Kona

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The Kona Experience

An April 2004 trip to Kona by nvbuchholz

This was our first experience at the Big Island. The island has everything. The beaches, food, and historical sites were great, as were the volcanoes.

  • 5 reviews

Paniolo GreensBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Best Things Nearby:
Local grocery store. Golf course.

Best Things About the Resort:
Pool and activities for the children. Also, for someone who likes to golf and be away from the tourist areas, this is ideal.

Resort Experience:
In the hills of Wiakloa Village, this older timeshare is well kept and nice. Most of the amenities were upgraded. The only problem we had was the abundance of ants. We were given a can of Raid, which helped control them.

This timeshare is six miles from the main highway and 20 miles from Kona, so expect to put some miles on the car. Great beaches are within 20 minutes. Expect a 30-minute trip to K-Mart, Wal-Mart, or Costco. Also, the trip to town is around 25-30 minutes.

  • Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
  • Activities: Very Good
  • Amenities: Good
  • Unit Satisfaction: Good
  • Family Friendliness: Very Good
  • Service: Good
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by nvbuchholz on May 11, 2004

Paniolo Greens
68-1745 Waikoloa Blvd Kona, Hawaii
(808) 883-0660

Daniel Thiebaut RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Daniel Thiebaut brings his French style to the Big Island. The restaurant is in an old group of buildings.

It served very good food, which was a little pricey, but I think it was worth it. I enjoyed the strip steak. The children's menu is $7.99 and up; it includes chicken fingers and a small tenderloin steak.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by nvbuchholz on May 11, 2004

Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant
65-1259 Kawaihae Road Kona, Hawaii 96743
(808) 887-2200

Kona Brewing CompanyBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This restaurant is simliar to other microbreweries you may visit. The beer was very good and cold. We had a couple of the pizzas, which were unique and good. I heard it can be very busy at times, but it's worth the wait.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by nvbuchholz on May 11, 2004

Kona Brewing Company
75-5629 Kuakini Highway Kona, Hawaii 96740
(808) 334-2739

Hapuna BeachBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

This is one of the best beaches on the island. We went here two times during our weeklong trip. The sand and waves were great. During whale season, look in the distance. We saw a whale or two breaching in the distance.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by nvbuchholz on May 11, 2004

Hapuna Beach
Route 19 Hapuna Beach, Hawaii

Fair Winds SnorkelingBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Imagine swimming in a bay that contains multitudes of fish. It was a highlight of the week. Our youngest daughter was very hesitant to swim in the deep water, even with a float belt, until she tried on the mask and flippers, and then she was tooling all over the bay. She is looking forward to our next trip, so she can return to the water.

The price quoted above is for the morning trip, which included a continental breakfast of coffee, rolls, and fruit. It also included lunch of hot dogs, burgers, chips, salads, and fruit. Very nice.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by nvbuchholz on May 11, 2004

Fair Winds Snorkeling
Alii Drive Kona, Hawaii

About the Writer

nvbuchholz
nvbuchholz
Las Vegas, Nevada

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