One week was not enough, great volcano site
Written: Oct 11 '03 (Updated Oct 17 '03)
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Pros: has potential to be best vacation ever, variety of attractions will keep you busy
Cons: lacks good restaurants, somewhat relaxed service
The Bottom Line: First time trip made me want to revisit the place - can I ask for more? Not an expensive getaway, but it will sure give you lots to remember.
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| djork's Full Review: Island of Hawaii |
And now, yes, I do want to come back and spend another week there ... or better 2-3 weeks. AKA the Big Island, this island, unlike others, is still being created by volcano activity. Anyone wishing to see real flowing magma? hike among smoking pits with sulfur deposits? overview huge stretches of barren land covered with rock that once freely flowed?
The island has two sides to it (naturally). The east side is the rainiest/most humid side. It also contains the island's biggest city - Hilo with over than 40,000 residents. Hilo is known as the rainiest town in Hawaii. With sunny days being a bit more than half of the year there, it is also the 2nd rainiest city in US (rainiest months at the islands are December to March). Then there is the west side, which has a drier climate, with Kailua/Kona being the most prominent town there. Reserving a place on the west side might be a good idea - while the east features lush nature scenes and numerous waterfalls, rain spoils the fun even though the air is always warm. During my trip, we stayed on west side of this island after New Year's holidays for a very reasonable price right on the ocean's shore. And there wasn't a single bad day, I remember.
The island has numerous small attractions, most of which are based on its wonderful nature. It is not for those who seek crowded centers of civilization, night clubs, sporting events and the like. It is a place to rest, to forget all, to take a break, to hike observe and wonder. To drive around the island, it takes about 8 hours. Some of the attractions available are: snorkeling/scuba diving (water is always warm, plentiful corals fish turtles sea-stars and urchins), Hawaii Volcano National Park (highly recommended), whale and dolphin watching, luau, kayaking, white-sand black-sand and even one green-sand beach (long not-so-scenic hiking is needed to that one - located near the South Point), parasailing, hiking, fishing, sampling locally produced coffee and chocolate (simply wonderful), golf, and much more.
Snorkeling is perhaps the most popular activity of all. It does not require much - goggles, breathing tube (and perhaps flippers), ability to swim and dive. One of the best sites we have found for snorkeling is just north of Place of Refuge park (actually visible from the park itself. Place of Refuge is an attraction definitely worth visiting on it's own - but to the north of it, there is a plateau of rocks. It is NOT a place for children to snorkel, because it is somewhat dangerous. When the sea is even a bit not calm, the waves can hit you hard against the rocks as you are going in or coming out. So bruises are a real worry. This place is not for beginners. It is accessible by road, which while visible from Place of Refuge, is hard to find on your own. This plateau is usually quite uncrowded (unlike most other snorkel sites) and the floor is very nice there. There are numerous small, colorful fishes that inhibit the ocean floors by Big Island's shores. Their colors for most are reserved to blue and green, though red and yellow tints are present too. The corals are faintly colored as well - the truth was that I expected something more vibrant in color. To get the most out of it, I would recommend taking a snorkeling tour. Tours are usually conducted by people who know a couple good sites accessible by boat only - so it might be worth it. One of somewhat rare underwater creatures you might be able to observe while snorkeling is a turtle - fun to watch, but they should not be touched for preserving-your-fingers sake. It is also true that quality mask is essential for good vision under water. Lack of sun already dims everything underwater, and scratches on mask will just add to this. To keep the fog away from the inside of the mask, one can use the defogging drops. Also I've heard that washing the insides with shampoo works as well. Pack some food when going out to the beach - swimming can be quite an exhausting experience. Personally, I've found that it is one of the best ways to shed pounds as well. But not if you'll be visiting the local chocolate stores. Personally, I've found chocolate there to be overpriced and as to taste - it is same as any good quality chocolate. Kailua Candy Company is one of the most prominent chocolate stores - they have a BIG variety of candy of all possible chocolate colors (sugar-free included) and they ship overseas as well (if you want to send a gift to someone). Macadamia nut is the most featured nut in the chocolates. So where does this chocolate come from? Hopefully, from the local coffee farms. If you have never seen how coffee grows, gets fathered and processed, I'd recommend you stop by one of their coffee farms. Majority welcome tourists most days of the week. You may want to look in local tourist guides for additional info. These farms can also be a source for freshest coffee you have ever bought (harvesting starts as early as July, but then there is also processing the beans).
I would definitely recommend buying at least two attractions guides, because one would fail to cover it all. I've also found that the guides supply erroneous info, but rarely. Some things to consider bringing: 1) snorkeling equipment (highly recommended) and anti-fogging drops 2) two sets of swimming suits in case something happens to one (optional) 3) lots of sunscreen 4) sticker tattoos (fun for kids or yourself) 5) warm clothes if you are planning to visit high altitudes 6) fishing gear if fishing sounds appealing 7) medicine kit for cuts and scrapes and ear trouble if diving a lot gives you problems 8) some food to last until you figure out where to go shopping & containers to carry snacks
To great pity, however, the island seems to lack in good places to dine. The two places I would recommend are Ocean Terrace (west side) sited right on the shore and overlooking ocean's waters. Good for lunch - they served us terribly at first, but then agreed not to charge anything for our food. Food was good - we ordered some chowders. Then there is also place on the south side of Hilo (east side of island) called Seaside Restaurant (and Aqua Farm), that is very good for dinner. Their menu is composed mainly of fish dishes. They definitely have a style when it comes to their platters. The place sits overlooking fish ponds. Service is fast and friendly.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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Epinions.com ID:
djork
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Location: south CA, USA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
College student in sciences; traveled some; love coffee, cats, plants, trips, music, and the net
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