Planning 1st trip to BI Jan or Feb 08. Peak season so I better get reservations made soon. I have been reading trip reports, watching board discussions and think I may have loose itinerary. Let me know what you think.
Because of the size of BI, I am staying in 3-4 places and I don%26#39;t mind picking up and moving. It will just be husband and me, we pack light and move easily. Okay, here goes:
Fly into Kona and stay in condo 3-4 nights. Have found several oceanfront (a must). Want to do one of the airtours 1st day. Heli or biwing (is that how I say it hawaiiandan?) Plan on Sea Paradise or Dolphin Discoveries snorkel trip and visiting coffee farm or farms and Holualoa.
Spend 2 nights VV and general exploring. We will drive southern route but I don%26#39;t plan to stop at South Point, maybe Punalu%26#39;u. We will get our bearings at park then I want to go down to Puna district coastal area to drive around and see out of curiousity. The next day start our park day early and then drive Chain of Craters to lookout that I am going to use from great trip report a couple of months ago from New Jersey traveler. No night lava hikes. Next am on to Hilo and my priority is Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. I know a.m. is best, how early should we arrive? Is 11am too late? I want to see other sights in area so if I don%26#39;t change to 1nt Volcano, then next in Hilo B%26amp;B, I will probably stay another night in this area.
Then we will drive northern route to Kohala coast and stay our last 2 nights. Just beach time and relaxing there. Fly out of Kona.
We will also spend 1 week on Kauai. Is there any reason or preference to do BI before Kauai or Kauai before BI?
I appreciate any thoughts/feedback. Mindy
Feedback please
Mindy,
Your trip sound great! You have done your homework it sounds like.
Couple of thoughts – for the snorkel trip either is fine, DD gets my vote.
On the south route, consider stopping for sweet bread and ice cream in Naalehu, especially if staying in a B and B or Vacation home in Volcano. Sweet bread French toast for breakfast is excellent!
Punalu’u is worth the stop b/c of how fast it is, bring your camera for the BSB
HTBG – yes, 11would be fine, but I would recommend somewhere around 10 would be perfect. Breakky in Hilo first?
Dining – Volcano is very limited, plan on Hilo for dining options
Recommend at least one night in Hilo – nice change from Volcano, it will be warmer, especially in Feb.
Northern drive – be sure to see Akaka Falls, Laupahoehoe point, maybe stop at a couple small towns, Waipio overlook and Tex’s for malasadas.
Kauai before or after? Doesn’t matter, but likely more beach time on Kauai so I would do it after.
Good luck and happy travels!
Feedback please
Mindy, I%26#39;ve enjoyed seeing you do your research! Where did you pick in Kohala?
I have little to add as I agree with everything echolynch said, but I have some weather points.
I too would emphasize the Brrr factor in Volcano in February. At that time of year I%26#39;d likely spend only one night there.
The other thing -- February weather on the east side, I am sorry to say it has a way of raining a lot this month. Your Botanical Gardens trip should be done the first day you get the weather. Hilo area weather can cloud and clear up a few times in one day, so again there%26#39;s no point picking an exact time -- when the sun is out, go!!
As you are exploring lower Puna anyway, you might consider lodgings in Kapoho or Kaloli Pt of HP, or Kehena. These coastal areas are far sunnier and drier than anywhere else in East Hawai%26#39;i. This is where I go to seek the sun.
Like echolynch, I%26#39;m not aware of any specific reason for Kaua%26#39;i before and after. One could make a rationale either way. Maybe availability will make your choice for you?
I know you%26#39;ll have a great time! (and may the sun shine on you in Hilo)
Thanks for your replies, I knew I could count on you guys. I will stop for sweetbread and ice cream. Never one to turn that down! I am almost glad to hear VV is too cold. I found nice cottages but they all require at least 2 nights so we will stay at lodge if we stay even 1 night. I have a list of places in Puna district to stay but I think my 2 favorites are pretty far from everywhere. One is the Monkeypod house that someone posted about not long ago. I looked it up and it is really cool, I just don%26#39;t have any idea what the travel time to VNP would be like. Maybe do VNP the afternoon we get there and move on. I want to see it but honestly I don%26#39;t think my interest level warrants 2-3 days. Something to ponder.
As far as Kohala, I am thinking about the house we found for pensive but will need 3 nights if I do that. I also want to get exact location to find out from you all if we would in fact be ';minutes'; from beaches. If I only go with 2 nights, maybe Hapuna Prince. I continually go back and forth on this. I am away from home for the weekend (using my mom%26#39;s computer right now). I am so excited to be planning this and will be asking for help many more times. Thanks, Mindy
I wondered if you were going for ';Pueo.'; Looked really nice.
well, if you post the locations of either of these places I should be able to help you out with drive times.
If it was me, I would surely do the BI first. There is so much to do and see there and the weather (at least in Kona)is much more reliable at the time of year you are going. Then go and relax on Kaua%26#39;i which is so much smaller and easier to get around. At that time of year I would suggest that you stay in the Poipu (better beach and snorkeling during those months)and drive up to the North Shore on day trips.
mrsbab%26#39;s suggestion makes a lot of sense. I agree about staying in Poipu; not the time to stay on the north shore.
Mindy, where can I find the trip report for New Jersey traveler? I went back a couple of months and can%26#39;t seem to find that report, We are there in ten days and still trying to figure out how we should do the volcano without doing the night hike. Thanks.
Marlene - It is posted March 12, 2007 by NJXJ under heading of BI trip report. Go to Island of Hawaii forum and go back a few pages. Unfortunately, I am not computer savvy enough to link it for you. It is one of the best reports I have read tho, definitely worth the time. Mindy
Marlene, I bumped the trip report I was talking about so it is on todays forum under BI trip COMMENTS.
Mindy -
We just returned from a stay at the Lazy Lehua cottage (http://www.lazylehuacottage.com/) in Volcano Village. We were there for three nights (5/13 to 5/16).
I think the weather in Feb will NOT be too cold to stay two nights there -- look at the averages at this page: weather.com/weather/…
This is an amazing cottage that has so much personality and is so well thought out in terms of how it is equipped -- I can%26#39;t more strongly recommend that you stay there!
And then factor in the price of $139 which already has all taxes included, it becomes an amazing bargain.
Charlie
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