Olivia & Robert
The Big Island
Makalawena Beach
Makalawena might be the best beach on the Big Island that can't be reached by road. There are several bays scooped out of the Kona Coast with gorgeous white sand and plentiful shade from palm trees. The hike out to Makalawena keeps the crowds away, especially on weekdays. It's really tough to find a more perfect beach anywhere in the Hawaiian island chain. Directions: Take Hwy. 19 north of Kailua-Kona and Kona International Airport. The dirt road to Makalawena Beach is located just south of the paved road to Kua Bay, between mile markers 88 and 89. 2-wheel drive vehicles can park just off of the highway before the road begins to get rough. 4-wheel drive vehicles can continue for 1.6 miles of very rough road to a gate and small parking area just north of Makalawena Beach. From there, you can access the trailhead and make your way to Makalawena Beach (about 30 mins hike each way- bring water, sunscreen, and sturdy shoes)
Manta Ray Night Swim
Head out into the Pacific Ocean off Kona to see the sunset over the water before diving in to enjoy swimming freely with Manta Rays in their underwater nighttime realm, an electric experience unlike anything else in the world. As you motor out from Honokohau Harbor in Kona, Hawaii to the Dive site (which is about 20-30 feet deep) the crew will go over some fun facts about Manta Rays and other specific info you will need for your adventure. As the sun sets and it turns into night, the flashlights come on and the ocean is lit up electric green. The Manta Rays come close and perform summersaults underneath you while they eat the plankton that gets concentrated by the lights. This was hands down one of coolest experiences we've had in any of our travels together. There are a few companies that do this night time tour, we used Ocean Encounters but feel free to research and find which option is best for you!
Napua at Mauna Lani Beach Club
At one time, in past generations, Hawai‘i Island adapted to being 100% sustainable while supporting over one million people. In a unique and efficient system defined by land divisions called ahapua‘a, folks who lived in the mountains traded hardwoods and other products with folks who lived near the ocean and had aquaculture in place. Farmers in fresh water regions grew taro and vegetables to trade with fishermen and salt-makers, and so on. Brandon and Keoni (Owners of Napua) have worked hard to source everything Napua needs from within the Honoka`a to Mauna Lani area - in other words, what they see along their drive to work. You must make reservations at Napua, we recommend booking ahead of time or calling if they don't have anything shown online because the food is absolutely worth every penny! Olivia's Fave: Lychee Martini Rob's Fave: Always the catch of the day (and the Mai Tai, of course)
Kona Brewing Co.
Kona Brewing Company was founded by father and son team Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa. The pair had a vision to reflect the spirit, culture, and beauty of Hawaii in a collection of local island craft beers, so in 1994 they set out for the Big Island to bring their dream to life. Flash forward to today, and Kona Brewing has become one of the widely popular craft beer brands in the world. That being said, they’ve managed to stay true to their Hawaiian roots through innovation, sustainability and community outreach. And they’re still headquartered where it all began, in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island. You can stop by for a brewery tour, a beer order to go in the parking lot, OR better yet- grab a seat at the restaurant section and sample their many beers and order one of their amazing handmade pizza (dough made from the yeast in their brewing process). Rob recommends: Kailua Pork Pizza and the Wailua Wheat beer (not usually found bottled, but on draft at the brewery itself)
Lava Lava Beach Club Restaurant
Lava Lava Beach Club is the epitome of a 'toes in the sand' spot. Open for Lunch, Happy Hour, and Dinner, it has a small but amazing menu complimented with great sunset views and drinks. They have a main bar just off of the sand top tables, as well as a lawn drinks area with a traveling VW bar, and lawn games. Lava Lava is walk-ins only so for sunset seats we recommend getting there between 4:30 and 5pm to put your name and number on the waitlist. From there, we usually head back to our car in the parking lot, and drink beers in the back of the car until our table is ready! Longest wait we've ever experienced was an hour, shortest was just 10 minutes so be prepared for anything! Rob & Olivia's Go-To Drink: The Bamboo-cha Mai Tai (comes in a tall bamboo mug that you get to keep) Rob's Choice: Hook, Line, and Sinker for Dinner Olivia's Choice: Teriyaki Steak Entree
Papakōlea (Green Sand Beach)
Green sand beach is one of the “once in a lifetime” places to visit on the Big Island and it is one of two green sand beaches in the United States. Green sand beach is officially known as Papakōlea. The beach itself is carved in a 49.000 years old cinder cone belonging to the Mauna Loa volcano that contains the green crystals (olivines) that give the beach its name. Swimming in the bay is possible although at times the surf can be rough. Papakōlea beach is not easy to reach. You need to hike 2.5 miles (about 1 hour, one way) from the parking lot to the beach. The payoff however, is significant! The remoteness of this beach makes it likely that you will have most of the beach for yourself if you arrive early (before noon), and the scenery is out of this world. The hike back is the same 1 hour distance so make sure to pack plenty of water and sunscreen. There will be cars offering rides to and from the beach for cash, avoid doing so if possible- it is illegal.
