You see we got married on September 15, 2001 – 4 days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the mainland. We traveled to Hawaii 2 days later on September 17th just as the nation’s airports and airlines were recovering. We took a connecting flight from Chicago to St. Louis on TWA Airlines. Our flights were empty. Barely anyone was traveling a week after the attacks. Our 767 which normally seats 300 passengers probably had less than 40 people on board. The plane was empty and the crew was so happy to see people flying. They were grateful and thanked us for supporting the airline industry. The crew were humble and they treated everyone like we were 1st class but they were still scared. Scared about the future of air travel in the wake of 9/11, scared about their jobs and scared about more terrorism. We split our Honeymoon between Maui and Kaua’i. Two islands neither of us had been before. We had a wonderful time despite what was happening on the mainland. The attacks of 9/11 also had a major impact on Hawaiian Tourism. It was a very tough time for Hawai’i as the biggest part of their economy is tourism and when people stopped traveling and canceled vacations it meant people at the hotels lost their jobs. It took a while for Hawai’i to recover but we saw the most amazing outpouring of patriotism and the Spirit of Aloha from our 50th state. It was incredible to see so much American pride 4,000 miles from home on an island chain in the middle of Pacific Ocean during our honeymoon.
The Hawaiian people are far enough away from the mainland that it sometimes feels like a foreign country. They have their own language and culture and are the only U.S. state with a royal family.  However, after 9/11, it was touching to see my fellow Americans in the middle of the pacific supporting everyone on the mainland…and Hawaii is no stranger to acts of terrorism and war. The attacks of December 7, 1941 occurred while Hawaii was still a US Territory, well before statehood, and that is proof of the strength and resiliency of the Hawaiian people. After our honeymoon we were smitten with Hawai’i. Sure, we’ve traveled the globe and have been to many exotic destinations but every-time we went back to Hawai’i, it just felt like home. Once we discovered the Big Island, we knew this was the place where we would want to settle someday and retire. That is when we found Kamilo at Mauna Lani and decided to invest in a home here in 2015. We sold the house in 2021 but still own a piece of land on the Mauna Lani South golf course.

“Where to stay and do I need a rental car?”

Many people ask this question first. Accommodations and transportation is often challenging if you’ve never experienced it before. This is why people spend so much time researching online and asking people for advice. We found ourselves going back to Hawaii several times a year and the hotel bills alone could’ve been a down payment on a house. We ended up investing in a house on the Big Island because it is still somewhat affordable and you get more land and more house for your investment than you do with some of the other islands.  When we did book hotels, we historically stayed at the Four Seasons Hualalai. We are Four Seasons junkies. Nothing compares to the quality of service and attention to details from a stay at the Four Seasons. Hualalai is an amazing location, 10-15 drive from the airport, with pristine beaches, golf, spa, restaurants and luxury amenities albeit with a premium price tag. We have also stayed the Auberge Mauna Lani Resort and The Fairmont Orchid Mauna Lani. We have eaten at the Westin Hapuna Beach and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
At some point, we found ourselves needing 2-3 hotel rooms. Securing rooms during high peak holiday periods with 10-night minimums was making trips to Hawaii for the entire family a bit challenging. Before buying our house, we rented a unit in the community and realized that renting in Hawaii through VRBO is another great option and gives you the flexibility and freedom without all the extra resort fees. Then again, if you want to be pampered at a luxury resort…that option still exists. Even if you rent a house, you can still visit the resorts and take advantage of their Golf, Spa and dining options. The other amazing part about Hawai’i is no person or company owns the beaches or the ocean and there is public access for anyone to visit the beaches at these resorts.
We prefer staying on the Kona side north of the airport along the Kohala coast areas. The Kohala coast is also known as Hawaii’s Gold Coast because this is the dry side of the Island or Leeward side. Leeward means less rain and more sun. Whereas the Hilo side is the Windward or wet / tropical rain forest side. We prefer the Leeward side but enjoy visiting the Windward side. The reason for this contrast in climate is the trade winds which blow from the northeast of the Hawaiian islands to the southwest. Locals sometime call the trade winds “the trades” – these trade winds bring moist air and often cool down the otherwise hot desert of the leeward side. On the Big Island as the trade winds hit a volcanic mountain, the air cools creating clouds. These clouds produce rain on the windward side. The leeward side is always the dry side where the trade winds pass after they hit the mountain. The windward side is always the wetter side. Easy way to remember is winds produce rain for the windward side. Windward = Wet and Leeward = Dry.  Our home, located within the Mauna Lana resort area, is a perfect location. The majority of the hotels and resorts communities are on predominately on the Leeward side. You will DEFINITELY want to rent a car if you plan to explore the Big Island – all major Car Rental companies are at the Kona Airport and several have satellite locations in the resort communities. Renting a car give you the freedom to explore the island and you will want to see the beauty of this island.
Below, I have compiled some resources, links and suggested activities for planning a trip to the Big Island. This list contains many of our favorite places to visit while on island.
Before you arrive, please consider taking the Pono Pledge to maintain the beauty of the Big Island and respect for the land and native heritage and customs. https://ponopledge.com/

