Hi, everyone. I%26#39;m hoping some of you local experts can give me some advice for out trip to the BI in July. The last time we were there, we did a lot of the activities listed in BI Revealed and mostly had a great time. However, now I%26#39;m reading here that a lot of islanders revile this book.
We are the kind of tourists who are most interested in ecology - plants, water, animals - and want to cause as little impact on the environment as possible. That said, we are not going to Hawaii to sit in our hotels in fear of damaging something! We want to actually see some attractions of the island. We don%26#39;t even like to be around a lot of other tourists, if we can help it. But now I read here that we shouldn%26#39;t go to Waipio, Kealakekua Bay, etc., because they get overrun by people who are disrespectful. What are well-meaning mainlanders to do?
Here are our interests: lots of snorkeling, light to moderate hiking, beachgoing at places that are not too crowded, local flora and fauna, stargazing, and supporting good local produce markets, restaurants %26amp; businesses. We%26#39;d like to try sea kayaking, and the one thing I am determined to do on this trip is a helicopter tour of Kilauea. We have a limited budget, and last trip we visited the following:
Hapuna beach
Kahaluu (definitely will do more snorkeling here - big honu lovers!)
Honaunau (just walking, not snorkeling)
Green sand beach (hiked) %26amp; south point
Lava trees and natural volcanic pool in Puna
Chain of craters/Halemaumau/Volcano House/petroglyphs/lava fields
So, any suggestions? We%26#39;ll be near Kailua-Kona for around 11 days and between Hilo and Volcano for 3. Sorry this got to be so long, but I%26#39;d like to find a way to balance having a great vacation with not offending the people who live there.
Mahalo!
Frustrated - what can we do w/o damaging the environment?When we went on the Fair Wind snorkel cruise on May 5th there were all kinds of kayaks pulled up on the rocks at Kealakekua Bay. This is a big NO NO! You are NEVER supposed to walk on the coral. Anyone who does it doesn%26#39;t have a brain in their head. Same goes for snorkeling anywhere in Hawaii. You swim, not walk around on the coral. I see people standing on rocks where ever I snorkel and maybe they don%26#39;t understand the damage they are doing. The water in Hawaii is so clear and salty it%26#39;s really not hard to float if you need to adjust your gear.
As for the Revealed Books, I have them all. I know people don%26#39;t like them and that%26#39;s their perogative. In fact, in the Revealed books they tell you to never stand on the coral. I think what makes the local dislike the books is they tell you places you would never know about if you didn%26#39;t have the book. Once such place was a Heiau out in the middle of no-where on the BI. It took a 4wd to get there and we were the only one%26#39;s there. Of course we didn%26#39;t disturb anything, but I%26#39;m sure there ae people who wouldn%26#39;t care. I use the books for what they are, a guide book. They help me decide exactly what I want to do.
I%26#39;d suggest going to Hawaii Botanical Garden just North of Hilo. It%26#39;s very beautiful. Also, Kua Bay is the prettiest beach on the Kona side. The access road is right across from the Veterans cemetary just up from the Airport.
Frustrated - what can we do w/o damaging the environment?Danator,
I commend you on wishing to be good a steward when visiting. As the saying goes, leave nothing but footprints, right? I wish more tourists were like you.
Ok so for snorkeling, check out the inside pages but you sound like you have a good idea of what is available. For Kealakekua Bay, I still suggest a tour, but I know that may be out of your price range. As you say though, Kahalu’u has good snorkeling, as does two step.
Hiking: in HVNP there are many trails to choose from.
Local flora: check out the Hawaii Botanical Tropical gardens at Onomea Bay
Beaches: Mak and Kua are very nice and fit your desires.
Helo tour will be cheaper from Hilo, but one will not see as much as the round the island ones; just Kilauea and not the waterfalls in Kohala.
Good luck and happy travels!
Thank you! We were definitely thinking of checking out Makalawena beach and the Botanic garden. Can we snorkel at Honaunau? Is there a procedure for doing it while being ecologically and spiritually respectful?
We were also considering Kiholo Bay, the Kapoho tide pools and/or the Golden Ponds of Ke-awa-iki. Any thoughts on those? I%26#39;m partial to Kiholo, from what I%26#39;ve read, because the Puna tide pools are pretty out of the way, but I%26#39;m interested in people%26#39;s thoughts.
Then we just have to decide if we want to do the Mauna Kea summit tour. I don%26#39;t like the idea of crowds and oxygen dep, but the views sound fantastic...
There are lots of things to do that won%26#39;t cause damage to the environment. This is a hot topic on the BI board so I%26#39;m sure that%26#39;s why you are getting the idea that you have to ';walk on eggs'; while visiting. The main issues to avoid are kayaking Kaleakakua Bay on your own and beaching the kayak, swimming or harassing the dolphins, stepping on or touching coral or sea life (anywhere), and trespassing on private property, even if a guidebook tells you it%26#39;s OK. If you avoid these activities and use a little common sense, you%26#39;ll be fine.
Where are you staying in Kona?
