big island travel news

Big changes on the Big Island

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Changes are underway at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

Get Hawaii’s latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

A two-year construction project to repair, upgrade, and remove damaged facilities is underway.

Facilities like the Jaggar Museum and two Hawaiian Volcano Observatory buildings are being dismantled after they were damaged from from earthquakes during the 2018 eruption of Kilauea.

Visitors should brace for delays at the entrance, temporary closures, and limited parking.

“Removing buildings will enhance viewscape up here,” said Jessica Ferracane, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. “Were gonna leave low rock walls that are historic but no buildings in the way of the view of the caldera. So that will be amazing.”

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

Park officials said the project is expected to be completed in September of 2025.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.

My Island Headlines: Big Island

Kona crash marks Hawaii Island’s 17th traffic fatality of the year

Hawaii Island police investigating after pedestrian killed in crash in Volcano

Investigation underway after discovery of decomposed body on Hawaii Island property

Infection spread in feral cat feces likely caused death of nene gosling

Hawaii Island firefighters battle-early morning blaze at Hilo home

Hawaii Island customers urged to reduce electricity use to prevent rolling outages

Kona airport reopens, but another closure is needed to address crack in runway

Officials confirm 2 cases of whooping cough on Hawaii Island

Hawaii Island police renew call for information in search for missing opihi picker

DOT: Monthly public parking passes to be discontinued at Kona airport

Current radar.

At 95, ‘Aunty Irene’ is a living Hilo treasure — with a simple secret to life

Mandatory water restriction in place for North Kona residents

Hawaii Island man sentenced 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting minor

HPD: Suspect in deadly Hilo motorcycle crash was driving under the influence

Hilo prepares to welcome an international audience for Merrie Monarch 2024

Park officials warn against leaving ‘well-intentioned’ but potentially harmful offerings at Kilauea

Police: 2 women who died in hilo crash didn’t appear to be wearing seat belts.

Police: Speed, reckless driving were factors in Big Island crash that left 1 dead, 2 injured

Social media video showing man beating dog prompts police investigation

Nonprofit leader announces run for Hawaii County mayor against incumbent Mitch Roth

Narcan vending machines installed on Hawaii Island help curb overdose deaths

LIST: Hawaii’s Republican Party presidential caucus voting locations

Police arrest, charge Hilo man in connection with 2 Kona robberies

Crews make daring rescue after Jeep goes off cliff, ejects driver into ocean

Woman found dead after slipping off cliff into waters off hawaii island.

Power restored on Hawaii Island following Hawaiian Electric rolling outages

Hawaii Island residents, businesses asked to conserve power with generators offline

Late Rockne Freitas honored with street sign on Hawaii Island

Police investigating after woman died after trying to stop dog from biting goat.

Elderly Utah visitor dies after getting into trouble in waters off Hawaii Island

Motorcyclist critically injured after overtaking cars, ramming into SUV on Hawaii Island

Manhunt underway for ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect wanted on Hawaii Island

Baby born on Hilo street dragged before umbilical cord was cut: police

Investigation underway after Hawaii Island man dies following altercation

Elderly man accused of attacking neighbor in carjacking attempt released from custody

Foul play now suspected after body discovered at banana farm

Suspect sought in fatal Big Island shooting on Christmas Eve

Hawaii Island police investigating attempted murder after a man was found shot in driveway

Drug trafficker who shipped money in chocolate boxes found guilty on multiple charges.

Utah visitor dies in apparent drowning during guided diving tour off Hawaii Island

Port of Hilo reopens after fire suppression issues are addressed

Some major roads reopen in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park thanks to rainfall

Search underway for Big Island suspect accused of cutting elderly man’s neck

Woman convicted of murder in shooting death she tried to stage as suicide

Hawaii Island man, 47, arrested after 8-hour police standoff

Hawaii County police renew call for public’s help in 2021 murder of elderly man

Officers cite 5 men over sheep poaching on Hawaii Island

Hawaii County mayor extends emergency rules for Waipio Valley Access Road

Hawaii Island police close portion of Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona after truck slams into pole

‘Pray for rain’: As drought conditions worsen, water restrictions loom on Hawaii Island

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Rediscovering the Joys of Travel on the Big Island of Hawaii

After a year of stress, loss and uncertainty, a veteran travel writer feels hopeful again, at a place long close to the heart.

By Bonnie Tsui

It’s a sun-spackled morning at Hapuna Beach, like most mornings on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. A turtle the size of our coffee table back home in California surfaces halfway through my swim. It proceeds to stay close by, like an old friend. I laugh, elated — but then a complicated upwelling of emotion follows.

Over the past year and a half, I’d almost convinced myself that I was OK with missing cherished faces and places, that I’d fully committed to being a hermit for humanity. Here, at the beginning of a weeklong visit for a pandemic-delayed wedding in early July, I was returning to travel in a different world, in which many people have lost loved ones, jobs and so much else. Even the familiar things felt strange. Airports. Crowds. My extended, energetic clan of in-laws; the hubbub of a big social gathering; what it’s like to meet someone new. A return to a beloved place.

The turtle and I swam along together for a while. I observed its calm cruising altitude from above, allowing myself the occasional dive down to side eye it from a respectful distance as it munched thoughtfully on coral algae. When I reached the end of the beach, I turned around to swim back the other way, but not before bidding my companion a good day. A few minutes later, I came face to face with another, smaller turtle.

In Indigenous Hawaiian culture, sea turtles are revered as the earthly form that aumakua , or ancestral spirits, might take to show us care, concern or comfort. Manta rays and sharks are other examples of these spirit forms, and are treasured in the same way. I thought of my grandmother, gone nearly a year now. After the grinding stress and uncertainty of the last many months, I got to be with a large slice of my family for the first time in a year and a half, taking a trip that was forward-looking. It was nice to feel hopeful again.

After all, what’s more forward-looking than a wedding?

Appreciating the chance to travel in the world again

This summer, many Americans have been traveling with a kind of cautious optimism. In the lead-up to our Big Island trip, navigating the complex and ever-changing web of requirements to enter Hawaii was a not-insignificant process, and a reminder that things were still fluid. New coronavirus variants were ascendant, and while my husband, Matt, and I had been vaccinated, our children were not yet old enough to be. Regardless of vaccine status, we all had to take tests and receive negative results within 72 hours of flight departure time.

We did run into some snags: Matt’s results never actually materialized, which sent him on a scramble to track down another Hawaii-approved testing site for a rapid test the day before our flight. He found one at the San Francisco airport, for $225 — the price of travel in the Covid era. We uploaded our results to the Hawaii Safe Travels website and confirmed our results at the airport before our flight. (Not long after our trip, the rules changed again, so that vaccinated travelers could bypass testing and avoid quarantine.)

Once we landed in Kona, though, the anxiety dissipated, and it was a relief to feel that everyone had done their part to keep the larger community safe. We rented a house with my husband’s parents, not too far from the Fairmont Orchid , where the intimate, 39-person wedding would take place. The rental house included a beach parking pass for the Mauna Lani Beach Club , a small, reef-protected cove with shallow water that was perfect for young swimmers and snorkelers.

One morning at that friendly little beach, our 8-year-old, Teddy, snorkeled for the first time, delighting in the iridescent blue needlefish and schools of yellow tangs that zipped by. He had remembered how to identify and pronounce humuhumunukunukuapua’a, the Hawaii state fish. I noticed a moray eel with its head poking out of the coral, comically frozen in a hopeful pose with its mouth wide open, ready to receive.

Later, Teddy scrambled up from the water, excited. “Mama, I saw a girl in the water who looks just like Ishana,” he exclaimed, referring to a speedy little girl on his swim team back home.

What were the chances? Not only were we on the same beach at the same time as Ishana’s family — who were enjoying a long-delayed family reunion — but it turned out that we were all staying in rental homes within walking distance of each other. A random run-in outside the usual orbit, spontaneous conversation, a sense of normalcy — we were renewed by an outsized joy, at what can happen when you are out living in the world again.

Hawaii is a place that marked the beginning of my traveling life. The relationship began almost 25 years ago, with visits to a college friend who was born and raised on Oahu. It grew with that friendship, and with trips to Kauai, the Big Island, Maui, Lanai; it deepened when I researched and wrote a book about Chinatowns , including Honolulu’s; and it was cemented when my best childhood friend moved to Kailua. When you do something that you haven’t done in a while — like, say, leave your home — the whole enterprise can feel a little weird, or else tinted with nostalgia. When I saw parrotfish munching on coral and leaving vaporous trails of crumbs, I felt that I was truly back in Hawaii, accompanied by a vast archive of memories. Maybe nibbling fish do for me what madeleines at teatime did for Marcel Proust.

Travel in a time when we still need to maintain distance from strangers is, well, strange. Most of the time, we could be outside: on a beach, in the ocean, on a trail. Inside a restaurant, shop, or grocery store — or, say, an urgent care clinic, where we had to make a stop when Teddy gashed his foot open on some lava rock — the masks went on and we adhered carefully to posted restrictions. We repaired our spirits at One Aloha Shave Ice , where Nakoa and Leilani Nelson-Riley’s housemade organic ginger syrup was so fresh that I could see little flecks of ginger root in my order, a gorgeously melting snow mountain complete with ice cream and azuki beans.

As travel numbers increase to Hawaii and other places, there has been local concern and pushback against overtourism , especially on the island of Maui, where the once-quiet Hana Highway has lately become a traffic jam . During our time on the Big Island, it felt relatively calm when compared with the prepandemic era (our trip came before a devastating brush fire broke out at Parker Ranch in Waimea). We tried to do as we felt we always should: spend at Hawaiian- and other local-owned businesses, go lightly in the environment, behave with respect.

On a break from wedding preparations one afternoon, Matt and I went for a slow drive to have a leisurely lunch at the original Merriman’s , in the upcountry town of Waimea. There was Maui, floating on a cloud just offshore. As the road climbed higher in elevation from the western coast, the car’s dashboard thermometer ticked its way down. Rainy mist thickened to fog, drifting over us to blanket the observatories atop Mauna Kea off in the distance.

Over crisp martinis and savory saimin with slow-roasted Kalua pork, we remembered the year a snowstorm canceled a planned stargazing trip to the volcano’s summit. And we recalled other adventures on the Big Island: surfing with locals at Kahalu’u Beach, exploring an abalone farm and a tropical fruit test garden , learning about coffee at the Hilo Coffee Mill , hiking Hawaii Volcanoes National Park , tasting jaboticaba berry wine at the southernmost winery in the United States . We talked about what it meant to make new memories with our big blended family, beginning with the wedding of my brother-in-law, Mike, and Diana, his bride.

At the resort the next day, the warm, late-afternoon light cut low across the Pacific, setting the tall coconut palms that lined the small sandy beach aglow. The couple were married in front of three dozen close family and friends; the young bridesmaids and groomsmen were their four children. There were tears as we reflected on and appreciated all that had happened. Then cocktail hour began, the shoes came off, and everyone danced into the night, illuminated by glittering strings of lantern lights.

52 Places to Love in 2021

We asked readers to tell us about the spots that have delighted, inspired and comforted them in a dark year. Here, 52 of the more than 2,000 suggestions we received, to remind us that the world still awaits.

Connecting to the past by making new memories

The following afternoon, a group of us convened at the Mauna Kea visitor station , located at 9,200 feet (from there to the summit, at 13,800 feet, a four-wheel drive is required). We phoned ahead to inquire about the weather forecast for stargazing — no snowstorms or cloud cover, we hoped.

The man who answered the phone had a smile in his voice. “It’s perfect,” he said.

From a 90-degree day at sea level, we drove toward a fully arcing rainbow, the car filled with enough layers and blankets to protect against an evening with a forecast of 35 degrees. After about 45 minutes, the road took us above the cloud cover to reveal a blue sky that was almost blinding in its clarity. We arrived at the visitor station and immediately set out for a high place on the western-facing ridge, just in time to watch a splendid, cloud-wisped sunset over a reddish-hued landscape reminiscent of Mars.

Then we hiked back down the trail to the visitor station parking lot and opened up our beach chairs to wait for the stars. One by one they made their appearance, with the rosy smear of the Milky Way as a backdrop. Our 10-year-old son, Felix, used an app on his iPad to make observations about the luminosity of multiple stars, including Sirius A — the brightest star in the night sky. Someone pointed out Ursa Minor, and everyone in our party chattered excitedly. We watched the tiny dots of satellites whiz by in their prescribed paths, and the shooting stars flame their brief, bright life across the dark.

I thought about how we try to be big, all the time. To look into the center of the galaxy is to know, in a visceral way, that we are small.

The conversation turned to constellations, and how they never really look like what they are supposed to be. Peering into the sky, we tried hard to see what our ancestors saw: was it the tail of Scorpius, or the demigod Maui throwing a fish hook? My mind drifted to earlier that day, when I’d sneaked away to bike down to the beach, alone, for a long swim. Or at least I thought I was alone, until a manta ray swooped up under me, its wings gracefully waving. I tried to race it and lost, giddy and full of awe at the sighting.

Manta rays in the morning, the Milky Way in the evening. We were making new memories, but also connecting to the deep past and a profoundly old idea. A reminder to marvel at the world, not to mess it up.

Bonnie Tsui is the author of “Why We Swim” and the new children’s book “Sarah and the Big Wave.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list for 2021 .

Hawaii - The Big Island   Travel Guide

Courtesy of Sean Davey | Aurora Photos

Best Times To Visit Hawaii - The Big Island

The best time to visit Hawaii's Big Island is between September and November. That's when the island's generally reasonable room rates take the most significant plunge. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year – generally in the high 70s or low 80s – so you might want to avoid the priciest season, from December to March, unless you like to surf. Regardless of when you plan to go, take some time to review a few travel insurance policies, which range from travel medical insurance (ideal if you plan to trek through Volcanoes National Park) to COVID-19 travel insurance – useful in the event you and/or a travel companion gets sick.

