Excellent Big Island Adventure – Part I

When travel to Hawaii will resume, without quarantine, here are some suggestions for your trip…

We have traveled to Hawaii many times over the years, mainly to beautiful Oahu and Maui. This is our first trip to Big Island, and we highly recommend it if you love nature, wilderness and volcanoes.

We wish to enjoy new experiences on Big Island, relax and go with the flow for the most part. One exception is to check off an item on the top of my bucket list: to stay in a real tree house.  Since childhood, I have dreamt of sleeping in a tree house, especially after watching adventure movies such as Swiss Family Robinson… After some research, I have found the ideal location, a treehouse next to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where Kilauea has been active for decades…

So based on the available dates for the tree house, we have planned the remaining itinerary.

Big Island has 2 airports, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA) in Kona to the west, or Hilo International Airport (ITO) to the east. We book non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Kona, and plan to explore Big Island from Kona (West side) > South West > Volcano Park (and the Tree House!) > Hilo (East Side) > Waimea (North) > Kona.  You could also plan to fly into Big Island via Kona and out from Hilo…

Kona

Prior to departure, we only book a place to stay for the first couple of nights in Kona and the Tree House in Volcano National Park with a dinner reservation, and have arranged for a rental car at Kona airport. For the remaining time, we plan to play by ear, so all accommodations are booked pretty much at the last minute through Airbnb. Our only criteria is that it should be a new or special experience, and mix it up for more fun.

We spend the first couple of night in Kona glamping in a typical Hawaiian hut with outdoor bathroom. It’s a relaxing and quiet experience, and a short drive to the beach and to the golf course. It’s a great way to immerse in the local habitat.

Best things to do in Kona

• Visit a coffee farm and learn how cocoa is grown and how the beans are processed. Since there are hundreds of coffee farms in Kona, you can also book a coffee tour to visit several farms, it’s like a wine tasting adventure,

• Go to the beach – There are many beaches along the West side of Big Island. Honl beach has patches of white sand and a rocky shoreline, a perfect spot to admire the sunset!.

• Have a drink in one of the many bars on Ali’i Drive, the main street in Kona. There are many places with live music and ocean view.
• Play golf… See my post on golfing on Big Island.

Kona Inn

Kona Inn was built in 1928 and is located on the waterfront in the heart of old Kona town, offering one of the most beautiful views of the coastline. From the open dining area, you can feel the ocean breeze and hear the sound of waves breaking right by the restaurant.

The seared ahi ahi and tuna poke are fresh and tasty, and the mud pie is yummy. However, the place is too crowded.

Captain Cook’s Monument Trail

It’s about a 12-mile drive south of Kona – Finding a parking spot in the street could be difficult. Once you get to the start point, it’s a 4-mile (about 6.5 km) hike down to the beach where the Monument is erected. It’s only accessible by boat, kayak or hike. The trail features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. The way down is easy enough although the rocks are a quite slippery as it has rained overnight.

British Explorer Captain James Cook discovered the Haiwaiian Islands in 1778. A  27-foot white obelisk was erected to honor this well-known seafarer in 1874.

There is a small sandy beach near the Captain Cook monument but it’s a bit crowded, so we walk to a quiet side, which is more rocky, and from there we enjoy snorkeling around the bay and admire the rich marine life, as it’s known as one of the best spots for snorkeling.

Make sure to bring a lot of water… Our mistake is to travel too light, we only bring a bottle of water each… The climb up is much harder due to the uneven and steep trail, with slippery rocks, and I feel dehydrated after all the activities and snorkeling, and run out of water.  Luckily Guido shares his water with me… if this is not love, what is?

We work out an appetite after the climb up.  A must stop is the Coffee Shack

Coffee Shack lanai offers a sweeping view of Kealakekua Bay, and it’s a great place to enjoy a nice casual lunch with freshly brewed Kona coffee.

After a late lunch, we are on our way to the much anticipated Tree House by the Volcano National Park.

The Tree House at Kilauea

The treehouse is accessed via a path in the forest, with lava boulders set into the side of the lava tube, and ladders. Due to the quite steep ascent, we are advised to leave our luggage in a kind of locker room by the entrance and only bring essentials in a day pack.

The treehouse itself is built on two levels, connected via a ship’s ladder. The main level includes a comfortable living room, with a flat screen for viewing films & playing CDs, built in indoor window table & stools, small kitchen, outdoor shower, and composting toilet & vanity.

Outdoors on the lanai, there is a cedar hot tub, and a teak table and chairs for al fresco dining in the trees.

The upper level has its own lanai with gorgeous view of the jungle abuzz with many types of birds and wild life. The bedroom has a comfortable queen sized bed with a memory foam mattress and gorgeous stained glass windows.

The house was built by the crew on the show Treehouse Masters, primarily of recycled materials. The fir floors and redwood and cedar siding were once a church. It’s custom-designed, hanging in oho’a trees over a lava tube.

The stained glass windows are custom made by a local artist.

Although it has started to rain quite heavily, we go out for dinner at nearby Kilauea Lodge. This is an award winning restaurant and also a lodge which serves as a base for exploring the southern portion of the Big Island.

It’s a bliss to return to our Tree House, enjoy wine on the lanai while listening to the jungle evening sounds, and relaxing in the heated jacuzzi.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

The next day, it’s a short drive to the Big Island’s stunning volcanic park. It’s interesting to learn more about how the Hawaiian Islands were formed through a fascinating and eruptive timeline of events.

We explore the Kilauea Summit by journeying the 11-mile Crater Rim Drive. We drive around the summit caldera, surrounded by barren and jungle landscapes, and take short walks to scenic points of interest. As the Kilauea volcano is active, and there are ongoing volcanic eruptions on the Big Island, it’s recommended to always follow the guidance of the Hawai’i State Park Rangers. There are also guided tours and many hiking trails outside the park, particularly on Mauna

In the afternoon we couldn’t pass the chance to play golf at the Volcanoes National Park which is described in this post.

It’s with glee that we return to our Tree House retreat for a quiet evening, enjoying this unique experience to the fullest.

Read about the second part of our Big Island adventure here…

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