Top Activities in Big Island
Lookouts: Polulu & Waipio Valley
This is the end of the line. Before you, the pavement has stopped, giving way to an overwhelming panorama of verdant towering peaks and steep gorges punctuated by winding rivers, waterfalls, and idyllic coastline.
Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park
The magic of ancient Hawaii comes alive at one of its most sacred and beautiful sites. Allow yourself to be transported back to the 16th century–or perhaps just to a state of serenity–while wandering royal grounds where palm trees flank hallowed temples housing the bones of chiefs.
Waterfalls
All credit to its volcanoes, but the Big Island wouldn’t be nearly as magnificent if Mother Nature had remembered to turn off the tap. Luckily, she left the water running, leaving some of the world’s most beautiful falls in her wake.
Golfing
The courses here on the “Golf Capital of Hawaii” are enough to make anyone forego sandy beaches for sand traps. Flanked by black lava and turquoise water and shaded by palms, even the bunkers are things of beauty.
Beaches
You know what they say about big islands…the bigger the island, the bigger the coastline. The bigger the coastline, the more beaches. And with 266 miles of coastline, the beaches on Hawaii leave nothing to be desired.
Hawaii Volcanos National Park
It’s alive. The very ground beneath your feet pulsates with terrain-transforming power. Before you, Mount Kilauea and Mauna Loa tower over miles of rainforests and stark expanses of lava stretching from their slopes to the sea.
Snorkeling and Diving
Break the surface of these teal waters and you might wonder why this diving destination isn’t as popular as some of the other islands. You might wonder but you certainly won’t mind…or care.
South Point
Barren fields speckled with little more than rusting windmills, remnants of long-abandoned military facilities, and horizontal trees welcome you to the far side of Hawaii’s Big Island.
Hiking
From a distance, the Big Island makes for a stunning panorama of idyllic coastline, dramatic lava fields, crystalline waterfalls, and verdant valleys & but its beauty is nothing until you’ve got it underfoot.
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Big Island
History
The Big Island doesn’t do anything halfway: fecund jungles thick with the smell of plumeria and ginger flowers, barren lava fields akin to Moonscapes, sun-drenched white- and black-sand beaches, moody valleys cut by rivers, and blustery, sky-high snowy peaks. You’ll find all but 2 of Earth’s climate zones on the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Formed by 5 shield volcanoes over millions of years, the varied landscape is mirrored by the variety of cultures that call the Big Island home. And something about a global culture blending on one of the world’s most active volcanoes really makes you see the big picture. Swim with dolphins in the crystalline waters of Kealakekua Bay. Watch Earth form as radiant liquid lava pours into the sea at Volcano Park. Gaze at glittering stars on Mauna Kea, the tallest sea mountain on the planet. Snorkel with sea turtles in Kapoho’s volcanically-heated, brackish tide pools. Meander through the vintage streets of Hilo and taste the multicultural cuisine of the islands. Pack your swim suit, some sturdy hiking shoes, and rain gear. The Big Island is one big adventure.
Big Island
Facts & Figures
The Tallest Amongst Giants
30,796 feet = height of the Mauna Kea mountain, when measured from its base on the ocean floor. This makes it the world’s tallest mountain!
Starry Night
There are more observatories on the Big Island than any where else in the world.
Formation
800,000 years old – Hawaii’s youngest island.
Land Mass
2x the size of all other Hawaiian islands combined.
Island Pride
Ula’ula (red) is the Big Island’s official color.
Down South
Ka Lae is the southernmost point in the United States.