Weather in Hawaii - The Big Island

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

Find Flight and Hotel Deals

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Popular Times to Visit Hawaii - The Big Island

Tourism volume is estimated based on in-market destination search query interest from Google and on travel.usnews.com in 2015-2016. Hotel prices are sourced from a sample of U.S. News Best Hotels rates through 2015-2016.

Explore More of Hawaii - The Big Island

Things To Do

Best Hotels

You might also like

Honolulu - Oahu

# 2 in  Best Places to Visit in Winter

# 1 in  Which Hawaiian Island is the Best to Visit? Our 2024 Ranking

# 2 in  Best Romantic Getaways in the U.S. for 2024

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

Recommended

The 18 Best Napa Valley Wineries to Visit in 2024

Lyn Mettler|Sharael Kolberg April 23, 2024

The 25 Best Beaches on the East Coast for 2024

Timothy J. Forster|Sharael Kolberg April 19, 2024

The 50 Best Hotels in the USA 2024

Christina Maggitas February 6, 2024

The 32 Most Famous Landmarks in the World

Gwen Pratesi|Timothy J. Forster February 1, 2024

9 Top All-Inclusive Resorts in Florida for 2024

Gwen Pratesi|Amanda Norcross January 5, 2024

24 Top All-Inclusive Resorts in the U.S. for 2024

Erin Evans January 4, 2024

26 Top Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts for 2024

Zach Watson December 28, 2023

Solo Vacations: The 36 Best Places to Travel Alone in 2024

Lyn Mettler|Erin Vasta December 22, 2023

26 Cheap Beach Vacations for Travelers on a Budget

Kyle McCarthy|Sharael Kolberg December 4, 2023

The 50 Most Beautiful White Sand Beaches in the World

Holly Johnson December 1, 2023

T&C Travel Guide: Hawaii's Big Island

An itinerary to bliss out on Hawaii's main island, from snorkeling with manta rays to lazy beach days (and the food to go with it).

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Where to Go

Akaka Falls

One of the Big Island's most famous waterfalls, Akaka Falls and its smaller neighbor Kahuna Falls are on the Hilo side of the island, which means it is located in a lush rainforest. A quick half-mile loop takes you through both falls, making it an easy stop and general crowd pleaser (especially if you have impatient kids in tow).

Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden

A 10-minute drive from Akaka Falls, the bioreserve is an incredibly special piece of land along Onomea Bay that serves as a sanctuary and living seed bank. The mile or so walk includes a mind-boggling array of flowers, trees, and plants, along with waterfalls and views of the ocean.

Night Ray Manta Snorkel

Everyone knows that the snorkeling in Hawaii is unmatched, but do not skip out on night snorkeling with 1,000-pound manta rays (no, they are not dangerous to humans). Bonus, GoPro cameras are also available to rent for the experience for serious social media bragging rights.

Hilo Farmers Market

Hawaiian fruit is legendary and rather than be limited to a restaurant plate, explore it for yourself at one of the island's farmers markets . In addition to produce, you can score local coffee, honey, and Hawaiian treats like mochi and malasadas. Each town likely has a market, but the one in Hilo is open Wednesday through Saturday and has over 200 vendors, so it is easy to work into a travel itinerary.

Hapuna Beach

Between hiking around and zip lining over waterfalls , it can be easy to forget to take a day or two to simply soak in Hawaii itself. This white sand beach is a great place to swim and sun on repeat.

Where to Eat

Ocean views, tiki torches, and prime sunset viewing make for an experience that would be memorable no matter what, but the Japanese-inspired Hawaiian menu is also spectacularly addictive. Run by husband-wife team executive chef Matt Raso and general manager Yuka Raso, CanoeHouse is inventive and elevated without being stuffy. Order the corn ribs, radish salad, grilled Kona Kampachi, and off-menu fried rice, trust.

Over 90 percent of the menu at this small Hawaiian chain are locally sourced and we especially like it for a casual lunch although the prix fixe dinner is no slouch either.

Rooster Farms

Go all in on a kona coffee experience at this small, organic farm . Make an appointment in advance, be prepared to go off the beaten path, and enjoy an authentic experience. Leave buzzed, with a few bags of coffee to take home.

Where to Stay

It is no small feat for a resort to balance the surrounding culture authentically while offering the luxurious amenities that evoke a postcard tropical paradise. At Mauna Lani , the two blend together seamlessly. A series of tiered pools, which appear to trail off into the ocean and are the perfect place to spend an afternoon, cocktail in hand, are also adjacent to former royal Hawaiian fishing ponds that have been restored to showcase ancient Hawaiian engineering. Guests can spend time with Uncle Danny Akaka, a resident historian who plays ukulele and shares Hawaiian folk tales, observe ancient petroglyphs carved into stone on the property... or play a few rounds of pickleball or tennis on nearby courts. Daily activities also include morning sunrise canoe paddles—part exercise, part meditation—snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, and swimming with the resident dog, Mika. Guests can dine at the upscale CanoeHouse (above) or grab a sandwich or spam musubi at the market. The concierge can also arrange for rental cars or a group trip to other parts of the island, but perhaps the only drawback to Mauna Lani is that you may never want to leave.

Olivia Hosken is the deputy managing editor of House Beautiful , where she oversees operations across the brand's print and digital platforms. She also writes about design and architecture and was previously the style & interiors writer at Town & Country and the managing editor of Dwell. 

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} The Most Luxurious Family Travel Destinations @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

Best Room at Principe di Savoia

Best Room At… the Venetian Las Vegas

The Luxury Hotels in 'The Reluctant Traveler' S2

Best Room At...Stanly Ranch

Best Room At... Il Sereno Lake Como

The Best Room At… Necker Island

11 Romantic Hotels in (or Near) New York City

A Snob's Guide to Palm Beach

Best Room At… Hotel del Coronado

Winter Vacation Ideas to Start Planning Now

Is Windham Mountain Becoming Aspen East?

The Ultimate Hawai’i Big Island Travel Guide (2024)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase through my links we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Read about our affiliate policies here .

Share with your friends!

Volcanoes, stargazing, whale watching, and waterfalls galore will greet you on the Island of Hawai’i . Welcome to the ultimate Big Island travel guide!

The Island of Hawai’i is larger than all the other Hawaiian islands combined and then some. The Big Island has die-hard fans, and I am one of them. The Big Island is for coffee connoisseurs, astronomers, whale watchers, volcanologists, manta ray snorkelers, and travelers who crave a white-sand beach.

Everything you need to know about planning your trip is in the Big Island travel guide .

Here are some quick links to essential planning resources: – Check out the best (and worst) times to visit the Big Island – Pick what part of the island is the best fit for your group – Find the best beaches around the island – We’ve got you covered with 21 Incredible Things to Do on the Big Island

Want to hop around? Use our handy table of contents below to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Big Island Wayfinder Itinerary

Get the big island itinerary.

The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. You’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.

Get all the details on our itinerary and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to Hawai’i (Big Island).

Big Island Travel Guide: Facts

Impress your seatmate on the plane or win trivia night with these facts about the Island of Hawai’i: 

• The Island of Hawai’i has 4 out of the 5 major climate zones in the world and 8 out of 13 sub-zones, following the  Köppen climate  classification scheme. That means the Big Island has deserts to polar tundra to rainforests and in-between. 
• Two of the five shield volcanoes that formed the island are still active. Kilauea and Mauna Loa are active but may not be erupting. Kilauea is the most active, see if it is  erupting here for your trip .  Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park is worth a visit.
• The next Hawaiian island is forming fifteen miles off the island’s southeast coast. Loʻihi, is erupting 3,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. While it will still be several thousand years before this volcano breaks the sea’s surface, it has already risen more than 10,000 feet from the seafloor and has a crater that measures three miles across.
• Kamehameha the Great , who unified the Hawaiian Islands as one kingdom in 1810, is believed to have been born in the Big Island’s North Kohala area, Waipio Valley. 

• Captain James Cook , who is widely considered to be the first European to set foot on the Hawaiian Islands, was killed at Kona’s Kealakekua Bay in 1779.
• Measured from its seafloor base to its highest peak,  Mauna Kea  is the world’s tallest mountain, taller than Mount Everest, since the base of Mount Everest is above sea level.
• The island is often referred to as the Island of Hawaiʻi, the Big Island, or Hawaiʻi Island to distinguish it from the state.

Big Island Geography

The Big Island is aptly named:  it has 63% of Hawaii’s combined land mass . That means it’s larger than all of the other islands, combined. And, with new volcanic eruptions, the island is getting bigger.  

There are five major volcanoes on the Big Island and six main regions: Kona, Kohala, Hamakua Coast, Hilo, Puna, and Kau. 

Like all of the Hawaiian islands, there are two sides: a leeward side and a windward side. The leeward side of the island is drier and the windward side is wetter. 

Welcome to sunny Kona. The Kona district stretches for most of the leeward side of the island and includes beaches, snorkeling spots, coffee farms , and cultural sights. Here you’ll also find one of the two airports, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA). It’s one of the most popular areas on the island to stay thanks to airport proximity, activities, and weather. 

Shielded from the winds, you’ll find warm weather, mostly clear skies, and calm, swimmable beaches (here are the  5 Best Kona Beaches ). Into the cooler hillside you can explore the coffee farms that are so prevalent in the area. And enjoy an incredible historic site,  Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park .

Plus, you will find the best snorkeling spot on the island here (in our opinion). 

Check out even more to love about Kona: The 21 Best Things to do in Kona (+ tips to know before you go) Where to Stay in Kona: the 7 Best Hotels and Vacation Rentals Tried & Tested: The 5 Best Manta Ray Night Snorkel (& Dives) in Kona

Kohala 

Just north of Kona on the leeward side of the island is the Kohala Coast, also sometimes referred to as the Gold Coast thanks to the number of five star resorts in this area. It’s also home to some of the best beaches on the island, like Hapuna Beach, with it’s white sand and beautiful blue water. Just note that in the winter, some of these beaches get hit with large currents and waves, making them dangerous for swimming.

Venture further inland and you’ll leave the resorts behind and find another side to the Kohala district, with the cowboy (paniolo) town of Waimea, the charming town of Hawi, and the sacred Pololu Valley. 

Related reads: The 15 Best Things To Do In Waikoloa Kona vs Waikoloa: What’s the Best Place to Stay on the Big Island

Hamakua Coast

Here, you’re off the leeward side of the island and you’re now on the lush, tropical windward side. The Hamakua Coast is famous for its jagged coastline, waterfalls , and stunning scenery. Waipio Valley is also located here, which is known for being the boyhood home of King Kamehameha I. 

The largest town of the windward side, here you’ll find another airport, Hilo International Airport (ITO), serving inter-island airports and some west coast airports. This small city has a great downtown and is also a launching point for many of the spectacular sights in the area, including Volcanoes National Park. Explore our  1-Day Hilo Itinerary for Things to Do and the Best Things to Do in Hilo (+nearby) .

South of Hilo you have the Puna district, an area known for its fertile soil. You’ll find plenty of farms here growing flowers, macadamia nuts, and papayas. You can also visit the lava viewing area of Kalapana, once a historic town before it was partially destroyed by lava. 

This southern region is quiet, but is home to two major attractions: Punalu’u Black Sand Beach and the majority of Volcanoes National Park (including Kilauea Volcano). You’ll also find coffee farms, mac nut farms, and hiking trails. What you won’t find are large hotels, golf courses, or a bustling town. 

What’s the Best Time of Year to Visit the Big Island?

While you may be visiting from a place that has four seasons each year, in Hawaii there are just two: summer (kau) and winter (hooilo). Summer runs from May to October and winter lasts from November to April. 

Luckily, the weather on the Big Island is warm and pleasant year-round, so there’s truly no bad time to visit.  But our favorite months to visit are May and October, because there are fewer visitors, the weather is great, and it’s a little less expensive to travel in this off-peak season period.  

You can find all the details for the best time to visit the Big Island (and the worst), plus our advice on when to visit for whale watching, snorkeling, and the cheapest costs!

While the winter months get a little more rain and might be a little cooler, the weather in Kona stays pretty sunny and warm year-round. It’s a  perfect spot to plan a winter vacation . On the Kohala Coast you’ll find even drier conditions but be prepared for some rough surf in the winter. 

That said, if you plan to visit the windward side in the winter, you are in for cooler temperatures and more rainfall. But that’s what makes that side of the island so lush and beautiful. 

Getting to the Big Island

There are two (two!) airport options for you to choose from on the Big Island. The main airport that serves the most visitors is  Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport  (KOA). The airport is located seven miles northwest of Kailua-Kona and serves inter-island, domestic, and international locations. 

Located on the other side of the island is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located two miles east of Hilo. This airport serves inter-island locations as well as some domestic airports on the west coast.

Renting a Car and Getting Around the Big Island

If you’re hoping to see all that the Big Island has to offer, having a car is going to be pretty important. Our favorite recommendation is  Discount Hawaii Rental Car . We use them  any time we island hop  and we’ve saved thousands of dollars by using them over the years. 

While the island is big, you can drive around the island in one day, either using the northern route, the southern route, or by taking the saddle road through the middle of the island. When driving from Kona to Hilo, the northern route will take approximately 2 hours. You can shorten your journey to 1.5 hours by taking the saddle road, however you’ll miss some of the sights on the  Hamakua Heritage corridor .

For the most part, the roads on the Big Island are well paved and easy to navigate with any type of car — no 4 wheel drive required! There are a few spots where having a 4WD car is preferred or required, but you can visit most sights just cruising around with regular wheels. 

If you don’t want to rent a car but you still want to get out and see the sights, a guided tour is a great option. Our favorite tour that will pick you up from your hotel and take you around is the  Big Island Circle Tour .

