Five Things to See on the Big Island of Hawaii

More than ever, Hawaii has become a premiere vacation destination for honeymoons, romantic couples getaways and family vacations. Today with the high price of travel, Hawaii affords an exotic destination with much less expense than traveling outside the U.S. However, few people see the real Hawaii away from the tours, the plastic leis and complimentary Mai Tais.

The Big Island of Hawaii still affords an authentic Hawaiian experience. It is a paradise that remains relatively untouched by the crowds and mass marketing of some of the other islands. While on the Big Island there are five things you shouldn’t miss.

Kailua, Kona

This sleepy little village has grown up in recent years, but still maintains the old Kailua charm. A relaxing stroll down the main street Alii Drive offers a mixture cute little shops and historical buildings. A particularly worthwhile stop is Hulihee Palace. Once a retreat for Hawaiian royal families, a visit to the Palace gives visitors a real sense of how Hawaiian royalty lived. Rich koa wood furniture and Hawaiian artifacts are a real visual treat. Tours of the home are given daily, and it shouldn’t be missed.

Kealakekua Bay

This is a great place to visit, as long as your last name isn’t Cook. This is where Captain Cook, who arrived in the Bay in 1779, was eventually killed by native Hawaiians. It is now a National Park and offers the best snorkeling on the Island. You will see a myriad of tropical fish as well as the once endangered green sea turtles. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Kailua, or you can take a catamaran cruise down to the bay. The boat trip makes a whole day’s adventure of it, complete with booze and lunch. Kona is also known to have some of the calmest waters in the world, so seasickness shouldn’t be a problem.

City of Refuge

About a 30 minute drive South from Kona is the City of Refuge. This is an important National Park that preserves Hawaiian history. In ancient Hawaii, when a person broke a law, the punishment was death. The only way a person could escape this harsh punishment was to seek refuge at a place like this. There is a self guided walking tour, and it is in a beautiful setting. Bring your bathing suite and take a dip in the ocean or explore the tide pools after your tour.

Black Sand Beach

This is way more fabulous than it sounds. It is hard to imagine the drama of seeing a beach that is jet black, in contrast to the turquoise Hawaiian water. The journey is just as entertaining as the destination. It is a long but beautiful drive, through rainforests and patches of strangely stark lava flows. There isn’t much in the way of restaurants and tourist attractions along the way, so bring lunch with you just in case hunger strikes.

Kilauea Crater, Volcanoes National Park

This is hands down a must see while on the Big Island. There are actually very few places in the world where you can get up close and personal with a live volcano. Lime green smoke wafts through cracks in the ground, and the crater is eerily desolate. You may see actual glowing red lava, although the most active flows are cordoned off because of the danger involved.

Stop by The Volcano House, where you can actually spend the night on the rim of the crater, or just dine in their restaurant. This is old Hawaii, so it’s not fancy. However the setting is about as dramatic and interesting as it gets.

The Big Island affords an experience that no other island can. The diverse and untouched scenery combined with warm welcoming people, makes for the perfect vacation destination.

For reates, packages and specials on Hawaii Vacation Holidays, conact the travel specialists at Honeymoon-Vacation.com.

Visit their web site to talk to a Hawaii Travel specialist, search for availibility or send in a custom quote request.