Week Two in Hawaii: The Big Island's "OTHER" Side

The road between Kailua-Kona and the Puna Region of The Big Island of Hawaii has a lot of opportunities to see and experience much of what this unique Hawaiian island has to offer visitors. It is what keeps us coming back, time and again!

As you head out south on Hwy 11 you will be elevated high above the beautiful ocean views. If the fog is heavy from Volcanoes Nat'l Park approximately 95 miles away, the water and shoreline will look shrouded in fog and not so wonderful. We've seen it pristine and perfect, and on this trip, not so much due to the elevated activity of Pele'. Still, it is worth the trip and should not be avoided just because of a little cloudiness.

Traveling through Kona's world renowned coffee region, you will see several local farms, some that offer tours and sampling. Our personal favorite is Greenwell Farms, due to the quality of their coffee and the free tours provided to those interested in coffee production. A purchase approaching $200 is not unusual for us. With 100% pure Kona coffee at approximately $25/lb. this is a great value for a wonderful, high quality product.

From Kona, traveling on to the south the next major point of interest is South Point, which is the furthest southern point in all of the United States. The 12 mile drive from Hwy 11 is worth the hour investment to see the high cliffs. In the past, I have been here when there have been fisherman and cliff divers enjoying this secluded area. It is from here, that you can also make the additional trek to the "green sand beach". Be prepared to hike approximately 2 1/2 miles to get there. Of course it won't be the walk DOWN that will get you! You may be able to rent a 4WD vehicle from a company that will permit you do make the drive on this unpaved road, but check out their policies before you make the trip.

Next along the way is one of our favorite stops when driving in either direction, a bakery with bragging rights as the most southern bakery in the USA - Punalu'u Bakery. Nice clean restrooms, sandwiches and soft drinks along with their famous Hawaiian sweet breads make this a must do stop!

Not far from here (less than 15 minutes) is the black sand beach of Punalu'u. This is one of your best chances to see sea turtles. I have made this stop four or five times over the course of the past ten years and have only been disappointed by a no-show of turtles once (sorry Cathy). On this trip, there were several resting on the beach, ignoring the tourists. NOTE: This is a standard stop on all of the Circle Island Tours and at times can be very crowded. I suggest making this stop early in the morning or late in the afternoon in hopes of avoiding that aggravation.

After leaving the beach and continuing on towards Hilo, the next real sight will be Volcanoes National Park. Before you get there, however, you will have the opportunity to make note of the various lava flows that have occurred over the course of the last century. Each flow is unique and can generally be distinguished from others. If you pick up a good travel book on this island you will be able to follow along your journey with flow maps that include the dates of the eruptions that resulted in the flows you are traveling over.

Depending on the activities at the Kilauea Volcano which is the centerpiece of the park, you may or may not be able to do much inside the park. During our visit, much of the park was closed due to the dangerously high sulfur levels. We made a stop at the National Park's visitors’ center and enjoyed a short 20 minute video. Unless you have an annual pass for the US Parks system, you may or may not feel like spending the money for such a short visit inside the park. For us, it was another nice stop along the way . . . and good for a restroom break.

The Puna Region is just about five to ten miles from Hilo and on this trip was our final destination. If you read "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" don't take too seriously the authors' sense of humor and warning about the fugitives and outlaws who live in this area. While this is one of the remotest areas of this island, its beauty should not be missed. The current volcanic activity creates some especially wonderful opportunities to explore such natural phenomenon as lava tidal pools and naturally heated ponds. It was also here that we picked up our obligatory fallen coconut, which was especially fresh and sloshy. We got over 8 ounces of fresh coconut milk out if it, along with a good amount of "meat" which tasted wonderful chilled.

I have been told you can make this trek from Kailua-Kona to Puna in about two hours . . . buy why would you want to? We took a leisurely trip of nearly five hours to make our way from our timeshare resort to the B&B that would be home for the evening.

Enjoy your ride through paradise!!