Where to Stay on the Big Island

Ready to book your stay on the Big Island? There are so many different options: a quaint vacation rental in coffee country, a tiny home on a bed of lava, a five-star resort, or a small boutique hotel. Whatever you’re looking for, the Big Island has something for you.

Should you stay in a hotel or vacation rental?

There’s something for everyone on the island. The Big Island has plenty of five-star resorts, quaint hotels, and unique vacation rentals. But what’s the right spot for you? 

The first choice you’ll need to make is whether you’re looking for a hotel or a vacation rental. There’s no bad choice. Go for a hotel if you’re looking for the traditional resort experience with big pools, nearby beaches, and restaurants within walking distance. Opt for a vacation rental if you want access to a kitchen, are looking for space, or are looking to save money. 

If you’re still not sure what you want to do, we  break down the difference between choosing a hotel and a vacation rental in Hawaii .  

Should you stay in Hilo, Kona, Kohala, or…?

Because you read our geography section (above) you know that the island has a leeward side and a windward side. The leeward side is the drier side and includes Kailua-Kona and the Kohala Coast. These are the most popular places for visitors to stay, but are they the right spots for you? 

Check out our where to stay guide, which walks you through the accommodation options for different areas of the island: from the luxury resorts on the Kohala Coast to the unique options on the windward side. 

Related Articles:

• Where to Stay on the Big Island: an area by area guide
• Hilo vs Kona: picking the right place for you
• Where to Stay in Kona: the 7 Best Hotels and Vacation Rentals
• Where to Stay Directory: Big Island

How Many Days Should You Stay on the Big Island

When you’re planning a trip to the Big Island, your list of things to see will be long. And the more you read about this beautiful island, the more you’ll add to your list of things to do and see. That’s why we recommend spending at least a week on the Big Island. This will give you time to check off some of your top experiences while also enjoying some downtime to relax. 

Most visitors seem to agree with our advice to stay for at least a week: the average number of days a traveler spends on the island is eight. 

Read more about  how many days you should spend on the Big Island .  And don’t miss our  Hawaii packing list   as you’re getting ready to go.

Beaches and Snorkeling Spots on the Big Island

Who doesn’t love a good beach when they’re on vacation? If you’re headed to the Big Island, you’re in luck. There are plenty of beautiful beaches for you to discover. Our favorite beaches include:

1.  Hapuna Beach : If you’re looking for white-sand beaches, this is the spot. One of the best beaches on the island (if not the best), Hapuna Beach offers plenty of soft sand, good swimming conditions in the summer, and plenty of parking. It is what beach vacation dreams are made of.

2.  Kikaua Point Park : This is the best spot for kids (though truthfully we love it as adults as well). This park has a protected cove that makes swimming here easy pretty much year-round. And it’s also surprisingly good for snorkeling. But the limited parking makes it a tough beach to get to.

3.  Punalu’u Black Sand Beach : A must-see beach on your trip to the Big Island, it’s the best black sand beach in the state (in our opinion). But swimming here isn’t so easy, so plan to spend your time on the shore marveling at your beautiful surroundings.

Check out this  list of our favorite Big Island beaches , complete with directions, parking information, and must-know tips.

If you’re coming to snorkel, we’ve got you covered. These are our  favorite snorkeling spots on the island .

The top one, Kealakekua Bay isn’t easily accessible from land so we recommend a  boat tour  or a  kayak trip  out to enjoy it. It’s one of our most memorable experiences in Hawai’i to date.

Remember that while the beaches in Hawaii are beautiful, they are not without risk. Currents, dangerous shore break, and changing ocean conditions make swimming in any ocean dangerous. Practice beach safety by swimming on beaches with lifeguards, obeying lifeguard flags, and when in doubt, don’t go out. This website has more excellent information to help keep you safe. 

Things To Do on the Big Island

The Big Island is full of amazing adventures, stunning natural beauty, and important heritage sites. There’s more to do and see than you can fit into one trip, so prioritizing what you want to experience is important. 

Ready to craft your list of things you can’t miss? Here are a few of our favorite experiences, but you can read the  full list of things you can do activities on the Big Island. 

• For an up-close experience with the ocean’s gentle giants, head out for  night snorkeling or diving with Manta Rays
• Hike in Volcanoes National Park , drive the crater rim, walk through a lava tube, and look into Halema’uma’u Crater
• Dip your toes in the water at a stunning  black sand beach
• Explore  underwater at Kealakekua Bay  — you may get lucky and be greeted by a pod of spinner dolphins
• Visit a coffee farm and sample fresh coffee in Kona’s famed coffee country (these are out favorite coffee farm tours! )

That’s just the tip of the iceberg of the amazing experiences the Big Island offers. To plan your trip, check out our  five  can’t miss experiences on the Big Island .  It’s also home to a ton more farm tours (not just coffee farms) and you can go whale watching in the winter !

And if you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss our  12 things to do in Kona with kids . It has some great ideas that your kids will love.

Want help seeing how to fit all of the best sights into your vacation?  Our Big Island itinerary  was created just for that. The step-by-step itinerary takes you to all the best beaches, snorkeling spots, restaurants, and sights. With the download, you’ll get six carefully planned excursion days to help you see the can’t miss stops no matter how limited your time is.

Get all the details on our itinerary  and download it for a memorable and easily planned trip to the Big Island.

Best Tours and Activities on the Big Island

While we embrace DIY travel, there’s something to be said for a  great  tour on the big island. Not only are you supporting a local business, but you’re getting time with a guide who truly knows the island. Whether they’re teaching you the history of the islands during a canoe tour or they’re educating you on the marine life during a snorkeling trip, a good tour experience can stick with you for years. 

We’ve done the hard work for you by finding the best of the best tours on the island. Here’s a sampling of our favorites to get started,  but don’t forget to check out our full list . 

If you’re visiting the Big Island on a cruise ship, don’t miss the best Big Island shore excursions and our Cruise Travel Guide .

Popular Big Island Videos

Get to know the Big Island and see some of our best recommendations with our most popular Big Island videos.

Or, explore our full library of videos on Hawaii .

Full Library of Big Island Articles

Want to binge-read everything we’ve written on visiting the Big Island? Pour yourself a Mai Tai and browse all Hawai’i Big Island articles here .

The Best Big Island Itinerary

If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, we’ve got you covered.  Our island itineraries  help you navigate the planning process and make your trip smooth once you’re on-island. Thousands of customers have loved them, whether they were planning for a trip that was a year away or a trip that was a day away.

Thousands of customers have loved them, whether they were planning for a trip that was a year away or a trip that was a day away.

We hope you have an amazing trip!

~Jordan & Erica

Love this guide? Pin it!

I'm the co-founder, with my husband Jordan, of The Hawaii Vacation Guide. We have lived on Maui and Oahu and continue to travel, experience, and learn about the Hawaiian Islands. We travel with our kids, Henry and Edith. I am a planner! I love to plan trips from the mainland and island-hopping adventures, excursion days, and everything in-between. I spend a lot of my time in Hawai'i on a SUP and my favorite time of year in Hawai'i is whale season!

Similar Posts

The Best Hawaii Romantic Vacation: How to Plan A Romantic Getaway to Hawaii

Tried and Tested: The 6 Best Manta Ray Night Snorkel (or Dive) in Kona

1 Perfect Day in Hilo: Things to Do in Hilo for the Day

12 Reviewed Hawaii Wedding Officiants: Don’t let just anyone marry you

Hawaii in August: Everything to Know For Your Trip

Big Island Whale Watching: The 6 Best Tours and Viewing From the Shore

This is the most comprehensive Hawaii vacation planning resource on the internet!

TOP RESOURCES

• Join Our Newsletter
• Hawaii Itineraries
• Tours & Activities
• Top Travel Gear
• Discount Car Rentals

ISLAND GUIDES

• Planning A Trip To Hawaii
• Oahu Island Guide
• Maui Island Guide
• Hawai’i (Big Island) Guide
• Kauai Island Guide

Your use of the information provided in our Content, Itineraries, Site, and Services is for your informational purposes only and is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Your use of the information described in, your participation in activities presented in, and/or your engagement of any Travel Service Providers presented in our Content, Itineraries, Site, and/or Services may carry the risk of illness, bodily injury, disability, death, or property damage. You voluntarily and freely assume all risks and dangers that may occur pursuant to your access, use, purchase, or participation in any information, activity, good, or service described in our Content, Itineraries, Site, and Services or provided by any Travel Service Providers.

Don’t start planning without our cheat sheets

You’ll get:

• 4 can’t-miss activities on each island,
• a map with the main sights in town,
• and famous local grindz (eats)!

Review Cart

No products in the cart.

• International

Israel-Hamas war

Trump's hush money trial

Hawaii volcano eruption

By Veronica Rocha , CNN

This volcano is a major tourist attraction

From CNN's Faith Karimi and Joe Sutton

The Kilauea volcano is the youngest and most active on the island of Hawaii , and has been erupting almost continuously since 1983, according to the US Geological Survey. It's in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a major tourist attraction.

Aerial shots show the Puu Oo volcanic vent southeast of Kilauea's caldera churning smoke after the eruption.

"The summit crater hosts an active lava pond and a vigorous gas plume," the USGS says. "Kīlauea ranks among the world's most active volcanoes and may even top the list."

Kilauea lava flows have threatened communities numerous times. "From 1983, when the Puu Oo eruption began ... residential areas were threatened and homes were lost," said Janet Babb of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

"Any time lava poses a threat to residents, it's a big deal."

There are 770 structures and 1,700 people in the area under mandatory evacuation, said Cindy McMillan, a spokeswoman for Gov. David Ige.

Read more about the volcano and earthquakes here .

2 structures destroyed in Hawaii volcano eruption

From CNN's Chris Boyette

Two structures, including one home, were destroyed in Leilani Estates, where cracks in Kilauea volcano's rift zone erupted Thursday and early Friday, said Talmadge Magno, Hawaii County civil defense administrator.

There has only been one medical issue related to the volcanic eruption, he said.

The island, he said, has been “pretty fortunate" because of the high levels of sulfur dioxide in the area.

A fifth volcanic vent has opened in Leilani Estates

A fifth volcanic vent has opened in Leilani Estates, according to County of Hawaii Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno.

“Activity continues,” he said, “Nothing is slowing down.”

All five fissures are active — steaming and bubbling — but there is not significant lava flow, Magno said.

Swarm of earthquakes trigger landslides along Hawaii's coast

The swarm of earthquakes triggered four to five landslides along the Hamakua Coast on the Big Island, a Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency official said.

Crews were working to open state highways, where one landslide shut down two lanes.

"That's part of being on an active volcano, unfortunately," Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno told reporters on Friday.

He said some buildings had minor damage, and movement was detected in coastal waters as a result of the quakes.

There have been no injuries related to the quakes, Magno said.

Thousands without power after 6.9 quake

From CNN's Dave Alsup

More than 14,000 utility customers lost power on Hawaii’s Big Island after the 6.9 earthquake, said Rhea Lee-Moku, spokeswoman for Hawaii Electric Light. 

The utility company said it restored power to about half of the customers who lost electricity after the quake.

“We’ve had some unofficial reports there have some damage to some buildings," she said. 

Lee-Moku said utility workers were kept out of areas with high levels of sulfur dioxide.

“When you are exposed to that level of SO2 in the Leilani Estates area, you need more protection than we have available to us,” she said. 

"Extremely high levels" of sulfur dioxide have been detected

From CNN's Jason Hanna, Madison Park and Joe Sutton

Destructive molten flows weren't the only concern.

The Hawaii County Fire Department  reported "extremely high levels of dangerous sulfur dioxide gas" were detected in evacuation areas after the volcanic eruption.

Volcanic eruptions can release potentially dangerous sulfur dioxide, and exposure to high levels of it could be life-threatening, according to the federal  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry .

Breathing large amounts of sulfur dioxide could result in burning of the nose and throat and breathing difficulties, the agency says.

Senior citizens, the young and people with respiratory issues have extra incentive to leave the evacuation zone, because they are especially vulnerable to the gas,  the state's Emergency Management Agency said .

6.9 quake is strongest to hit Hawaii since 1975

From CNN’s Brandon Miller

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that rattled the Big Island today is the strongest to hit Hawaii since 1975, according to US Geological Survey records.

That year, a magnitude 7.1 quake hit in almost the exact same area as the one that occurred today, according to the USGS.

Sea level fluctuations possible after 6.9 quake, but no tsunami expected

The National Weather Service Pacific Tsunami Center said "some areas may experience small sea level fluctuations," following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Hawaii.

However, no tsunami is expected, the center said.

Magnitude 6.9 quake reported in Hawaii

The US Geological Survey is reporting a magnitude 6.9 quake in Hawaii in the last half hour. 

The quake occurred about 10 miles southwest of Leilani Estates on the Big Island.

There have been 119 earthquakes on Hawaii’s big island in the last 24 hours, according to USGS seismology Jana Pursley.

Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Hawaii’s Big Island gets warning as huge volcano rumbles

Officials are warning residents of Hawaii’s Big Island after increased activity in Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano, could mean a chance of eruption (Oct. 27)

FILE - Molten rock flows from Mauna Loa on March 28, 1984, near Hilo, Hawaii. Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island to prepare for the possibility that the world’s largest active volcano may erupt given a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of Mauna Loa. Scientists don’t expect the volcano to erupt imminently, but officials are reminding people lava could reach some homes in just a few hours when it does. (AP Photo/Ken Love, File)

• Copy Link copied

FILE - Molten rock flows from Mauna Loa, located on the south-central part of the island of Hawaii, on April 4, 1984. Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island to prepare for the possibility that the world’s largest active volcano may erupt given a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of Mauna Loa. Scientists don’t expect the volcano to erupt imminently, but officials are reminding people lava could reach some homes in just a few hours when it does. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano, background, towers over the summit crater of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island on April 25, 2019. Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island to prepare for the possibility that the world’s largest active volcano may erupt given a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of Mauna Loa. Scientists don’t expect the volcano to erupt imminently, but officials are reminding people lava could reach some homes in just a few hours when it does. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File)

FILE - Lava flows downhill from the crater of Mauna Loa, April 5, 1984, on the island of Hawaii. Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island to prepare for the possibility that the world’s largest active volcano may erupt given a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of Mauna Loa. Scientists don’t expect the volcano to erupt imminently, but officials are reminding people lava could reach some homes in just a few hours when it does. (AP Photo/John Swart, File)

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island that the world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, is sending signals that it may erupt.

