Pulling a pig from the imu at a Kona luau.
Kona, the west side of Hawaii's "Big Island," is full of cool activities. Visitors just need to decide if they want to focus on the region's unique culture, its adventure activities, its off-the-beaten-path attractions, or a bit of each.
Local Culture
What could be a cooler Hawaiian activity than a luau? The Kona Village eco-resort offers a traditional luau and imu pig-roast ceremony every Friday evening (Reservations at 808-325-5555), while the Waikoloa Beach Marriott offers a luau and imu every Wednesday and Sunday at 'Anaeho'omalu Bay (Reservations at 808-886-6789).
The Pu'uhonua Honaunau National Historic Park (www.nps.gov/puho), set along a rocky black lava shoreline, has a pretty cool history: it was once a place of refuge for vanquished warriors and those who violated the sacred laws known as "kapu." Today, visitors can see the 10-foot-high and 17-foot-thick Great Wall that defined the refuge and an ancient temple guarded by wooden statues of gods known as "ki'i."
The Kona Historical Society (www.konahistorical.org) offers an array of cool history-related activities, including a walking tour of historic Kailua village; a visit to a historic Kona coffee farm and Japanese-style farmhouse; and lessons in baking bread in the fashion of the Portuguese settlers who arrived in the late 19th century.
Adventure
Great visibility and a diversity of marine life make Kona an ideal place for underwater fun. The website Let's Go Hawaii lists Spencer Beach Park, Kailua Bay, Kahaluu Beach Park, Kealakekua Bay and Pawai Bay among its top diving and snorkeling spots in Kona (See the Resources section for a list of outfitters). However, the coolest underwater activity in Kona may be a manta ray night dive or snorkel. Kona Honu Divers (www.konahonudivers.com) is a recommended outfitter.
Back on land, Kula Kai Caverns, on the slopes of Mauna Loa near South Point is a series of 1,000-year-old braided lava tubes that are definitely cool to explore (www.kulakaicaverns.com).
While in Kona, fans of outdoors activities shouldn't pass up a trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (www.nps.gov/havo/), a 2 ½-hour trip from Kailua-Kona, the Kona region's major city. The park, which is home to two active volcanoes, features plenty of hiking and biking trails, as well as some very cool lava-viewing. Lonely Planet lists the park No. 1 on its top picks list for Hawaii's Big Island.
Off The Beaten Path
For "travelers weary of super resorts," Frommer's recommends a visit to the Kona village of Holualoa on the flanks of the Hualalai volcano, which it describes as "a cluster of brightly painted, tin-roofed plantation shacks enjoying a revival as B&Bs, art galleries and quaint shops." For java lovers, Holualoa is located in the heart of Kona's coffee belt.
The Keahole-Kona International Airport might not be the first place that travelers would look for cool attractions, but kids and science buffs will enjoy the interactive exhibits and videos at the airport's Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center (www.onizukaspacecenter.org), dedicated to Hawaii's first astronaut who died in the Challenger disaster in 1986.
Tags: Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Kona coffee, luau Kona