7 Days on the Big Island of Hawai’i

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A few months ago (when the world was normal) I spent a week exploring the Big Island of Hawaii. My first trip to Maui a few years ago was a blast and I was super excited to visit a new island. I drove 890 miles around the entire island filling my days with hiking, brewing Kona coffee, eating spam musubi, and splitting my nights between Airbnbs, hotels and a deflated air mattress in a tent. To say the least, every day was an adventure full of unexpected surprises.

We flew into Kona on the west side of the island, as opposed to Hilo on the east side, because it had direct flights to SFO and one layover to DCA, where my friend flew in from. I love how Hawaiian airports are outdoors and you immediately feel the warmth once you step off the plane.

​After we picked up our rental and settled into our Airbnb, we spent the evening exploring Kona. The town stretches several blocks along the water with shops, restaurants, and bars. It wasn’t crowded and we kept wondering where everyone was, but maybe it’s not a busy beach town.

When in Kona, we had to go to Kona Brewery so we each had a flight of the local selection. The most distinct beer I remember was a hibiscus lager that was pretty delicious. 

​We woke up to rain on the second day (and continued waking up to rain for the remainder of the trip) but that didn’t stop us from activities! Breakfast at 808 Grindz Café was very satisfying but beware of how heavy loco mocos can be for breakfast. We washed that down with coffee at the super cute Kona Coffee & Tea.

With our bellies full and brains caffeinated, we headed towards the first hike at Pololū Valley. It was extremely windy at the lookout (just look at palm trees!) and the short hike down was treacherous with slippery rocks and mud, but the views of the ocean cliffs and mountains from the valley floor were breathtaking. The thick layer of fog made it feel surreal… until reality hit and it started raining on our hike back up.

A little rain didn’t stop us, so we continued onto our next hike at Waipi’o Valley. I was most excited about this hike because of how wide the valley opens into the ocean and the waterfalls along the hike. It was indeed a beautiful view of the entire Waipi’o Valley, but the hike was extremely steep and a bit brutal (so much that only 4x4 vehicles could drive down the path). And of course, I opted for flip flops to keep my sneakers dry.

The first part of the hike is 1.5 miles of descent into the valley, which is probably as steep as it gets while still maintaining grip. The path then turns to a gravel road with muddy puddles — a scene straight out of a Jeep commercial. At the end of this is Waipi’o Black Sand Beach. We wandered around the beach and along the coast in awe at how strong the waves were. We also attempted to reach Hi'ilawe Waterfall, the tallest one in Hawai’i, but it seemed to be fenced off behind private property and we didn’t want to trespass. Back up the hill we go!

Thanks to my friend’s Hilton employee discount, that night we lavished ourselves at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. This is one of the top Hilton hotels with its own tram, beach, and even dolphins.

After being soaked in rain the previous day, we took it easy and enjoyed every bit of the hotel. This day was mainly a driving day spent getting from the west side of the island to Hilo on the east side, passing by Mauna Kea, which is a dormant volcano and the tallest peak in the Polynesian Islands, in the process.
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It’s crazy how quickly the landscape changed from lush green mountains to barren dried-up lava fields. We drove through fog, rain, and wind surrounded by black volcanic rocks on either side; it felt like driving to the end of the world.

At the base of Mauna Kea, we passed protestors camped out in the rough weather protesting against adding another 30-meter telescope at the peak. After a windy drive through the layers of cloud, we reached the visitor center at 9,200 ft, the highest we could go on our own without hiring a guide. Even from here, the views of the craters and cloud cover were fantastic and it was pretty epic being at one the highest point of the Polynesian Islands.

Fun fact: most of Mauna Kea is underwater and when measured from its base to the peak, it stands 33,500 ft tall and is the highest mountain in the world!

That night we stayed at the Hilton Naniloa in Hilo, thanks to Hilton employee perks!

The following morning, we got the best poke at Suisan Fish Market! The market was nothing fancy but the poke was probably the best I’ve ever had. So good we came back here twice.

We then drove a bit outside Hilo to Akaka Falls, the most famous one on the island. I thought the waterfall was average, but the plants – monsteras, palms, birds of paradise – were unbelievably massive and healthy!!

On the way back we drove along Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive and stopped along various lookout spots and hiked Donkey Trail & Onomea Trail. It was overall a pleasant and peaceful drive along the coast.