With the location of the current lava flow, there are essentially two ways to really get a great view of it . . . by air (helicopter or plane) or by boat. Having done the air trip in 2007, we opted for the boat tour provided by Lava Ocean Adventures. We chose them after a lot of research, especially as some suggest that boat tours are operated outside the limits of safety. To address that issue right up front, volcanic activity is an act of nature and Madam Pele'. It is unpredictable and by its very nature carries some risk. With that said, Capt. Shane Turpin and his crew take safety as their first and primary responsibility. At no time during our two hour adventure did we feel our safety was threatened.

The LavaKai is a custom made vessel specifically for lava viewing tours. The boat is substantial in size (34'), coast guard inspected and accommodates up to 24 passengers. The seating is set up of optimal viewing from all sides and angles. There are life preservers on board, although the crew said their only use to date has been as seat cushions.

We took the sunrise tour, which meant meeting our group at 4:15am to convoy down to the launch location at Isaac Kepookalani Hale Park for a 5:00am departure. Due to this early time, and the fact that this is more than two hours from Kona, we stayed locally at the Hale Makamae B&B. Suggested by the staff at Lava Ocean Adventures, we were very happy with this decision. (See separate review on our stay with Petra & John at Hale Makamae B&B.)

With biological needs addressed (potty in the modern facilities), we were ready to board the LavaKai. Having never boarded a boat via step ladder, it was an interesting experience. Since this boat launch is just that, a launch and not a marina with docks, they have to load all passengers while the boat is still on the boat trailer. Once everyone is aboard and seated, we were backed down into the water for an on-time departure. WOOHOO . . . we were off.

The launch from the shore and subsequent return required significant throttle due to the incoming waves. This area of The Big Island is a very active surf shore, with potential for high seas which requires major engine power to get out from the shore. As they advised, the first couple of minutes were the most thrilling in terms of the sea.

Once out from the shore, the ride out to the current lava activity was about a 35 minute trip. At about the 15 minute point in our journey, we could see the surface (land) lava flows. It was a remarkable sight, especially predawn in the total darkness of night.

As we made our approach, the steam and ash could be seen . . . with the red glow growing increasingly visible. It was very exciting, heart racing exciting! Arriving at the actual entry point at around 5:40am, it was still dark with sunrise coming in about 20-30 minutes. You could feel the heat from the lava, but that wasn't the most significant sense to be tested here. Sure the sights were spectacular, but it was the sounds that were most surprising to me. The crackling of the lava entering the ocean; the loud pops of the eruptions created by the cold water waves entering the tubes bringing the lava out; and the rumblings UNDER the boat created by the air pockets beneath the water's surface were all amazing experiences.

During our time at the flow (roughly an hour), we were treated to several small bench collapses, a lot of aerial displays and tons and tons (literally) of molten lava pouring into the Pacific Ocean building new land on this youngest of the Hawaiian Islands.

Capt. Turpin steered the boat in a figure eight pattern to allow all passengers multiple views of the flows. He also took good care to keep us at a safe distance in hopes of protecting us from splatter and spew. While there was a significant amount of steam and ash created at the ocean's entry point, there was no stench of sulfur that you hear about. Here at this point, there is no such gaseous presence which was nice since I am asthmatic and did ask about this before booking our tour.

During our return from the flow area, we were provided with a coastline historical commentary by crew member Tam. It was very interesting to learn about prior volcanic activity in this area, as well as how the locals live in this remote Puna Region.

A word about the photography . . . the sunrise tour reached the lava flow before sunrise, so it was still pitch black. Pretty awesome to see, near impossible to get decent (sharp) photos due to darkness and boat movement (rocking). During that time, David was able to capture all of the action by video - - Canon SD600 and Flip Video.

Once sun was up a little, I was able to get some decent shots. While most are still not tack sharp, I was happy. I was shooting with my Olympus DSLR using my 14-54, f/2.8-3.5 lens (the one I bought for use at night with the aurora borealis). I had the ISO set at 400 to avoid noise and/or graininess, WB=5800 and auto focus was engaged. I also used the camera's preset function at "sports" in hopes that it would help a little too (based on advice from someone who was there last month). Tripods are not possible due to the safety on the boat.

In preparing for your trip, be sure to have warm clothing as dressing in layers will help to keep you dry. If you sit along the outer side of the boat, you must expect to get wet. I was drenched on that side of my body from head to toe, mostly from the trip back to the launch site. NOTE: The side of the boat that is along the coastline will get the wettest in each direction.

