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Culinary

What Should I do on my Trip to Hawaii's Big Island?

Diane Goettel
By
Updated May 17, 2024
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If you are planning a vacation to the Aloha State’s Big Island, you are in for a fun-filled experience. The island is surrounded by beautiful beaches with lovely vistas. The city on Big Island is, in fact, built upon an active volcano. Be sure not to anger Pele, the fiery goddess who oversees the sleeping volcano or you may end your vacation surfing off of the island on molten rock. According to Hawaiian myth, everyone who resides on the island is at the mercy of Pele’s emotions. In fact, native Hawaiians made offerings to Pele for centuries to appease her.

While you are on the Big Island, you have a number of choices of fun activities. If you are interested in shopping, take a trip to the town of Kona. Kona is known for its great boutiques and shopping areas. If you would like to visit a historical town on the Big Island, take a trip to quaint Hilo.

If you have a java enthusiast in your travel group, you can take a tour of a coffee plantation on Big Island. If you are a golfer, you can play a round of holes right on the Kohala Coast. Dancers who visit Big Island can partake in native hula dancing classes. Don’t forget to bring your grass skirt! For food lovers, a luau, the Hawaiian word for “feast,” is a wonderful experience to be had on the Big Island.

Of course, one of the most exciting things to do while visiting Hawaii’s Big Island is to hike the volcano. For more information on the Kilauea volcano and hiking trails surrounding it, contact the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. In the park, you can actually hike along Kilauea’s active lava flow. The last volcanic eruption was on 3 January 1983. No one knows when the next one will take place. Your vacation to the Big Island could truly be an explosive experience. The park is also home to the Jagger Museum, the Thurston Lava Tube, and the Halema'uma'u Crater. If any of these attractions are interesting to you, be sure to pack your walking shoes and camera.

Before leaving for your trip to the Big Island, be sure to consider your myriad of entertainment and activity options. With a little research and planning, your trip to Hawaii's Big Island will surely be fun-filled, exotic, and will leave you memories to last a lifetime. Aloha!

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Diane Goettel
By Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane Goettel serves as the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. Over the course, she has edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter “Sapling,” and The Adirondack Review. Diane holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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Discussion Comments

By somerset — On Jun 06, 2008

The west, Kailua-Kona, side of the Big Island is pretty dry. There is plenty of volcanic rock around. There is some vegetation, but it's rather scarce.

I drove north of Kona toward the north tip of the Island, closest to Maui. There are some beautiful resorts in Waikoloa where one can enjoy the beauty of the area in a peaceful, luxurious way.

Driving north of Waikoloa one can see the vastness of the Island with the mountains in the background, Mauna Kea to the east and Mauna Loa to the south. Both mountains are over thirteen thousand feet high. On the way I stopped at Puukohola Heiau, National Historical Site. About two hundred years ago this area was King Kamehameha's compound.

This is the place where the king made his first efforts to unite all Hawaiian islands. The temple still stands there, built by the king and dedicated to the family's war god, according to a prophecy. Eventually I reached the north eastern coastline of the Island. The vegetation here is more lush. There are sprawling ranches where one can see cattle, sheep and horses.

The end of the road, at Pololu Valley Lookout shows spectacular views of the north shore of the Island. Along the way there are some beautiful beaches, and the sunsets can take your breath away.

By somerset — On Feb 06, 2008

Ka Lae (South Point) on the island of Hawaii or the Big Island, is the southern most point in United States.

Diane Goettel

Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane Goettel serves as the executive editor of Black...
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