Last weekend, I checked something incredible off of my bucket list. I hovered mere inches above a 12-foot feeding manta ray in an otherwise pitch-black ocean at night. It sounds crazy—and maybe it is—but these encounters, offered nightly by dozens of operators in the Kailua-Kona are very safe and very popular. An estimated 80,000 people […]
If you’re headed to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, there are a number of hiking and exploring options available to you. One of the most popular hikes that I recommend, if you have two to three hours, is the four-mile Kilauea Iki (Little Kilauea) loop trail. Over the long weekend, I packed up the car and
Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii Island, continuously erupting since 1983 and considered one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has not disappointed these last few days. Last Thursday, Aug 27, a large new lava breakout occurred on the north side of its Puu Oo cone; lava broke the surface inside Puu Oo crater in a new
Hawaii’s waters are home to colorful and tropical marine life—one of them being the dolphin. Want to watch them from a boat or jump in the water and go for a swim with them? Pack your swimwear and gear, and don’t forget your camera. Here are some tours around the island with dolphin encounters: Dolphin
In Kealakekua, almost ten miles from downtown Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island, you’ll find more coffee farms than shops and restaurants. But, one burger and beer joint is worth the scenic drive. The youthful and enthusiastic staff at Annie’s Island Fresh Burgers have been serving 100% Hawaii Island grass-fed beef burgers and locally sourced vegetarian options
People watching manta rays from Rays on the Bay at the Kona Sheraton by Chance Carpenter “The name of the manta—hahalua—can be interpreted as ‘two breaths,’” she says, “ha, meaning breath, and lua, meaning two … When mantas leap [out of the water], their experience from below transcends into our sphere … Their transcendence speaks
One of Hawaii Island’s most visited cities houses the headquarters for one of the state’s least visited and most remote places—the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The Mokupapapa Discovery Center, an educational outpost and headquarters for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM), moved into the old Koehnen furniture store right off Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo a
Cold-pressed juice companies are popping up around Hawaii. The health benefits of this juicing method is said to preserve enzymes from fruits and vegetables for a longer period of time and allows the body to get more of those nutrients. All of the companies listed incorporate a majority, if not all, of Hawaii-grown products. Whether
If you love seeing rare native plants and birds, then you won’t want to miss Kipukapualulu Trail, a 1.2-mile loop through one of Hawaii Island’s last vestiges of native forestland. Located just outside of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in eastern Hawaii Island, the free-to-access trail is also known as “Bird Park” to area residents because
On July 28, a 1,368 lb. Pacific blue marlin was caught in the waters off Kailua-Kona. Catching a “grander”—the name for a fish weighing over a thousand pounds—is the holy grail of international deep-sea sport fishing. Reeled in by Kona resident Guy Kitaoka, last week’s 14.5 foot catch well exceeded that threshold and was reportedly
Hawaii Route 200, the Daniel K. Inouye Highway, also called Saddle Road, bisects Hawaii’s largest island, cutting over the raised slopes (the saddle) between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The moderately-trafficked, often two-lane road is the fastest route between Kailua-Kona and Hilo and leads to observatory access atop both mountains. For years, the road crumbled
You haven’t had the full Hawaii experience until you’ve tried local poke. It’s comprised of cubed raw seafood—usually ahi tuna—mixed with a variety of increasingly innovative toppings from sesame seeds, chili and seaweed to sriracha mayo or even mango, poke is delicious eaten alone or in a bowl served over piping hot rice. Poke can
