Big Island Must Do's

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2Dive4fun

Contributor
Messages
196
Reaction score
1
Location
Kent, WA
# of dives
500 - 999
I will be on the BI the first week in November. What are your favorite things to do or see out of the water. What are the Must Do's on the Big Island during long SI. We will be staying up north of Kona, but will be all over the island by weeks end.

Best Coffee Place?
Best Food?
Best Sights?
 
I will be on the BI the first week in November. What are your favorite things to do or see out of the water. What are the Must Do's on the Big Island during long SI. We will be staying up north of Kona, but will be all over the island by weeks end.

Best Coffee Place?
Best Food?
Best Sights?

We were at BI in April, have been there 3 yrs. ago in June.
We asked the locals for restaurants and got answers but can't remember any of the names........but it was good :>)
My suggestions for sights are: see the volcano of course, it's pretty incredible at the top and at the bottom where the steam clouds are rising.
See "Point of Refuge" and take your snorkel gear as next to the park there is a snorkel spot that we thought was about the best we've seen on the BI.
Must do the Manta dive, we took it with B.I. divers but there are a couple others that go as well.
I thought "Aka, Aka" falls was a nice little falls area.

Top of volcano
Image124.jpg


Point of Refuge
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Aka,aka
Akaka.jpg


Bottom of volcano
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Point of Refuge
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How far north of Kona are you staying?
 
The volcano, the waterfalls and the botanical gardens north of Hilo on the scenic route are the top attractions on the east side in my opinion.


The hike down to Pololu Valley north of Hawi is beautiful, won't take all day and is easy enough for most people. The upper highway between Kapaau, just north of Hawi, and Waimea is kind of neat as it offers great views and some different landscape.

Food... most for least award goes to Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea, it's basically plate lunch but it's very good too. To get a great meal that would run 40-80 bucks at the resorts, for about 15-28 bucks, head south to Kealakekua and try the Keei Cafe.... yummy. In Kailua try Splasher's across from the seawall for a good selection of pretty good 10 buck burgers, I've heard their breakfasts are very good also but haven't tried it yet. For a good hole in the wall spot I've heard good things about Rapa Nui, which is near Splasher's in the Banyon Court mall on Alii drive. For beer, if you are into it, go to Kona Brewing Company, good sandwiches and pizza too. The best overall meal I've had on the Big Island is the Surf, Sand and Stars buffet on the beach at the Four Seasons on Saturday nights, it runs in the 82 bucks per person range but it's good enough I try to make it once a year if I can.

For coffee, if you are in Kailua and want to sit across from the water and have a cup, try Lava Java. If you want to take some home with you, head on out to Greenwell Farms between Kealakekua and Captain Cook and sample what they've got, their top end Peaberry is over 30 bucks a pound but there are a bunch of good ones there.

There's so many things to see and do on the island you won't be lacking for things to do.

Have fun!
 
For a good hole in the wall spot I've heard good things about Rapa Nui, which is near Splasher's in the Banyon Court mall on Alii drive.
Oh yeah! You'd never know Rapa Nui is there unless someone pointed it out. We popped over to Kona last April to visit some friends that raved about the place, and they were right. I had some combination plate of exquisitely spicy food, and I was sweating nicely by the time I was done.

Bring you own wine, and get there early, only a few tables.
 
Another thing to consider is a docent-led tour of some of the finest optics on the planet atop Mauna Kea

Be advised that this involves an excursion to extreme altitude (the summit is nearly 14,000
feet) and requires that you observe the same precautions that you would for flying after
diving.
 
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Thank you for the good advice. We are staying near Waikoloa Village. Will take friends down to two step for the day. I like to go to Hapuna Beach. Was interested in trying some of the remote beaches north of the airport. Around mile post 89 - 95. Kiholo Bay, Ke-awa-iki Beach.
 
Breakfast at Hona Ho in Naalehu.

Pot luck dinner on every Wednesday (food at 3:00 to 4:00 PM) at Ho'okena Beach Park (bring some beer and some kind of meat to grill and share), be prepared for a some older hippies, live music and some pocololo use. Good snorkeling too.

South Point has some good snorkeling and wonderful cliff diving. If you've got a 4-wheel drive (or don't mind a 3 mile hike), then Green Sand beach is not to be missed

Whittington Beach County Park has some good snorkeling.

Punalu'u Beach Park has lots of turtles, okay snorkeling and one of the only black sand beaches.
 
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You've been given a good "topside" activity list so far.

My only addition would be to remember the Big Island is indeed BIG, and drive-times are often longer than you might think. And you'll need to plan you diving and driving carefully, because there are significant elevation changes going from the Kona side to Hilo or Volcano.

If you have the time and inclination, just pack some food and start driving. There are lots of beautiful side-trips along the Hamakua coast (northeast coastline) if you have the time to explore a little bit.

I've lived here since 1971, and have still not seen everything :D

EDIT: Whoops! My bad. Did not check the date on the original post. The OP is probably already here :D
 
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lava flows at Volcano Nat'l Park
drive-to and walk-to waterfalls on east coast north of Hilo
snorkel Kapoho pools
Super-J's hawaiian food, makai side of highway just before Honaunau turn-off
BBQ place not far away, mauka side
kayak to Kealekekua
malasadas or huge breakfast at Tex's, Honokaa, just east of Waimea
 

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