In the first in a two-part series Pam Jones soaks up the wonders of Hawaii’s steaming volcano paradise with seven days on the balmy, coconut tree-filled Big Island.
DAY 1
Thanks to the wonders of the international dateline we arrive a day before we left and so feel like we've been gifted an extra half day in our first stop, the Big Island's biggest town, Kailua-Kona. It's a coconut tree paradise; I don't mean to, but every photo I take seems to include their willowy, giraffe-like form. It's warm and balmy here. We stroll along the promenade and have fishburgers and Hawaiian beer for dinner overlooking the bay.
DAY 2
It's a big start to the morning for vertigo-ridden me as we head off on a helicopter tour of the Big Island, but the smooth piloting of Paradise Helicopters assistant chief pilot Chris Rehwaldt makes me putty in his hands. It's a once-in-a-lifetime, you-simply-have-to-do-this trip that takes us over steaming craters, Jurassic Park-like waterfalls and rainforest valleys (more on this next week). I feel like I'm in another world. My husband thinks he's died and gone to heaven.
Back on terra firma, we explore's Kona's coffee belt, a lush, mango-laden trail that takes us past numerous coffee plantations. The coffee that became a generic name internationally is in its birthplace strong and sustainable and at the UCC Hawaii plantation Gabriella Fritz shows us arabica coffee berries (yes, berries) on the tree when they are still soft and red. We continue along to the arts enclave of Holualoa and are given a lesson in Hawaiian when we ask a passer-by for directions. Aloha is a triple-entendre word that means hello, thankyou and love, he explains. I point out its similarity to the Maori word of aroha, for love. ``Well perhaps we can say goodbye with love too,'' he says.
That evening we cap off a perfect day with a perfect meal: the superlative seafood and prime rib buffet at Honu's on the Beach, the beachside restaurant at our hotel, the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. It's like we've died again and gone to heaven. The ubiquitous coconut trees watch over us as we feast on sinful amounts of fresh ahi (tuna) sashimi, long crab legs, spice-dusted squid, clam chowder, tender pork loin and perfectly-pink whole prime rib. A group of friends singing and dancing hula nearby unwittingly provides a background serenade as we finish our tropical cocktail. Everybody's so friendly. It's still so warm outside.
DAY 3
Hawaii's cultural heritage is on proud display during the annual King Kamehameha festival parade, a tropical procession of Hawaiian community groups and festival queens on horseback, all adorned with island flowers. It feels like the real deal, genuine Hawaiian culture a world away from the bright lights of Honolulu.
We explore the parade's accompanying market and pick up some pickled mango before heading to Kahalu'u Bay for some snorkelling. It's unbelievable: resident turtles come within inches of us and neon fish glide by. An impossibly cute, coconut tree-surrounded, blue and white painted beachside St Peters by the Sea Catholic Church is a five-minute stroll from the turtles.
We head back to Kona to the Kona Brewing Company for a cold one and enjoy not only a smorgasbord of truly excellent boutique beers (with names such as Lemongrass Luau, Longboard Island Lager and Hula Hefewelzer) but the best pizza we've ever had. Seriously. Some of the wheat used to brew the beer finds its way into the pizza base and it's achingly light and crispy with the perfect amount of toppings.
Overflowing with good food and vibes, we retire to our hotel room for a bottle of vino on the balcony while watching a cliched but oh-so-perfect coconut tree sunset. Did I mention it was warm?
DAY 4
We reluctantly leave Kona to head south but there are more good things to come. We pull in at the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park, also known as the ``Place of Refuge'' for its history as a safehaven for people fleeing death or harm centuries ago. You can do a self-tour around key parts of the 74ha sanctuary to see re-created buildings and carvings, although a highlight for us was also watching a group of local fishermen using the ancient ``walk in a row to herd the fish into a net'' method of fishing in the bay. They caught two dozen.
We move on to Kealakekua Bay to see where Captain Cook both first landed in Hawaii and lost his life years later - a white statue in the distance marks the exact spot where both events occurred.
