A beautiful view! Warning- sometimes there's sand at the beach and sometimes it disappears (reason being why it's called "magic sands"). So before you get too excited for a beach day- prepare yourself for just a look-out spot as well. DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 1/5
Although it's an 1.5hr drive south of Kona, it's well worth it. Punaluʻu beach is the most famous black sand beach of Hawaii! It is easily accessible and great for swimming, seeing turtles, swimming, or stopping for a picnic. LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 1/5
Relaxing hike to a beach with tide pools! Walk along the sand or lava rock and you might see some turtles and colorful fish in the water. You also see some ancient Hawaiian structures and our favorite, tiki statues! LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 1/5
Duration: 5 hours (1.5 hrs to the base) ** YOU NEED A 4 WHEEL DRIVE FOR THIS ** The park rangers will come up to your car and make sure it is 4 wheel drive before letting you drive up Mauna Kea. This is an amazing view, incredible for sunrise and sunset. There will most likely be snow at the top, so bring blankets and jackets! LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 2/5 (You'll reach about 14k ft. of elevation, so we don't recommended for those with respiratory issues.)
Duration: Approx 6 - 8 hours Volcanoes national park is approximatley a 2 hour drive from Kona. There is hiking and visitor centers in the area. **NOTE THE VOLCANO IS NOT ALWAYS ACTIVE** Make sure to check if the volcano is flowing prior to exploring the area! LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 2/5 (Mainly driving through the park, you can also get out to walk around.)
Duration: 1 hour drive (slow off roading) **NOTE YOU NEED A 4 WHEEL DRIVE TO GET HERE** Makalawena Beach is an amazing place to swim and relax. You will need to hike about 10 min make it there from the parking area, but it is well worth it. See this website for more information. LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 3/5 (The drive there is mainly unpaved, so it's quite a bumpy ride for about 45mins until you get to the parking area.)
Get all the views without the hike! If you're lucky, your pilot will play the Jurassic park theme song the whole time through your headset. Highly recommend going doors-off if you choose to do a helicopter tour, you can see so much more and it's great for pictures. DIFFICULTY LEVEL: 3/5 (Not recommended for those with a major fear of heights...sober.)
Manta Ray Night dives are amazing! You can snorkel or scuba dive to see them. We recommend looking at this on groupon as the prices are a lot cheaper: https://www.groupon.com/deals/my-kona-adventures Wear a swimsuit and they'll provide the rest of the snorkel gear you'll need. Also, bring jackets for the ride back. You'll be wet on a speed boat and the wind can be chilly! LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 4/5 (Must be a strong swimmer and not prone to sea sickness, this is a night snorkel off a boat.)