Because of the steam at the lava flow site and water in general, be sure to have your cameras in waterproof cases or garbage bags. I also took along a couple of hand towels to drape over my DSLR camera and David used our Canon SD600 in its underwater housing.

They offer tours throughout the day, but my guess is that the sunrise and sunset tours are probably the best for the visual experience. All tours are priced at $180pp for adults and $125 for kids. More information may be found on their informative web site: www.lavaocean.com.

About booking, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Keith who is the person you will most likely deal with by phone in planning and scheduling your adventure. He is also the person who does the first orientation before boarding the boat at the launch site. "WHAT A NICE MAN!" He was helpful, concerned and fun. You could tell that he enjoys and respects the lava and wants to make sure all guests have a fantastic time. He was clearly one of our highlights in terms of people we got to meet during our time on The Big Island.

We are very happy we chose to add this to our itinerary while here, as it was one of our highlight experiences of all of our trips to Hawaii.

P.S. I've posted two short videos over on Trip Advisor:

lava flow into the ocean before sunrise: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ProfileGallery-i21330963.html

lava flow shortly after daybreak: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ProfileGallery-i21322891.html

David and I stayed at Hale Makamae at the recommendation of our lava boat tour operator and were glad they suggested it. The other reviews we'd read were right on target. Petra and John were friendly and most welcoming. Their home is on a lush and beautiful property in the Puna Area, adding to the experience. The accommodations and breakfast were great.

In addition to a wonderful stay, Petra was also most accommodating to assist visitors with advice while in the area. We sought input on dinner for the night of our arrival, as well as direction to the tidal pool area. She was gracious and informative.

I loved the live orchids in our suite - they really added a nice touch to the room. (She had several plants in the breakfast area as well.) We had the one bedroom apartment suite which was located on the lower level. It was spacious and comfy enough that guests could feel at home for an extended stay of longer than a couple of nights.

The kitchen and bathroom were well supplied, actually above and beyond my experience at other B&B's. The refrigerator had many of the basic condiments one might need if bringing food in. An emergency supply of fem hygiene products in the bathroom was an especially nice touch for those surprises that happen while traveling.

While there was no television in our suite, we didn't really feel the need for entertainment. We had a long day of activity and needed to get up early (3:30am) so an early bedtime was on our agenda. There was a CD player with a lovely assortment of music, as well as a full bookcase of reading material for those who may want to read before bedtime.

The small village of Pahoa is about 10 minutes away and has all of the conveniences you may need including several restaurants. We had dinner at the Black Rock Cafe, which suited us fine for burgers. There are also a Mexican, Italian and Thai restaurants in town. Who would have figured Pahoa for such eclectic dining options? We also found the cheapest gas on the Island here at $3.31/gallon while it was $3.60 in Kona. There is also a 7-Eleven in town if you need to do some limited shopping for your day at the ocean.

Staying in this area of the Big Island, you'll be treated to a nightly serenade of tree frogs. It was a nice addition to our stay :) It really added to the ambience of staying in a tropical rain forest.

As for breakfast, they have a nice breezeway area set up with several tables. When we arrived for breakfast (served at 8:30a), I was impressed with the place settings and lovely dishes. The food was set up buffet style for guests to help themselves to an assortment of fresh fruits, banana pancakes and cereals. Yummy coffee and fruit juice rounded out the morning faire.

After breakfast we wanted to explore a bit of the area. Petra was kind enough to allow us to store our suitcase and camera equipment in the breezeway in order to avoid having our personal belongings in the car while out at the beach or snorkeling in the tidal pools. Their location was perfect as it was very convenient to not only our lava boat tour, but the other things in the area we wanted to do.

When I come back to the Big Island, I will not hesitate to stay with Hale Makamae again. In fact, I will look forward to seeing Petra & John again!!

We have always enjoyed snorkeling and when the water's calm, it is nice to snorkel right off the shoreline . . . assuming you can get to the water. The Big Island has a lot of coastal area with very rough entry due to the relatively recent lava flow activity there.

If you want to snorkel on your own time and schedule, we would suggest buying the books "Snorkel Hawaii" and "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed'. Both are outstanding resources and can probably be picked up at your local Half Priced book store. If you really want to only deal with one book while on vacation, the Revealed book has more general information and greater utility.

