Big Island

Lori and I spent 9 days on the Big Island of Hawaii in September of 2009. It was our second trip to the Hawaiian Islands and unlike our first vist, this time we decided to make base camp at the Hilton-Waikoloa resort on the dry Northwestern part of the island from which we would make daily excursions to further explore the rest of Hawaii County.

The Hilton-Waikoloa is a magnificent sprawling resort situated on 62 acres of oceanside property surrounding a natural lagoon. There are three main complexes for accommodations, all of which are interconnected by train and boat, or by foot for those who want to enjoy the manicured gardens and wonderful Buddhist artworks situated throughout the property. We felt like we were in Nirvana the whole time we were there!

Lava fields and scrubby grasses are the norm along the rugged coastline for this part of the island, sprinkled with with white coral beaches, Kiawe, Kolea, and Naupaka.

My favorite place was Lapakahi State Historical Park where lies the 600-year old ruins of an ancient Hawaiian fishing village. It was a stark place, permeated with a magical rugged beauty.

Further Northward you start to enter the high cattle county where grasslands and Eucalyptus forests abound. Waimea really captured my heart, and if I could live anywhere on this island, it would probably be there.

In the Northeast part of the island lay the tropical rain forests dotted with many small quaint towns. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens is a must-see spot for the plant/orchid lover, as are Akaka Falls and the sprawling historical city of Hilo.

My least favorite portion of the island was Kailua-Kona, a run-down tourist town on the Western coast where the local merchants were quick to turn a buck and slow to share a smile.

For size comparison, the image below shows a silhouette of the Big Island of Hawaii overlaid on my little corner of the world, Southeastern Arizona.