Things to Do
If you get tired of laying by the pool and drinking Mai-Tais, you can get out and have some fun. Also check out some cool sites: Go Hawaii or Big Island Tours. To get a feel for the area, check out Puna Guide which has basic facts about the district.
Best Volcano hikes - The volcano has been very active during 2008. We went out at night during July where the lava flows into the ocean and it was a spectator display of Pele's power. It was like a firework show shooting red lava 200 feet into the air. You can check out the latest on US Geological Surevey's Volcano Watch website.
While there are lots of great trails in this National Park, the air quality is hazardous and you need to check with the rangers before heading up. Check out the visitor center. The hikes we like are:
"Devastation" - easy - Stroll across cinder filds from the famous 1959 eruption.
"Mauna Iki" - moderate - Discover a lava landscape with rare ash dunes and more.
On the way back from the vocano, make a stop at Akatsuka Orchid Gardensfor a truely overwhelming experience. They have hundreds of variaties of orchids.
If you want to get up close and personal you should call Lava Ocean Adventure Tours. They have a great web site and tours that leave out of Hilo.
To see the island and volcano from the air, there are two helicopter companies are located at the Hilo airport but we highly recommend Blue Hawaiian Helicopters - (808) 961-5600. Our guests have had great trips with them. Tell them Island Breeze Bungalows said Aloha! To see a cool video of the volcano - Click Here.
On my last trip to the Island, I got a chance to go on the Manu Kea Summit and Star Tour with Hawaiian Forest & Trail company. It was amazing trip. Fodors rated it "Top 10 Unforgettable Experiences" in 2006. Wear jeans, two pairs of socks, knit hat, gloves and bring a small lawn chair. The moutain top is just under 14 thousand feet and its COLD!
The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden - just north of Hilo is a must see for the wonderful plants from around the world. Bring good walking shoes, camera and mosquito spray!! Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is a spectacular Garden in a Valley on the Ocean - acclaimed as one of the most beautiful areas in all Hawaii. The Garden is located on the Big Island of Hawaii, 8 1/2 miles north of Hilo on the four-mile Scenic Route at Onomea Bay (click here for map, admissions and hours). In this garden valley, nature trails meander through a true tropical rainforest, crossing bubbling streams, passing several beautiful waterfalls and the exciting ocean vistas along the rugged Pacific coast.
The Drum Circle on the nude beach - Sundays at Kahena Beach - if you are looking to relive your hippy days, drive down Pahoa road, go straight on Pohoiki Road, turn left to Issac park, turn left at the T intersection. Go a couple of miles until you hit a small group of older houses and lots of cars parked on the side of the road. It is a hike down to the beach, so good shoes or tivas are in order. Expect to see alot of older guys naked on viagra, but also a good mix free spirits just out enjoying themselves. Best time to go is between noon and 2:00 PM. Don't bring a camera or valuables. Also beware, the ocean is very rough with strong currents.
Bike rides - We have four mountain bikes, helmets and gloves that you can take out on a easy 4 mile ride down the coast with great scenery. Go back down 11th to Maku'u (ride fast to avoid the dogs - mostly bark with some bite). Turn right on Maku'u and go to the end. Turn left and then just follow the road, keep making right turns (ignore the "Dead End" signs). Once you run out of road, walk your bike into the forest and you will come out on the cliffs on a great fishing spot with wonderful views. Keep back from the edge, several people drowned last year along this coast line. (bring water and snacks)
A harder ride is along the old red road, up to 20 miles depending how far you want to go. Go down Maku'u and turn right on the second to last street - Ocean Road. You will have fun driving around pool size pot holes and lava mounds until you feel like you are entering the enchanted forest in the Wizard of Oz. Keep an eye out for flying monkeys. This road takes you past cattle ranches and the path gets very narrow. (bring water and snacks)
Check out The Bike Hub for the lastest news and rides or Mid Pacific Wheels for rentals or repairs.
Closest fishing spots are right down Maku'u drive. The locals like the end of the road on Kaloi point or on Akala in the middle of the park.
Golf - while the Kona side has some of Hawaii's finest golf resorts - Mani Lani, Waikoloa, Mauna Kea - there are many other to enjoy. There are 20 golf courses on the island. You can tee off in the "Playground of Pele" at The Vocano Golf Club for around $70. (Cheaper if you go with a local) Volcano Golf & Country Club Public - 18 Holes - Par 72 - 5800 Yds P.O. Box 46, Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718 (808) 967-7331 Fax: (808) 985-8891 Check out more at: GoHawaii Golf
Of course surfing, snorkeling, and diving are big on the island. There are some easy and safe spots in Hilo, but most are challenging due to currents, waves or beach access. Check out Big Island Divers for more.
The Best Beach on the Big Island from Fromers: Hapuna Beach - This 1/2-mile-long crescent regularly wins kudos in the world's top travel magazines as the most beautiful beach in Hawaii -- some consider it one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. One look and you'll see why: Perfect cream-colored sand slopes down to crystal-clear waters that are great for swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing in summer; come winter, waves thunder in like stampeding horses. The facilities for picnicking and camping are top-notch, and there's plenty of parking. Take Highway 19 north from Kona. Turn left at the access road just before Mile Marker #69. Go to the end of the road, turn left and then take an immediate right. Follow this road to the parking.
For more beaches check out Hawaii Web.
The Puna Market on Sundays - off Keaau - Pahoa road, towards Pahoa from our place. Great eats, plants, cheap clothes and lots of local color. If it is sunny, you may see a "Genie" or two. Go between 8:00-10:00 AM. Its get busy after that.