November 14 – November 19: Big Island

Big Island, or simply “Hawaii,” is by far the largest of Hawaii’s eight islands. Being a land of contrasts, it offers everything from snow-capped Mauna Kea to active lava flows at Kīlauea. With its lush rainforests, black sand beaches, and unique cultural history, the island is a paradise for nature lovers. Big Island is about four times the size of Luxembourg but only ca. 200.000 people live there.

Unlike on O’ahu, public transport is basically non-existant on Hawaii’s less populated islands. I had no other choice than to rent a car, which is much more of a costly venture than it was in New Zealand. The pleasure costed me about 100.- USD per day (without gaz, which was another 2x 50 USD in 6 days). Luckily, accomodations are cheaper on this island and I managed to find rooms on AirBnd for about 70 USD per night. I stayed 3 nights in Kona to explore the western and the northern part and 3 nights in Hilo to explore the eastern, and most importantly the southern part of the island.

Big Island features several active volcanoes, the most prominent being Mauna Loa, which accounts for over 50% of the island’s landmass. Mauna Loa is the largest mountain on Earth, rising over 10,000 meters from its base beneath the ocean and 4,200 meters above sea level. The island’s unique geology is defined by volcanic landscapes, lava tubes, steaming vents, and a stark contrast to Oʻahu’s terrain. It offers a raw and diverse look into the power of nature through its volcanic features.

The main things to do on Big Island

• Explore a coffee plantation in Kona and savor fresh Hawaiian coffee. I visited Thunder Mountain plantation, where I got free coffee tasting and a free tour of the place! Unbelievable but true.
• Visit the Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary for a unique high-altitude rainforest experience. It is right next to the coffe plantation. When I arrived I found out you can only enter the forest with a guide and that costs 100 USD. No way josé! I skipped that one. The staff was very friendly though and pointed me to some free forest hikes nearby.
• Visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a large area in the south with several options. You can partially hike up Mauna Loa in the center of the island, and there are several small hikes in the southern part of the park. The crater rim drive leads you about 40 km through the park with several scenic stop opportunities, all the way to the southern coast where you can see lava formations that flowed into the sea. There are also smaller craters like Kīlauea Iki that you can hike through, as well as pitch-black lava tubes that you can explore. I spent two full days just exploring the volcanic landscapes.
• Discover the north shore with Waipiʻo Valley and Pololū Valley Lookout. These are short hikes with stunning views over the coast line.
• Visit Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, a sacred traditional Hawaiian village.

Enjoy the Big Island gallery :