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Big Island, Hawaii=paradise? You betcha!

Contributed by: Myra Dean on 8/3/2006

I spent the first week of March 2006 on the Big Island of Hawaii. This was a somewhat unexpected vacation because I had never thought I would get to go to HAWAII! But my sister initiated the trip and our planning started around June 2005. Although it was originally, I thought, going to be only the two of us, we ended up with a group of 6 women---me, my sister, my niece, and three friends. Three of us are 50-60-somethings and the other three are 30-somethings.

We stayed in Kailua-Kona at Fairfield's Kona Hawaiian Resort using my sister's timeshare. The condo was very nice and spacious and had 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. One of the nicest features was a large lanai with a ceiling fan, large dining table w/chairs and lounge chair, all with a view (somewhat) of the ocean. The grounds of the timeshare were very lush even the new section we stayed in had nice, although young, tropical plants and flowers. We were uphill, just below the new pool/spa area. The entire complex was very nice and clean; the staff were very friendly and informative.

Having 2 SUVs made it nice when we split up and did separate things, and also for hauling all our "stuff" when we left the condo for the day. The girls went snorkeling several days; my sister and I didn't go do that but our days were extremely full do other sightseeing. The island is so very "big" that there are really too many things to see/do in only a week.

Some of my favorite things were going to South Point and hiking out to the Green Sand Beach---very remote and beautiful, seeing the Kamoa Wind Farm along the way, and stopping at Place of Refuge on the way back. That was such a peaceful place; we saw maybe 7-8 endangered sea turtles feeding there and watched the sunset. Another day we drove to Volcanoes National Park---this is a must see---and spent pretty much the entire day, except for the drive time which is about 2 hours one way from Kailua. Of course, we stopped for some world famous Kona coffee at one of the farms along the way, bought beans too! At VNP, we did the Crater Rim Drive around Kilueau Caldera, stopped at Jaggar Museum & saw their seismographs in operation--no major tremors that day, walked through the Thurston Lava Tube, and then drove down the 19-mile Chain of Craters Road to the ocean. There you can see the Holei Sea Arch at the end of the road. Oh, the road ends because lave flowed over it and cut the road off. I believe that particular flow was in 2002 or 2003. We walked out on the cooled lava to where you can see fresh molten lava flowing into the sea; of course, you are about 3 miles away from that! And what you see in the daylight is actually the steam plumes when the lava hits the ocean water. But this is truly amazing to be able to watch land being formed.

Another day, 3 of us drove the northern route to go around to Hilo. We made so many stops that we didn't get to Hilo until very late in the afternoon, so didn't get to explore the city or any of the shops. What we did see on that day----the Kohala Mountains and the resort area below, beautiful Mauna Kea with it's giant telescopes and a little snow on the top---yes, it does snow in Hawaii!. We did drive about 5 miles up Saddle Rd (don't tell the car rental company) and found it's not nearly as bad as we had expected/been told. This area is near the small town of Waimea which is in the area of world famous Parker Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the entire United States, about 175,000 acres. It is an area of rolling pastures to mountains and cattle and paniolos, and huge cactus too. In fact, we stopped and watched some of the Parker Ranch cowboys rounding up cattle to take back to their summer pasture. It was amazing to be up-mountain and then look back and see the ocean and beaches below.

We continued to the Waipio Valley overlook. The view down to the black sand beach and the huge remote cliffs bordering this valley are incredible. The only way into the valley is by 4-wheel drive (very slowly), by horse/mule, or by foot. Regular vehicles can not and do not make it down and back up this road! As we continued around the northern part of the island, we came to the lush garden and rainforest areas of the Big Island. We stopped at Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls. Because it was raining by then, the air and plants were all so clean and fresh smelling. By the time we were heading back from Hilo, it was dark. I really can't recommend that tourists make this drive (northern route) at night if it is raining. Why? It was pouring, pitch black, and I hit a flooded area in the road and could not see anything at all. Did not know where the road went at all and could not see. We got lucky and didn't run off the road. My heart pounded the rest of the way back to Kailua---1 1/2 hours away.
We all went to a luau at the King Kamehameha Hotel and thoroughly enjoyed it. Tried some new foods---poi and Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes---and had wonderful mai tais. And the hula dancers and singers were wonderful.

There just was not enough time to just sit on a quiet beach and relax. So, that means I'm planning my next trip to Hawaii and yes, it will be back to the Big Island. There is so much diversity of climate that you can go from very warm at the beaches to cool upland areas to snow capped mountains, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. There are very dry areas on the Kona coast and rainforests on the eastern side. Lush pastures to desolate lava flow areas. The Big Island has it all and I'm just getting homesick for it just thinking about it!---Myra LaRose Dean---


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Showing 1-3 of 3 comments
Submitted By: Phillip Hendricks
posted on 8/28/2006 @ 12:31:40 PM
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I would like to go to Hawaii too!!!
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Submitted By: Brenda Weatherby
posted on 8/28/2006 @ 12:25:27 PM
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Great story and great pictures...everyone needs to go to Hawaii at least once in their lifetime! Brenda
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Submitted By: Myra Dean
posted on 8/3/2006 @ 9:56:40 PM
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*****
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Showing 1-3 of 3 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Myra Dean

Hermitage , TN

Myra Dean has posted 1 story and 1 comment since joining on 8/3/2006. Myra Dean 's average story rating is 5.
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