Visiting Hawaii

The following is the itinerary that we did in Hawaii -- it's fairly non-stop and gets the job done :-)

Tuesday

  • Arrive in Afternoon
  • Drive to hotel on Waikoloa Beach.
  • Explore hotel, surrounding shops
  • get to bed early.

Wednesday

  • Depart for Volcano National Park around 8am.
  • Drive along the Northern coast

    • Take the 4-mile scenic route just north of Hilo.
    • At the first stop sign, grab sandwiches and smoothies at the shop.
    • Upon merging back on to the main Highway, check your time. You might have just enough time to stop at the Hilo Farmer's Market (Open Wed and Sat mornings).
  • Continue to Volcano Village and fill up gas.

    • The lady in the gift shop sells the world's best carved eggs.
  • Continue to Volcano National Park

    • stop at the Visitor station, Jaggar Museum, Thurston lava tube, steam vents and sulphur steam vents.
  • Depart the park around 4pm and go to the lava flows at the end of highway 130.
  • Stay and enjoy until about 8pm.
  • Head back to Jaggar Museum to see the crater glow.
  • Return home around midnight.

Thursday

  • Sleep in, enjoy the morning at the resort.
  • Depart at 2pm for Mauna Kea.

    • Don't fear saddle road, only 5 miles are beaten up, the rest is brand new.
    • Arrive at the visitor station, ask the rangers what the evening's plan is.
    • Drive to the summit.

      • if you don't have a 4x4 car, try hitchhiking with other tourists or see if you can cut a deal with a tour operator.
    • If you can't hitchhike, hike a little trail to the top of a cinder cone (ask at the visitor station).
    • After sunset, watch instructional videos in the visitor station.
    • After dark, the astronomy begins.

Friday

  • Leave your hotel at 7am and drive down to Kealakekua Bay and kayak to Captain Cooks monument.
  • There is a family that rents kayaks right at the wharf, but bring your snorkel gear as the waters right by the monument are perfect for snorkeling.

    • As you kayak stay as close to land as you feel safe, there are dolphins that hang around there in the mornings.
    • Return kayak around 1115am
  • Eat lunch on your way out at Kamala's, but be done by noon.
  • Drive to the black sand beaches.
  • On a warm day, sea turtles sun themselves on the beach.
  • Stay until 3.5 hours before sunset, then leave for the green sand beaches.

    • From the highway, you'll take a 16 mile road towards windmills and the ocean.
    • At the end, there is a 1-mile terribly broken road. Drive it at under 10mph and you'll be fine.
    • From there, it's a 2-mile hike to the green-sand.
  • Drive home when you're ready.

Saturday

  • Leave 8am and drive to Waipio valley.
  • Hike down

    • At your first choice in path a hard right (almost a u-turn) gets you to the beach, continuing on the paved path past the steep decent gets you to the super-tall falls.
    • If you go to the beach, Crossing the stream is fun -- but don't drink the water, it's bad juju.
    • Make it back up by 2pm
  • Drive to the botanical gardens (it's along on that 4-mile scenic drive from Wed).
  • Once you're done there, drive back up to Akaka falls -- you can enjoy them upto a half-hour after sunset.

Sunday

  • Stay for a half-day at your hotel and enjoy the beaches and pools.
  • Large sea turtles like to hang out in warm waters around 11am at the beach behind the Marriott Waikoloa.
  • Leave for your red-eye flight and allow and extra 30min (beyond the usual nonsense) for agricultural screenings.
Posted: January 06, 2010 | | comments