Kailua-Kona

If you are on the Big Island in the Kona Area, you might want to check out the following places.

• Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park-This park was established to preserve, protect and interpret the traditional Hawaiian Activities and culture that formerly thrived on the site. Open from 8:30-4 pm daily. Activities include ocean recreation, wildlife viewing and hiking. You can check out their site here.

• Honokohau Harbor-Join a snorker cruise and swim in the colorful underwater world of the Pacific. Romantic sunsets sails along the coast also depart here.

• Ahu'ena Heiau-King Kamehameha I restored this shrine in 1812. Located near the Kailua Pier, it includes thatched structures, wooden images and a canoe landing.

• Hulihe'e Palace-See the collection of beautiful furniture and fascinating artifacts at this museum, once a vacation residence of Hawaiian Royalty.

• Moku'aikaua Church-This church is just right across the street from Hulihe'e Palace. This was the location in 1837 of Hawaii's first Christian church. Artifacts are housed in the back of the church.
  

• Kona Side Shopping- Browse for gifts in the shops along Ali'i Drive in Kailua-Kona. Head down Kuakini Hwy to the Keauhou Shopping Center and continue your shopping excursion.

You can rent a car to get to these cool places but if you would rather have a guide and see more of Kona. Just contact me. Aloha!

Hilo Hanakahi

Aloha All! Just two words for today... Simply Amazing! The video says it all. Enjoy!

Island of Adventure

Hawaii's Big Island is a world of adventure, beauty, discovery, relaxation and fun. The Hawaiian Island is a vacation destination without limits because there's so much to see and just as much to do. Twice the size of the other major Hawaiian Islands combined, the island's open spaces are bordered by hundreds of miles of magnificent coastline. Kilauea, one of the world's active volcanoes, sends new land to a steamy meeting with the ocean below. Eleven distinct climate zones exist here. Rain forest, snow capped mountains, tropical waterfalls and beaches of many colors are just some of the features that contribute to the island of Hawaii's beauty.

Stunning scenery is rejuvenating in its own right, but when it provides the backdrop for all your activities, everything you do is enhanced. The island of Hawaii is also the cradle of the states of Hawaii's fascinating history. The story begins with the first Polynesian settlers and continues to this day as the cultures of many immigrant groups have blended into the island's rich tapestry. The well known spirit of aloha has been the core of that heritage and today it translates into a warm welcome.

Hamakua Coast

Cascading streams and waterfalls. Fertile valleys and mountains of lush greenery. Spellbinding seascapes. Take a drive down the more than forty miles of the breathtaking Hamakua Coast and be sure to bring your camera.

The Hamakua Coast Highway begins in charming old-town Hilo and ends at the very edge of the Waipio Valley. Sugar, the king of Big Island agriculture, thrived in this area until about 10 years ago. Today the sugar plantations are gone - what remains is a spectacular landscape.

Breathtaking ocean vistas, quaint old plantation towns, towering waterfalls, deep gulches, and the most beautiful valley in the world. Waipio, the Valley of the Kings!

Located on the northern Hamakua Coast, the sacred Waipio Valley was the boyhood home of King Kamehameha I and an important center for political and religious life in Hawaii. Not only is "The Valley of the Kings" an important site for Hawaiian history and culture, it's also a place of dramatic tropical beauty.

This fertile valley is about one mile across and over five-miles deep, and surrounded by cliffs up to 2000-feet high. Waipio Valley was once the home for thousands of native Hawaiians. Today, there are less than 100 residents living amongst the waterfalls, taro fields, and rivers permeating the valley. The Big Island's tallest waterfall, Hiilawe Falls cascades down 1,300 feet in the back of Waipio.

You can view the valley from the coastal Waipio Valley Overlook, or you can take a guided van tour, hike, or horseback ride to explore the hidden wonders within. Tour guides will happily share the stories and legends of this special place. The road into the valley is extremely steep so driving isn't recommended.

Our exploration starts on Hilo's beautiful bayfront and then heads north to the Onomea Bay scenic drive, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens,often acclaimed as the most beautiful area in Hawaii, this garden is a photographer’s and nature lover’s paradise. Featuring over 2,500 species of tropical plants from around the globe, an orchid garden, macaw aviary and oceanfront walk.

Akaka and Kahuna Falls:At Akaka Falls State Park, located along the northeastern Hamakua Coast, you can see two gorgeous waterfalls on one short hike. The pleasant 0.4-mile uphill hike will take you through a lush rainforest filled with wild orchids, bamboo groves, and draping ferns.

As you follow the footpath, you'll first see 100-foot Kahuna Falls. Continue to follow the loop around the bend, and you'll discover towering Akaka Falls which plummets 442-feet into a stream-eroded gorge. Beautiful Akaka Falls is perhaps the Big Island's most famous waterfall. Easily accessible, this hike takes less than an hour.

MAUNA KEA

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanoes which together form the island of Hawaii. Pu'u Wekiu, one of numerous cinder cones on the summit plateau, is the highest point in the state of Hawaii at 13,796 feet (4,205 m). Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from base to summit, since its base is located on the seafloor about 19,000 feet (5,800 m) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean, bringing its total height to about 33,000 ft (10,000 m). In the Hawaiian language, mauna kea means "white mountain", a reference to its summit being regularly snow-capped during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Beautiful, rugged, and majestic – Mauna Kea is the highest mountain in Hawaii. Standing at an elevation of 13,796 feet (4,205 meters), Mauna Kea is the crowning jewel of the astronomical world and the home of the 13 observatories including the Keck 10 meter telescope, the world’s largest.

Hawaii Volcano Tour’s adventure starts with an afternoon pick-up from your hotel. Our exploration starts with a leisurely and scenic drive up the Saddle Road to Puu Huluhulu. From here we begin our ascent to the summit of Mauna Kea. Enjoy a specially prepared dinner as you relax and acclimatize at the 9,000 foot mid-level. Browse the Visitor Center for a special souvenir. Soon after we ascend the switch back road to the summit and enjoy a magnificent sunset.