Packing lists and microclimates

Speaking of both microclimates AND planning for a trip to the Big Island, I thought it might be helpful to provide readers with a version of our “packing list”.  As noted in my other blog, we both feel it’s important not to plan activities too tightly, but it is important to know something about the island in advance, especially because of it’s microclimates.  It may sound nuts, but we usually like to leave the following in our car at all times: swimsuits, towels, sun block, light hiking shoes, sweatshirts, and jackets.

Another point to keep in mind is that the Big Island still retains much wilderness and wildness.  Depending on what and how you wish to explore, you’ll want to plan accordingly.  For example, the small walks and hikes directly off the two main roads within Volcanoes National Park only require comfortable walking shoes and an extra layer (in case of rain), but serious hikes out of the park boundary require closed-toed shoes, rain gear, and flashlights.  You’ll also want a warm layer if you go up Mauna Kea, which is covered in snow part of the year and sports freezing winds much of the rest of the time.  If you walk from South Point out to the Green Sand Beach or down into Pololu Valley, you’ll need your walking shoes/light hikers again.  The issue here, like at most secluded island locations, is the rocky footing which is unkind to flip-flops and definitely requires shoes with some support.

Some of our guests also like to bring rash guards or half wetsuits for snorkeling.  A rash guard or half wetsuit/wetsuit top may be something you want if you are here in the winter when the current shifts and the water is a little cooler and you plan and spending loads of time out in the water.  I am quite small and have a tendency to cool down if I space out snorkeling and spend more than an hour or so out there.  These items aren’t necessary, but they can also protect you against sunburn.  

Besides these considerations the rest of the island is pretty easy and it’s totally possible to pack light.  This is probably one of the most relaxed islands and the general uniform for guys is t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, and for girls is t-shirt or camisole, shorts, and flip-flops.  The last “dressy” event we went to was a funeral and even there none of the men had on aloha shirts (the dressy-dress of the islands), just tees.

What's the weather really like?

Last night we had our first really hard rain in months.  Although rain is in the forecast again today, it is perfectly sunny and clear down here at the Inn right now.  The ocean looks bright blue, the water is calm, and you can see for miles. 

This brings up an interesting and un-answerable question: What’s the weather like in Hawaii?  Of course we get asked this all the time, and we try to answer as best as possible, but it’s tricky.  For one, it really depends on where you are on the island.  To start, each island has both a windward (east) and leeward (west) side.  The windward sides are always wetter, the leeward, drier.  For example, on the Big Island, Hilo is the biggest town on the east side, known for its surrounding waterfalls and jungle and botanical gardens, but is also the rainiest city in the US (hence all the lush greenery).  It is generally hit first and hardest by storms, and experiences rain almost daily.  The Kona-side of this island is dry and sunny year-round, with occasional rains (hence the calm water, abundance of plumeria and bougainvillea, mangoes and citrus).  A guest mentioned to me today that there’s a storm-warning on for Mauna Kea and Kilauea, and that there may be flooding in Hilo.  This is certainly possible, but you wouldn’t know it looking outside here.  Elevation also has an impact on weather patterns.  Generally the higher you go the cooler and wetter it gets.  For example, I have a hula sister who lives on the same road as us, but a little higher up, and I just overheard her in class discussing her battles with mildew in the closets (a common issue on the island).    This isn’t an issue down here where we are, because it’s so much drier, even though we’re just a couple of miles away.  Sometimes I’ll be driving up our road to go to the store, or out Middle Keei Road or Painted Church Road to see a friend, and the road will be wet with rain, while it was bone-dry down at the Inn.

Although all the travel books mention the Big Island’s micro-climates, it can be very hard to fathom these sudden changes until you get here.  Here are a couple of other examples: the other day I drove up to Choice Mart, our local supermarket.  When I left the Inn it was sunny and hot down here, but by the time I got up our road a couple of miles, I’d entered a cool, rainy mist.  I shut off the AC and removed my sunglasses.  By the time I reached the highway the sky was leaden, and when I got to Choice Mart (less than one mile down the highway), big drops of rain were falling and ominous black clouds were amassing up mauka (up in the hills).  As I headed home I left the dark sky and mist and once I was home it was sunny and hot just as I’d left it.  The rain was visible way up on the hillside, but never made its way down.  We’ve needed rain over the last few weeks and I was a little sad the mist just hovered up mauka, taunting us.  One time we took our Miata for a spin around the island.  We had the AC going in the Kau Desert where the sun was blazing, the top pulled closed and the heater on in Volcano, the top open (because it was muggy) in Hilo and up the Hamakua Coast where the mist flew over us as we drove, then the top back up and the heater on in Waimea where a cold wind was blowing.  By the time we followed the highway down the hills in Waimea the AC was on again because the sun was burning brightly, and we left it on through Kona. 

