Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii
Written: Jun 24 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beauty, shopping, nearby snorkeling
Cons: Too far away from Seattle
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| hikini's Full Review: Hawaii |
Even though Kona doesn't have the pure, unspoiled beauty of other parts of the island, this is by far my favorite place on the Big Island. Even though I love the country and love getting away from 'it all', I guess there is enough of the city girl in me that I like staying near the shopping centers!
Kona is a seaside town, with a great variety of interests including shopping, fishing, eating, snorkeling, boating and athletic events. In fact Kona is the home of the annual Ironman Triathlon competition. There is a very picturesque church right across from the water; the Helani Congregational Church which was built in the 1800's.
Kona gives you the feel of an old fishing village, but with modern day shops and eating places. The people are friendly and most of the clerks in the shops are very helpful when you ask them for suggestions about places to go.
The main drive along the waterfront is Alii Drive. This is where we stay in a private condo about 2 miles south of the main part of the village. In the village you will have all the shopping you could possibly want, especially for tourist items. In the shopping village you can buy T-shirts, Hawaiian clothing of all kinds, that world famous Kona coffee, flowers and tons of other items. Many of the stores carry similar items, but it's fun to browse in each place. If you've been to the International Marketplace on Oahu (at Waikiki) this is an upscale version of that. There was an art gallery where we found the most gorgeous painting with the ocean, palm trees, a waterfall, some flowers, etc. and if I'd have had an extra $1,500 I would have brought it home with me. Maybe next time. Ha!
One thing that stood out to me the first time walking through the shopping village were the "Volcano Watch" signs we saw in several places.
The volcanoes are about 100 miles from here, but of course they are a big tourist attraction. If you are staying in Kona, you don't want to drive 100 miles to find that the weather near the volcanoes are bad. So these signs keep people posted so they can plan their time.
There are also several eating places in the village. My favorite being Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company. Great food and a fun place to eat especially if you like the movie Forrest Gump. There is also a Hard Rock Cafe, The Kona Inn, a few cafes and some fast food places. (I can't name all of them.) If you want an inexpensive and decent breakfast, try the all you can eat buffet at Uncle Billy's Kona Bay Hotel. It's not anything to write home about, but you'll get filled up on decent food at a decent price.
The sunset along here is wonderful! As I said, our condo is on Alii drive and we have an unobstructed view of the water. We only have to cross the road and there we are. There is no beach at the point; (Lyman's Bay) you have rocks to climb over to get to the water. But down the road a short distance is Magic Sands Beach, which is a nice beach area. Further down the road is Kahalu'u Beach Park and this is where the best snorkeling for a novice is found. I kid you not! (I already wrote a review about it, so won't go into the snorkeling rave here.)
Away from the waterfront, is the town of Kailua-Kona. It's a typical small-ish town that is growing. It has a Starbuck's, Wal-Mart and Costco, along with the usual grocery stores and other department stores. Kailua-Kona.....I feel right at home here!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
hikini
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Location: Seattle, WA
Reviews written: 218
Trusted by: 207 members
About Me:
Taking a long sabbatical.
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