Things To Do On The Island Of Hawaii
Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
One of the main attractions on the Island of Hawaii is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is easily accessible and a must-visit.
We spent an afternoon exploring here and ended our day by watching the most incredible sunset. The sky was bright pink as we stood there, on the rim of the crater, with steam rising from the volcano, and mingling with the dusky shades of the sky.
It was a surreal experience and one of those “pinch me” kind of moments.
Costs to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
We joined Epic Lava’s Volcano Park Tour and met with their team at the Kilauea Visitor Center.
The tour prices start from $125 per person for the 4-hour tour, which we highly recommend. Their guides are extremely passionate about the island, and the history behind the park.
If this is out of your price range, you can also visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park independently.
The entrance fee is only $25 per car which gives you access for the whole week.
After arriving on the Island of Hawaii, we were so excited to get out and about! We checked into our hotel and headed straight to the beach, got a canoe and paddled out into the ocean for sunset.
You can rent canoes from Kona Boys Beach Shack on Kona Beach.
Take part in a Hula Class
The hula dance is synonymous with Hawaii but not many people know the meaning behind it or get a chance to experience this unique dance firsthand.
The Hula dance expresses the local beliefs and their culture, as well as respect for the environment around us. Learning more about the Hawaiian culture was a great introduction to our stay on the Hawaiian Islands.
Go snorkeling with Manta Rays
Snorkeling with Manta Rays at night was a magical experience and one of the highlights of our time in Hawaii.
They are huge and may seem quite scary at first, but they’re calm, gentle giants.
Our manta experience was organized by Anelakaia Adventures, an eco-friendly tour operator in Hawaii. We ventured out from Kona and made our way into the ocean on a canoe with no engine.
Snorkeling at night when you’re surrounded by Manta Rays can be quite intimidating, but our guide made sure that we were relaxed and felt safe before getting in.
The tour costs $109 per person and is worth every penny.
When you’re visiting the Island of Hawaii, adventure is on your doorstep. And the best way to take it all in is to explore on foot. This is exactly what we did when we visited Pololu Valley, the northernmost valley of the extinct volcano, Kohala.
As we stood there, high up on the cliffs, we watched the waves as they crashed in all their might against the rocks below.
The Pololu Valley hike is towards the North of the island, about 1.5 hours’ drive from Kona. The route is well marked and not crowded. Highly recommended!
Pololu Beach is a black sand beach on the northern coast of the Island of Hawaii. The bay is surrounded by towering cliffs and is completely deserted.
It’s a great outing to pair with the Pololu Valley hike above, even in the rain!
Make some delicious Kona coffee
We joined UCC Hawaii and got our hands dirty roasting our very own coffee in Kona. The team explained the entire coffee-making process and we enjoyed a few cups of our freshly roasted coffee after!
The coffee tour costs $45 per person which includes 2 bags of coffee with your own custom label.
Check out the largest waterfall in Hawaii
At 135m high, Akaka Waterfall is Hawaii’s largest waterfall and one of the best places to visit on the Island of Hawaii.
It’s located east of the island, close to Hilo. The waterfall is a short walk from the parking lot and entrance is $5 per car.