This crazy-seeming weather actually generally reflects the variety of microclimates on the island, but of course things do shift and change.  It can be sunny in Hilo, it can pour in Kona.  There are two seasons in Hawaii: the wet season (late spring-early fall) and the dry season (late fall-early spring).  For us, this generally means a nice shower in the late afternoon/evening during the wet season, with bright sun the rest of the time.  But this year, we had a very dry summer and are already facing drought.  Generally there is a drought here in South Kona in the winter-months.  More storms also blow across the island during winter months, so although we may have a sunny, dry day, we may hear a tropical downpour for a few minutes after dark (like last night).

This brings us to another common question: when is the off-season in Hawaii?  The real answer to this is that there isn’t one.  Hawaii’s always nice.  The “off season” reflects the off-season on the mainland, regardless of the weather here: the summer months are generally slower because it is nice on the mainland, the winter months are usually jam-packed (December and January being the peak months) because so much of the mainland is experiencing bad winter weather.  June and September are notoriously slow since those are school-transition months for mainland families, and November is historically quite slow since most mainland travelers wait until Christmas or New Years for their long-holiday/vacation

The way we look at it is that there’s nice weather, and then there’s spectacular weather, with some anomalous days here and there (a wet day, a voggy-day, for example).  In other words, it’s pretty perfect most days.  We don’t have much variation in temperature, rainfall, or length of day down here in our little ocean micro-climate.  A tropical rain may blow in from the ocean one night, an ominous mist may hover up mauka, a rain shower may happen four miles away, you just never know.  So that’s why we can’t answer the “what’s the weather like” question, because it depends completely on where you are.  It’s said on the Big Island that if you don’t like the weather, just drive for an hour and you’ll be somewhere completely different, and it’s true!

 

Training on the Big Island

Iron Man was last weekend.  The race took place on Saturday, October 10th (it's always the second Saturday in October) and as always drew lots of visitors and excitement to Kona.  (For race winners and details, please visit the official Iron Man website: http://ironman.com/worldchampionship).  The weeks leading up to the race are always exciting.  Athletes come from all over the world to train here and acclimate to the weather before the race, and visitors pour in to volunteer, watch the race, and cheer the triathletes on.  We've had both athletes and volunteers stay with us here at the Inn and their energy is always contagious.

In the spirit of Iron Man, I thought it'd be interesting to post the experiences of an athlete training on the island.  Although my dad isn't a thriathlete, he is a world record-holding masters swimmer and spent the summer here training in the Bay.  He took part in several local swims, including the Alii Challenge and the race to Honaunau, as well as the Waikiki Roughwater Swim on Oahu.  Here's an excerpt from his summer journal:

All around me there is nothing but warm, clear, blue water.  I am one hour into the 10K Alii Challenge open water swim from Keauhou Bay north to the Alii Pier in Kailua-Kona.  I should be feeling good right now but I am suffering a bit and the blood sugar appears to be gone.  This is not good because almost an hour and a half remain in the race.  Roberta, my escort paddler, carries some food and drink so I "pull over" and try to replace the spent nutrients and then off we go.

The plans for this race started in June when we arrived at the Luana Inn for an extended summer of swimming in the beautiful waters around the big island of Hawaii.  The Luana Inn is perched less than a mile above the fabled Kealakekua Bay where Captain James Cook met his demise in 1797.  The inn is the perfect launching point for the open water swimmer.  Kealakekua Bay is a breathtakingly beautiful crescent about 1.2 miles across.  On the south side is Manini Beach and on the North side is the Captain Cook Monument.  

Most of our training swims began at Manini Beach and followed the perimeter of the bay to the monument.  The visual feast was fantastic.  Tropical fish of fantastic colors, coral formations of surreal shapes and sizes, sea turtles, rays and the ultimate treat, populate the bay: dolphins.  The spinner dolphins often come to the bay to rest and on occasion will "join" the open water swimmers.  I think they find our pathetic efforts comical so we provide a source of entertainment for them.  For us seeing the dolphins is electrifying and we redoubled our efforts to swim well and swim fast but most of all we try to just enjoy the moment while we are suspended in that beautiful blue medium from which all life on this planet emerged.