Then it's off to the Ka'u Coffee Mill - there's more than one top-rate coffee region on the Big Island. They have a feast of flavours (including Big Island Buttered Rum and Vanilla Macadamia) and a host of other goodies as well: macadamia honey, brittle and cookies; and coconut butter spread. Outstanding.
That afternoon we arrive at our home for the next two days, Volcano House, nestled in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the edge of the Kilauea volcano, which has been erupting since 1983. It's misty when we arrive but 10 minutes later when it clears we look out the window and OMG there's a steaming caldera right there. A middle-of-the-night viewing treats us to sprays of burning lava that evoke a fiery ``heaven or hell'' wonder.
DAY 5
We meet national park public information specialist Jessica Ferracane at the Kilauea Visitors Centre and she suggests doing her favourite walk, the Kilauea Iki Trail. It's good advice - we feel like we're in the pit of the earth as we cross the cracked crater, and then travel the lava-lined Chain of Craters Road by car after that. It's surreal, other-worldly and almost too much to take in (more next week).
DAY 6
There's a reason why the east side of the Big Island is so green - it rains. A lot, but we still squeeze in a full day of sightseeing as we continue counter-clockwise around the island. We buy sweet papaya and homemade coconut sweets at the Hilo Farmers Market, marvel at the super-sized tropical blooms at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, are thrilled by the spectacular Akaka Falls and enjoy a vanilla-studded ice cream at the Hawaiian Vanilla Company.
Then it's into Waimea, where the husband is thrilled by the first hunting shop he's seen on the island (the friendly owner of C & S Hunting Supplies, D'Armand Cook, was as interested in New Zealand as we were in Hawaii), after which we relax with some more locally brewed beer at the adjacent Big Island Brewhaus. Their big-flavoured beers are matched by an outstanding menu and we salivate over a dish of lightly spiced, oh-so-lightly-deep-fried fresh tuna. It melts in the mouth, and we enjoy the intelligent, attentive service as well (in fact we note this everywhere on the Big Island. Friendliness is big here. There's lots of aloha).
We carry on to home for our final two nights, the Mauna Lani Resort, on the Big Island's northwest Kohala Coast. If it's possible to die again and go to heaven once more, then we do. This place is seriously beautiful, a resort of the highest quality. We snorkel, swim and lounge on the beach, and enjoy another balmy, coconut-tree sunset, complete with tropical fruit platter.
DAY 7
It's a waterfall-filled day as we explore a parcel of privately-owned nature reserve on the six-hour Kohala Waterfalls Adventure. An ex-World War 2, six-wheel-drive Pinzgauer takes us to hidden walking trails and offroad rambles including a stop at Moku Lani Kila, overlooking the Pololu Valley. On the way back we call in to the village of Hawi and explore beautiful arts and crafts shops.
Back at Mauna Lani we do some more snorkelling and pack for our departure the next morning.
It's been a tropical paradise adventure of the highest order, complete with genuine Hawaiian culture and friendly, happy people, but little wonder they're so relaxed, we think, when the coconut trees and summer temperatures just keep on coming. The husband's plotting his next escape there as we speak.
Pam Jones travelled with the assistance of Hawaiian Airlines, the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau and Hertz Rental Cars.
Checklist
• Big Island is the biggest of the islands in the Hawaiian archipelago and is officially known as Hawaii Island but more commonly as the Big Island.
• The Big Island is big, and has 10 out of 14 of the world’s climate zones, but the weather is still consistent year round, with average temperatures ranging from 18degC to 30degC in different areas on the island. Take suntan lotion and insect repellant, and a rain jacket for the island’s east side.
• Farmers’ markets are dotted around the island, but eating out is also fun and affordable. Tipping in all areas of the hospitality sector is encouraged.
• Hawaiian Airlines flies from Auckland to Honolulu almost daily, and has a full schedule of internal flights between the Hawaiian islands.
• For more information, visit:
www.hawaiianairlines.co.nz
www.gohawaii.com/nz/big-island
www.hertz.com/p/car-rental/united-states/hawaii
www.konabeachhotel.com
www.hawaiivolcanohouse.com
www.maunalani.comparadisecopters.com
www.hawaii-forest.com/tours/kohala-waterfalls-adventure
