Known for its spectacular marine biodiversity and crystal-clear visibility, Hawaii’s west coast offers thrilling adventures for scuba divers and serene explorations for beginners.
Go whale watching during their annual migration season, tour Hulihe’e Palace, or sample world-famous Kona coffee.
Take a Big Island Ghost Tour for an unforgettable blend of history, folklore, and spine-tingling encounters. Visit Kilauea Volcanoes National Park for lava tubes and bubbling fumaroles, or learn about the region’s past at a historic ranch. You can also try out Kona Snorkeling Tours.
Punaluu Beach
Located on the southeastern coast of the Big Island, Punaluu Black Sand Beach is one of the most renowned black-sand beaches in the world. Its distinctive ebony color is a result of the volcanic activity that created this area. A pristine shoreline of palm trees and crystal-clear turquoise waters await you at this stunning beach. You can relax under swaying palms and enjoy the views of the lava rocks and ocean. This beautiful beach is also home to freshwater ponds that are used by Hawaiian green sea turtles for nesting and foraging.
Black sand is formed when molten lava from Kilauea Volcano spills into the ocean and cools, breaking down into granules that are then carried by waves and tide to the shore. These granules are more finely crushed than those of other beach sands, giving them their distinct black color. The sand is also unique to Hawaii because it is made of basaltic rock, which is lighter in weight than most beach rocks.
Visitors are encouraged to walk the beach and observe the wildlife that calls Punaluu home. However, it is important to keep a safe distance from the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles. Also, it is important to avoid littering and to refrain from taking black sand as a souvenir.
In addition to the beach, there are other things to do at Punaluu, such as swimming, snorkeling and exploring the adjacent lava tubes and craters. You can also visit the anchialine ponds that are close to the beach and are filled with water lilies.
Punaluu is a popular stop for many Big Island tours. It is a great place to see the otherworldly beauty of the Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. It is also a good opportunity to visit the Volcano Winery where you can try wines made from a wide variety of local fruits, such as starfruit and passion fruit.
A visit to Punaluu is an excellent addition to any tour of Hawaii. It is easily accessible from Kona, making it an ideal day trip for those staying on the Big Island. This is a perfect place to see three different colored sand beaches in one day, if you add a stop at Papakolea Green Sand Beach and Hapuna Beach.
Ka Lae
The southernmost point of Hawaii’s Big Island feels hauntingly empty and beautiful at once. It is a grassy plain fringed by rocky lava platforms, all scoured by wind and surf. The evocative landscape invokes gratitude and wonder for the first Polynesians who made land here after weeks at sea without sight of land. It is a special place that combines the best of Hawaii’s rugged, volcanic landscape with sea and sky.
The cliffs at Ka Lae (pronounced kal-lay) feature rock loops carved out of them by Polynesians that tied off their fishing canoes. The black sand is made of basalt, which is created when molten lava hits the ocean and quickly cools and shatters into pebbles. Its lustrous color reflects the Hawaiian sun. During high winds and currents, mariners of all ages would navigate offshore here with great skill using these loops to keep their boats from being swept away by powerful swells and waves.
A metal light beacon marks the official Southernmost Point, and a rock wall stands at a Heiau (sacred temple) nearby. The area is a special spiritual spot and should be treated with respect.
This pristine bay is one of the few places in Hawaii where you can see manta rays in the wild. Guests can drift in the open ocean at night and witness the mesmerizing dance of these majestic creatures as they feed on plankton.
Located near the village of Kealakekua, it is an excellent snorkeling site. There are a number of underwater caves, lava tubes and pinnacles that create diverse habitats for marine life. It is also an ideal place to spot the rare tangerine-colored ohai shrub, a flora only found in this region of the island.
The low-commitment Footprints Trail leads to a small shelter where two hundred year old fossilized footprints in the mud-ash were found. The tracks were left by warriors of the great King Kamehameha I as they fled from retreating rebel forces of his brother, the ill-fated Keoua Kuahuula.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A volcano’s fiery power is on full display in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where lava flows, earth-shaking tremors and rainforest meet to create a landscape unlike anywhere else. The Big Island’s five volcanic mountains – Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualalai, Puu Loa and Kilauea – form the backdrop for this stunning natural wonderland of geological formations and volcanic-marine habitats.
During the active eruption of Kilauea, surface lava has been seen flowing into the ocean at Kamokuna, and sightseeing boat tours can get you up close to see the dramatic sight. Other highlights of the park include the lofty Kealakomo Overlook, Martian-like landscapes on Chain of Craters Drive and the boardwalk trail that leads to the Puu Loa Petroglyphs, where over 23,000 ancient Hawaiian images have been etched into the rock face.
The park’s hiking trails can also be a rewarding way to explore. However, be sure to check out the park’s website before you head out to do any walking, as Rangers may close sections of paved roads or trails due to toxic fumes escaping from vents (this happened recently when a visitor moved a barrier blocking access to Crater Rim Drive, got out of his car, walked five feet and fainted; he was rescued by helicopter).
One of the best ways to enjoy the national park is to book one of the many activities and excursions that take you into the heart of the volcano, such as the Kilauea Observation Tram, the Chain of Craters Hike and the Napau Trail.
There’s also a range of other exciting activities that you can try while in the national park, including a zipline tour and private waterfall swim. The Kohala Zip and Dip adventure takes you into the enchanting landscape of North Kohala, where you can zipline high above the forest floor, picnic at the rim of Pololu Valley and swim under a cool, mountain waterfall. For those looking to extend their stay at the National Park, the volcano-themed Hawaiian Villages Overnight excursion offers a chance to see another side of the Big Island and includes two nights in a rainforest cottage.
Mauna Kea
Across the vast expanse of Kilauea, a mystical realm awaits exploration. The fiery volcano goddess Pele has infused the landscape with mana (spiritual power) that ignites passions and enlightens a shared connection to the land she gives birth to and continually renews. From spooky lava-tube caverns to towering arches and pinnacles that drop vertically into the ocean, it would take entire books to recount all of the unique experiences, creatures, geologic processes and beautiful sites that are scattered across Mauna Kea’s slopes.
Located on the western flank of the world’s highest volcano, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s lava formations and volcanic structures create an otherworldly landscape that inspires awe and wonder. This natural wonderland is a popular destination for stargazing and hiking. Hikers must be mindful of altitude sickness as they venture along the volcano’s crest.
Exploring the volcanic formations below the surface reveals a breathtaking tapestry of life. Encrusting coral reefs and edgy black rock pinnacles create a mesmerizing habitat for marine species, including endemic species such as the bandit angelfish, zebra blenny and milletseed butterflyfish that don’t exist anywhere else on Earth. The underwater architecture of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, from spooky lava-tube caverns and pyramidal lava cairns to dramatic archways and pinnacles that plunge to the sea floor, offers a thrilling challenge for experienced spearfishers.
The lava tubes of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offer a spooky experience that combines adventure with an underlying sense of history and mystery. Sometimes as wide as a truck and hundreds of yards long, these natural tunnels provide a sheltered environment for encrusting sponges, corals and flatworms. They also offer a thrilling challenge for experienced divers seeking to navigate their narrow, winding passageways.
The lava tubes of Pu’uhonua o Honaunau State Historical Park were once a place of refuge for Hawaiian warriors who had fallen in battle or violated kapu (sacred law). Now the bay is a pristine coral reef that offers an unforgettable experience for snorkelers and scuba divers. The water is so clear that you can see right to the bottom and observe a myriad of marine life in its glistening home.