My swimming friends and I were preparing for a series of open water races.  July 5th the Hapuna Swim a one mile race at Hapuna Beach north of Kona, July 11th the King's Swim a 1.2 mile race on the Iron Man course by Alii Pier in Kailua-Kona, August 16th the Alii Challenge a 10K race from Keauhou to the Alii Pier, and finally on Labor Day, September 7th, the 2.4 mile Waikiki Rough Water swim.

The races were wonderful and well organized but the key to the summer of swimming was all the training swims in Kealakekua Bay.  Our swims were mostly about 4 kilometers in length; however, before the 10K Alii Challenge we did do a few 6K and 8K swims.  After each swim we would hang out at Manini Beach and talk, eat, and plan the next swim.  During the summer, I estimate we swam about 250 kilometers.

Back to the Alii Challenge.  I am now about 90 minutes in the race and am still suffering a bit but we have a following sea and the King Kamehameha Hotel is starting to emerge on the horizon.  At about the two-hour mark we can see the pier and then finally 2 hours and eighteen minutes after the start I am on the beach.

 I will be back next year to do it again!

Hula

One of the things I (Erin) love to do is practice hula.  The graceful movements, haunting chants, and beautiful language and music can be very moving to behold, let alone take part in.  Sometimes, when I exit the building we practice in, it is raining softly and there are pink plumeria blossoms sticking to the hood of my car.  I drive home as the sun is setting and I cannot believe how fortunate I am.  I’ve just spent an hour dancing dances that are so beautiful they make me want to cry; singing about nature, about winds and mists and flowers and the ocean and love, telling stories with our fingers and hands and feet.  Although I am a novice, I can feel clearly that this is a view into the Hawaiian language, into Hawaiian history, a connection to the people and the place.

One of the best opportunities to watch hula is at the Merrie Monarch festival (http://www.merriemonarchfestival.org/index.html) held each year in March/April in Hilo.  Dancers come from all over the world and the festival lasts for several days.  In July during the cultural festivals dancing can also be seen.  You never know when you’ll be lucky enough to come upon hula…there may be a class outside in a park, or a small party at a beach, or a local festival that you luckily happen upon.  To take part in a local class in South Kona visit the Society for Kona’s Education and Arts website: http://www.skea.org/.  (SKEA also offers ukulele, yoga, and pilates classes and is just about a ten minute drive from the Inn.)  There is so much more to hula than what you may see at a resort luau.  As it says on the Merrie Monarch website: “Hula is the language of the heart, therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.” 

 

Yoga Practice

Many of our guests are interested in taking a yoga class while staying with us. There is a lot of yoga on the Big Island but the closest options for guests of Luana Inn are:

Big Island Yoga Center (Iyengar classes daily)
http://www.bigislandyoga.com/home.html
Big Island yoga is located right up in Kealakekua off Hwy 11, less than seven miles (about fifteen minutes) from the Inn.

Paleaku Peace Gardens (Ashtanga class in the pavilion)
http://www.paleaku.com/
Tuesdays, 9:30 - 11:00am, Thursdays, 5:30 – 7:00pm
In the Pavilion: $12/drop-in or 8 classes/$80
Please pre-register for this class, Call Hooda 937-4462

Paleaku is where I practice yoga and I love it. It’s this beautiful piece of property about a five-minute drive from the Inn, up Napoopoo to Middle Keei, then out Painted Church. This neighborhood is very lush and wet and filled with lots of small farms. (It’s also a great area to walk and run.) Paleaku has beautiful grounds with several different small theme-gardens. Yoga class takes place in an open-air pavilion facing the water. Many nights I’ve heard the pitter-patter of rain on the roof as we practice, and watched the sun sink into the horizon behind my teacher. It’s a magical place to practice.

We also encourage our yoga-minded guests to feel free to set up a mat or beach towel out on the lanai or on one of our large lawns. The Inn grounds are a stunning place to practice yoga.

