Top 6 Reasons to Travel to the Big Island of Hawaii

We can’t wait for our upcoming travel to the Big Island of Hawaii in May. Hawaii has been on both of our lists since before we met, and once we decided to go, choosing which islands to visit was not an easy task. These are our top reasons for choosing the Big Island over the others more frequently favoured by tourists.

Update: We returned from Hawaii and have so many suggestions to share!

How to get off the beaten path

Places to swim with dolphins in the wild

Best ways to see lava

Ultimate Volcano National Park day hike

While most travelers split their time between Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii, we decided to take the slightly unconventional route and allocate most of our time on the Big Island of Hawaii. Island-hopping sounds lovely, and I wish we could add Maui to our trip. However, not enough to add another pair of flights to this holiday. When you see the itinerary below, I think you’ll understand. We tried to book sufficient down time to enjoy each destination, but we’ll let you know after the trip. Here is our general itinerary:

• Fly from Sydney to Honolulu, then Honolulu to Hilo (on the Big Island)
  • 7 days near Hilo and Volcano National Park with my family to celebrate my sister’s university graduation
  • 3 days in Kailua- Kona on our own
• Fly back to Honolulu, then connect nonstop to Dallas,TX for a week-long visit  with JZ’s family
• Fly back to Honolulu
  • 3 days at the Marriott Ko Olina, relaxing, easing through the jet lag, and enjoying the beaches and resort
• Finally, we board the plane (last flight for at least a few weeks) back to Sydney

It is a ton of travel with an 18 month old, but she is a trooper and we are optimistic (and also very nervous). We used our tried and true scheduling tip when booking the flights, so I am hopeful that she will sleep most of the way. We go back and forth about paying for an additional seat, but it’s one of the her last free international flights – and I’m cheap. There is also that voice in my head saying, “it’s only eight hours”, which feels like approximately a week in toddler time, but also just goes to show how far we have come.

So what exactly do we want to do on the Big Island? so glad you asked!

Our top 6 reasons for choosing travel to the Big Island of Hawaii:

Hiking – There are lovely hikes throughout the islands, but we are very excited about the array of options in Hawaii, from Volcano National Park, to the summit of Mauna Kea, lush Waipo Valley, and breathtaking Akaka Falls State Park. Our local, Sydney beaches are a great swim after a long hike, but enjoying one of the world’s four green sand beaches Papakōlea Beach, sounds even more magical. To ensure we see it all, we are taking weekend trips to build up our stamina carrying CZ in the Kelty!

Stargazing at the observatory on Mauna Kea

Star gazing – Living in the city (without a car), I feel like it has been years since I gazed into a starry night sky. We hoped our farm stay in Tassie would provide some opportunities, but daylight savings in the far South meant that we went to bed long before darkness fell. On the Big Island, Mauna Kea, a national park and mountain, has a visitor information station that is equipped with public telescopes and a free nightly star gazing program. Unfortunately, it is not recommended for children because of the sudden gains in altitude from driving up the mountain, but JZ and I plan to take an evening trip, after CZ goes to bed. Grandparents Free babysitting is a luxury we don’t usually have available.

Volcanoes – Long before JZ ever had a passport, “peering over the edge of a volcano” was on his bucket list. We are discussing a helicopter ride around the volcanoes without CZ, and would love some advice from fellow travelers – namely, is it worth the expense? While we are not sure from what distance we might see active lava, we are definitely planning to spend lots of time hiking in the park. There is an easy 4 mile loop on the Kilauea Iki Trail, a .5 mile paved path along Devastation trail, and the famous Thurston Lava tube, among other sights that look worth checking out.

Beaches for snorkeling and viewing wildlife – While we love our zoo, there is something captivating about actually seeing wildlife in the wild. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef with my family last May was an unforgettable experience. It’s really amazing to be casually swimming within arm’s reach of a large Wrasse fish, and at the next moment, be surrounded by a school of hundreds of tiny fish. JZ was awestruck during his encounter with the sea turtle above. After several experiences snorkeling in popular tourist spots and only seeing dead, dusty coral, we are skipping the well-trafficked beaches in Oahu and Maui. Sea turtles and dolphins are at the top of our ocean wildlife list, and we hope to glimpse  the turtles in Kiholo Bay and spinner dolphins in Keylakekua Bay.

Coffee – The incredible selection of local coffee roasters in Sydney spoils us, but I can only imagine that Kona will be an entirely different level, since the beans are actually grown locally. JZ and I look forward to an in-depth look at how coffee farmers grow, dry, and roast their beans at the many Kona coffee farms. Several of the farms offer short, free tours that will hopefully cater to the shorter attention span of our littlest traveller.

Farmer’s Market – The Kona and Hilo farmer’s markets are allegedly stuffed with fresh tropical fruits – ripe and cheap! I love taking advantage of buying local produce, especially when vacationing. My mom loves to buy exotic fruits – you never know what interesting fruits and vegetables she will bring home after a market shopping trip.

There are loads of other reasons to visit Hawaii, but we focused on an outdoor, family adventure vacation. We can’t wait to visit these unique destinations and check a few more items off the bucket list! (Hooray lava! – JZ)

Follow my Hawaii-Oahu & Big Island board on Pinterest for more Hawaiian travel ideas and inspiration!