Welcome to our Book of Adventures

I had no idea what I was getting into when we booked our Hawaiian honeymoon. This island is for the adventurer who gets up at sunrise and doesn’t stop till sundown (and then maybe keeps going for a few more hours!). There is so much to do on this island, we tried to cover as much ground as we could with only 7 nights. This trip can be a lazy one if that’s more your speed…you can check in to wherever you’re staying, enjoy relaxing mornings, coffee, breakfast somewhere, go to a beach or the pool, read, relax, do dinner somewhere fabulous, then glide into bedtime. For us, we chose to do the exact opposite. With that being said, the next trip is going to be a lazy one.

Our agenda was action packed…although we did infuse some downtime which was much needed. I wanted to share our list of things to do for the aspiring Big Island traveler!

Fair warning for those thinking of booking this trip: flights are cheap (or at least they WERE before inflation started to strangle our daily lives) but being on the island is very VERY expensive. This trip was a lot like Iceland… getting their was doable, but being there was a lot of $$$$. Food is pricey ($60 for breakfast), gas prices are high (almost $6/gallon) and tours and excursions are expensive ($350 for the Luau experience and Mauna Kea stargazing was $267 a person)…. So, it is a trip that needs to be financially planned for well in advance of going. Do the math before you go. There are certainly less expensive tropical islands to adventure to, but Hawaii is one of those places you just have to see and experience. It was a trip we will likely be talking about forever.

I hope this short list of activities inspires your own agenda when traveling to the Big Island!

1. Manta Ray Night Snorkel

For those who are fearless, this excursion is for you. I bravely jumped into the ocean at night knowing that these ginormous sea creatures were swarming below. This was tough for me….I LOVE the ocean, but swimming in it at night?? Not so much. Nate stood right by my side and when I finally got in the water, he was right there next to me. You hold onto this contraption that floats and has these intense lights that attract the Manta Rays.

They know to come up to the surface and investigate when they see it. They come right up to you, flapping you with their huge wings. Their mouths are always open…. it looks like an alien with a gaping huge mouth coming right at you. I was certainly screaming in my snorkel mask. It is jarring, to say the least. There were so many of them, too. It was a unique experience, absolutely, and I’m glad I somehow managed to be courageous enough to do something I otherwise never would have done.

I ended up getting out while others stayed out in the water for awhile, and I just watched the Manta Rays swim. They are graceful, gentle giants (up to 16 ft. wide!) that only eat plankton…so no worries 🙂 Although, I did and I do… I was certain that there was a Hawaiian shark out there waiting for me. This tour was highly rated and I have to say, it is the craziest most unique thing I’ve ever done on a vacation. If you are interested in jumping into the water with Manta Ray’s, here is the tour

2. Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

Looking for a lovely low-key island day? Mix in some beach naps with a tour of the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. I love places like this…it is a site where a lot of Hawaiian history on the big island took place.

There are still remnants of old buildings right by the water. This historic location is referred to as “A furious journey of life or death” which was determined by the gods. If you had broken any laws, rather than be put to death, you could take your chances and swim to Pu’uhonua which was considered by all as a place of refuge. No harm would come to you if you survived the swim.

This was a spiritual sanctuary where forgiveness and a second chance was waiting for you. It’s a beautiful place….very peaceful, and you are surrounded by crashing waves. It is a lovely afternoon. And, if you happen to go during turtle season which is summertime, the green sea turtle is known to nest on the beaches at Pu’uhonua. Learn more about this national park and try to fit it into your day!

3. Mauna Kea Stargazing

This is the ultimate tour. It also comes with the ultimate price tag. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something like this, so we did it. The is an all-day excursion…it might consist of many shuttles (we had 2) to get to the base of Mauna Kea. From there, our tour guide took us up this massive volcano.

It is dormant, of course, and rises 13,803 ft. above sea level. Mauna Kea is 1 million years old….you don’t realize how ancient Hawaii is until you learn details like this. You are surrounded by unfathomable years of life. Why go to the very top of Mauna Kea? To see the world’s largest observatory for astronomy…and the view. For Nate, doing this tour was equivalent to Christmas morning… he was beyond excited. It is another world up there. And freezing. You literally drive up until you are above the clouds and it’s just you, the mountain top, the observatories, and the sun.

The drive up is a long one. Once you get there, they hand everyone a warm winter coat and gloves. I do highly recommend that you dress warm for this day…jeans, long sleeve shirt, warm hat. The wind is fierce and the cold temperatures somehow reach the core of your body. But what you see at the very top is truly amazing.

