The Big Island of Hawai’i is one of those places you’ll love as soon as you step foot off of your airplane and the smell of fresh flowers greets you. My new husband, Corey, and I spent most of our honeymoon on The Big Island and had experiences we will never forget.
There is so much to do on The Big Island, but I wanted to break down my six favorite experiences that I believe everyone should have.
1. Stay with a Local
The Big Island has wonderful resorts, don’t get me wrong, but if you plan to be out and about exploring, stay with a local instead!
Corey and I stayed at The Megan Love house our first night on the island. We came in pretty late and were welcomed by Jake. He showed us around and we went to bed.
When we woke up the next morning we were greeted with a wonderful breakfast prepared by Jake, it was a twist on the traditional Hawaiian dish, loco moco, but an eggs benedict version! It was delicious.
We enjoyed breakfast and chatted with other guests while Megan gave us suggestions on what to do and where to visit. It was an amazing experience.
OH, btw, Corey and I tried our first papaya here! YUM!! If only we could find them as delicious in Cincinnati.
You can check out The Megan Love House here.
2. Captain Cook Monument and Kealakekua Bay
Talk about a breath taking view. I never knew how clear water could be until I visited Kealakekua Bay.
We had heard the story of Captain Cook, thought to be the first westerner to set sight on the Hawaiian Islands, when traveling the Road to Hana in Maui a few days before arriving to The Big Island.
I won’t tell the full story, but you should read about it before visiting. Spoiler alert: Captain Cook met his maker a few feet away from the monument.
Corey and I hiked to the monument and bay, however, I do not recommend it. It is a strenuous one hour hike (on the way down) through mud, tall grass, and lava rock. I won’t even talk about the way back up… but it was horrible.
Instead, grab your snorkel gear (or rent some) visit Kona Boys up the road, and rent a kayak. I’ll mention later kayaking in the ocean, but by kayaking here you can knock out two experiences with one stone.
Since we hiked, we did not have snorkel gear, and as you can see from the photo above, the water is crystal clear and filled with beautiful ocean life. I loved seeing all of the yellow fishies swimming. It is a popular spot for snorkeling, but since it is a little less convenient to get to, not that many people were there.
3. Snorkel with Manta Rays
Mine and Corey’s 9 year anniversary fell on this trip & so we both scheduled surprise activities for us to do while on The Big Island.
My surprise for Corey was a night snorkel with Manta Rays! Can I be honest in saying I am not a baby of the ocean? The big giant ocean sort of terrifies me. I never go out to far, and I never go in at night. But for you Corey, I would do anything… and so I booked this amazing excursion.
Hawaii Oceanic was highly recommended by Trip Advisor and was raved about on Facebook. It is a family-owned, small business who only work based on word of mouth, I was hooked when I read the first review.
Snorkeling with Mantas is probably the most magical experience I have ever had in my life. These creatures are so giant and they flip in the water as if they are acrobats.
If you do anything on this list while visiting the big island… do this.
**Pictures coming soon – Hawaii Oceanic takes complimentary photos and posts them to Facebook! I will add once they are available. Just another bonus of booking with them.
4. Visit Mauna Kea Beach
The absolute softest and most beautiful white sand you will ever encounter. Corey and I spent hours at this beach because not only was it not super crowded, it had shade – thanks to you lovely palm trees.
The water was calm and crystal clear – perfect for lounging in the ocean and walking along the shore.
This beach is in Kona so the weather is absolutely marvelous, sunny and beautiful. & if you are staying in one of the resorts on the island, this beach is sure to be close.
We were so “go, go go” this whole honeymoon that it was so nice to relax on an absolutely perfect beach.
5. Kayak in the Ocean
This was Corey’s surprise for me! We took a tour to a popular cliff jump. Let me warn you now, although this is fun and exciting, it is a workout & will test your relationship with whoever you are traveling with – you are in two person kayaks.
Our marriage luckily survived, but we unfortunately did not jump off the cliff. 🙁 We both stood at the top – even watched a girl back flip off – and psyched ourselves out.
We kayaked to Keauhou Bay and it’s only 20ft y’all – do the jump!
Corey booked our through a website called Veltra and they were all so nice. We had three tour guides because of the size of our group, they provided snorkel gear and snacks! If you are an adventurous person – I highly recommend doing this.
PS. Get a waterproof case for your phone – everything you bring will be soaking wet by the end of the tour.
6. Drive the Island
The Big Island of Hawai’i is one of those special places where you can experiences multiple climates in just one day!
We started in Kona and made our way to Volcanoes National Park – in a jeep of course! Although… we kept our top on as we knew the temperature would drop to as low as 50 degrees while driving. I suggest you do the same.
After the National Park, we headed to Hilo and drove the coast until we made it back to Kona. Be on the lookout for another blog post with all of my suggested spots when making the drive!
Have you been to The Big Island? What was your favorite experience? Comment below!
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