Hapuna Beach
Hapuna Beach State Park is a landscaped beach park with swimming during calm seas, bodysurfing during periods of shore breaks, sunbathing and other beach-related activities, picnicking and shelter lodging opportunities. The parking is limited and has a $10 per vehicle all day parking charge, so come early and bring a credit card for the machine. There is also a $5 cost per person to enter the beach, so we would recommend spending the entire day there, and bringing some food to have lunch in the shaded huts!
Punaluʻu Beach (Black Sand Beach)
Located between the towns of Pahala and Naalehu in Kau, Punaluu Black Sand Beach's jet black shores are an unforgettable sight. Coconut palms fringe the upper edge of sand and you may also discover large honu, (Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles), basking on the beach. Although it may be tempting, do not touch these protected turtles and do not remove any black sand from the beach. Although swimming isn't ideal, there is a picnic area and restroom facilities so you can have lunch while you experience the unique feeling of black sand between your toes. This is a great place to stop for an hour if you're on that side of the island, or visiting Volcano National Park or the Green Sand Beach on a day trip.
Buddha's Cup Kona Coffee and Tea Farm
Kona Coffee is a world-renowned coffee that is exclusively grown on the slopes of two volcanoes on the Big Island. The porous and mineral rich volcanic soil combined with the often sunny mornings but cloudy or rainy afternoons, little wind, and mild nights give coffee from the Big Island a unique taste. Whether your love coffee or not- touring the coffee farms and doing a tasting is really fascinating and usually only takes a few hours. We toured Buddha's cup specifically, but there are plenty that offer free or paid-for tours of their farm and the coffee growing, harvesting, and roasting process. Olivia recommends the dehydrated bananas they sell at Buddhas Cup, the perfect beach snack!
Akaka State Falls
At Akaka Falls State Park, located along the northeastern Hilo Coast, you can see two gorgeous waterfalls on one short hike. The pleasant 0.4-mile uphill hike will take you through a lush rainforest filled with wild orchids, bamboo groves and draping ferns. As you follow the paved footpath, you'll first see 100-foot Kahuna Falls. Continue to follow the loop around the bend, and you'll discover towering Akaka Falls which plummets 442-feet into a stream-eroded gorge. Beautiful Akaka Falls is perhaps the island of Hawaii's most famous waterfall. Easily accessible, this hike takes less than an hour.
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaiʻi. Its peak is 4,207.3 m above sea level, making it the highest point in the state of Hawaiʻi and second-highest peak of an island on Earth. The peak is about 38 m higher than Mauna Loa, its more massive neighbor. It will often have snow caps even when the towns around it are sunny and 85 degrees. There are tons of tours that will take you to the summit- they can get pricey but the views of the stars at night might be worth it!
Hawaii Volcanos National Park
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park protects some of the most unique geological, biological, and cherished cultural landscapes in the world. Extending from sea level to 13,681 feet, the park encompasses the summits of two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa - and is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can visit the state parks website for more information on the entry fees and driving directions around the park!
Da Poke Shack
This “take-out” style shop is Rob's absolute favorite. They specialize in poke bowls and plates, featuring a variety of poke made with locally caught ahi (yellowfin tuna). They also serve shrimp, tako and taegu, traditional lau lau and kalua pulled pork. They even do a vegetarian poke bowl and offer gluten free options! In addition, all poke bowls and plates are served with locally inspired side dishes and rice. Unfortunately, they have limited outdoor seating, but poke is the perfect lunchtime meal to take on the go, to the beach, or to a nearby beach-front park. The shop opens at 10am daily, and we highly recommend going early as the poke tends to sell out. Most days, the earlier you visit, the greater the variety of poke and side dishes to choose from. Since they guarantee freshness, and NEVER serve yesterday’s poke, we cannot recommend this spot enough.