By: Luis Duque
It has been a couple of weeks since we got back from Hawai’i! We can confidently say that it has been by far one of our favorite places to visit – the variety of climates and landscape make this island so unique and a real stunner. From mountains and volcanoes towering over 13,000 ft above sea level to gorgeous bays with water so clear you can see the bottom of the ocean and the fishes that call it home from the sky, this island has activities for everyone. It may be difficult to see everything this beautiful island has to offer, but there are definitely some places you must visit. In this post, we will be talking about some of the unique and beautiful places that we visited while providing some insights and advice from our experience. If you would like to know more about this and other places in the island of Hawai’i, feel free to reach out to us on social media or by email – we have so much to say, but we would like to keep this as concise as possible!
Volcanoes National Park
One of the main attractions on this massive island are the volcanoes. Kilauea, the main volcano of this national park, is the biggest active volcano and is making the Island of Hawai’i bigger by the day. When visiting this park, give yourself a full day, or even two, to explore every corner of this unique park either by hiking near the main caldera or by driving the Crater Rim Drive and down to the lava sea arches. Part of the Crater Rim Drive has been closed for over 10 years due to high levels of sulfur gas, but the open section of the road has incredible views of the main caldera. The best time to view this caldera or any active lava flows is at nightfall so that you can see the brilliant colors of the fiery lava. At the time of our visit, there was an active lava flow near the base of the volcano, but the lava flow was about 12 miles from the main road and only accessible by walking along an unpaved road. Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to see the lava due to time constraints, but we recommend that if you want to make this hike, plan for a full day and start the hike early in the morning and with lots of water because of the high temperatures. Overall, this national park is incredible and unique in so many ways, from the deserted lands to the lava flows, this is a must visit.
TIP: Allot more time here than you think! Most people overlook the immensity of this park and all it has to offer, so plan to spend plenty of time to see everything you want to!
A Bay
Anaeho’omalu Bay, also know as A Bay to locals and tourists alike, is a wonderful beach/bay for relaxing, enjoying the sun, and having some fun in the water. This wonderful beach is commonly visited around sunset as the palm trees make a great view. We loved being able to pitch a hammock or lounge in our beach chairs while enjoying the view of the bay illuminated by the many colors of the evening. It is also a gorgeous place to fly a drone as it provides wonderful views of the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes from the sea! When visiting this white sand and clear water beach make sure you try some paddle boarding, boogie boarding or kayaking to complete your trip.
TIP: Enjoy a sunset here either from on the water or a hammock on the beach. We also spotted a couple of sea turtles nearby, so don’t be afraid to explore along the coast!
Kona Coffee
As a Colombian, I am a coffee lover, and I have to say that the Kona coffee is incredible (not quite as amazing as Colombian coffee, even though I am biased). We visited the Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation on the outskirts Kona as our very first activity on the island. This cute little farm offers free tours of their production plant, and they will teach you about how coffee is grown and what it takes to make a great cup of coffee for free! They also provided tours of the plantation or brewing your own coffee experiences, but these do come with a price. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable; most of them have been working around coffee for the majority of their lives and can tell you all about the region and the farms that produce this great drink. Make sure you grab a bag of coffee – they will even ship it to the continental US for a very reasonable price if you do not want to haul it back or don’t have room from buying other souvenirs.
TIP: Take time to take a free tour of one of the coffee plantations in the area – they have so much information about this famous drink and have wonderful gift shops!
Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
Out of the great variety of national historical parks and historical sites (we keep a passport, so these were of great importance to us), this historical park was by far my favorite to visit. Make sure you take your time to this site in order to be immersed in the incredible story that the beach, wooden sculptures, and dark lava all have to tell. This was once a place of refuge for those who had broken the sacred law, or kapu. Such offenders, or even defeated warriors or civilians, could find a safe haven here, especially during times of war. Stop and admire the Great Wall and numerous kii (god effigies). While walking along the beach, don’t forget to look into the water for some beautiful fish and sea turtles. There is a really wonderful beach for snorkeling, affectionately known as Two-Step by the locals, that was highly recommended to us.
TIP: Read about the history of this special park – it is a very sacred place for the Islanders and has a really neat story to tell!
Hilo
Hilo is not as much of a touristy or resort town like Kona, and it has a great culture as well as tons of places to visit. When we stopped in on our visit, we enjoyed the numerous tropical fruits, coastal views, delicious cuisine, and beautiful handmade art. We stopped at the neat Hilo Farmers Market where we were able to shop for anything from local produce to baby outfits and jewelry – there are so many incredible things for sale by local merchants! When visiting Hilo, make sure you stop and enjoy some seafood and cocktails by the ocean, especially during the sunset for a romantic dinner.
TIP: Be sure to plan for plenty of time to browse through the many shops at the local farmers market – it is open every day, but Wednesday’s and Saturday’s provide the largest selections with over 200 local farmers and crafters!
Rainbow Falls and Akaka Falls
These two state parks located just north of Hilo are perfect for the outdoor enthusiast tourists.
The hike to Akaka Falls is fairly short and entirely paved, and you will see lots of gorgeous scenery along the shaded walkway. You will also see a magnificent 442 ft waterfall. The overlook of the falls will make you want to stay there all day enjoying the freshness of the air and nature’s melody. Look for birds on the hike to the falls as they enjoy this perfect climate.
Rainbow Falls is easily accessible by car. If you are planning to see the beautiful rainbow, visit this waterfall early in the morning (we have heard that around 10 am is a perfect time). Also, the earlier you visit anywhere in Hawaii, the fewer people you will encounter. Once you have enjoyed the waterfall, make your way to an “enchanted forest” just next to the waterfall where you can take pictures with huge, sprawling trees.
TIP: Visit waterfalls earlier in the morning to both avoid crowds and hopefully catch glimpses of rainbows that often are visible!
We sure hope you can go and visit these places, as they are amazing and truly breathtaking. We had a fantastic trip, and we will be posting our itinerary very soon! If you have visited any of these places or have places you think should be added, please be sure to let us know what you thought. Mahalo!
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