Scientists say an eruption isn’t imminent, but they are on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the volcano’s summit. Experts say it would take just a few hours for lava to reach homes closest to vents on the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Hawaii’s civil defense agency is holding meetings across the island to educate residents about how to prepare for a possible emergency. They recommend having a ″go″ bag with food, identifying a place to stay once they leave home and making a plan for reuniting with family members.

“Not to panic everybody, but they have to be aware of that you live on the slopes of Mauna Loa. There’s a potential for some kind of lava disaster,” said Talmadge Magno, the administrator for Hawaii County Civil Defense.

The volcano makes up 51% of the Hawaii Island landmass, so a large portion of the island has the potential to be affected by an eruption, Magno said.

There’s been a surge of development on the Big Island in recent decades — its population has more than doubled to 200,000 today from 92,000 in 1980 — and many newer residents weren’t around when Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. All the more reason why Magno said officials are spreading the word about the science of the volcano and urging people to be prepared.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level, is the much larger neighbor to Kilauea volcano, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s so when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the ocean in less than three hours.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which is part of the U.S. Geological Survey, said Mauna Loa has been in a state of “heightened unrest” since the middle of last month when the number of summit earthquakes jumped from 10 to 20 per day to 40 to 50 per day.

Scientists believe more earthquakes are occurring because more magma is flowing into Mauna Loa’s summit reservoir system from the hot spot under the earth’s surface that feeds molten rock to Hawaii’s volcanoes .

The temblors have declined in frequency in recent days but could rise again.

More than 220 people attended a community meeting last weekend that county civil defense officials held in Ocean View, a neighborhood that lava could reach in hours if molten rock erupts through vents on Mauna Loa’s southwest flank.

Bob Werner, an Ocean View resident who didn’t attend the meeting, said it’s wise to be aware of a possible eruption but not to fear it. He’s not concerned that the neighborhood would be completely cut off, if lava flows across the only road connecting it to the bigger towns of Kailua-Kona and Hilo, where many people do their shopping.

The “greater concern is it will be extremely annoying to drive an extra hour or two hours to get the same stuff,” he said.

Ryan Williams, the owner of the Margarita Village bar in Hilo, said the volcanic unrest wasn’t worrying customers who are used to warnings.

There could still be a heightened sense of urgency since officials have been holding town hall meetings, urging people to prepare.

“But everything I’ve read or heard, they trying to kind of assure people that conditions have not changed,” Williams said. “There’s no imminent eruption, but just to be alert.”

Magno said his agency is talking to residents now because communities closest to vents likely wouldn’t have enough time to learn how to respond and prepare once the observatory raises its alert level to “watch,” which means an eruption is imminent.

The current alert level is “advisory” meaning the volcano is showing signs of unrest yet there’s no indication an eruption is likely or certain.

Residents in other parts of the island would have more time to react.

Lava from Mauna Loa’s northeast flank could take days or weeks to reach residential communities. That’s because the mountain’s slopes on that side are relatively gentle and because towns are farther from volcanic vents.

Frank Trusdell, research geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said all of Mauna Loa’s eruptions in recorded history have started in its summit crater. About half of them stayed there, while the other half later spewed lava from vents lower down the mountain.

Lava erupting from the summit generally doesn’t travel far enough to reach residential areas.

Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843. It last erupted in 1984 when lava flowed down its eastern flank only to stop 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) short of Hilo, the Big Island’s most populous town.

Mauna Loa also has a history of disgorging huge volumes of lava.

In the 1950 eruption, which lasted for 23 days, Mauna Loa released 1,000 cubic meters (1,307 cubic yards) of lava per second. In contrast, Kilauea released 300 cubic meters (392 cubic yards) per second in 2018.

The earthquakes could continue for a while before any eruption: increased seismic activity lasted for a year before a 1975 eruption and a year-and-a-half before the 1984 one. Alternatively, the temblors could subside and Mauna Loa may not erupt this time.

Trusdell said residents should look at his agency’s maps and learn how quickly lava may show up in their neighborhood. He also urged people living in one of the short-notice areas to pay attention if the summit turns red.

“All you got to do is look up there and see the glow. You grab your stuff, throw it in the car and drive. Go!” he said.

They can always go home after if the lava ultimately doesn’t flow into their neighborhood, he said.

Associated Press Writer Mark Thiessen contributed to this report from Anchorage, Alaska.

Big Island Beaches Guide

Hapuna, Kua Bay, Green Sand, ...

Big Island Sights Guide

Kilauea, Waipio, Rainbow Falls, ...

Big Island Hiking Guide

Kilauea Iki, Muliwai, Pololu Valley, ...

Big Island Regions Guide

Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Puna, Kohala, ...

When to Visit Big Island

Learn about the best time to visit →

Big Island Travel Tips

Big Island travel tips & recommendations →

Big Island Top Picks

Explore the Big Island's Must See & Do →

All Hawaii Island Guides →

Big Island Accommodations →

Lodging by type.

• Big Island Hotels & Resorts
• Big Island B&B's and Inn's
• Big Island Vacation Rentals

Popular Reads

• Where to stay on the Big Island →
• When to visit the Big Island →
• Big Island Attractions →
• Big Island Weather →

Explore Big Island Hotels & Resorts Search Now

Big Island Activities →

Hawaii tours by type.

• Land Tours & Services
• Ocean & Water Tours
• Plane & Helicopter Tours
• Big Island Itineraries

Popular Big Island Activities...

• Big Island Hiking Tours →
• Big Island Helicopter Tours →
• Big Island Stargazing Tours →
• Big Island Horseback Tours →

Explore Big Island Tours Search Now

Big Island Things to See & Do

Things to see & do on the largest hawaiian island of hawaii.

2024 Hawaii Visitor Guides

Discount Hawaii Car Rentals

Things to See & Do on the Big Island

Activities, sights, tours, & must-see places.

Marvel at the sky atop Mauna Kea, spot some of the world's rarest birds, explore some of the best hiking trails in Hawaii, or ride in style and watch the lava. No matter what you'd like to do on your Big Island vacation, our selection of articles means preparing for your getaway will both easy and fun.

— article continued below —

2024 Big Island Visitor Guides

Visiting the Big Island of Hawaii soon? Be sure to grab your copy of one of our updated Big Island Visitor Guides .

~ Trusted by Millions of Hawaii Visitors Annually ~

Nahuku Thurston Lava Tube in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Big Island - Top Things to Do

• As we noted in Big Island Things to Know , the island was sculpted from five major volcanoes - Kohala, Hualalai, Mauna Kea , Mauna Loa , and Kilauea ; which you can explore up close inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . Each is worth exploring during your trip if time permits you to do so. Mauna Loa is the world's most massive mountain, and Mauna Kea is the tallest in the Pacific; plus, it's the tallest in the world from base to summit. Kilauea, as noted, is considered by many to be the world's most active volcano. Each volcano tells a story of the geologic history of the island, and they are all worth exploring as time allows. It's a million-year journey in the making, and the story is ongoing. A few miles offshore is what many believe to be the newest part of the Big Island in another 50,000 years or so - the Lo`ihi seamount. Over time, it may become the sixth peak of the Big Island.
• With over 260 linear miles of coastline, you can't miss some of the 100+ beautiful beaches that make up the Big Island's coastline. Ironically, finding a typical Hawaiian white sand beach might be a challenge here. You're more likely to find one of the common salt and pepper or black sand beaches (like  Punaluu Beach ) on the Big Island. If you know where to look, you can also discover the remarkable  Papakolea Green Sand Beach  along the south shore, where sand is made up of olivine crystals from the cinder cone that backs the beach. And hidden along the coastline north of Kailua-Kona, you'll discover the rarer soft white sand beaches like  Makalawena Beach .
• The town of  Hilo  on the east coast is definitely worth a visit, and it has an incredible market that is held here each Saturday and Wednesday from dawn 'til it's gone, year-round. Hilo is the wettest city in the country, averaging over 100 inches annually. Hilo emits a more local and tropical vibe than Kailua-Kona on the west side of the island. Be sure to make time to visit the  Liliuokalani Gardens  and Wailuku River State Park (including  Rainbow Falls  and  Pe`epe`e Falls ) for more incredible scenery.

Akaka Falls State Park

• Located on the northwest shore, Kohala has the official claim of being the sunniest spot on the island - if not the state. Averaging just a few meager inches of rain a year, the area is filled with luxury resorts. The region also has a rich cultural history, including one of the state's largest heiau at  Puukohola . Kohala also has some of the island's best beaches, like  Hapuna Beach .
• On the other side of Kohala is the incredible  Waipio Valley . For the Hawaiian people, Waipio is more than just a beautiful place; it holds deep spiritual significance. Often called the "Valley of the Kings," Waipio was home to many ali'i (ruling class). King Kamehameha received a statue of his war god, Ku, here and was told he would one day rule the islands (which he went on to do). Because of its fertility, Waipio has become a rich farming area, producing abundant taro and bananas, even to the present day. Along the north Kohala coast is the  Pololu Valley , and while not as big as Waipio, it's also worth exploring.
• On the north Hamakua coast, make sure you don't miss delights like  Akaka Falls  or the  Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden .
• Along the southwest coast, below Kailua-Kona town, you'll want to check out  Puuhonua o Honaunau Historical Park , or 'Place of Refuge.' Right next to the park is one of the best snorkeling locations on the island at  Two Step .
• For even more tips on which places you absolutely must see, be sure to view our  Best Big Island Vacation Activities  article.

Explore Big Island Hawaii Attractions

Name your vacation fantasy and it'll likely come true on the Big Island of Hawaii: enjoying the hike of your dreams, admiring a gorgeous waterfall, or relaxing on a stunning sandy white beach. And for the ultimate Big Island activity? Grab your hiking boots, beach towel, and anything else you may need to have the Big Island of Hawaii getaway of your dreams.

Hawaii Island's Most Popular Things to Do

Featured big island ocean tour.

Check out these top-rated Big Island of Hawaii snorkel tours & cruises from Kona.  Hop aboard one of Fair Wind's daily Kona snorkel boat tours to the pristine waters of Kealakekua Bay. Looking for more adventure in Hawaii? There are also options for thrill-seekers and those wanting to experience a once-in-a-lifetime  Manta ray night encounter in remote south Kona.

Additional Big Island Things to Do

If you can name it, you can likely do it on the Big Island. Lounging on a green sand beach? Check. Visiting ancient Hawaiian sites? Yep. Touring the world's tallest mountain? Of course. And don't forget volcanoes, botanical gardens, and fantastic snorkeling. So what  can't  you do on Big island? Not enjoy yourself! Check out these fantastic Big Island experiences.

Additional Big Island Resources

Recommended big island tours, terms of use & disclosures.

This website's use is your expressly conditioned acceptance of the terms, conditions, and disclaimers found within our Disclaimer of Warranty and Limitation of Liability page without any modifications. Your use of this website constitutes your acceptance of all the terms , conditions, and disclaimers posted herein. If you do not agree with any part of these terms and conditions, you should not use this website. We also receive a small commission from travel partners for some of the links found on this website. All partners and related links comply with our Advertising Disclosures . For example, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. These links do not cost you anything and help provide the necessary funding to maintain this website. Mahalo!

Download our Hawaii Map Packet

Includes most major attractions, all major routes, airports, and a chart with estimated driving times for each respective island..

Our popular Summary Guidesheets are now included.

Download your copy of our... 2024 Hawaii Travel Guide

Hawaii-Guide.com has been featured in...

Hawaii Visitor Information...

Try out our new AI Powered Search & Chatbot →

Plus & Premium Benefits

Donate and remove ALL the ads

Mahalo for your support!

By donating to our small business, you accept and acknowledge the donation terms . Mahalo!

• Work with us

7 Days on the Big Island Itinerary

Last updated on October 13th, 2023

This 7 days on the Big Island itinerary + guide is full of tips on where to stay, what to eat, the top beaches, and the best things to do on the Big Island !

After visiting the state of Hawaii 5 times, including two trips to Maui , two trips to Oahu , and one trip to Kauai , we finally made it to the Island of Hawaii (nicknamed “The Big Island”) and it was absolutely magical!

Although we named our dog Kona after our love of Hawaii and coffee, we for some reason kept putting off visiting the Big Island. Maybe it was because its size seemed daunting or maybe we just didn’t know much about it, but regardless of why it took us so long, we are so glad we finally made it there.

We spent 7 days on the Big Island with Kathryn’s parents and had so much fun visiting different colored beaches, exploring waterfalls, eating our favorite Hawaiian treats, learning about volcanoes, taking a shelter pup out on a field trip, wandering around towns, touring a coffee farm, and so much more. To see all of our adventures, watch our Big Island vlog series !

The island is incredibly diverse and has something for everyone. While we still cannot pick a favorite island (they are all amazing!), we did love how less busy this island felt and how much nature it had to offer. One day we were driving through lava fields and the next we were in a rainforest. It made everyday feel new and exciting!

We’re excited to share a 7 days on the Big Island itinerary + guide, filled with our favorite things we did while we were there. Normally our guides are 5 days or less, as we want to help those who have limited time off experience different places, but for the Big Island, we are doing 7 days as we believe you really need that much time to see the main sights.

If you don’t have 7 days on the Big Island, then don’t worry! You couldn’t go wrong with just doing a portion of this guide. 

