A week on the Big Island of Hawaii

Before coming to the big island of Hawaii, you must plan your activities according to the number of days you will spend on the island. Because after coming here, it will be very difficult for you to decide which place to go on which day. Having a huge size as compared to the other Hawaiian Islands, the big island of Hawaii offers numerous fun activities and various places to discover, for which at least 1 week is required.
You must have some preliminary knowledge of the famous places those should be visited first if you have limited time at the big island of Hawaii.

Once you have arrived at your hotel at the big island of Hawaii, you should relax for sometime and after that, depending upon the weather, you can go to any of the various beaches for snorkeling, body boarding, swimming and surfing. Some of the famous beaches at the big island of Hawaii are Kahaluu Beach, Kaunaoa Beach, Hapuna Beach.

After enjoying on water activities at the beach, if you still have some time, you can visit the Kamakahonu Bay for watching the sunset. Later on at night, don’t go home without taking dinner from the Kailua-Kona.

Most visitors come to the big island of Hawaii for just on water activities, that is the reason why the beaches are always crowded and there is no privacy. No worries, you can plan your next day to explore one of the many National parks at the big island of Hawaii. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the one that is mostly recommended if you are interested in walking along with the lava flow. Don’t leave this park before night as you will miss the most unforgettable experience of your life. Watching the glowing red lava flowing, slowly, between the mountains looks as if, there is a red snake passing by the black mountains. Hiking and exploring the park, especially the Halemaumau crater, are other options available here.

During your stay at the big island of Hawaii, you may see or hear of Mauna Kea. This is the tallest mountain with height of approximately 13,796 feet. There is a myth by the native Hawaiian people that Mauna Kea is the home to the Hawaiian Gods. For visiting this place, you need a whole day and a four-wheel drive with guides, in order to fully enjoy this visit. You can get it all from the Mauna Kea Summit Adventures. Another attraction for which a huge number of visitors come to Mauna Kea is that this place has a large collection of world’s largest telescopes. This 8 hour adventure starts at mid-afternoon. So, you can relax in the day at your hotel and later on move towards this spot.

You must reserve a day for visiting the old town of Hilo, during your stay at the big island of Hawaii. Gardens, museums, valley and waterfalls, everything is there at the old town of Hilo. For visiting this place, you must arrive early in the morning. Make sure that you visit Gardens of Liliuokalani, World Botanical garden and the Nani Mau Gardens. The Mission House, Pacific Tsunami Museum and Lyman Museum are worth to be seen. Later on you can move forward to explore the Akaka Falls and Waipio Valley.

Visit to the big island of Hawaii is considered incomplete if you don’t carry the antiques, handicrafts and masterpieces made by the Hawaiian artists. You will find stuff of every kind at the shops in different parts of big island of Hawaii. KINGS’ SHOPS and Ka’upulehu Store at THE KOHALA COAST; Elements, Ackerman Gallery and Harbor Gallery at north kohala; Bentley’s Home & Garden Collection, Mauna Kea Galleries and Silk Road Gallery at Waimea are some of the good stores for buying various goods. In south Kona, you can visit the Kamigaki Market at the Mamalahoa Highway for taking special macadamia nuts to your home country.

The Five Best Places to Snorkel in Hawaii

Hawaii has been one of the premier destinations for vacationers for more than half a century. Just the though of America’s 50th state makes some people mentally picture tropical settings, warm and pleasant temperatures, and beautiful scenery. People travel to Hawaii with the idea that they will be doing a great deal of things while on the islands. Some of these things are more active like hiking and diving, while other things are more relaxing like sunbathing and taking advantage of the many things that the various spas and resorts have to offer. One of the most popular activities on the though islands is snorkeling.

Snorkeling is popular with tourists coming to Hawaii for a number of reasons. As beautiful as the islands are, there is so much more beauty waiting to be seen below the surface of the water. Snorkeling allows a traveler to leisurely observe and explore areas of marine life without having to learn or deal with the complicated equipment associated with scuba diving. Snorkeling is also an activity that can be performed by nearly everyone regardless of their age because it is all about learning a technique. The marine life that can be viewed while snorkeling through some of the areas around Hawaii is an amazing thing to see. Here are the five best places to go snorkeling at in Hawaii.

Hanauma Bay

Located on the island of Oahu, Hanauma Bay has been popular with snorkelers for decades. The one negative about this diving location is that it has become so popular of late that there are sometimes more than enough snorkelers there to make it somewhat crowded. The bay area is gorgeous above water with gentle sloping vegetation covered ground turning into white sand and then the crystal blue waters of the bay itself. Fish are common in the bay, even up near the shoreline, but the many examples of marine life down along the reefs and rocks are amazing.

