Hawaii - The Big Island

All these words bring to mind the heart and soul of the Big Island of Hawaii, yet they are just the tip of the volcano. Like the invisible workings of the Goddess Pele creating new land deep beneath the surface of the ocean, Hawaii has much more going for it than the obvious.

The Big Island is home to America's wettest city (Hilo), and also one of it's driest coastlines (Kona). The mountain range that brings you Mauna Kea, the world's tallest sea mountain, and Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on earth, straddles the island and creates this diversity. This makes Hawaii perhaps the only place on earth where you can watch molten lava flow in the morning and go skiing in the afternoon. It also provides some of the world's most wondrous scenic beauty.

So how do you know what to do and where to go when visiting the big beautiful island of Hawaii? Let's break it down by activity. This will help you determine which accommodations and locations will best fit the type of vacation you're looking for.

Volcanoes: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the most likely place to visit volcanoes in action. The park is located 30 miles southwest of Hilo and 96 miles southeast of Kona. Choose one of the fine resort properties in Kona and plan a day to visit the park. Park attractions and features include the Kilauea Visitor Center, the Jagger Museum, the Thurston Lava Tube, Volcano House, Halema'uma'u Crater, steam vents, and sulphur banks.

Diving/Snorkeling: Lava flows along the Kona coast form fantastic tubes and myriad nooks and crannies that offer prime habitat for sea life. A variety of scuba and snorkeling agencies are available in the Kona area to make your dive experience safe and enjoyable.

Fishing: Home to some of the largest blue marlin in the world, the Big Island plays host to professional world class fishing derbies as well as avid amateur anglers. With the habitat provided by the Kona coast, its no surprise that Kailua-Kona is also your best base location for fishing charters.

Hiking: The prime hiking location on the Big Island is the rain forest region, located on the opposite side of the island from Kona. If thundering waterfalls and lush vegetation are your goals, choose a resort or hotel in Waimea. The road between Hilo and Waimea takes you past both Rainbow and Akaka Falls. Waipio Valley offers challenging but breathtaking views of steep green cliffs and tumbling waterfalls, punctuated by bright flower gems. Hilo offers botanical gardens for a prime look at some of the fantastic flora of Hawaii to enjoy at your leisure. Keep your camera AND your umbrella handy!

Golfing: Of the top 10 golf courses in Hawaii as chosen by the PGA Aloha Section, 2 of those courses are on the Big Island. Kona Country Club, with its 36-hole layout, offers 2 distinctly different challenges for the avid golfer. The Ocean Course at Par 72, 6806 yards, is recommended for afternoon play while the Par 72, 6673-yard Alii (Royal) Mountain Course is best enjoyed in the morning. The incomparable Mauna Kea Golf Course on the South Kohala Coast offers golfers the perfect challenge to match their level of play. This 18-hole championship course presents dramatic changes in elevation, large undulating greens, and 120 well-placed bunkers. While these two are perhaps the finest golf choices in the Big Island, any golf course in the Kona area is sure to hit the sweet spot for any avid golfer.