A few disclaimers before we jump in: We are not lay out at the beach all day type people. We like to spend our days doing a mix of beaches, hiking, eating, and exploring towns, so our guide definitely caters more to our travel style, but it still will give you tons of ideas even if you prefer to travel differently!

This 7 days on the Big Island guide involves a decent amount of driving as the island, as the name implies, is big! The drives are all beautiful though! We tried to organize the days so you stick to one area to reduce the total driving, as well as not put too many long driving days together so you get a little break 🙂

If you have any questions about the island or our guide, then please shoot us an email or send us a message on Instagram ! 

Need more ideas for your Big Island trip? One Day at Hawaii Volcanoes National Par k 8 Best beaches on the Big Island  11 Things you Must Eat on the Big Island Heading to Oahu, Maui, or Kauai? Check out our other Hawaii guides :

• 5 Days on Oahu
• 5 Days on Maui
• 7 Days on Kauai
• All Hawaii blogs + guides

Before embarking on your adventure, please review the  Leave No Trace principles  to ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come! These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. 

About the Big Island

The island of Hawaii, more commonly known as The Big Island, is the youngest and largest of the Hawaiian islands. In fact, all of the other islands could fit in it almost twice! The island is constantly growing due to two of the five volcanoes on the island being active, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

There are 6 regions on the Big Island, which we will refer to often in this 7 days on the Big Island guide so you have a better understanding of where you’ll be. These regions are: Kona, Kohala, Hamakua Coast, Hilo, Puna, and Kau.

The island has 12 climate zones, from rainforest to frozen tundra to the desert and the rainfall across the island varies dramatically based on where you are. Kona on the West side, for example, receives 25 inches of rain a year, while Hilo on the East side gets about 125 inches. 

While the island is known for its volcanoes, it is also known for Kona coffee. Only coffee grown in the Kona region of the island can be called Kona coffee. The coffee grows well in this region because of the volcanic soil, sunny weather, and occasional rain.

Kona coffee is pricey to buy, but that’s due to the manual nature of picking and roasting the coffee, as well as US labor laws and the rarity of the coffee since it can only be grown in one region.

There is so much more to the Big Island than volcanoes and coffee though, the people were friendly, the food was delicious, the beaches were beautiful, and there was so much nature to explore. While a bit more laid back than Oahu, it still had many activities to choose from. We loved the island so much and we hope you do too!

Need more ideas for the Big Island? Best Beaches on the Big Island Things to do at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 11 Things you Must Eat on the Big Island

General Big Island tips

Between weather, the language, and what to bring, here are a few things that are good to know before you visit!

• We found that the best weather website for the Big Island (and Hawaii in general) is Hawaii Weather Today . Typical weather websites said we would have rain every day of our trip (this happened to us last time on Maui too!) and on both trips, we only got rained on maybe once. So don’t panic if it says it’ll rain! This website is great because you can view the weather by region, which is crucial since the islands have many different ecosystems and weather patterns!  
• Speaking of rain, bring a rain jacket for your 7 days on the Big Island! Ideally you won’t need it, but it’ll be a lifesaver if you have one!  
• Learn some Hawaiian words before you go! Not only does this help you understand some of the words you’ll see often, but it helps you get immersed into the culture more. And it’s nice to know how to pronounce them too!

When to visit the Big Island

The Big Island is known for having two main seasons: the wet season and the dry season . The wet season is between November-April, while the dry season is between May-October.

However, we mentioned above, some areas of the Big Island get much more rain than other areas of the island, which means that when you visit, even if it’s raining in one area of the island, that doesn’t mean you can’t find sunshine elsewhere!

We spent 7 days on the Big Island during November (the week before Thanksgiving) and had pretty awesome weather the entire trip! So don’t be afraid to visit during the wet season, although we’d suggest being mentally prepared for rain so you’re not disappointed.

Besides weather, another thing to consider when choosing when to visit the Big Island are holidays. Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are popular times for families to vacation on the Big Island, which means prices will be higher and the crowds will be larger.

We had originally planned to visit during Thanksgiving, but by visiting the week before we saved a total of $2,100 on four flights and didn’t notice anything being too busy! So we’d suggest looking at when flights will be the cheapest and planning your trip around that time.

Want to learn other tricks to save money on flights? Check out this post !

Getting to the Big Island

There are two main ways to get to the Big Island: by airplane or by cruise ship . 

Airplane The Big Island has two airports, one in Hilo and one in Kona . We flew into the Kona airport, as that’s where we found the best flights. This is the more popular of the two airports, but definitely check both when booking your flights, as Southwest and Alaska (two of our favorites!) fly to Hilo.

Cruise While this is the less common way to visit the Big Island, it’s a good option if you want to see all of the islands. Norwegian Cruises offers a variety of Hawaiian cruises, all of which stop in Hilo and in Kona! This option doesn’t give you as much time on the island and wouldn’t allow you to fully use this guide, but it should still help you plan your days on the island!

Getting around the Big Island

Renting a car is a must for 7 days on the Big Island! There are so many things to do all over the Big Island and while they do have public transportation, the freedom of having your own car is so worth it!

We rented a Jeep in order to have 4×4, which helped us on the road to Makalawena Beach and would’ve been necessary for Mauna Kea had we gone. If you want to access some trickier spots, then we highly suggest renting one. 

Where to Stay on the Big Island

Choosing where to stay on the Big Island is tough because it’s so big! The two main areas to stay in are Kona and Hilo, with Kona being the more popular option. Here is a quick rundown of the two areas based on our experience and opinions:

Kona: 

• Pros: White sand beaches, lots of shops and resorts, close to snorkeling and coffee farms, more of a beachy vibe, close to the main airport
• Cons: Touristy in some areas, not very walkable

Hilo:  

• Pros: More walkable, more character and local boutiques, close to the National Park and waterfalls, less touristy feeling, super lush and green
• Cons: Some areas are more industrial, no white sand beaches, few resorts

The distance between Kona and Hilo is about 1.5 hours, so traveling back and forth to those areas everyday can get a bit lengthy.  We split our trip between Kona and Hilo and while having to change rentals midway through wasn’t 100% ideal, it was totally worth it to maximize our adventure time and not have to drive hours everyday! 

If you want to see the entire island, we suggest splitting your time, but it’s also doable to stay in Kona and drive more everyday. Below are some options of where to stay in the two main regions of the island, as well as some smaller areas that have cool places to stay. We will put under each day where we suggest staying that night to maximize your time on your 7 days on the Big Island.

Places to stay in Kona

Vacation Rentals

• Option #1 : A 1 bedroom, 2 bathroom top floor condo with views of the ocean
• Option #2 : A 1 bathroom studio with a nice lanai
• Option #3 : A 1 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with ocean views
• Option #4 : A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo directly on the ocean
• Option #5 : A 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom condo, perfect for families
• Aston Kona by the Sea
• Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel
• Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

Places to stay in Hilo

• Option #1 : A 1 bathroom studio condo in the heart of Hilo
• Option #2 : An elegant 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo on the Hilo Lagoon
• Option #3: A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo perfect for families
• Grand Naniloa Hotel
• Hilo Hawaiian Hotel

Other areas to stay on the Big Island

Kohala 

• VRBO Option #1 : A 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo with ocean views
• VRBO Option #2 : A beautiful 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condo
• VRBO Option #3 : A 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom bungalow that sleeps 6
• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
• Hilton Waikoloa Village
• Kings’ Land by Hilton Grand Vacations Club 
• VRBO Option #1 : A 1 bathroom tropical studio apartment
• VRBO Option #2 : A 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom oceanfront condo

Unique places to stay on the Big Island

• Tiny home on a lava field (Puna)
• Two bedroom Tiny Home (Puna)
• 3 bedroom A Frame – more affordable option (Puna)
• Treehouse – midrange option (Puna)
• Treehouse – higher end option (Puna)
• 1 bathroom Yurt in the rainforest

7 days on the Big Island Itinerary

This 7 days on the Big Island itinerary covers all of the main regions of the island and includes delicious food, gorgeous beaches (including three different colors!), and the best things to do!

Day 1: Kona

For your first day on the Big Island, enjoy some Hawaiian treats and relax at two of the most beautiful beaches!

• Kick off your 7 days on the Big Island with coffee at Kona Coffee & Tea ! This spot is super nice on the inside and has some great drinks. We recommend a coconut or macadamia nut latte or just a plain cup of delicious Kona coffee.  
• Grab acai bowls for breakfast at Basik Cafe or Barefoot Zone (Closed Monday & Tuesday).  
• Spend the morning and afternoon at Kua Bay or Makalawena Beach , or both! We loved both of these beaches and highly recommend checking both out. Kua Bay is super easy to access, but not huge and can get busy, while Makalawena Beach is harder to access, but you’ll have a lot more space to yourself. We suggest packing a lunch to enjoy on the beaches! And don’t forget a boogie board 🙂   For more details on getting to Makalawena Beach or to learn more about Kua bay, check out our Best Beaches on the Big Island blog post!  
• Enjoy shave ice at Scandinavian Shave Ice in Kailua-Kona. This spot is sooo delicious!  
• Walk around Kailua-Kona , which is full of souvenir type shops and ocean views!  
• Grab dinner at Broke Da Mouth Grindz . This spot has great Hawaiian food, from laulau to kalua pork to shrimp, but one of the top items to get here is their furikake chicken! The restaurant has recently changed locations and is now located at 75-5864 Walua Rd, which is different than what this Yelp page says.  

Where to stay: We recommend staying in Kona this night. See our recommendations above!

Day 2: Kohala 

Explore more beautiful beaches, eat more delicious Hawaiian food, and if you’re lucky, see tons of stars from the tallest mountain on the island (and depending on how you measure it, the world)!

• Grab breakfast at 808 Grindz in Kona (Closed on Mondays). This is a traditional Hawaiian breakfast joint with delicacies like loco moco, portuguese sausage, spam, and pancakes with coconut syrup!  
• Spend the rest of the morning at Hapuna Beach State Park . It costs $5 to park here, but the beach is very large and has great sand and water.  
• Head up the road to Mauna Kea Beach , which we regrettably didn’t visit due to a lack of time, but we have heard it’s incredible and many people’s favorite on the island. While you’re there, enjoy a picnic lunch !  
• After a day of relaxing, spend the rest of the day driving up Mauna Kea and visiting the summit! Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world if you’re measuring from the bottom of the ocean floor. While it is only 13,796 feet above sea level, the majority of the mountain is underwater and from the ocean floor to the top it is over 33,000 feet (Everest is 29,035 feet!)   A few things to know about visiting: It is about a 2 hour drive from Mauna Kea Beach, but once you reach the Visitor Information Station (VIS) at 9,200 feet, you need to stay there and acclimate to the elevation for at least 30 minutes to avoid altitude sickness. According to the VIS, pregnant women, persons in poor health, and children under 13 should NOT venture above the VIS.   To continue to the summit at 13,796 feet, you will need a 4WD vehicle, as the road is not paved past the VIS. You should leave the summit 15-20 minutes after sunset so you can make it to the VIS before it gets completely dark out.   Once you return to the VIS, we recommend going stargazing! The stars are supposed to be beautiful up here. There are tours you can do that will take you to Mauna Kea for stargazing or you can go on your own. This website has tons of info about visiting Mauna Kea.  
• After spending time on Mauna Kea, drive back to Kona, which is about a 2 hour drive.  
• For dinner , head to either Umekes Fish Market Bar , Kona Brewing Company , or Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill !

Day 3: Kau + Kona

On day 3 of 7 days on the Big Island v isit one of the 4 green sand beaches in the whole world, learn about the process of making Kona coffee, and have some amazing tacos!

• Visit the Green Sand Beach , also known as Papakolea or Mahana Bay. The beach is 1.5 hours from Kona and we highly recommend getting there early to avoid the heat and crowds! It’s about a 2-3 mile walk to the beach and the walk is mostly on dirt/sand. It’s pretty easy, just a bit tedious, but you have ocean views the whole time. Some say the effort isn’t worth it, but we disagree, we thought the beach was very cool! We arrived around 7:30 AM and got back to the car around 10:00 AM. We only stopped at the beach for a little bit due to crazy wind, but you could definitely spend more time there.   Read more details about this beach, including where to park, why it’s green, how to get down to the beach, and more on our Best Beaches on the Big Island blog post!  
• Grab lunch at Kaaloa’s Super Js Authentic Hawaiian . This family run spot is known for having the best laulau, which is pork wrapped in taro leaves and then either steamed or cooked in an imu (underground oven).   
• Go on a Kona coffee tour at Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm . A coffee tour is definitely one of the top things to do on the Big Island and with so many options to choose from, we went with Heavenly Hawaiian based on reviews and it was such a great choice! Use our code APLUSK10 for 10% off if you book on Tripadvisor!   The team working there is incredible, knowledgeable, and make you feel like family! The tours are around 1 hour long and run every hour on the hour until 4 PM. We ended up spending 3 hours here going on the tour, drinking coffee, and talking with the employees–it was one of the biggest highlights of our trip! While most probably don’t stay that long, we loved every second of it.  
• If you have time after your coffee tour, then check out Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park , which is home to some of the most significant traditional Hawaiian sites in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is a pretty quick stop, but a great place to learn about Hawaiian history!  
• For dinner , enjoy some killer tacos at Shaka Tacoz . We loved this spot! We tried all of the meats and they were all delicious and the guacamole is FREE (when does that ever happen?!) The view from the patio in the building behind the truck is so beautiful and is full of cute geckos that like to join you for your meal 🙂   
• End the day with ice cream at Gypsea Gelato !

Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Book it on Tripadvisor and use our code APLUSK10 for 10% off!

Day 4: Kona

More food and beaches (because that’s one of the best things about Hawaii!), but today’s big activity is one of the coolest things we have ever done.