Molokini Crater

One of the most unique snorkeling locations in Hawaii is the Molokini Crater. This small island is located just three miles off the coast of Maui. The semi-circle shaped island is the remnants of what was once a volcanic crater. Today it is one of the best places to see some hard to find marine life, there are even several species of fish that are not known to live anywhere else. The memory of swimming into and around a sunken volcanic crater is something that many people who take the opportunity to do it will never forget.

Kahaluu Beach Park

Located on the big island of Hawaii, Kahaluu Beach Park is another of the more popular snorkeling locations on the islands. The beach is large enough to host a great deal of people at once and the waters are generally calm and filled with marine life. All kinds of undersea creatures can be viewed at Kahaluu Beach Park, everything from small shellfish, to a number of species of fish, and even sea turtles and other larger creatures.

Kapalua Bay

Kapalua Bay is one of the most recommended snorkeling locations for those going for their first time. The bay is located on the island of Maui and is popular with locals and tourists alike. The waters are extremely calm and protected from the pounding surf and marine life there is abundant. Those that are new to snorkeling will appreciate the lack of water obstructions as they learn to snorkel and become at ease in the water. The sandy beaches and natural surroundings of the area are also very pleasing for before and after the actual snorkeling, or by those who are not participating.

Kealakekua Bay

Another of the top snorkeling spots on the big island of Hawaii is Kealakekua Bay. This smaller bay provides one of the best opportunities to see some of the more rare underwater sights like sea turtles and dolphins. The area is open to snorkelers but is actually part of a protected underwater marine sanctuary. The scenery from the water or the land is simply beautiful in this truly special part of the Hawaiian Islands.

There are a number of popular activities to do in Hawaii, everything from swimming and diving to hiking and sports. There are even ways to enjoy the water aboard various kinds of watercraft including chartered fishing vessels, whale watching ships, kayaks, jet skis, and boats. One of the top ways to enjoy the water around Hawaii though is through snorkeling. This is one of the few ways that all the wonders of the undersea world can be experienced by those that are visiting the area. Snorkeling in Hawaii is great, but finding the right places to do it can have a huge impact on how successful the excursion is.

10 Fun Facts about Hawaii

Hawaii has long captured the imagination of travelers not just from the United States, but also from Japan and other countries around the world.  The islands have a long history dating back to its earliest native settlers and up through a number of important historical events including being the site of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  The islands are one of the most traveled to destinations by vacationers from everywhere and to this day offer some of the best accommodations, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

Those coming to Hawaii for the first time may not know a great deal about all that it has to offer.  Most of the pertinent information can be found online or in the many great vacation travel guides.  Here though is a look at ten fun facts about America’s 50th state, Hawaii.

1. The first Japanese prisoner of war captured by the USA during World War II was Kazuo Sakamaki.  He was captured on Waimanalo Beach on December 7, 1941 during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
2. Hawaii is the only state in the entire United States that grows coffee.
3. Most people would not think it, but because of some of the distant smaller islands that are part of the state of Hawaii, it is the widest state in the United States.
4. Hawaii is the only state in the United States that does not have a state patrol.
5. Counting the height that is accumulated underwater, the Hawaiian Islands are the tops of the largest mountain range in the entire world.
6. The official Hawaiian State Gem is black coral.  Black coral only grows in the ocean at depths greater than one hundred feet.
7. Hawaii has a long history as a state and before that a territory of the United States.  The islands also had a lengthy history as a kingdom with an established royal family.  Often forgotten is the five years, 1894 to 1898, that Hawaii spent as an independent republic before being annexed into the United States.
8. Hawaii is home to Iolani Palace, this is the only royal palace found within the borders of the United States of America.
9. Hawaii is one of two states in the United States that doesn’t observe Daylight Savings Time, the other is Arizona.
10. More macadamia nuts and orchids are harvested on the big island of Hawaii than anywhere else in the entire world.

While Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, there is also much more to Hawaii than just beaches and surfing.  The island is home to a thriving nightlife, a tremendous agricultural industry, and friendly and helpful residents.  Hawaii remains to this day the dream vacation site for many Americans and will not be losing that status anytime soon.  A trip to Hawaii, no matter what the reason, is a great idea and something that everyone should look into doing at least once in their life.