Quick pitstop in Hilo for some re-energizing. Mochi from Two Ladies Kitchen and Açaí Makani’s Magic Pineapple Shack. Mmm

That afternoon, we drove to Volcanoes National Park about 40 minutes away. Throughout the park you could see the damage from the 2018 Kīlauea volcano eruption, with road closures, cracks on the pavement and a completely different caldera formation. 

Fun fact: the difference between a caldera and crater is that a caldera is an empty chamber left by an eruption and a crater is a vent for volcanic activities.

We first stopped by the sulfur banks and had our first glimpse at how insanely massive the caldera was. If it wasn’t for the person next to us explaining it, I wouldn’t have believed it.

We then walked along Chain of Craters Drive towards Halema'uma'u Crater Overlook and Keanakāko’i Crater Overlook. It was open only for hikers given the massive cracks in the pavement and only extended about a mile in. At the overlooks and along the edges, it felt like we were looking into the Grand Canyon, except it was a pit of black volcanic rock and sulfur gas.

The sun sets early in the park and we quickly learned there is absolutely nothing to do after nightfall. This officially kicked off our not so glamourous glamping adventures at the Volcano Lodge.

New day, new adventures. We started our day with a moderate hike to Mauna Ulu crater — the most epic of all hikes in the park. A bit overly excited at bright green plants growing out of lava, we got lost within 5 minutes but quickly found our bearings. The hike led us through dried lava fields, wooded forests, and jagged volcanic rocks with barely anyone on the trail. We had to veer slightly off trail to summit the crater rim. It was one of the freakiest moments — with the heavy rain hitting my face and the warm sulfur gas emanating from the fissures below me, I turned around to see a huge crater when the fog cleared. Most eerie but coolest part of Hawai’i.​

Fun Fact: while volcanoes can be destructive, the unpredictable weather patterns create microclimates and rainforests within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

Next was the quick guided Kīlauea Crater hike, except we ditched the guide shortly after. The trail took us to the Kīlauea inner caldera and it felt like we were looking across a vast gray desert. Before the eruption, visitors could hike across the caldera but it’s no longer safe to do so.

Another one of my favorites was Kīlauea Iki Crater hike which took us down, across, and up the Kīlauea Iki crater. The coolest part was walking straight through the crater that once used to be rumbling with lava; we felt like ants walking through a massive ditch.

To escape from the rain, we drove towards the ocean to Holei Sea Arch. The arch was very average in my opinion, but I loved the strong waves crashing into the volcanic cliffs. It was also wild to see the sloping mountainside of lava that ultimately created cliffs where the lava meets the ocean.

Another night in the tent, another adventure. We woke up to a dump truck emptying trash at 3 AM. Of all hours, why 3 AM?!

We were ambitious hikers the previous day and did all the main trails, so we were spontaneous and drove towards the Kapoha and Kalapana coast. We knew this was one of the areas affected by the 2018 eruptions, but it was shocking how the lava practically destroyed everything and recreated the entire landscape and coastline. The roads were plowed clear with massive lava mounds on both sides and it would be a stretch of barren lava with a short section of greenery.

The road literally stops at Punalu’u Black Sand Beach where the plow stopped. Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is the newest black sand beach created by the eruption. The volcanic rocks here were fresh (relatively) and way larger and sharper than the other ones we’ve seen.

Quick pit stop for some more black sand beaches and seaside views!

Before heading back to our tent, we stopped by a bar in Hilo and chatted with a bartender who witnessed the eruptions. He showed us videos of the lava flow within 10 feet of him and lava spewing out of the chambers. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must’ve been.​

Third and last night glamping, what could go wrong? My air mattress partially deflated and I slept with my butt touching the floor and my body in an arched position. That morning we drove up the southwest side of the island back to Kona airport.

Overall, I really enjoyed my adventurous and spontaneous week on the Big Island despite some unwanted surprises. I learned that Volcanoes National Park receives the most rainfall in the US and the weather is extremely unpredictable with microclimates, but I’m glad that didn’t stop us from hiking and exploring the island.
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I would 100% recommend driving around the island and doing all the hikes I did. If I were to give advice to my past self, it would be to prepare for any type of weather, opt to stay in Hilo instead of camping, and continue to embrace adventures.

Mahalo. Aloha.