Elizabeth and Steve's Excellent 2006 Hawaii Adventure - The "Big Island"
This was the first island on our (almost) three-week Hawaii Adventure. Please also check out our second stop, Kauai.
We heartily recommend the Hawaii guidebooks by Andrew Doughty and Harriett Friedman -- they're invaluable resources!
Hawaii, the "Big Island"
May 6 - 9 (4 nights), Kona, Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resport
May 10 - 11 (2 nights), Volcano, Volcano House Lodge
May 12 (1 night), Hilo, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
May 13 (1 night), Waimea, The Jacaranda Inn
Hawaii maps are from a USGS Pacific Islands Water Science Center Web site. (The little triangles represent surface-water gaging stations.
Kona, Hawaii
At the Hotel
From our balcony, looking down.
At the Hotel
A gecko near the hotel (whom I visited often -- see below!)
Plumeria
At the Hotel
More views looking down from our balcony. Note the Moorish Idol (Kihikihi) -- the black and yellow striped fish.
Wailea Bay ("69 Beach")
Hapuna Beach
Hapuna Beach is just north of 69 Beach.
Kona
I don't have any photos of what was probably the best thing about this hotel, which is the wonderful snorkeling area right next to the hotel (north of the hotel; the photo below is looking south). It's called Kahalu'u Beach, and you can swim there with turtles and thirty or so different species of (wildly colored!) fish -- which is an amazing experience. We went there five times; couldn't keep away.
A view out from our balcony.
Volcano, Hawaii
We stayed at the Volcano House Hotel, which is in Volcano National Park, and which is also near the town of Volcano, Hawaii. And took a number of photos on the way there...
Off the Road, South of Kona
Plumeria.
At the 75 Mile Marker - The Southernmost Section of Route 11
A Bit Farther to the East
Near Ne'alehu
A view east.
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach
The sand is just to the left; not in view.
Volcano, Hawaii
Kiluaea Iki Crater
Looking down from the trail that skirts the trail (and which then crosses back along the crater floor.
On the floor of Kiluaea Iki Crater.
Hilo, Hawaii
On the Puna Coast
Between Issac Hale Beach Park and Kahena Sand Beach.
A View of the Lava
Just past the end of Chain of Craters Road, (almost) to the closest current viewing place for lava, about a mile and a half away. We got there in the late afternoon. The lava becomes visible as the light fades.
Some lava is visible in the air. Exciting!
Halama'uma'u Crater
Taken by moonlight (with a 10-second exposure). It was quite dark and I couldn't really see much, so I was lucky to get the image at least somewhat in focus. The lights on the rim are from the USGS Volcano Observatory.
Waimea, Hawaii
On the Road to Waimea, at Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Gardens
Just north of Hilo.