• Head a little south for breakfast at The Coffee Shack ! This spot is known for having breakfast with a killer view and just like Shaka Tacoz, watch out for the hungry geckos!  
• Spend the rest of your morning at Magic Sands Beach ! This smaller, but beautiful beach is one of the few white sand beaches close to town. It is named Magic Sands because in the winter the surf will take away some of the sand, revealing the lava rocks below. When we went there was plenty of sand to enjoy though!  
• Have lunch at Da Poke Shack ! This poke spot is one of the best on the island, but they can sell out, so try to arrive early! (It’s pretty close to Magic Sands if you want to hop over there for lunch and then go back to the beach). They also have some options for non fish lovers, like Kalua pork!   
• After spending your morning and afternoon at the beach, cool off with some shave ice from One Aloha Shave Ice in Kona! (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays) We are pretty crushed we didn’t make it here during our trip (we were too full for more food), but we hear it’s one of the best spots on the island for shave ice!  
• Want to experience one of the coolest things ever?! Go night snorkeling with Manta Rays! This was one of the highlights of our trip and definitely one of the best things to do on the Big Island.   There are 240 manta rays that call the Kona coast home and they have all been identified and named due to black and white markings on their bellies that allow you to tell them apart, similar to human fingerprints. They can grow up to 16ft long and 1,600 pounds, but are considered one of the safest large animal encounters since they have nothing that can bite or sting you.   We went night snorkeling with Manta Ray Dives of Hawaii and they were the best! The crew was awesome and we saw at least 6 manta rays (this varies every night). The waves were very rough and choppy when we went and a good chunk of the boat felt sick, but we still had a blast! Book it on Tripadvisor and use our code APLUSK10 for 10% off!  

Day 5: Kohala + Hamakua Coast

Today you’ll be hiking, eating more delicious food, and seeing the stunning northern coastline of the island!

• Head to Waimea, about an hour from Kona, for coffee at Waimea Coffee Co !  
• After enjoying some coffee, head across the street to Hawaiian Style Cafe for some breakfast ! This spot is super delicious and we highly recommend getting their massive macadamia nut banana pancakes! Their loco moco is also super popular and we loved their homemade Portuguese sausage.  
• Go for a hike at Pololu Valley ! You can view the valley from the parking area, but the view is amazing if you hike down to the beach, which is only around 1.2 miles and goes down 420 feet in 0.6 miles. We loved this beach because it wasn’t too crowded due to the hike and it had black sand! Make sure to bring water because we got super hot hiking back up. We share more information about the hike in our Best Beaches on the Big Island blog post!  
• After a nice hike and some beach time, have lunch at The Fish and the Hog . Their BBQ sampler and tacos were really good!  
• Enjoy some delicious shave ice at Original Big Island Shave Ice . This shave ice was different than any we have had before. It felt more decadent and the flavor combinations were so unique. The Kimrah Special with ube and the Trini Chantilly were incredible! The location changes based on the day, so check their website to see where they’ll be!  
• Venture to the Hamakua Coast to see Waipio Valley . This overlook is a quick walk from the parking area and offers gorgeous views! While you used to be able to go down to the beach here, the road is now closed indefinitely to visitors .  
• After exploring Waipio Valley, we suggest driving to Hilo and making it your home base for the rest of your Hawaiian adventures.  
• Grab dinner in Hilo. A few good spots to check out: Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine (Closed Mondays), Puka Puka Kitchen (Only open for dinner Tuesday-Friday), or Moon & Turtle .

Where to stay: We recommend staying in Hilo this night. See our recommendations above!

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails+ membership ? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)! We use AllTrails+ on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

Day 6: Hilo

Hilo is the oldest city in Hawaii and the largest city on the Big Island. On day 6 of 7 days on the Big Island you’ll be seeing waterfalls, exploring lava tubes, and eating tons of delicious food!

• Start the day with coffee at Waipuna Coffee (Closed on Sundays)  
• Check out Rainbow Falls , which is quite a bit smaller than ‘Akaka Falls at 80 ft tall, but if you arrive early on a sunny morning, you’ll be treated to a rainbow over the falls! This is a super quick spot with two overlooks of the waterfall (and it’s free!).  
• Explore the Kaumana Caves . These free to access lava tubes are from an 1881 lava flow from Mauna Loa! You can explore quickly, or go deeper into the caves (some spots get narrow). No matter how much you want to explore, make sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp…it’s super dark!  
• Get a beautiful acai bowl at Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack . We got ours in a pineapple and it was massive and oh so good!  
• The Locavore Store . We grabbed some amazing toffee from here and they had other local treats and souvenirs!  
• The Hilo Farmer’s Market , which has more vendors on Wednesday and Saturday. Try a unique fruit like a Rambutan!   
• Poke at Suisan Fish Market !  
• Mochi at Two Ladies Kitchen . The butter mochi is especially delicious!  
• Shave ice at Wilson’s by the Bay or Kula Shave Ice  
• Vegan gelato at Nicoco . You wouldn’t know it was vegan if someone didn’t tell you! They also have delicious homemade vegan and gluten free cones that they make fresh!  
• Visit ‘Akaka Falls ! This 442 ft tall waterfall is gorgeous and is a super quick, but lush and beautiful walk from the parking lot, which costs $5 to park at.  
• Drive the scenic route back to Hilo. We made a quick stop at Onomea Bay and it was beautiful!  
• Grab dinner in Hilo. A few good spots to check out: Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine (Closed Mondays), Puka Puka Kitchen (Only open for dinner Tuesday-Friday), or Moon & Turtle .  

Day 7: Puna + Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Learn all about volcanoes on the last of your 7 days on the Big Island! From the history of the volcanoes on the island, to walking on a crater, prepare to be mind blown by how crazy nature is!

• Get an early start and head to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park , about 45 minutes from Hilo. This is one of two national parks in the state of Hawaii and the only one on the Big Island. It is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa.   There was an eruption and lava flow last year that impacted the island as well as changed the park. At the time of our visit in November 2019, there was no lava flow or glow to see and many sights were closed.   View our Hawaii Volcanoes National Park guide for more details on the park and ideas of things to do!  
• We recommend starting your day at the park with the Kilauea Iki Trail . This hike is about 3 miles round trip and a 688 ft elevation change. You start the hike at the top of the crater and then go to the crater floor, which is a crazy experience. You then hike back up the other side. The parking area has a good amount of spots, but the hike does get busier as the morning goes on, so start the hike early to beat the crowds and the heat (the crater part of the hike has zero shade!).  
• Swing by the Visitor’s Center to learn more about volcanoes! We walked up as the ranger was talking about the history of the island’s volcanoes and it was sooo interesting! The ranger was very entertaining and engaging and we ended up listening to him for 20 minutes or so. It was a great way to learn about the park!  
• Across from the Visitor’s Center is Volcano House , which is a hotel with a beautiful balcony overlooking Kilauea. It’s definitely worth a stop for the view!  
• Walk along the short Sulphur Banks trail (1.2 miles roundtrip), which takes you by steam vents and colorful mineral deposits, which are signs of volcanic activity. Warning: it may smell a bit 😉  
• Park by the Desolation Trail and then walk along Crater Rim Drive to Keanakakoi Crater . This road is now closed to vehicles due to the earthquakes that happened in 2018, but you can either bike or walk along the road to a certain point. Along the way there are viewpoints to see Kilauea Crater, as well as chances to see the cracked road due to earthquakes.  
• Drive Chain of Craters Road down to Hōlei Sea Arch . Along the way you’ll have ocean and lava views, some of which have signs saying which year the lava flow was from. There are also other quick stops you can make if you have time, but we focused on getting down to the arch, as the weather was a bit crazy.  
• Have lunch at Cafe Ono (Closed Mondays) or Aloha Mix Food Truck (Closed Mondays and Saturdays).  
• Visit Punalu’u Beach , which is a beautiful black sand beach full of palm trees and if you’re lucky, turtles! We saw 5 turtles total on the sand, as well as a couple turtles swimming in the ocean. There is free parking and the beach is a hop and a skip from the parking area, making it much easier to access than Pololu or Waipio Valley’s black sand beaches.  

If you have extra time…

If you have more than 7 days on the Big Island, or are just looking for more things to do, here is a list of food and activity suggestions, with the region of the island they are in!

• Kona Grill House (Kona)
• Kanaka Kava (Kona)
• Umekes (Kona)
• Frenchman’s Cafe (Kona)
• Loko Wraps (Kona)
• Herbivores (Kona)
• On the Rocks (Kona)
• Splasher’s Grill (Kona)
• Kohala Burger and Taco (Kohala)
• Conscious Culture Cafe (Hilo)
• Paul’s Place (Hilo)
• VIBE Cafe & Health Bar (Hilo)
• Kope Lani Coffee & Ice Cream (Kona)
• Mrs. Barry’s Kona Cookies (Kona)
• Manuela Malasada Company (Kohala)
• Anuenue Ice Cream & Shave Ice (Kohala)
• Tex Drive In (Hamakua Coast)
• HiCo (Kona)
• Kona Mountain Coffee (Kona)
• Daylight Mind Coffee Company (Kona)
• Green Flash Coffee (Kona)
• Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation (Kona)
• Kona Wave Cafe (Kona)
• Tin Shack Bakery (Puna)
• Take a shelter pup out on a field trip ! (Kona, Waimea, and Hilo)
• Tour the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (Kona)
• Go on a bee tour at Big Island Bees (Kona)
• Hike to Captain Cook Monument + snorkel at Kealakekua Bay (Kona)
• Visit Lapakahi State Park (Kohala)
• Hike to Kiholo Bay (Kohala), which is 2.8 miles. This post has great info on how to get to it!
• Walk down Banyan Drive to see Banyan trees planted by various famous people (Hilo)
• Go snorkeling at Carlsmith Beach Park (Hilo). This is supposed to be one of the best snorkeling spots on this side of the island. We didn’t snorkel there, but we went by there quickly and saw multiple turtles!
• Visit the newest beach at Isaac Hale Beach Park (Puna)

Ready to explore the Big Island?

Pin this guide with where to stay, what to eat, and the best things to do with 7 days on Big Island!

get the behind the scenes scoop!

24 thoughts on “ 7 days on the big island itinerary ”.

Great guide full of wonderful suggestions!

Thank you!!! 😀

Your wonderful blog and youtube channel gave me so much inspiration and made it so much easier to plan my birthday trip! Thank you so much for your hard work. Looking forward to learn about your future adventures 🙂

Hi Mira! This makes us sooo happy to hear! We hope you have a great trip (or had if you already went) to the Big Island! Thanks for watching and reading 🙂

Hi A + K! First of all, thank you so so much for all the blogging you do about your travels. I know how much effort goes into it and it’s incredibly inspiring! I also love your objective: help people to do less planning and enjoy their trip more! And that is EXACTLY what happened with me! Your Big Island blog was my base itinerary and I just had to make very few modifications and I completely enjoyed my trip with very limited planning! So a big fat thank you from the bottom of my heart! And this blog has motivated me to document my own travel in case I have friends who ask me my itinerary!

You guys are amazing and I truly appreciate what you do! Keep rocking! Thank you!!

Hi Akshaya! We are SO happy to hear that the guide helped you with your trip and that you had a great time! The Big Island is amazing 😀 Thank you so much for the kind comment and for using our guide!

I’m highly interested in Option 1 Airbnb that you stayed in. 3 bedroom and 2 bath. The link does not seem to link directly to the Airbnb only the Airrbnb website. May you please help re-direct that link again please?! 🙂

Hi Noel! Sorry about that, sometimes the links get a bit weird. Since we had an option 1 for both Kona and Hilo, both of which we stayed at, here are the links to both of them. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17590596 (Kona) and https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/27115591 (Hilo)

Hi A+K! Just recently found your blog when researching for our upcoming trip to Hawaii in March. I love it! My question for you is how cold was the water, specifically for the night manta ray snorkel. We’d love to do a night dive with mantas, but may have to pass with March water temps.

Hi Lee! We did the manta rays in November and we don’t remember it being super cold! We had wetsuits on which helped a bit I am sure. The experience is absolutely amazing and we couldn’t recommend it more! By far one of the coolest things we have ever done. The only negative thing is that the waves were super choppy that night, so a bunch of people felt (and got) sick, but that may have just been bad luck.

Excellent reviews of the many diverse parts of Hawai’i Island! I will recommend your site to all my visiting friends. MAHALO!

Mahalo Charlene!

Thank you so much for your blog and personalities. My husband and I pre-kids totally travel like you, so your blog resonates. I appreciate your passion and sharing your experience and knowledge to guide me in my travels/vacation.

Hi Helene! Thank you so much for reading and we are so glad it helps!

Me and my 12 year old daughter have SO enjoyed your YouTube videos on Hawaii….we have studied, replayed, taken notes and now, came across your article! We are thrilled to review your laid out plans to make the most of our trip! Enjoy your down to earth, fun loving spirit and the interaction between you both is lively, respectful, funny and sweet. Thank you for easy to follow videos and articles!

Hi Wendy! So glad you found our site! We always say our website is our chance to provide a lot more details than we ever could in a video, we really want to make our guides helpful! Thanks so much for following along!

We are leaving the big island today…we used so many of your restaurant recommendations and they were all fantastic!

I would say if you have kids, magic sands is a great beach to play on but has a dangerous shore break so not great to play in the water.

We are so happy you enjoyed the food spots!

Thank you so very much for putting together this awesome itinerary! I loved following along and hit many of your recommended destinations. I was on my first solo trip and this itinerary filled my days with awesome things to do! I especially loved the hikes you recommended in volcanoes National park along with the delicious vegan gelato shop in Hilo. Mahalo!

Hi Kat! We’re so glad you found it helpful and were able to visit some of these spots!

Any tips for how to get a relatively cheap rental car?

Hi Kaitlyn! One method we have used in the past that has always been cheaper than most places is Costco, but you have to have a membership. Another option is Turo, which is like Airbnb for cars. We do know that rental car costs are mega high in many places lately, so I’m not sure if either of those will be a good deal or not unfortunately.

