Big Island- 5 days, 4 nights

View from plane as we are flying to Big Island

Enjoy the photos of Big Island, no need to read I'm just chronicling our trips before I forget. We left early Thursday morning and flew into Hilo (Thank you for the ride to the airport Bryant!). We rented an economy car off priceline, but when we got to the car rental agency I don't think they had our car option. So they offered an upgrade to a Dodge Charger for super cheap, we accepted only to find out that the Charger wasn't available so we got a 4WD Jeep instead. Woohoo! Big Island is definitely the place for a 4WD vehicle. 

Double rainbow from Queen Lili'uokalani Gardens

We drove down Banyan Drive with over 50 banyan trees to Queen Lili'uokalani Gardens. We were greeted by a double rainbow. The gardens is a 30-acre park right off the ocean.

Japanese Style- Queen Lili'uokalani Garden

Just off the gardens is a ramp to Coconut Island.

Trace on ramp to Coconut Island

After this stop we jumped in the car and headed north stopping near the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden for a hike along the ocean to Onomea Bay.

Onomea Bay

Continuing north we stopped at Akaka Falls State Park. It's a short 10-minute loop trail with views of both Akaka and Kahuna falls.

Akaka Falls, 442 feet tumbling into Kolekole Stream

We took the 4WD not only to the Waipi'o Valley Lookout but also down the incredibly steep one-way road into the valley. Streams were crossing the road and horses were mingling about the tall grass. I fed one a carrot from our lunch. :)

We walked around the small town of Honoka'a, grabbed some ice cream at a fudge and ice cream parlor then drove to Waimea, the Paniolo or cowboy country. Waimea is home to the largest single-owned cattle ranch in the US! We stopped here for some lunch and a nap before heading up the mountain to the Mauna Kea Visitor Station Observatory. It is dry and desert looking and you don't feel like you are climbing as the Mauna Kea volcano looks more like a rolling hill. We stopped to acclimate at the observatory, which sits at 9,300 foot elevation. My nose started bleeding and they don't recommend that pregnant women got above this point. We would have gone ahead if it hadn't had been for the nosebleed :(  Instead we drove down to Rainbow Falls and the boiling pots just outside of Hilo.

Rainbow Falls

We rented a room a the Kilauea Chalet in Volcano Village, HI so we would be near the Volcanoes National Park for early hiking the next morning. We weren't too tired so we entered the park that night to get a look at the lava in the dark.

Kilauea Caldera at night

Volcanoes National Park is 520 square miles including both Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Friday morning we hiked the steam vents trail, went down the waldron ledge and up to the Kilauea Visitor Center. From there we hiked back through the Sulfur banks trail.

Steam Vents

Sulfur Banks Trail

Kilauea Caldera during day

Then we went back to the same place we saw the glowing lava from the night before, this is the view in the day time. We explored the Jaggar Museum and then headed down the Chain of Craters Road.

On our way down Chain of Craters Road we saw endless fields of hardened lava. The smooth lava is called pahoehoe and the rough lava is 'a'a.

The road ends at the water with many lava sea arches and a half-mile hike to see where the lava flowed over the road.

Trace at Holei Sea Arch

Trace at the end of the road

Trace on lava flow

On our way out of the park for the day we hiked Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs Trail (1.5 mi). We were pelted with rain on the way back to the car. I discovered my windbreaker is not waterproof, in fact it loves to absorb water. :)

Petroglyphs Trail

Petroglyphs Trail

We left the park and drove to Puna to visit the Lava Tree State Park (very beautiful), Kapoho Tide Pools (awesome coral and snorkeling) and Ahalanui Park (natural hot springs turned into public pool).

Kapoho Tide Pools

Saturday we reentered Volcanoes National Park and hiked the Thurston Lava Tube. This is a super short hike.

Inside Thurston Lava Tube

Since we finished the Lava tube early we hiked the Kilauea Iki Trail (5 mi). Neither of us were super excited about this hike but we ended up really liking it. You hike around the caldera, then down and across the lava floor and a steep hike out. Make sure to hike this one early so you aren't caught on the lava floor in the heat. Surprisingly, we finished this in only 1hr20min. 

Trace on Volcano floor

Hilo and Volcano are located on the cooler and wetter part of the island. We were happy to spend the rest of the day in the sun. Punalu'u Black Sand Beach was home to so many turtles both in and out of the water.

Trace and turtle on Black Sand Beach

Black Sand- coarse sand

Papakolea Green Sand Beach- Getting here was no easy task. Definitely need to use caution even with 4WD. The water was warm and great body surfing.

Green Sand beach

Green Sand- So soft

 South Point- this is the southern most tip of the US. And yes we jumped off :)

Trace at South Point

We snorkeled at Honauanau Bay before sunset. I figured we would stay at a small motel at Captain Cook but hadn't booked a room as I figured one would be available- it was booked. (Note: Hawaii is booked for President's day weekend) After checking every motel, hotel, and hostel in the area, we finally found one empty room at a Bed and Breakfast. Yay, no car sleeping for the pregnant lady!

Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay

The next afternoon we kayaked across the Kealakekua Bay and snorkeled at the Captain Cook Monument. Best snorkeling site I've ever snorkeled, the coral goes forever! We stopped for a visit to the temple and headed to resortville where we stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa. This resort is so big it is connected by a very slow moving train and boat ride.

Big Island Kona Temple

Sunset at Hilton Waikaloa

Our last day we spent swimming at the Hilton resort and then we went to Hapuna beach. Before heading off to the airport we went to the Sheraton to watch the manna rays as they swim to the surface to eat plankton.

I'm glad we got to see the whole island. But if we were to visit again we wouldn't have to repeat everything. Repeat visit reminders:
1) Bring a boogie board to Green Sand Beach- Awesome body and boogie boarding
2) Take snorkel stuff to South Point
3) Go early and bring a lunch to Captain Cook Monument Kayak Trip
4) Fly into Kona and stay on that side for better weather and beaches
5) If in the area, hit up Kapoho Tide Pools and Lava Tree State Park again
6) Night snorkeling with manna rays