Big Island Vacations

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From warm Pacific waters and stark lava fields to foliage-thick rain forests and a snowcapped volcanic peak, the fire and ice Big Island of Hawaii packs 11 of the world’s 13 climate zones into a mere 4,038 square miles. Naturally, adventure runs wild at every turn on a Big Island vacation.

Horse around in lush Waipio Valley. Cast off with other anxious anglers aboard a sportfishing charter. Mingle with manta ray at Keauhou Bay. Shoot for the stars at the summit of majestic Mauna Kea.

Tee off toward a vivid green fairway carved through jagged volcanic remnants. Glide below the surface at Kealakekua Bay, a marine life preserve where British explorer Capt. James Cook met his demise. It’s one big rush after another.

The Big Island of Hawaii

The youngest and largest of the Hawaiian chain, this was the birthplace and home of Kamehameha the Great, the warrior chief who unified the Islands and gave the name Hawaii to the resulting kingdom.

Steeped in history and culture, the Big Island has long placed a premium on preserving and sharing its sacred sites. Its most dramatic visitor magnet, however, is the molten lava flowing within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Polynesian legends claim the goddess Pele gave volcanic birth to the Hawaiian Islands. The Big Island is her latest and greatest creation, still warm from its fiery origin and growing as Kilauea’s outbursts crawl toward a steamy collision with the ocean 4,000 feet below.

The island’s west coast is the drier, sunnier side, appealing with refined resorts stringing from Kohala to Kailua-Kona and on to Keauhou. Once a regal playground, the seasonally subdued fishing village of Kona charms with a colorful collection of shops, restaurants, galleries and lively boat harbor. The tone turns from calm to spirited during a bounty of summer billfishing tournaments and the grueling Ironman Triathlon each October.

On the east shore, sleepy Hilo appeals with its genuine home town familiarity. Enhancing its mellow demeanor are lush botanical gardens, parks, historic buildings, eateries, boutiques and a medley of museums. Best bet for local flavor? Hilo’s festive Farmers Market is held downtown each Wednesday and Saturday.

View an ancient heiau (temple) and fishponds created for the culinary convenience of royalty. Retreat to Puuhonua O Honaunau, a fifteenth century sanctuary for taboo breakers and defeated warriors. Rock out in a petroglyph field. Take in a tapestry of waterfalls along the Hamakua Coast. Sip and savor samples of Kona’s finest at coffee plantations. Sift through art treasures in tiny plantation towns. Head ‘em up to Parker Ranch. Then soak in a sublime sunset.

With a Big Island vacation, it’s energy above and below the surface. What else would you expect from this rarest of retreats that continues to grow?

Hawaiian Airlines helps you buzz into the action with Big Island flights and vacation packages that cover it all. Check out Big Island airfares and reserve your Big Island airlines tickets today. Whether you’re looking for Hilo flights or Kona flights, Hawaiian has you covered.

Want to make it even more worry free? How about booking a Big Island travel package? Vacation packages and flights to the Big Island are as ample as the island’s activities.

Why wait? Click your way to Big Island travel now!

Island Tidbits

• The southernmost point in the U.S. lies at Ka Lae near a green sand beach. The first Polynesians landed here between the first and fourth centuries.
• When measured from the ocean floor, Mauna Kea towers as the tallest mountain in the world at nearly 33,000 feet. It’s clear to see why the snowcapped summit houses more scientific observatories in a single site than anywhere else in the world - 13 facilities representing 11 nations.
• Brimming with finned rewards, the world’s richest big game sportfishing grounds lie off the Kona Coast.
• Waimea’s Parker Ranch is the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States, boasting nearly 480,000 acres of land.
• The Kona region is home to the only gourmet coffee grown in the U.S. The java specialty thrives in a small 1,800-acre region south of Kona Town.
• The Kohala Coast’s Hapuna and Kaunaoa beaches are frequently named among America’s finest. Big Island beaches are white, black and green, courtesy of hot lava, cool waters and wicked wave action.

Top Travel Tips

• Don’t be confused. The Island of Hawaii faces an identity problem since it shares the same name as the state. That’s why most people refer to it as the Big Island.
• It’s all a matter of taste. Here, you can sample and purchase the island’s tastiest delicacies at Volcano Winery, Mehana Brewery, Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory, Big Island Candies and numerous coffee plantations. Kona Coffee hosts its own festival each November.
• Pack your camera in your golf bag. Tagged the "Golf Capital Of Hawaii,” the Big Island treats links lovers with courses that are big on aesthetics. The striking fusion of lush greens, pure white bunkers, jet black lava flows and the turquoise blue Pacific creates some of the most dramatic holes found anywhere.
• The island is home to over 650 species of marine life - 35% found nowhere else in the world. Snorkelers and divers can catch colorful action at the historic marine preserve of Kealakekua Bay, with visibility to depths of 100 feet.
• Waiting on a flight at Kona International Airport? Check out The Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center. A theater features a futuristic tribute to Kona-born Onizuka, who perished in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle accident.
• Hikers love the island’s diverse terrain. Cruise an oceanside trail one day, move on to see molten lava spilling into the Pacific the next, then top it off with a trek to Mauna Kea’s snowy summit.
• Learn how this land of lava evolved at Hawaii Volcanos National Park, a geological marvel encompassing the world’s most active volcanic areas. All ages can hike past cinder cones with steam fissures, into lava tubes and along a lava covered highway.
• Other Can’t Miss Hits - Lyman Museum, Hulihee Palace, Pacific Tsunami Museum, Hawi, Hamakua Coast, Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, Nani Mau Gardens, Pololu Valley Lookout, Hilo’s Banyan Drive, Laupahoehoe.

Big Island Fast Factoids

• Nickname: Aloha Spoken Here
• Flower: Red Lehua
• Population: 162,971 (2004)
• Largest Towns: Hilo and Kona
• Orientation: The southeastern most of the Hawaiian Island chain, the Big Island is located 2,460 miles from the West Coast and 90 miles from Oahu. Hilo is the island’s largest town, serving as the seat and government hub of Hawaii County. On the opposite coast, Kona and Kohala cater to tourism.
• Size: With a land mass of 4,028 square miles, the Big Island is twice the combined size of the other islands in the chain. Measuring 92 miles long and 76 miles wide, it continues to grow as lava pours from Kilauea, the world’s most active volcano.
• Coastline: 266 miles
• Beaches: 100
• Highest Elevation: 13,796 feet at Mauna Kea and 13,677 feet at Mauna Loa - dormant volcanoes that are the highest mountains in the Pacific
• Parks: 15 state parks and 1 national park - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
• Golf Courses: 20, with several more under construction
• Average Temperature: 75 - 85F
• Accommodations: The Big Island’s 10,000 hotel rooms are situated primarily in luxury resorts along the Kohala-Kona coastline. Other accommodations are located in Hilo. Major resort destinations dotting the island’s west shore are Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, Waikoloa, Hualalai and Keauhou. Other visitor areas include Waimea, Waipio, the Hamakua Coast and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
• Airport: Situated some seven miles northwest of Kailua-Kona on the island’s west coast, Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) handles overseas, international and commuter flights. Two miles east of Hilo on the island’s east coast, Hilo International Airport (ITO) also welcomes overseas, international and commuter flights.
• Your Hawaiian Connection: Hawaiian Airlines services both Kona and Hilo with interisland flights from Honolulu on Oahu, Lihue on Kauai and Kahului on Maui. Code-share service is operated to Molokai, Lanai and Kapalua in West Maui.

Visitors Bureau: www.bigisland.org