We had a superb tour of Waipio Valley with Waipio Valley Shuttle in October. Everyone in our group of six loved it. Don’t let the name fool you. It’s far more than just a shuttle service. It’s a fully-guided tour. We met our engaging tour guide and loaded in to the open-window, four-wheel drive van up top at Waipio Valley Artworks. ... Read More »
On Hawaii’s Hamakua Coast, Waipio Valley is sure to make you marvel. We always wonder how such a flat and verdantly green valley floor was created between the steep cliffs. The overlook for Waipio Valley is easy to find and access and a must-see on a Hawaii Island vacation. Access to the valley floor is a tad bit trickier as ... Read More »
We continue our series on Hawaii helicopter tours with a look at the options on Hawaii (Big) Island. The island’s diverse climates and volcanic terrains make for spectacular aerial tours. Seeing active lava is a popular desire from a helicopter tour company. Most helicopter tours offer an option to try to see the lava. Note that lava viewing cannot be ... Read More »
We are frequently asked about when is the best time to see lava in Hawaii. There are multiple answers a question like that, which appears to be a simple question on the surface. Today, we’re going to help you understand more about the best ways and time to see lava. 1. The lava/volcano must be active in order to see ... Read More »
For many first time visitors to Hawaii, seeing Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu) is a vacation bucket list item. No matter how many times we’ve seen them, it’s still a thrill for us with each new encounter. Before we discuss where you might see honu, it’s very important to advise you that they are legally protected under the Endangered Species ... Read More »
Mahalo to Barbara Herbst for sharing this lovely waterfall photo with us for Aloha Friday Photos. She took this photo while visiting Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden on Hawaii (Big) Island. With an abundance of unique flowers, trees and shrubs along with the idyllic setting, we highly recommend visiting this garden. It’s become one our favorite places in all of Hawaii. ... Read More »
Mahalo to Barbara Herbst for sharing this lovely photo of Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church on the Big Island. Saint Benedict’s is more commonly known as Painted Church due to the beautiful murals inside the church. We don’t normally share one of our own photos on Aloha Friday Photo, however, the following photo from our collection shows the interior of Painted ... Read More »
Waialea Beach is one of those picturesque Big Island beaches that your glad you took the time to find. It’s a lovely beach to swim and snorkel, ocean conditions permitting, or just relax under one of the many shade trees along the shoreline Waialea Beach is one of those hidden gems that takes a little bit of effort to find. ... Read More »
Akaka Falls is one of the Big Island’s most iconic waterfalls. With a forceful 442-foot plunge, it’s well worth the stop to take in this magnificent waterfall. To learn more about visiting this waterfall, see our Akaka Falls post. There is a short walk to get to the overlook, but you can enjoy glimpses along the way. On our most ... Read More »
Fun days of adventure finished off with evenings of sigh-worthy sunsets are in store for you with our week-long Big Island vacation itinerary. In just seven days, we include all the major highlights of Hawaii’s wonderful Big Island — the incredible volcanic landscapes, amazing waterfalls and much more! Though this itinerary is based on one week, you can easily adapt ... Read More »