We then drove down maybe halfway and stopped at a public tourist building. This is where you stargaze. The tour guides have these fancy telescopes and they talk about the many planets and stars available for viewing depending on the time of year you do this tour. Our guides had snacks and hot chocolate which was a nice touch. If you are fascinated with the stars, this tour is a must-do. Learn more here…

4. Hiking to Captain Cook Monument

On my birthday, Nate said I could pick whatever I wanted to do that morning. I picked a hike down to the Captain Cook Monument. This is a piece of Hawaiian history that is really fascinating! Captain James Cook was a British explorer who discovered the Hawaiian islands. He was quite the adventurer… he was commander of The Endeavor and his voyages are legendary. He is also responsible for creating charts and navigation maps from all of his travels. In 1779, he arrived in Kealakekua Bay. The islanders treated them like Gods, but sadly a month later he was killed where the monument is located. It is an interesting story, read more about it here

The trailhead is located right off the road, the signage isn’t great. Once you get down to the bottom of the cliff where the monument is located, it is a beautiful cove where snorkelers come to see the exquisite and colorful sea life. Dolphins are regular celebrities that swim here..

We watched a family of black spinner dolphins playing around and darting here and there. This hike is not for most, I suspect. I had no idea how it was going to be…I would say that I was not an ideal candidate to make this journey down the cliff. On a scale of 1-10, it’s a 9. I also wore sandals, huge mistake. The terrain is ever changing…. dirt to sand, to gravel, to sharp treacherous lava, to big rocks you have to carefully navigate down and around. It is 4 miles of this…so be well prepared. Going down is hard, going up is SUPER hard. The reward when you get down to the monument and old village ruins is the snorkeling. There is no beach, just lava and rock, so be ready to put on your flippers and snorkel mask and literally jump in. This is a popular tour location for snorkel trips so you’ll likely see some boats in the cove. Here is information about the trail

5. Hiking Pololu Valley

This day was my favorite….and it was unplanned. The north side of the island is quite the drive from where we were staying in Kona.

We ended planning a visit to Pololu Valley because of dinner reservations we made in Waimea. It ended up being a wonderful drive! We even saw migrating whales swimming along the coast line. Pololu Valley is a BEAUTIFUL place: enjoy the hike down to the ocean and the black sand beach surrounded by dormant volcanoes covered in greenery. It was warm but not crazy hot, which made for a luxurious tropical breeze.

My pictures here don’t do it justice, no picture can. You have to be there to take in the views, the smell, and the sounds of everything around you. Please don’t pass up the opportunity to adventure here, it is wonderful.

6. The Hawaiian Luau

We celebrated our last day in Hawaii with a Luau…I.loved.this.

We did the VIP package which meant we were up front close to the stage. I am enthralled with the music and dancing. I could have done a Luau every night, total entertainment! Growing up, we did a big family trip to Maui and Oahu and what I remember the most was the Luau we went to. The food is good, not great… it’s comparable to a backyard BBQ Hawaiian style. The entertainment is excellent….and so much fun.

I didn’t want it to end! There are a few Luaus to choose from, we did the Voyagers of the Pacific Luau. The view from the hotel location was exceptional…. you have giant waves crashing against the rocks just a few feet away from stage. Take it all in, try the Poi, and enjoy this amazing show!

7. Volcano National Park

And finally…. the most amazing thing we saw in Hawaii! Volcanoes.

We were told to go to Volcano National Park around 5am. We chose to do this the very next day after arrival. Due to the extreme time change, we knew we’d be up at 3am wide awake. It worked out perfectly. We made the 1.5 hour drive to the park in the pitch black. Why go so early?? You can actually see the red and orange glows from the volcanoes whereas during the day, there’s too much light.

Kīlauea Volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, was erupting when were there… very cool. We spent the day hiking the park and walking miles of trail over lava fields and even explored a lava tube. It was still hot… there’s apparently lava underground that is always flowing. I imagine there are very few places on this planet like this, so if you go to the big island, you have to make the drive to see this place. And, when you’re done exploring, I suggest going to the Volcano Winery and relaxing with a glass of red! We also heard great things about a Thai food truck…and it did not disappoint!

I’ve read that Hawaii is a paradise born from fire. It truly is another world…unlike any terrain or landscape I’ve ever seen. The lava is everywhere. The entire island is nothing but volcanoes, lava, trees, ocean, and some people live there. It was a wonderful 7 nights, we look forward to traveling to the other islands with our kids (I am thinking Oahu) and going back just the two of us to Kauai…the Garden Island. For those that adventure here, be sure to read my previous blog post on Travel Tips to help you prepare and pack!

#GoAdventure

and Safe Travels

Heather and Nate