Thanks, Bips. I think we can manage all those stipulations... I may not be an islander, but I%26#39;m the pushy person yelling at all the other tourists to stop standing on the coral and grabbing the turtles when we go snorkeling! ;o)
We%26#39;re staying at the Outrigger Keahou a few miles down Ali%26#39;i from the center of Kailua-Kona. We went there on our first trip and found it a nice balance of reasonably priced with nice grounds, close but not too close to the center of town, etc. It%26#39;s not luxury, but last time I spent the better part of 3 days snorkeling at Kahaluu - can%26#39;t beat having some of the best snorkeling around right next door!
hi, you have gotten good suggestions and advice already! As Bips says, there are lots of things you CAN do and a few that are over-stressing certain places.
If you don%26#39;t like crowds, you probably won%26#39;t enjoy the kayak frenzy at Kealakekua Bay anyway! So you%26#39;re not giving anything up. Hawai%26#39;i Dan recommends Keauhou Bay. I know people kayak up the coast and come into Kiholo Bay, because I%26#39;ve read blog journals about it (try running a search), but I can%26#39;t tell you exactly how to do it (don%26#39;t know).
The hot ponds in Puna and the tidepools make up about half the swimming for all the people in Puna. They may seem out of the way to you but the population has exploded there and the use is very heavy these days. Do go but if you have a non-weekend day on the east side I think you%26#39;ll enjoy it much more as the weekend will be packed, for sure.
Waipi%26#39;o Valley is one of the few places where residents really are fed up with trespassers in the valley, so that%26#39;s a private property issue more than environmental. It%26#39;s not a park and why people act like it is -- it%26#39;s beyond me. You can hike down to the beach, but you have to be ready to push yourself to do the grade. It%26#39;s a lot harder than Pololu. The only OK way to see the back of the valley is with a guide who has permission from the landowners, and tours cost. I%26#39;ve taken one and I thought it was a waste of money. I too am not a guided tour lover.
Unfortunately for someone who doesn%26#39;t like crowds, you%26#39;re coming in July. May is a great month for avoiding the masses, but in July you%26#39;ll get all the families with kids in the big name spots.
The Natural Energy Seashore Beach, above Honokohau Harbor, is lightly used, very nice walk, not a swimming place but good for honu and to look into tidepools.
You might also try Ho%26#39;okena Beach.
My main advice for avoiding crowds is don%26#39;t go to beach on Saturday and Sunday when everyone who lives here goes as well as visitors. Do stuff like gardens where you pay admission, anything that you pay for on those days, stuff that residents are unlikely to do.
The view from Mauna Kea is nice. It%26#39;s not the most incredible view on the island -- just my opinion. It%26#39;s different. But it will cost you money to go there. You MUST rent from Harper%26#39;s to get a summit worthy 4WD, even to caravan from the Visitor%26#39;s Center.
Maybe you would enjoy going up to the Visitor%26#39;s Center for the stargazing, which is free? You can do it in any rental car that does not prohibit Sadlle Road. Best done from Hilo side. Go up while it%26#39;s light and see the scenery.
Thank you so much for all the advice, KK. It%26#39;s really helpful.
I know July is a bad time to go. Stupid work schedules! ;o)
hey any time to get away is better than not doing it!
There are other lightly used beaches. A book like Snorkeling Hawaii by Malinowski goes over the coast pretty well. There are places along North Kona in addition to Makalawaena and Kua Bay, and don%26#39;t forget Kekaha Kai (if your car will make it), maybe try the Old Airport Park ...
You can try the public access at the Four Seasons, Kona Village Resort, and at Mauna Kea Hotel you can ask for a Baby Beach pass ... you have to walk in and no facilities.
You can walk south from A-Bay where it%26#39;s rockier.
Try the 49 Black Sand Beach public access.
Mauna Lani public access.
Holokohai Beach Park (rocky, picnic tables, facilities), from which you can do petroglyph trail and walk south to the Fairmont beach.
Puako
Waialea Bay (weekdays)
visit the beach parks in North Kohala.
If you can find ONE beach that you love that%26#39;s all it takes.
I%26#39;d rather spend repeat days on my favorite beach than do different and less satisfying beaches every day ...
(hmm)
Aloha danator
I applaud you! Mahalo for caring!
Bips makes the best suggestions. I have a small place in Kaleakakua Bay, we have loved it there for 22 years and it brakes my heart to see the negative impacts of humans to that area. That is not to say I do not want people to enjoy this special place, for historical and natural reasons, but I can tell you are the type of people who will respect the area.
I personally have stopped going to Kahaluu Beach. In the 25 years I have loved Kahaluu Beach I have watched it destroyed by humans, I have to believe it is through ignorance. The beach needs to rest and rebuild. Sadly all of the cruise ship people are shuttled over at $20.00 a pop and it is a heart brake for me.
On a lighter note, I love July in Kona! I spend the entire month grateful that it is quiet and enjoying the ocean that is very calm that time of year. Yes it is hotter, but it is worth it IMHO.
Have a wonderful trip and welcome back!
Anybody have info on that place that raises sea horses? I just can%26#39;t remember the name of it, although I%26#39;ve always wanted to go there. Somehow our schedule never meshed with theirs.
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