Our favorite garden

Speaking of botanical gardens, our favorite garden is actually right here in South Kona.  There is a very special small garden, called the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, just up the road on the highway.  If you take a right off Napoopoo (our road) and head south, you'll see a small sign on your left less than a mile south (before Choice Mart supermarket).  I am a fan of botanical gardens and fell in love with this special place the first time I visited it.  Unlike other gardens, its focus is native and endemic species, and it highlights how the native Hawaiians farmed their land from mauka to makai (large trees like sandalwood grown up high, taro, ti, and turmeric down low, etc.) and how they used various plants and trees (for food, medicine, dying, carving, etc.).  The garden is obviously lovingly maintained and is a quiet, peaceful, beautiful place to learn and relax.  I have spent many a quiet moment there, resting on the grass under a softly rustling old tree.  For more information, check out their page on the Bishop Museum's website:

http://www.bishopmuseum.org/exhibits/greenwell/greenwell.html

A visit to the windward side

We just returned from a two-day mini break on the Hilo-side of the island. The green and damp, mist and rain, fragrant ginger and coqui frogs make for a relaxing change of scene for us.  

The first day, we went to Queen Liliuokalani Park and Coconut Island. It was a sunny clear day and both were gorgeous. Queen L Park is a great place to relax with a book and Coconut Island is a wonderful place for children (safe areas to get into the water, soft short grass and shade). We also visited the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens on this trip and were quite impressed. The gardens span a huge piece of property that unfolds down to the ocean’s edge, so it feels like you’re wandering through lush natural rainforest, rather than a manicured garden. We saw some extremely exotic plants including our new favorite, the white bat plant. We also made a visit to Akaka and Kahuna falls, both lovely (although almost overwhelmingly touristy and crowded) and marveled at the huge old mossy bamboo and all the different kinds of ginger. (We also like Rainbow Falls, which is less crowded and in a park with some huge old banyan trees.)

We didn’t stop at Kalopa Park this time, which is our favorite place on that side of the island. It is way up a winding farm road off the highway, about twenty minutes south of Honokaa. It has a park area with native hibiscus growing and a nature trail, as well as a longer hike through beautiful dense forest to misty cattle pasture, then back along a deep ravine through dripping damp eucalyptus and ginger. Kalopa is an off-the-beaten path sort of place, a beautiful hidden forest treasure.  

Although we wouldn't want to live on the east side, we do enjoy a visit now and then.  The rain does make for some outstandingly lush scenery. There’s something haunting and special about a dark, misty forest scented with yellow ginger flowers and damp earth. 

Snorkeling Snapshots - Two Step

The other afternoon my father and I went snorkeling at Two Step.  Two Step is one of the two most famous snorkeling spots here in South Kona (the second is at the Captain Cook monument). To get there from the Inn, we follow Napo'opo'o Road down to the water (about .8 mile), then stay on it until we reach the park (about a ten minute drive).  Napo'opo'o turns into Pu'uhonua Road, the road that leads to Pu'uhonua O Honaunau national park.  Two Step is just to the north of the park.  We parked in the park parking lot and walked back out, down to the water.  It was about three in the afternoon and there were a few people around, but it was pretty quiet.  The water was calm, warm, and clear as usual.  The afternoon was just a touch overcast and a misty rain fell part of the time we were down there.  We jumped in and swam out a bit, then spent about an hour just floating and observing the reef world below.  We saw all the normal, beautiful things: huge coral heads in lush yellow hues, brilliant-yellow tangs, vibrant rainbow parrotfish, darling little spotted box fish and shy puffers.  Then we happened upon a small group of threadfin butterflyfish.  These butterflies have grey cross-hatching on their sides and bright yellow on top.  One particularly inquisitive little fish swam right up to us from below and looked into our faces.  Neither of us had ever had this experience before.  Although tolerant of snorkelers and swimmers, reef fish are watchful and shy and usually keep a distance.  This little threadfin kept coming right up to us.  It came so close I got a good look at its delicate little face and flowing yellow top fin.  We eventually moved on, not wanting to bother it.  We weren't sure if it was just curious, or if we were infringing on its territory.  We exited the water feeling relaxed and refreshed as only the salt water can leave you.  We marveled at the fact that each session spent in the ocean is different, each provides something new, surprising, and beautifully mysterious.  It is always different, at different moments through the day, on different days, in different seasons; always filled with life, always wondrous.

