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Volcanoes
What's hot on the Big Island? Lava, of course...it's one of the few places on earth you can see an active
lava flow.
The best place to go to see the volcano in action is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You can drive there
yourself and look around, but we recommend going with a guide from
Hawaii Forest & Trail.
They've got a great all-day trip, where you'll visit a lava tube, see remarkable volcanic formations,
and visit the active lava flow to see the red-hot stuff in action. And, they do all the driving,
they supply breakfast and a picnic lunch, and the naturalist guides are very knowledgable.
Another great adventure they offer is their
Mauna Kea Summit & Stars trip,
which combines dinner at an historic ranch, sunset from the top of the volcano, a visit to the giant collection
of telescopes, then descend to 9000 feet for a "sky party" with their own telescopes,
wrapped warm in Arctic parkas, with hot beverages and chocolate macadamia nut cookies.
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Photo courtesy Hawaii Forest & Trail.
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The list of awards received and stories about Hawaii Forest & Trail on TV, in magazines, and in newspapers is amazing,
and from our personal experience, it's very much well-deserved!
Big Day customers Peter and Sylvia commented: "We have returned from Hawaii and cannot thank you enough for recommending Hawaii Forest & Trail. Peter and I took the Mauna Kea Summit & Stars Adventure that you suggested, and had an experience that will last a lifetime. It was truly an incredible tour with experienced staff that took care of every need."
Observatories on the top of Mauna Kea volcano. Photo courtesy Hawaii Forest & Trail.
The oceanic whitetip shark is frequently seen in the
company of the resident short-finned pilot whales.
Photo courtesy Kendra Choquette of Dive Makai.
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In and on the water
Scuba divers have a lot to look forward to on their dives around the Big Island. There are resident pilot whales,
manta rays, various kinds of sharks, spinner dolphins, and humpback whales in the winter.
Our favorite dive company on this island is
Dive Makai,
who've been operating along the Kona Coast for over 26 years. They've twice been
awarded a place on the Gold List in the Rodale's Scuba Diving magazine's Reader's Choice Awards
for the best dive operator staff in the world, as well as
3rd place for "Most Environmentally Sensitive" Resort or Live Aboard in the United States from Rodale's Scuba.
Have a look at their divers' comments page
and you'll see what others have said about Dive Makai.
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The Kona Coastline is very beautiful both above and under the water, and there's a number of sea caves and sheltered bays
that are great to explore by kayak, along with terrific snorkeling as well.
Ocean Safaris Kayak Adventures
can get you into kayaking even if you're a complete beginner--it's very easy and safe,
and their guides are all Red Cross CPR certified and very experienced.
You'll see lava tubes, arches and blow holes along the cliffs, and keep an eye out for dolphins, turtles and manta rays.
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Photo courtesy Ocean Safaris Kayak Adventures.
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Photo courtesy Bite Me Sportfishing.
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If you're a sportfishing fan, then the Big Island is where you need to be. And to maximize your chances
of turning "fishing" into "catching", you'll want to go with Captain Brian Wargo
on his boat Bite Me.
Why? Have a look at his tournament wins
(yes, his website has an entire page for this!) and you'll see that
Brian and Bite Me bring home the big fish consistently.
Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi and Spearfish are common, but Blue Marlin is the star of the show, as
the Kona Coast of Hawaii has the finest Blue Marlin fishing in the world. Here, Blue Marlin occasionally
weigh in at over 1,000 pounds!
At left is a tournament-winning 723 pound Blue Marlin caught from Bite Me.
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If you want to snorkel along the Kona coast, but don't want to paddle, you should consider
Sea Quest Rafting Adventures. They offer
a snorkel trip to Honaunau Bay at Place of Refuge and to Kealakekua Bay, where you'll see
the Captain Cook Monument (pictured). Captain James Cook died in this spot in 1779 in a skirmish
with Hawaiian natives.
The boats are twin-engine, rigid hull inflatables, and can get you to where the great snorkeling is
quickly and safely. You'll explore sea caves and lava tubes along the coast as well. This is a really
fun trip--the protected bays are great for beginner snorkelers.
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Photo courtesy Sea Quest Rafting & Snorkeling.
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Photo courtesy Sunshine Helicopters.
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In the air
The Big Island has such a diverse geography that peering out the tiny window of your airplane on the flight in just isn't
going to cut it...especially if you're on the wrong side of the plane :-)
The volcanoes, lava flows, and vents are
really dramatic from the air, but don't think that's all there is to see from the helicopter: this island is well-known for
spectacular waterfalls, tropical valleys, and the beautiful rainforest of the Hamakua coast.
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Sunshine Helicopters is our pick for helicopter tour operators
on the Big Island because of their excellent safety record and their state-of-the-art ASTAR helicopters. Many, many
Big Day couples have flown with Sunshine Helicopters on their honeymoons and we've heard nothing but praise.
The folks at Hawaii Forest & Trail have a passion for the natural world of Hawaii. One of their
most interesting tours is the Rainforest and Dryforest Birdwatching Adventure.
You'll explore the sub-alpine dryland forest on the west side of Mauna Kea, home of the endangered palila and the bryani sub-species of elepaio.
Then, they'll take you to the Pu'u O'o Trail, in a cloudforest habitat on the northeastern slope of Mauna Loa.
There you'll look for the endangered akiapola'au, oma'o (Hawaiian thrush), i'iwi, and apepane.
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Photo courtesy Hawaii Forest & Trail.
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