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| You are here: Big Island > Travel Planner > Overview Overview of the Big Island
The Big Island has earned its name due to the fact that it is larger than
the land area of all the other Hawaiian Islands put together. The
beaches, mountains, and sights are all spread out throughout the island -
affording you more room to explore and less crowds to compete with.
Youngest of the Hawaiian Islands, the Big Island is expanding each day as
the Kilauea volcano continues erupting. Below, we describe the
different regions of the Big Island, starting at the northern tip and going
counter-clockwise.
North Kohala
 This region is at the northern tip of the Big Island where
sleepy small towns and
the countryside of yesteryear remain unchanged. Here you will find rugged
terrain with the Kohala Mountain to the east, the beautiful Pacific Ocean on
the west, and grassy meadows and lush vegetation in between. As you
travel along Highway 270, on a clear day you can see the Haleakala volcano
on the island of Maui
across the water. You will pass the rustic town of Hawi and the road
will finally come to an end at the picturesque Pololu Valley Lookout.
From the lookout, you can see wave after wave crashing onto the black sand beach
hore below. The coast here is rugged, covered in dense vegetation and
dotted with waterfalls and rivers.
Kohala Coast
 Dominated by bright sunny skies and warm waters, the
Kohala Coast is where
the mega-resorts of the Big Island reside. Known for spectacular
weather for sunbathers and beach-goers, the Kohala Coast has some of the
prettiest beaches on the island. The climate here is sunny, hot and dry, with
nearly zero rainfall. The landscape is dominated by fields of dried
lava adorned with white rock graffiti. The Kohala Coast stretches from the
Kona Keahole Airport to the harbor at Kawaihae. The coast varies from
secluded gems like Makalawena Beach
to the ever-popular Hapuna Beach State Park.
The snorkeling on the Kohala Coast is decent, but visibility can be low at
times due to the sandy bottom of nearby sandy beaches. Read more
about the Kohala Coast.
North Kona
 This is the busiest and most widely-known part of the Big Island. The
touristy seaside village of Kailua-Kona is located here,
at the edge of shallow-water Kailua
Bay. This bustling town offers wonderful dining, shopping, and tour
opportunities along with many historic attractions - but still gives
visitors a small-town feeling. The beaches here
are not as vast as they are on the Kohala Coast, but beaches such as
Kahaluu do offer exceptional
snorkeling. Just east of town
are the slopes of the Hualalai Volcano and there are several
scenic drives that provide
impressive views of the coast as you wind your way up to the higher
elevations. Read more about the town of
Kailua-Kona.
South Kona
 This is the most historically significant region on the Big Island.
Excellent snorkeling and diving can also be found in South Kona. Water
clarity is optimal with visibility exceeding 80 feet! South of Kailua,
on the slopes of the volcano is the charming artisan town of Holualoa (see
map). Continuing south, you will pass through the small town of
Honalo (see
map), with its many kayak rental stores. The
Kealakekua Bay marine preserve is located in South Kona, where Captain Cook was killed in
1779. Nearby is Pu 'uhonua O Honaunau (Place of Refuge) National Park
- a well preserved ancient Hawaiian village, and the famous Painted Church.
South Kona is also known as coffee country. The southern slopes of Hualalai Volcano
provides the perfect climate to grow world-famous Kona coffee. The
road gains elevation as you drive south and you get a greater sense of the
fertility here. Continuing on Route11, you will round the southern
slope of Mauna Loa and pass South Point (see
map) as you traverse to the eastern side of the island.
Volcano
 This
southern-most region is also known as the Ka'u district. Continuing on
Route 11 to the eastern side of the island, you will come across the
towns of Naalehu, Honuapo and eventuall to Pahala. Nearby on the coast Punaluu
Black Sand Beach. Punaluu is one of the most famous black sand
beaches in Hawaii and a frequent nesting site for
Hawaiian Green Sea
Turtles. Continuing north on Highway 11 you will come to the
Volcanoes National Park. Your drive continues
with the shield volcano Mauna Loa on your left and the dried lava flows of
the Kilauea Volcano on your right. Highway 11 turns inland here with
the national park off to the east. The road gains altitude as it
passes the park entrance and continues north towards the town of Hilo.
Temperature at the volcano varies by elevation. Weather at Kilauea's
summit (4000' elevation) varies daily and may be rainy and chilly any time
of the year. At the summit of the volcano, temperatures may be 12 to 15
degrees cooler than at sea level. The coastal plain at the end of
Chain of Craters Road, where
lava flows into the ocean, is often hot, dry, and windy with the possibility
of passing showers. Read more about the Kilauea
Volcano.
Puna
 The Puna district stretches from the Volcanoes National
Park north to Hilo town. This area is underdeveloped with spread
out settlements with a very rural look. Small settlements such as Mountain
View, Kurtistown, Pahoa, and Keau dot the landscape. This tropical
climate on this eastern-most
point of the wind-ward side of the island receives a lot of rain and the vegetation is lush green.
The coast of Puna is rugged, its south facing shore pounded by waves.
One attraction worth visiting here is the Kapoho Tide
Pools where the protected waters are always calm and great for
snorkeling. Other attractions nearby are the Lava Tree State Park and
Isaac Hale Beach Park at Pohoiki
Bay. Check out the
5-hour guided tour, "Best of Puna".
Hamakua Coast
 The
fertile and beautiful Hamakua Coast
stretches north of the town of Hilo, all
the way to the Waipio Valley. Dramatic sea
cliffs, lush tropical vegetation, rainbows, and steep gorges shaped by rivers
and waterfalls dominate this 50 mile stretch of coast along the eastern side
of the Big Island. The thriving green rain forest here is fed by more
than 140 inches of rain per year. The steep terrain is defined by the
downward slopes of the Mauna Kea volcano punctuated by sheer cliffs at the
coast. The road here snakes its way through dramatic water-carved
gulches and valleys thick with tropical foliage. There are many scenic attractions along the Hamakua
Coast including Akaka Falls,
Onomea Bay, and the
Waipio Valley Overlook. Read more about the
Hamakua Coast. Check out the
4-hour guided tour of Hawaii waterfalls and the Hamakua Coast.
Waimea (Kamuela)
 At the town of Honokaa, your journey takes you inland and uphill. The Mauna
Kea Volcano is in front of you as you begin to feel the cool mountain air
and see the grassy meadows around you. You are approaching the town of
Waimea (also known as Kamuela) in the heart of the
island. Herds of cattle are grazing in the rolling pastures - this is
cowboy country! The altitude up here reaches 4,000 feet of elevation
and the climate can be cool and damp, even in the summer time. Continuing west will take you on a descending, winding
road back down to the western coast of the island at the Kawaihae Harbor,
Kohala. You have just completed our around-the-island tour. Read
more about the town of Waimea.
Read our next article:
Sample Travel Itineraries
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