Green Friends - the Stardust Gecko

When you eat breakfast in our dining room, you may be greeted by one of our "green friends", the stardust geckos. Although not native to Hawaii, these little geckos are quite at home here on the Big Island and can be spotted in gardens and homes and on lanais all over the place. If you've seen the Geico gecko on TV, you'll know what they look like: a gorgeous bright green with red, gold, and blue markings. There are native geckos on the island as well. They are tan or brown with dark markings and hunt at night. You may hear the native geckos “barking” as they hang out near lights in the evening, hunting moths. But it is the green geckos that charm most visitors. They are inquisitive little creatures, bravely hanging out near us on the walls or ceilings, waiting for a handout. They eat insects, nectar, and fruit. We have a couple "kitchen" geckos that wait around each morning for a piece of fruit. We give them their own little saucer of fruit. So please don't be alarmed if you see one of these gorgeous guys during your stay, they are harmless to humans and are very beautiful, helpful creatures.

Open water swimming, anyone?

Kealakekua Bay is known for its beauty, but it's hard to comprehend how truly beautiful it is until you're here. For many people, a morning dip at Manini Beach or a swim across the bay to the Captain Cook monument are weekly or daily rituals. The bay is normally quite calm, has tremendous clarity, and a healthy, gorgeous reef rich with sea life. In short, it is a fabulous place for swimming.

I'll never forget the first time my dad came to visit us here. Like many first-time visitors to the Inn, he didn't really realize how close we actually are to the bay, and how immensely beautiful this area is. We walked down to Manini Beach one morning and I could see him getting more excited by the second as we viewed the water. My dad happens to be a world-record-holding Masters Swimmer, and I could tell he was just about to jump out of his skin with excitement. He ended up diving in right at Manini and swimming over to Napoopoo Beach. Since that first visit he has come to see us many times and is now staying with us for the summer. He starts each day with a swim in the bay and is still in love with it.

It is difficult to express in a few paragraphs or photos, or even on a map how special this area is. If you love the water, whether for training as a triathlete, as a diver, or for a peaceful daily dip, you'll be in heaven. It is especially nice for athletes taking part in Honu, LavaMan, or IronMan because we are conveniently close to Kailua, while not stuck in the noise and hubbub of the town itself. We are a quiet refuge surrounded by sublime water and excellent roads for running and biking. What more can we say? Yellow tangs visible from the road, plumeria blossoms falling onto the pavement as you run…it’s just too beautiful for words!

Cultural Festival June 27 and June 28

Another wonderful thing to keep in mind about visiting the Big Island in the summer is that summer is the season for cultural festivals.  They happen all over the island, but the one that is closest to us here at Luana is the festival at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, the City of Refuge National Park.  This year it takes place over the weekend of June 27 and June 28.  The 27th will be the craft-day and the 28th will have Hawaiian food-tasting.  Usually the events open and close with a traditional ceremony, and there are lots of wonderful displays and activities to try like carving ipu (wooden gourds used like drums in hula), chanting, dancing, canoe rides, lei making, weaving, etc. Last year we were lucky enough to see children dance hula.  It is a very special opportunity to see master craftsmen and women doing what they love, and to experience some native Hawaiian traditions in an extremely beautiful setting.

Here is the press release from Pu'uhonua o Honaunau.  For more information, please visit their site: http://www.nps.gov/puho.

Pu`uhonua o Honaunau Celebrates
48th Annual Hawaiian Cultural Festival

Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park will be celebrating its 48th Anniversary and Annual Cultural Festival and on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The theme is “Na Mea Hana Lima na Kupuna” -the working hands of our elders. Many activities are planned for both days including a royal court procession, cultural demonstrations and hula. Saturday features canoe rides and Sunday includes a hukilau and Hawaiian food tasting.

We welcome everyone to join us in experiencing the history and culture of Hawai`i and the unique Honaunau area. Bring your family and friends and spend a day in the park. Come prepared for hot weather; bring water, sturdy walking shoes, hat and sunscreen. Park fees are waived for the weekend of this special event.  

Why come to the Big Island in the summer?

Because so much of the mainland is nice in the summer, some people may wonder if it's worth traveling to Hawaii this time of year.  Well, it is!  The first thing to know about summertime on the Big Island is that the water is warmest and calmest now.  Where I'm writing from, here on the Kona Coast, the waves are minimal, the water is clear, and there's lots of sunshine.  Kealakekua Bay, Manini Beach, Keei Beach, and Two Step are often like a large bathtub this time of year. Walking down to Manini Beach, slipping into the gentle water, and floating on my back looking up at the blue sky is one of my greatest joys in life.  

