Hawaii - Big Island

[Scuba Lawyer]

If you like botanical gardens, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, A Garden in a Valley on the Ocean is incredible.

Those gardens are one of the most spectacularly beautiful places in all the Hawaiian Islands. Seeing the graves of the valley's early inhabitants overlooking the sea at the base of the valley is indescribable.

 

[TheScubaDirectory]

The Big Island is great! Here is a listing of dive shops and dive sites with reviews and info. Have fun!

 

[Kimela]

Don't know when you're going - or if you're already back - we really liked diving with Pacific Rim. Good operation and fabulous brownies! We also did a tour of the island that took us all the way around in a super comfy van (Mercedes - so great back support). It stopped at many sights including Volcanoes National Park - and the guide was great. We stayed about 40 minutes north at Waikoloa, which was a drag for obvious reasons, but also allowed us the opportunity to stop alongside the road to hike through and around some lava tubes and to visit a state park/beach. There's so much to see above and below the water. (And we got skunked on the manta dive so we have to go back!)

 

[lamarpaulski]

I would add a pelagic night dive which are pretty unique. Manta Dive, as said, bring wife to snorkel. The shore dive at nearby Dog Beach, (Honakahau Harbor) is great and you might very well see Tiger Sharks and Dolphins and eels. I like Kona Honu Divers for Manta and pelagic dives but have nothing bad to say re. Jacks or BI. Call ahead and get their advice. Watch surf forecasts and observe entries a bit. Waves can fool you.

Mauna Kea is great but is really cold and 13k altitude so consider that re. nitrogen. If icy don’t go. Call 1 (808) 935-6268 first. You don’t need 4wd usually but you may get queried by cops. I didn’t find it worse than many mountain roads in Rockies or Sierras but slow and low gear needed. They assume you’re an idiot flatlander tourist.

Volcanoes NP is a long day from Kona and may be partially closed due to recent eruption but is still great. Research that. You can do a side trip and see some of still hot but cooling lava flows that destroyed a lot in lower Puna/Pahoa area. (The tidepools there are all gone, sadly.) If open, Kilauea Iki in Volcanoes NP is a very nice hike and Chain of Craters Road a nice drive. Altitude is several thousand feet. Good Thai food nearby in town of Volcano imho.

Hawi is beautiful and the Pololu Valley a nice hike unless raining. Kawaihae has a great shave ice/local ice cream joint. Good place to spot whales.

Kua and Mauna Kea resort north of Kona are great beaches and good snorkeling and two step is cool snorkeling but buy the guidebook Big Island revealed.

Bring water and be aware of heat and sun. It’s surprising how quick you can get a wicked sunburn or dehydrate. Much of Big Island, even many beaches, have lots of sharpish lava rock so tough water shoes, sneakers and hard-soled booties are useful.

Be careful if you “hide” your rental car keys and then go snorkeling- sometimes thieves are watching.

 

[Lateralus]

Wow, totally forgot I even started this thread back in December. Thanks for all the replies.

I did buy the Hawaii Revealed book over two month's ago and have been reading up a lot.

I heard Volcanoes National Park has been destroyed a lot due to the recent activity in 2018 in which the volcano collapsed. I think we will save this for another trip since we have a lot of things planned for 5 days.

So far with have a Manta Night Dive/Snorkel planned, Dolphin Snorkel, Mauna Kea summit (just me since she is pregnant), Waipi'o Valley small hike.

I always get confused a bit when doing my dive profiles when adding massive elevation gains like Mauna Kea. Should I do that 1 day before or 1 day after my dive?

 

[Kimela]

Think of going up Mauna Kea the same as flying out (you're going to altitude) - wait 24 hours after diving to go up the Summit (or how ever many hours the current wisdom is these days). I called and spoke with the concierge of the resort we're staying at (in September) and they said Volcanoes National Park is open again. We went in September of 2017 and the lava was low so we didn't see if - and months later it erupted. We plan to go to the Summit too. I look forward to hearing about your experience. Can't decide if it's worth paying a guide or just go up on our own. I desperately want a really cool photo of the night sky.

 

[Lateralus]

Think of going up Mauna Kea the same as flying out (you're going to altitude) - wait 24 hours after diving to go up the Summit (or how ever many hours the current wisdom is these days). I called and spoke with the concierge of the resort we're staying at (in September) and they said Volcanoes National Park is open again. We went in September of 2017 and the lava was low so we didn't see if - and months later it erupted. We plan to go to the Summit too. I look forward to hearing about your experience. Can't decide if it's worth paying a guide or just go up on our own. I desperately want a really cool photo of the night sky.

I'm going unguided and solo to the top of the summit. I don't feel like paying someone $225+ for like an 8 hour day with food included when I can do it by myself in half the time for free (minus gas and a cheap meal). This trip is already getting pricey as it is with Manta Dive, Dolphin Snorkel, and likely some other dives.

I was kind of turned off by this company, which is one of the most popular tours to the summit. It was recommended in the Hawaii revealed book. What turned me off is that she said you weren't allowed to the summit without a guide, which is 100% false. She said you needed a permit. What she didn't mention to me is the tour bus guides need permits. She made me think I needed a permit also and going with them was the only way. Maybe it was a misunderstanding, idk, but I clearly remember saying if I could do this solo and she said no.

I'm very adventurous and prep a lot for things I'm going to do. From what I'm reading the dangerous part is coming down the summit road at dark. There are no railings, so I'm timing my drive down from the top about 20 mins before complete darkness. You also want a 4x4. We have rented a Jeep.

 

[Lateralus]

When are you going? I will be there in April, and hope to do some shore diving.
Snorkeling and shore diving is nice at Two Step (get there early-gets really crowded) I dove there last year with Garry from http://www.sugar-inc.com/sugar-cottage and we hung out at 40 feet watching hundreds of Spinner Dolphins cavort around us.
My boyfriend does not dive and snorkeled the Manta trip. He was just as thrilled as I was.
This is our favorite beach (for boogie boarding, swimming, etc.) I have seen some people snorkeling there but usually pretty wavy. Kua Bay (Manini'owali) white sand beach | Big Island | Hawaii
And of course Volcanoes (will be interesting to see what has been obliterated since last year)
Five days is not much time to explore the wonders of the Big Island. We have gone year after year, and have a hard time wanting to leave even after 2 weeks!

Just reached out to Garry and we are setting up a shore dive at 2 step. Maybe I'm lucky and we see a pod or something. He said my wife could snorkel above us closer to shore.

Excited.

 

[DancinDiver]

I heard Volcanoes National Park has been destroyed a lot due to the recent activity in 2018 in which the volcano collapsed.

This is definitely not true. We were there in November after the activity had stopped (including the collapse of some of Kilauea and some of the rim road). The park is and remains absolutely fantastic. There is a tremendous amount to see on the rim road, throughout the park, and down the mountain to the sea. Even the fissures in the rim road are stunning to see up close. It’s absolutely worth the visit right now.

There is a lot to see and enjoy on the Big Island — below and above the water — and VNP is without question a highlight now.

 

[Damselfish]

I heard Volcanoes National Park has been destroyed a lot due to the recent activity in 2018 in which the volcano collapsed.

Funny thing is, destruction is a big part of what you go there to see.