Big Island Vacation Guide 2008 - (Page 32) Manta ray adventure KIRK AEDER Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Kailua-Kona ¯ If you head east from Hawı on Hwy 270, ¯¯ you’ll soon reach Kapa‘au, home of the original King Kamehameha statue. When you get to Pololu Valley Overlook, you’ve ¯ reached the end of the road. The views here are spectacular! WEST The west coast of the island is known universally as the Kona side. The Kona side is dry and sunny. Here you’ll find numerous white sand beaches perfect for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. Lush, green golf courses carved from black lava present a beautiful, unearthly contrast. The Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway is a smooth ribbon of road laid down in what at first seems like a rock-strewn wasteland until the sheer expanse of the primitive lava fields overwhelms and excites you. When people use the word dramatic to describe the island of Hawai‘i, this is one of the scenes they have in mind. Look ma kai (toward the ocean) and the famous resorts of North Kona and the South Kohala Coast are set out like the crown jewels they are. Hotel and condominium resorts dot the coast with their oases of lush golf courses, swaying palm trees and over-the-top landscaping. KOHALA COAST Fishponds, ancient trails and petroglyphs are among the historical attractions. Along this gold coast you’ll find Hapuna Beach ¯ State Park, which boasts one of the prettier and more popular white sand beaches on the island. Look ma uka (inland) and the summit of Mauna Kea soars above you to a lofty 13,796 feet. Where else but the Big Island can a snow-capped mountain overlook a tropical beach? To learn more about this area, visit www.kohalacoastresorts.com. KAILUA-KONA In the middle of the Kona District and a short few miles south of the Kona International Airport lies the seaside Kohala Coast surf buddies Honu bodysurf and play. Guests snorkel out and watch. Eventually they re-surface to luana, relax, on the beach. –Ka‘iulani, Director of Recreation Come share Ka‘iulani’s Big Island at Kohala’s Fairmont Orchid. Call your travel professional or 1.800.845.9905. www.fairmont.com/orchid 32 www.bigisland.org http://www.kohalacoastresorts.com http://www.fairmont.com/orchid http://www.fairmont.com/orchid http://www.bigisland.org
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.