The other important thing to note about the Inn is that because we're down near the water it never gets too hot here.  Our guests from Pheonix and Austin and L.A. remark on the comfortable climate here.  The temperature year-round down here in our little micro-climate never passes eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit.  We're lucky to have lots of sun tempered by the cooling ocean breeze.  Of course we're biased, but we think it's perfect!

Farming

The Big Island is a farming island.  Due to the island's diverse micro-climates a variety of crops can be grown year-round.  Kona is famous for being one of the world's excellent coffee-growing regions, but the Big Island produces many other major crops including macadamia nuts, papaya, bananas, and flowers such as orchids, anthurium, and protea.  At a single meal you may have delicate local lettuce and juicy tomatoes and cucumbers grown in the cool moist Waimea uplands, beef and milk from local cattle raised on the Hilo-side, mushrooms from the damp Hamakua area, marlin caught off the Kona coast, poi from Waipio valley, and passionfruit from the Hawi area. 

Right in our neighborhood we have: a plumeria farm, a large coffee farm (although most people also grow a few plants on their property), a huge coffee roastery, a macadamia nut processing plant, a queen bee farm, a honey processing plant, a plumeria farm, and a large orchid farm next door.  In addition to these large operations, everyone we know grows some food on their property.  Papayas grow like weeds here and just about everyone in our neighborhood has some papaya trees, as well as citrus which does great down here near the ocean in the sun and heat. Here at the Inn we grow green figs, tangerines, starfruit, white pineapple (a local delicacy), mangoes, and coconuts.  We also rotate various vegetables and herbs like lemongrass, sweet potatoes, kale, citronella, and amaranth.  (We also just added a Tahitian lime and a Meyer lemon and will continue to add more food-trees each year.)  Our neighbors produce oranges, limes, lemons, avocados, pummelos, bananas, tangelos, lychee, surinam cherry, and jaboticaba, among others.  We often share and/or exchange fruit since it is so plentiful, different things are ready at different times, and we all grow different varieties.  It is a wonderful luxury to live in a place with so much local food and such a strong sense of pride in the land.

Kona winds

One of the best things about living down here near the water is that we get a wonderful breeze flowing through the house throughout the day.  You always hear about the tradewinds in Hawaii, but we also experience the Kona winds down here.  The tradewinds blow west from across the island from offshore Hilo (on the opposite side of the island).  They travel over the mountains and can bring rain, clouds, cool temperatures (at night and in the winter), storms, and smog from Kilauea (vog). However, down here so close to the ocean we feel the Kona winds that blow in from the ocean and push the rain and vog back up mauka (towards the mountains).  It's the Kona winds that keep our little neighborhood in its own special micro-climate with warm dry days and lots of sunshine - perfect for growing plumeria and citrus fruit.  As I sit here and write I feel the cool wind blowing through the house and hear it moving the palm fronds and the windchime outside.  These soft  sounds, along with doves' gentle cooing and birdsong are the background sounds of life here at the Inn. 

Villages on the Kona Coast

There are many charming old villages (Honalo, Kealakekua, Kainaliu, Captain Cook and Honaunau) that make up South Kona. The Luana Inn is located down Napo’opo’o Road, the road that leads to Kealakekua Bay Marine Life Reserve and sacred Pu’uhonua o Honaunau City of Refuge National Park.

Napo'opo'o Beach

Napo’opo’o and Manini beaches are excellent for swimming, kayaking, diving, and snorkeling, and within minutes of quiet, sandy Keei Beach and the City of Refuge. From world-class snorkeling at the Captain Cook Monument in Kealakekua Bay and at Two-Step near the City of Refuge, to kayaking, swimming, hiking, running, biking, bird and whale-watching, visitors to the area are surrounded immediately with adventure potential.

Hawaii - the "Big Island"

The Big Island is known for its wild, unspoiled natural beauty. From the parched plains of black lava rock at Volcanoes National Park, to the lush jungle of the Hamakua Coast; from the rolling stretches of misty green Waimea pastureland, to the crystal-clear sky of Mauna Kea; from the windswept Kohala Coast with its broad sand beaches, to the unearthly colors and shapes of Kona’s underwater world; from the wondrous flora and fauna that characterize paradise, to the pink sun setting over the glistening Pacific, the Island beckons both the adventurer and the seeker of solitude.