The Pono Pledge

  1. pledge to be “pono” (righteous) on the island of Hawai’i.
  2. I will mindfully seek wonder, but not wander where I do not belong.
  3. I will not defy death for breathtaking photos, trespass, or venture beyond safety.
  4. I will care for land and sea, and admire wildlife only from afar.
  5. Molten lava will mesmerize me, but I will not disrupt its flow.
  6. I will not take what is not mine, leaving lava rocks and sand as originally found.
  7. I will heed ocean conditions, never turning my back to the Pacific.
  8. When rain falls inland, I will remain high above ground, out of rivers and streams.
  9. I will be a steward of the land, revered as my loving chief.
Resources:
Resorts & Communities in the Kona and Kohala Coast Area:
Shopping / Grocery: Don’t forget to bring bags for the grocery – Hawaii is a GREEN state – we had plenty of reusable bags in our house along with a cooler bag and a cooler to transport stuff from the stores – Costco is only 25-30 minutes from Mauna Lani so we bring the cooler along. Many of the vacation rentals have bags and coolers for use.
Shave Ice & Ice Cream: (some of these are cash only)
  • OBISIC: Original Big Island Shave Ice Company – http://www.obisic.com/ yes it started as a food truck that moved around the island – Locals love this place and they have real fruit juice options – we tried it and I would go back again – check the website for the schedule. They also opened up a location in the King’s Shop at Waikoloa resort.
  • ANUENUE ICE CREAM & SHAVE ICE: 61-3665 Akoni Pule Hwy, Waimea, HI 96743 – Don’t get scared by the long lines, its worth the wait and while you’re waiting you can grab a Taco or Burger or Dole Whip at Kohala Burger and Taco
  • SCANDANAVIAN SHAVE ICE IN KONA: http://www.scandinavianshaveice.com/ – The best part of this place is you can get Dole Whip here – only a handful of places outside of Disney have Dole Whip and we found 2 on the Big Island. The other is Kohala Burger and Taco
  • GYPSEA GELATO: http://www.gypseagelato.com/ – Excellent handmade Gelato and delicious all natural ingredients. One of our favorites and excited they opened a location in Waikoloa.
Snorkeling:
Attractions & Fun Stuff:
DINING: No shortage of good food on the Big Island – the best part is how much is actually grown or sourced from the island. Always good to make reservations for dinner. Most are on OpenTable or you can call them direct.
Restaurants & Chefs we enjoy:
OTHER RESOURCES:
LIVE WEBCAMS:
Places we want to try:
  • Hawaiian Style Cafe – they just started following me on twitter and seem pretty cool – menu looks yummy
  • Mai Grille by Allen Hess: http://maigrille.com/ (this one is on our list to try – the menu looks good!)
Places we liked but they closed down:
  • Kimo Bean Coffee in Mauna Lani is now Mauna Lani Coffee Company
  • Pele’s Wok Bistro & Bar closed and it was too bad because they had delicious Chinese cuisine but please visit their other restauramt Pueo’s Osteria for delicious Italian Cuisine.
  • The Three Fat Pis & The Thirsty Wolf became the Koa Table but the restaurant CLOSED! and Foster’s Kitchen opened up there: http://thethreefatpigs.com/ (was Christopher’s Favorite Restaurant) – Chef Ippy Aiona is good – I believe his take-away restaurant in the Queen’s Marketplace is still in business and he is opening a BBQ place in Waimea