For your 7-day tour of the Big Island, can you give us an idea of your budget for it? Of course, it would be a general budget depending on what individuals do, but to follow your examples, what was your budget?

Hi Jill! This trip was a gift to my parents, so our budget was quite a bit different than had it just been the two of us. Since it has been about 4 years, the numbers likely wouldn’t be very accurate anymore unfortunately.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

© 2023 Adventures of A+K. All Rights Reserved. Website built with love by  Dreamworthy Design . – Stock Photos provided by our partner  Depositphotos

Privacy Policy

• United States

Hawai'i (Big Island)

Breaking News Alerts

Press "allow" to activate.

• Big Island News
• Big Island Polls
• Local Discussion
• Entertainment
• Guest Columns
• COVID-19 Updates
• Hawaii Sports
• Hawai’i Volcano Blog
• Weather Forecast
• Surf Report
• Merrie Monarch
• ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi / Hawaiian Language
• Hawaii Activities
• Recent Job Listings
• Upcoming Events
• Map of Events
• Post Your Event
• Opioid Crisis
• Latest Videos
• About Big Island Now
• Get the App
• Advertising
• Meet the Team

Privacy Policy | About Our Ads

• Graduations

Elderly man dies following North Kona crash

A 78-year-old Papa‘ikou man is dead following a single-vehicle collision that occurred in North Kona.

On Tuesday, Hawai‘i Island police responded to the incident at 12:23 p.m. on Māmalahoa Highway (Highway 190) near the 31.5-mile marker. Through the course of their investigation, they learned that a silver 2014 Kia Sorento, driven by a 48-year-old woman from Papa‘ikou, was traveling south had crossed over the solid white fog line (makai side) and drove off the right shoulder of the roadway.

The vehicle then went down an embankment and overturned.

The passenger, Jeffrey Lawrence Gross, was transported to the Kona Community Hospital for treatment and later died. The driver was also taken to Kona hospital where she continues to receive medical attention.

The Area II Traffic Enforcement Unit has initiated a traffic investigation and is asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Officer Ansel Robinson at 808-326-4646 ext. 229 or email at [email protected] .

This is the 17th traffic fatality this year compared to eight at this time last year.

Sponsored Content

Subscribe to our Newsletter

• Send Me Daily Updates
• Send Me Weekly Updates

Related Articles

• Hawaii Videos
• Hawaii Jobs
• Events Calendar
• Meet the Writers
• Advertise With Us

Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram

They said her husband drowned snorkeling, but she saw him walk to shore. What happened?

A Michigan woman and her family are suing a Maui resort , the Hawaiian Tourism Authority, and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau after her husband died while snorkeling . She doesn’t believe it was a drowning. 

Patricia and Ray Johnson, along with four friends, arrived at the Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui on the evening of Feb. 23, 2022, with plans to visit multiple islands over several weeks. This was the couple’s sixth time in Hawaii, and they had snorkeled the Hawaiian waters many times in the past, Patricia told USA TODAY. 

On the morning of Feb. 25, some of the travelers, including Ray, went snorkeling around Wailea Beach, which fronts the resort, while Patricia opted to walk a trail that overlooks the beach. “I looked out, and I saw my husband and my friends or people out there,” she told USA TODAY. “I’m waving at him, and it hits me.” Patricia saw what looked like other snorkelers helping Ray. 

She hurried down to the beach, but “things deteriorated quickly.” At first, Ray had his head above water and was returning to the beach, but then the 64-year-old fell onto his back with his head “snapped back at one point” and had to be pulled in. “I knew he was gone,” she said. 9-1-1 was called, but medical professionals failed to resuscitate Ray. 

The autopsy report called Ray’s death an accidental drowning, which Patricia doesn’t believe. 

Learn more: Best travel insurance

“I was watching him come in, how could he be drowning?” According to her friends who were snorkeling with him, Ray was talking and also diving down under the water. At one point, he came up and said, “You gotta help me, I’m having trouble breathing,” and that’s when he decided to head back to shore. “I don’t think when people are drowning in a conditional manner, you’re going to be conversing,” she said.

What to do in Hawaii? Locals weigh in on if these popular spots are worth the hype

By a landslide, the leading cause of death for Hawaii tourists is drowning. And of ocean drownings for residents and visitors, the majority occur when snorkeling. While the ocean is powerful and unpredictable, some advocates, including the Johnsons, are trying to bring attention to a lesser-known medical condition that specifically poses risks to snorkelers and hasn’t gotten much attention over the years: Rapid Onset Pulmonary Edema (ROPE). 

The Johnson family believes ROPE is the real cause of Ray’s death, and the lawsuit alleges that Hawaii travel entities have failed to educate the public on ROPE, resulting in “an important public health concern,” according to the complaint filed in the Circuit Court of the First Circuit in the State of Hawaii in February 2024. The case should begin the fact-discovery process this week.

The Hawaiian Tourism Authority, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and Fairmont Kea Lani declined to comment on the lawsuit. 

“I would like to see warnings out there,” Patricia told USA TODAY. “I truly believe my husband would still be here if we’d been warned.” 

How is snorkeling dangerous?

Breathing through a snorkel tube is similar to pinching your nose and breathing in through your mouth. The resistance is immediate. ROPE occurs when the negative pressure on the lungs ends up sucking bodily fluids out of the capillaries and into the airways, according to Dr. Raj Dasgupta , a California-based pulmonologist. 

“That snorkel resistance to airflow,” he said. “They want to breathe in but they have to breathe through that straw.”

Once fluid is in the lungs, it becomes difficult to breathe and people can experience hypoxia, or a lack of sufficient oxygen. “You slowly become weak then into a loss of consciousness,” Dasgupta said. Underlying health conditions such as heart and lung disease also increase someone’s predisposed risk for ROPE, he said.

If a person begins to feel shortness of breath, they may panic, causing more exertion, which can be life-threatening if they’re already suffering from a lack of oxygen, Dasgupta said. 

Drowning by ROPE is “fundamentally different” than typical drowning when people are aspirating water or submerged and often showing signs of distress, the complaint said.

A lack of public awareness

In October 2017, after California woman – and avid swimmer and snorkeler – Nancy Peacock died while snorkeling in calm waters off the coast of Hawaii Island in a full-face mask and no signs of struggle, the Hawaii State Department created the Snorkeling Safety Sub-Committee to “address public concern about snorkel-related drownings.”

In a Snorkeling Safety Study led by the sub-committee, 50 different snorkels were tested, and the experts examined nonfatal and fatal drownings. The interim report released in July 2020 concluded that “ROPE-induced hypoxia is a factor in fatal and nonfatal snorkel drownings.” The study also had a survey conducted at Oahu’s most popular snorkeling spot, Hanauma Bay, but only 36 participants – mostly locals – were interviewed due to the islands being closed to travel during the pandemic. 

The high altitude from air travel impacting someone’s lungs may be a contributing factor, but there wasn’t enough evidence in the study to confirm this. Since getting to Hawaii requires at least a five-hour flight, it’s possible that fatigue and stress from flying could play a role in someone’s risk of drowning by ROPE. 

The Hawaiian Tourism Authority funded the study to “develop appropriate safety messages.” However, as of April 2024, there have not been any public-facing messages on any of the official Hawaii tourism websites. Information cards have been passed out to most Kauai and Oahu tour boat operators, the subcommittee said. Although the study is preliminary and not robust in terms of participants and even calls for further investigation, it is the only one to explore ROPE in snorkelers so far.

“Why aren’t we in Hawaii letting people know?” said Jay Stuemke, an Oahu-based attorney who filed the complaint on the Johnsons’ behalf. “Pamphlets in rooms, apps, websites, in-room videos, all types of mechanisms to warn people. It’s an easy enough thing to do. We believe had they done that, Ray would still be alive today as well as many other people.” 

Snorkeling safety tips

◾ Always snorkel with a buddy, and if you can’t swim, don’t snorkel.

◾ Choose a snorkel with a wide opening and no constrictions in the mouthpiece.

◾ Learn to use the snorkel device before venturing out into water that’s too deep to stand in.

◾ If you feel shortness of breath, stay calm, remove the snorkel and get out of the water immediately, Dasgupta said.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

Saudi Arabia wants big spenders for the first part of its Neom megaproject

• Saudi Arabia plans to open the first part of its Neom megaproject this year.
• Sindalah, an island resort, is aimed at a luxury clientele and the global yachting community.
• Saudi Arabia is pushing to distinguish itself in the high-end luxury market to compete with Dubai.

Saudi Arabia plans to open the first region of its Neom megacity by the end of the year.

The island of Sindalah will provide the first physical glimpse into the ambitious desert project, which has reportedly been scaled back from its initial plans due to financial struggles .

Developers say they want the island to be an "exclusive gateway to the stunning Red Sea," adding that they planned to cater to luxury clientele and the global yachting community.

Neom recently ended investor roadshows in China by confirming the luxury island resort would open this year, Arab News reported . It's set to have three luxury hotels, a golf course and sports club, beach club, marina, and dozens of restaurants and shops.

In January Marriott International said it had signed an agreement to bring Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy to Sindalah. Chadi Hauch of the hotel operator said the concept was a "great fit" for the island and reflected a "growing desire for premium and luxury apartment-style accommodation" from travelers.

The following month Saudi music entertainment company, MDLBEAST, announced it would operate the Sindalah Beach Club on the island.

Vives, Neom's chief urban planning and islands officer, said in a press release that Sindalah will be a "new model for luxury travel and living."

Capturing the luxury tourism market

The Saudi government's focus on the luxury market is an attempt to distinguish itself from nearby Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates.

Related stories

"Dubai goes for the mass market of people wanting to go and have fun in the winter," Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a fellow for the Middle East at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, told Business Insider.

"The Saudis are increasingly pushing themselves toward a high-end luxury market, which is what Sindalah and, to some extent, some of the other Red Sea projects are going to cater for," he said.

Saudi Arabia hasn't been shy about its tourism aspirations, claiming it aims to attract between 100 million and 150 million visitors by 2030 .

However, Dubai is a formidable competitor. It already has a 20-year head start in the tourism race, both in terms of infrastructure and aspirational appeal. It also has Emirates, the popular long-haul airline that brings tens of millions of people through Dubai annually.

If Neom's ambitious plans become a reality, the Saudis are betting that their megaprojects can attract some high-end travelers from the glitz and glamor of its neighbor.

Managing ambition

Developing luxury resorts like Sindalah may also help Saudi Arabia encourage tourism sooner by starting smaller.

Sindalah is one of the more realistic elements of Neom's futuristic plans . It pales in comparison to structures like the mirrored "horizontal skyscraper" known as The Line.

"It's less ambitious in scope and scale," Ulrichsen said. "That might mean that it's more realistic to open first."

Recent reports have indicated the Saudis may be facing a harsh reality when it comes to f inancing some of the megaprojects included in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 project .

Previous deadlines have already been pushed back for some of Neom's more ambitious projects.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that the Gulf Kingdom had reduced estimates for the number of people expected to live in The Line .

The report said the realities of some of the trillion-dollar investments included in the Vision 2030 project were starting to cause alarm at the highest level of the country's government.

Neom did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Watch: Marriott International's Tina Edmundson tells Insider that the travel mindset has changed since the pandemic

• Main content

Hawaii’s Big Island warned to be ready as huge volcano rumbles

HONOLULU — Hawaii officials are warning residents of the Big Island that the world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, is sending signals that it may erupt.

Scientists say an eruption isn’t imminent, but they are on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the volcano’s summit. Experts say it would take just a few hours for lava to reach homes closest to vents on the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Hawaii’s civil defense agency is holding meetings across the island to educate residents about how to prepare for a possible emergency. They recommend having a ″go″ bag with food, identifying a place to stay once they leave home and making a plan for reuniting with family members.

“Not to panic everybody, but they have to be aware of that you live on the slopes of Mauna Loa. There’s a potential for some kind of lava disaster,” said Talmadge Magno, the administrator for Hawaii County Civil Defense.

The volcano makes up 51% of the Hawaii Island landmass, so a large portion of the island has the potential to be affected by an eruption, Magno said.

There’s been a surge of development on the Big Island in recent decades — its population has more than doubled to 200,000 today from 92,000 in 1980 — and many newer residents weren’t around when Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. All the more reason why Magno said officials are spreading the word about the science of the volcano and urging people to be prepared.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet (4,169 meters) above sea level, is the much larger neighbor to Kilauea volcano, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s so when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the ocean in less than three hours.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which is part of the U.S. Geological Survey, said Mauna Loa has been in  a state of “heightened unrest”  since the middle of last month when the number of summit earthquakes jumped from 10 to 20 per day to 40 to 50 per day.

Scientists believe more earthquakes are occurring because more magma is flowing into Mauna Loa’s summit reservoir system from the hot spot under the earth’s surface that feeds molten rock to  Hawaii’s volcanoes .

The temblors have declined in frequency in recent days but could rise again.

More than 220 people attended a community meeting last weekend that county civil defense officials held in Ocean View, a neighborhood that lava could reach in hours if molten rock erupts through vents on Mauna Loa’s southwest flank.

Bob Werner, an Ocean View resident who didn’t attend the meeting, said it’s wise to be aware of a possible eruption but not to fear it. He’s not concerned that the neighborhood would be completely cut off, if lava flows across the only road connecting it to the bigger towns of Kailua-Kona and Hilo, where many people do their shopping.

The “greater concern is it will be extremely annoying to drive an extra hour or two hours to get the same stuff,” he said.

Ryan Williams, the owner of the Margarita Village bar in Hilo, said the volcanic unrest wasn’t worrying customers who are used to warnings.

There could still be a heightened sense of urgency since officials have been holding town hall meetings, urging people to prepare.

“But everything I’ve read or heard, they trying to kind of assure people that conditions have not changed,” Williams said. “There’s no imminent eruption, but just to be alert.”

