Hawaii (Big) Island
Hawaii's Island really is big - big spaces, big mountains, big rain, big lava, big beauty. 4,038 square miles of big, bigger than all the other islands combined. And it's growing. It's official name is Hawaii Island; it's nickname is Big Island. There are two airports--one in the midst of a lava field in Kailua-Kona and another located in the "rainiest city in the U.S.," Hilo.
Hawaii Island is located at the southeastern end of the Hawaiian Island chain, and, at less than a million years old, is the youngest island. It sits on a hotspot on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, which continues to percolate, and is home to Volcanoes National Park and its active volcano, Kilauea, a spectacular sight, indeed. With a dozen different micro-climates, Hawaii Island offers a level of diversity found no where else in Hawaii. Mauna Kea commonly serves up arctic-like conditions--yes, we mean snow--and some of the clearest skies in the world, attracting world-class scientists.
Hawaii Island is also known for its coffee, spectacular scuba diving, dolphins and green and black sand beaches.
Arts & Local Culture
Birthplace of Kamehameha. Heiau dot the island. Petroglyph fields and many stories--and artistic work--of fiery Pele.
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Beaches
White sand beaches. Green. Even black. Just watch where you step: That rock could be a turtle!
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Food & Drink
Locally grown mango, papaya, pineapple, coconut and coffee. We'll also help you find the right restaurant for your tastes.
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Hiking & Land Activities
The island gets bigger every day, as lava oozes out of the earth. Explore 5 national parks and try golf, zipline, maybe an ATV adventure.
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Music & Entertainment
King David Kalakaua is recognized as reviving the tradition of hula in Hawaii and two annual events honor the "Merrie Monarch's" efforts.
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Romance & Honeymoons
Tour a coffee farm, dive with manta rays, dine at a beachside restaurant, watch sea turtles swim at sunset. Romance abounds.
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Sightseeing & Shopping
Sun & stars. Volcanoes. Waterfalls & valleys of kings. Volcanic hotsprings. Cowboy country. Navigating a big island requires a good strategy.
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Snorkeling & Water Adventures
You may witness net-throw fishing. Snorkel with endemic fish. Dive with manta rays. Or watch lava flow into the sea.
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Spa & Massage
Ginger, coconut, tropical fruits, coffee and volcanic clay are some of the local ingredients used in facials, massage and body scrubs.
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Beyond the Rim: Hiking Volcanoes National Park with a Guide
Kilauea is like that. It engenders deeper exploration. So you may hike Kilauea Iki Trail, you may walk through Thurston Lava Tube, and you may even make the 36-mile round-trip drive down Chain of Craters Road at sunset to—hopefully—witness distant streams of surface lava flowing to the sea. But then what?
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Slurp. Swoosh. Spit. Its the Kona Coffee Cupping Event.
For the past 25 years as an importer of green specialty coffees from around the world, John King has started his day—and sometimes spent entire days on end—cupping coffee. If you’re going to cup coffee, it doesn’t get much better than the annual Kona Coffee Cupping Competition, held every November.
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NASA Astronauts. Scientists. And Hawaiian Gods & Goddesses.
Mauna Kea rises to 13,796 feet above the sea, centrally located in the middle of Hawaii’s largest island—Hawaii, also known as Big Island. It is the tallest mountain in the Hawaiian archipelago and, measured from its base at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, is the tallest mountain in the world, besting Mt. Everest by a whopping 4,441 feet.
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Shaken, Stirred and Moved by Manta Rays
I have long wanted to dive with the manta rays off the coast of Big Island. In Hawaii, dive operators claim the experience is the number one night dive in the world, and I have heard many stories about it.
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Ten Fascinating Facts about Seahorses that I Learned from Ocean Rider
On three oceanfront acres just south of Kailua-Kona airport on Hawaii (Big) Island, an unusual fish farm quietly operates. For 13 years, Ocean Rider has bred and raised seahorses. That’s right, seahorses. They really do exist.
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