*This story was originally published on Jan. 22, 2019, and updated in September 2025. It’s early on a Thursday morning, the sun is just beginning to rise over North Kohala and I’m staring up at the king himself. Standing regally with his right arm outstretched, the King Kamehameha statue looks out over the small […]
With its sunny weather, world-renowned coffee and rich history, region marked by fields of lava rock formations and, offshore, crystal clear waters. It’s also home to the community of Kailua-Kona, where the annual Ironman World Championship takes place. On Oct. 11, nearly 3,000 of the best triathletes in the world will take on the iconic
Kīlauea continues to keep the world enthralled with its epic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, which started on Dec. 23, 2024. Ten months later, the volcano remains active and mesmerizing. On Oct. 1, 2025, episode 34 began at 12:53 a.m. HST. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, lava fountains soared to an estimated 1,300 feet. By
*This story was originally published on Sept. 17, 2024. Today is World Manta Day, a day to celebrate these majestic marine creatures and raise awareness of the threats they’re facing. Swimming with manta rays on Hawaiʻi Island—specifically off the Kona Coast—is on a lot of travelers’ bucket list. It’s one of the most unique
My family and I stand steps from the ocean, just south of Kona’s airport. Salt is everywhere—we smell it in the air, even taste it, and soon we’ll soak our feet in the briny water. We are on a tour of Kona Sea Salt Farm, a small operation that harvests salt made from the deep-ocean
It had been a long day. While I’d love to complain about a hectic schedule or long commute, I was actually exhausted from all the fun I was having. Once I checked into the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, a sprawling oceanfront luxe resort that looks carved into lava rock, I felt immediately energized. I donned
*This story was originally published on Dec. 11, 2019, and updated on Sept. 1, 2025. It’s pretty hard to have a proper road trip in Hawaiʻi. Driving from Oʻahu’s central city of Honolulu to the North Shore, for example, takes less than an hour (without traffic). This is not the case on Hawaiʻi Island, which
*This story was originally published on March 6, 2019 and updated on Aug. 20. On a Sunday at sunrise, the South Kona sky painted in pastels, I drive bleary-eyed on Māmalahoa Highway heading south past monstera and banana plants toward the hulking mass of Mauna Loa, rising nearly 1,500 feet into the sky. Two
Hawaiʻi Island is the youngest and largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, rightly earning its nickname, the Big Island. I’m always impressed not only by the sheer size of the island, but also its unique terrain, from lush tropical forests in Hilo to otherworldly lava fields in Kona and the snow-capped summit of Mauna Kea
This story was originally published on Feb. 24, 2014. “You didn’t pre-order?” As she says this, the woman behind the counter at Two Ladies Kitchen stares at me in disbelief. A line of customers winds behind me and out of the small downtown Hilo mochi shop and onto the sidewalk alongside bustling Kīlauea Avenue.
With year-round sunshine and a warm, tropical climate, it’s no surprise the Hawaiian Islands are a top travel destination. These conditions also make the Islands a great place to grow a variety of crops—including some that can’t be grown anywhere else in the U.S. Hawaiʻi is the only state in the country where cacao—the plant
Tucked on the northeastern side of Hawaiʻi Island, Hilo is a charming town well known as the home of the iconic Merrie Monarch Festival in the spring. It’s also just a 45-minute drive from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and for months, visitors have been flocking to Hilo, hoping to witness Kīlauea’s epic but sporadic eruption
