Kona Chronicles: Trekking and Touring

Tips and trails, parks and markets: sample a few of the crew’s favorite spots on Hawaii’s Big Island. 

Green Sands Beach

This is a killer place to hang for the afternoon. Plan on hiking an hour from the gravel parking lot; the drive is fifteen minutes if you’ve got a 4WD with more than a foot of clearance. Lava rock, limestone, sandstone and tall grass combine with insane coastal views for great off-roading.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

This National Park floats in the clouds most days. It’s home to Mount Kilueaua, an active volcano with a caldera (crater) visible from 1.5 miles away. Be ready for unique plant and animal species that thrive in this rain- and sulfur-heavy climate. Camping is cheap in designated sites or free in the unmaintained wilderness. 

Fact: Mount Kilueaua was more active the week we visited than it has been since 1979.

Run the Kilueaua Iki trail as four-plus miles of single-track meander through lush rainforest.  Circle half the crater’s rim before cutting back across the caldera floor to the trailhead. With over 150 miles of trail in Volcanoes Park, this section of terrain condenses the whole park experience into a nutshell.

Underrated feature at the park: $10 breakfast buffet at Kilueaua Military Camp. The IHOP-like feed zone hits the spot if you’re frugal and hungry.

Hilo – Hit up the Hilo Farmers’ Market to score a rare but oh-so-sweet white pineapple. Slurp up a bowl of saimin at Nori’s. Jump off the concrete structure (10-15 feet high) at Coconut Island, a small island park. Take a sad yet meaningful Hawaiian history lesson at the Tsunami Museum.

Akaka Falls State Park – View both 442-foot Akaka Falls and 100-foot Kahuna Falls on a simple half-mile loop hike on the Hamakua Coast. Akaka Falls is more than double the height of Niagara Falls and considered one of, if not the, prettiest waterfalls on the Big Island.

West Coast Sunsets – The western coast of the Big Island showcases some of the best sunsets in the Pacific, much less the United States. 

Mopeds! 

$40 spent on a moped rental in Kona offered the best bang for our buck the entire trip. We rode from the sea up into the coastal clouds, touring coffee plantations and mingling with the most down-to-earth locals we’d met all week. Mopeds are tricky, so stay on your game and take caution on the shoulder. Try Big Island Moped Rentals for the best deal in Kona and a convenient drop-off/pick-up.

Author’s note: Shop at KTA Super Store in downtown Kona for the best deals. Maui rum + lime + farmers market fruit = cheap, delicious and beach-ready.