Magno said his agency is talking to residents now because communities closest to vents likely wouldn’t have enough time to learn how to respond and prepare once the observatory raises its alert level to “watch,” which means an eruption is imminent.

The current alert level is “advisory” meaning the volcano is showing signs of unrest yet there’s no indication an eruption is likely or certain.

Residents in other parts of the island would have more time to react.

Lava from Mauna Loa’s northeast flank could take days or weeks to reach residential communities. That’s because the mountain’s slopes on that side are relatively gentle and because towns are farther from volcanic vents.

Frank Trusdell, research geologist at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said all of Mauna Loa’s eruptions in recorded history have started in its summit crater. About half of them stayed there, while the other half later spewed lava from vents lower down the mountain.

Lava erupting from the summit generally doesn’t travel far enough to reach residential areas.

Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843. It last erupted in 1984 when lava flowed down its eastern flank only to stop 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) short of Hilo, the Big Island’s most populous town.

Molten rock flows from Mauna Loa, located on the south-central part of the island of Hawaii, on April 4, 1984. (AP Photo/File)

Mauna Loa also has a history of disgorging huge volumes of lava.

In the 1950 eruption, which lasted for 23 days, Mauna Loa released 1,000 cubic meters (1,307 cubic yards) of lava per second. In contrast, Kilauea released 300 cubic meters (392 cubic yards) per second in 2018.

The earthquakes could continue for a while before any eruption: increased seismic activity lasted for a year before a 1975 eruption and a year-and-a-half before the 1984 one. Alternatively, the temblors could subside and Mauna Loa may not erupt this time.

Trusdell said residents should look at his agency’s maps and learn how quickly lava may show up in their neighborhood. He also urged people living in one of the short-notice areas to pay attention if the summit turns red.

“All you got to do is look up there and see the glow. You grab your stuff, throw it in the car and drive. Go!” he said.

They can always go home after if the lava ultimately doesn’t flow into their neighborhood, he said.

Politics latest: MoD contractor hacked by China 'has contracts across Whitehall'

The defence secretary has given a statement about a hacking attack on the UK's Ministry of Defence, which Sky News understands China was behind. The government has been criticised for not naming the perpetrator, and concern is mounting over the contractor that was targeted.

Tuesday 7 May 2024 23:09, UK

• China hacked Ministry of Defence, Sky News learns
• Contractor behind system named in House of Commons
• Sam Coates:  This could get quite sticky
• Scotland's new first minister voted in
• Labour rejects PM's election prediction
• Jon Craig: MPs hold most heated Gaza debate since war began
• Live reporting by Ben Bloch and (earlier)   Faith Ridler

Thank you for joining us on the Politics Hub for a busy day in Westminster.

Here's what happened:

• The defence secretary, Grant Shapps, gave a statement to the Commons confirming that a hack had hit the Ministry of Defence's payroll system, run by an external contractor, with personal details of British service people targeted;
• But he did not confirm Sky's revelation that China is behind the hack because it is a months-long process for such a formal designation to be made by ministers (China firmly denies it is behind the cyber attack);
• The refusal to blame China provoked fury from many MPs who want stronger action from the government against China - but Rishi Sunak defended his policy as "robust";
• The defence secretary did state in the Commons that contractor SSCL was responsible, with the government launching an investigation into all SSCL work with government;
• The deputy foreign secretary told the Commons that the government is firmly opposed to an Israeli offensive in the Rafah area of Gaza, with the PM saying he is "deeply concerned" by the prospect;
• Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves gave a speech in which she blasted Tory "economic fiction", saying ministers arguing the economy is turning a corner is not reflecting "reality";
• New SNP leader John Swinney was formally elected the new first minister of Scotland, with him expected to formally take the role as soon as tomorrow.

Join us again from 6am for the very latest political news - and the first PMQs since the local elections at noon.

The Garrick Club, a central London gentlemen's club, has voted to accept women into the ranks of its membership for the first time in its near two-century history.

Founded in 1831, it is one of the oldest members' clubs in the world, and its membership is drawn from across the British establishment.

Among its ranks are said to be 1,500 members including at least 160 senior legal professionals, at least 10 serving MPs, dozens of Lords, heads of public institutions, actors, artists and businessmen.

King Charles is even said to be a member, along with around 150 men with knighthoods who cough up the around £1,000 a year to get access to its dining rooms, luxury lounges and exclusive bedrooms.

Women have been effectively banned from becoming members, and until 2010 were barred from even visiting the club as the guest or spouse of a member.

But in a vote this evening, the membership changed the rules to allow women to become full members.

One member told Sky News that 944 members attended a meeting tonight, either in person or remotely, and said: "It was fairly clear the majority was in favour of admitting women."

The club had been at the centre of a controversy after the UK's chief civil servant, Simon Case, came under heavy criticism for his membership, which he eventually resigned in March ( more here ).

A list of members of the club was recently published by The Guardian newspaper, which included the King, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6.

Read more about the club from our political reporter Tim Baker  here:

An early release prison measure, used to relieve capacity problems in jails across England and Wales, has been extended for a second time since its introduction in October.

As of 23 May, some male prisoners will now be freed up to 70 days before the end of their sentence in order to free up space, under the End of Custody Supervised License scheme.

Originally - it was 18 days, later extended to between 35 and 60 days.

In an email sent to prison and probation officers informing them of the extension, seen by Sky News, staff were told that "despite the push" and efforts of the scheme in previous months, that "pressures continue" in male prisons, and so further extensions to this emergency scheme are necessary.

Sex offenders, terrorists and category A prisoners, plus those serving four years or more, are excluded and aren't eligible for release.

However, sources close to the service have expressed concern about the extent to which the scheme is being amended, at pace, and often with little warning.

Read the full story from our news correspondent Mollie Malone here:

By Jenness Mitchell, Scotland reporter

John Swinney will become Scotland's new first minister after being backed by a majority of MSPs.

Following his victory in the SNP leadership race on Monday, the 60-year-old faced a vote at Holyrood to confirm him as Humza Yousaf's successor.

The Scottish Greens abstained from the vote, with Mr Swinney able to fend off challenges from Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, and Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.

His name will now be submitted to the King, with an official swearing-in ceremony expected to take place at the Court of Session in Edinburgh as early as Wednesday.

Mr Swinney will then be able to appoint his cabinet.

Read the full story here:

We've just had a statement from the Home Office amid chaos at UK airports due to a nationwide issue with the border system.

A spokesperson said: "We are aware of a technical issue affecting eGates across the country.

"We are working closely with Border Force and affected airports to resolve the issue as soon as possible and apologise to all passengers for the inconvenience caused."

Queues are building at airports across the country as flights land, but passengers are unable to be processed.

Follow live updates on the outage affecting the UK border on our dedicated live page here:

Are you affected? Send us a message on WhatsApp . Check our contact us page for more information.

By Tim Baker , political reporter

The government is "gaslighting" the public about the state of the economy, the shadow chancellor has said.

Rachel Reeves attacked the Conservatives in a speech in the City of London, as the opposition takes the fight to the government on their own turf ahead of the general election.

Running a strong economy has long been the focus of Conservative election campaigns.

And with a raft of economic data coming out this week, Ms Reeves is looking to get ahead of the government's messaging - saying Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claiming the economy is improving is "deluded".

Over a year ago, Rishi Sunak made five pledges for voters to judge him on.

The prime minister met his promise to halve inflation by the end of 2023.

But with the general election approaching, how is Mr Sunak doing on delivering his other promises?

You can see the progress for yourself below:

Chaos has been reported at airports across the UK - as two airports have confirmed a nationwide border issue.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "Border Force is currently experiencing a nationwide issue which is impacting passengers being processed through the border.

"Our teams are supporting Border Force with their contingency plans to help resolve the problem as quickly as possible and are on hand to provide passenger welfare. We apologise for any impact this is having to passenger journeys."

Manchester Airport also confirmed that the UK Border System is down as part of a nationwide outage.

It said its teams are working to assist passengers in the airport.

Sky News has contacted the Home Office for comment and further details:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local elections complete, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

Two of Westminster's best-connected journalists, Sky News's Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard, guide you through their top predictions for the next seven days in British politics. 

Following the local and mayoral elections, Jack and Sam discuss how Rishi Sunak will try to get back onto the front foot and whether the Conservative rebels will continue to plot against him.     

They also predict that the country will come out of recession and look forward to a new SNP leader in Scotland following the resignation of Humza Yousaf. 

 Email with your thoughts and rate how their predictions play out:  [email protected]  or  [email protected]          

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More

Continue in Browser

Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts.

Please enter a valid zipcode.

Thousands of cyclists ride in 2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour

Cyclists ruled the city streets this weekend.

More than 30,000 bike riders participated in the 2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour on a soggy Sunday. The nonprofit organization that puts on the event, Bike New York, says it is the biggest charitable bike ride in the world.

“It’s just so enjoyable. It’s physical. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s spiritual,” said Ken Podziba, the president and CEO of Bike New York.

What You Need To Know

More than 30,000 bike riders participated in the 2024 td five boro bike tour on sunday the event was hosted by the nonprofit organization bike new york the 40-mile journey began in lower manhattan, went up to the bronx, came back down into queens and brooklyn before wrapping up on staten island ny1 producers nicholas loud and atlan hassard rode in the event and joined anchors rocco vertuccio and shannan ferry sunday morning on ny1 to talk about it.

The 40-mile journey began in lower Manhattan and continued through Central Park, before cyclists made their way uptown to the Bronx. They then went south and biked over the Queensboro Bridge into Long Island City.

Riders then traveled through Queens and along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, before biking over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to wrap up on Staten Island.

This event is not a race — it is a tour. Cyclists of all skill levels from around the world are invited to travel at their own pace and take in the spectacle.

"I think this is just a great opportunity to see the city. I mean, the streets are closed. This like never happens. We were just through Manhattan. It was amazing. It gives you a different view of the city,” said Diego Garcia, a participant in the Five Boro Bike Tour.

Garcia is new to the city after recently moving to the area from Mexico.

Ari Calem, who is originally from Maryland, has been living and working in the city for about three years. She too took part in the bike tour for the first time on Sunday.

"My bike is kind of a plain casual bike. So I'm just enjoying the city, getting some exercise, but not taking it too intensely,” Calem said.

Spectrum News NY1 spoke with two riders Sunday who are blind. They said they feel empowered when riding in the Five Boro Bike Tour.

"We just want to be part of this community, this high energy. We're athletes at the highest level. We both compete internationally,” said Kiana Glanton, who rode Sunday on a tandem bike.

Glanton said she wants people to know there are no limits to what somebody can do.

"I'm just excited to bring some more light and awareness and education to visual impairments and blindness and people — what they can do," said Griffin Pinkow.

The Five Boro Bike Tour raises money to fund free bike education programs throughout the city, including teaching young New Yorkers in all five boroughs how to ride on city streets.

"We teach formerly incarcerated New Yorkers to become bike mechanics, and they get jobs maintaining Citi Bikes, and their lives are turned around," Podziba said. "We also teach tens of thousands of New Yorkers how to ride — how to ride safely."

The event has around 70 different organizations that serve as charity partners, according to Podziba.

• Destinations

Big win for Aussies living in Bali

Aussies who plan on staying in Bali long-term will now be able to do so with ease and without fuss after officials made a big announcement.

‘Horrible’: Fresh warning for Aussies in Bali

Dad breaks big Bali rule, refused entry

‘Many holes’: Problem with new Bali rule

The digital nomad life in Bali has become more appealing over the years with the island a thriving hub for those seeking a balance between work and adventure.

Now, those Aussies who plan on staying in the hotspot long-term can benefit from a new transitional visa, also known as a bridging visa.

It allows foreigners to extend their trip another 60 days with ease and without fuss.

However, the visa, which falls under the new Transitional Residence Permit policy, is only applicable to foreigners who already reside in the country.

Indonesia’s director general of immigration, Silmy Karim, said it will help make the transition from one visa to another easier – without having to leave the country.

It basically acts as a ‘bridge’ between an old residence permit and a new residence permit.

Those who have Visit Stay Permits, Limited Stay Permits and Permanent Stay Permits that cannot be extended, can now obtain the new residence permit without needing to leave the county.

“In this way, it is possible for foreign citizens holding a Visit Stay Permit to submit it via visa.immigration.go.id to obtain a Limited Stay Permit without having to leave Indonesian territory,” Mr Karim said in a statement, as reported by The Bali Sun .

“With a Transitional Stay Permit, foreigners can save time, energy, and accommodation costs that would otherwise be incurred if foreigners had to leave Indonesian territory in order to submit an application and wait for approval for a new visa.”

It’s a big win for long-stay foreigners across Indonesia, particularly in the hotspot of Bali where in 2023 alone, 5.2 million people visited the popular island.

Data from the Bali Province Tourism Office, revealed that the five countries with the most amount of visitors to Bali are Australia with 1,201,652 people in 2023, followed by India with 394,428 people. In third is China with 253,255 tourists heading to Bali.

According to The Bali Sun, Mr Karim said he hopes the new policy will support more efficient and comfortable stays for foreigners while in Indonesia, as well as increase international trust in Indonesian immigration procedures.

Previously, those who had a Transitional Stay Permit would cop fines for overstaying their visit.

However, this wont be the case if their Transitional Stay Permit application is approved after the validity period of the previous stay permit expires.

More Coverage

It’s also the case if they have made the application at least three days before the original visa expires, according to The Bali Sun.

Tourists who overstay their visas can face fines of up to IDR 1,000,000 per day ($100), deportation and detainment.

To apply and for more information on the Transitional Residence Permit visit the immigration website.

Aussie tourists are falling sick from a common but dangerous illness in the tropical tourism mecca.

A tourist in Bali has been captured on film being refused entry into a sacred site after breaking a simple rule.

Thousands of tourists are reportedly dodging a new Bali rule with officials blaming “flaws” in the system.