When had always heard about the Puna tidal pools but didn't really venture too far off the beaten path (i.e., into the neighborhoods) to find a nice swimming area. Some of the tidal pool areas are very shallow, too shallow for even the smallest adult. Since David and I displace quite a bit of water, we need to be sure to have some depth or else we will scratch ourselves up on lava rocks and coral.

At our B&B we asked Petra for directions to the Kapoho "beach". I use the quotes because there really is no beach in this area. It is a row of waterfront houses on a street that dead ends into a rather new parking lot, that immediately places you on the lava rocks. As you can see from the photos attached to this review, they are very jagged and unless you fall on them, you have no idea just how sharp they are too! I tore up my left hand pretty good just getting out of the water after our snorkel swim.

Here at the Kapoho pools, you will need to walk out about 10 or 15 yards out from the shore to get to a place to launch into the water. Prior planning will be your friend here, as you will want to walk out on the big lava rocks in protective reef shoes. If you snorkel like we do with the less expensive fins, you will need to have a place to take off and leave your reef shoes when you put on your flippers. Many people don't care much for that hassle so they have the fins that go over the reef shoes and strap around your ankle. In either event, do not attempt to walk on these rocks barefoot or in flimsy flip-flops.

Once you are geared up and ready to go, you will be pleased with the wonderful marine life here. With the area a designated conservation area, there is no fishing which allows for added development of the underwater world beneath you.

A young reef, there are some very interesting coral here including large scallop coral which I had only seen previously in photos. The fish were also very unique in this area - fish we'd never seen before in Hawaii. I especially like this rather large porpoise faced blue fish (photo attached). We also saw a couple of unicorn looking fish, with what appeared to be a horn type protrusion right out of their forehead.

With the shallow areas throughout, there were also some pockets of schools of small nursery fish. It was cool to see tangs and some of the other Hawaii favorites that were no larger than a dime or nickel.

If you do not own your own gear, you can rent the full set up (mark, snorkel and fins) for around $10/week from either Snorkel Bob's or Boss Frog. During our time in Hawaii, they both were offering rent one set; get a second for the same rental period for free. You can't beat that, although we prefer to own our own since sucking on plastic that was in someone else's mouth yesterday is squicky to me. I'm sure they use industrial strength disinfectant; I just don't want to provide an opportunity to suck the germs from a perfect (or not so perfect) stranger.

The local snorkel shops in Kauilu-Kona will also give you good tips and advice on places to go if you want to do a do-it-yourself type snorkel day. They are also more than happy to book you on a tour which will set you back around $100 for the morning and $75 for the afternoon. NOTE: It is more in the morning because the waters are typically calmer and clearer making them the more desirable trips out. Afternoons can have windy, choppy conditions that churn so much junk up your visibility will be hampered and your photos cloudy.

After a full day of driving and sightseeing between Kona and our B&B, we just wanted to go out to find a decent burger. The recommendations in "The Big Island Revealed" were somewhat luke warm on this place, but we figured how bad could it be? Known for their breakfasts, we were surprised at the depth of their menu for lunch and dinner.

Since we really just wanted a good burger, we went with what brought us here although I must admit I was tempted by their pork dishes. They also had several steaks (rib eyes and NY strips), chicken and sandwiches. I was also tempted by their meatball and cheese sub, but stuck with the burger option.

Service was very attentive as we were the only people in the place. A bit concerning at first, we were put at ease when our food arrived. The burgers were a bit on the thin side; not McDonald's thin, but not quarter pounder thickness either. It was plenty for me, but David did comment that he wished he had gone with the double burger. At $5.95 for the hamburger and add a buck for "with cheese" there was good value in what we got especially since they came standard with lettuce, tomato and onion along with a nice dill pickle strip. Accompanied with fries, our meal was complete.

Not planning to do dessert, our server talked us into splitting a banana's foster. It was just the right size to share since we really hadn't planned on indulging. They prepared their version with sliced bananas grilled in butter and cinnamon, flamed with rum and served over a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream

Dinner including tax and gratuity came to right at $25.

They have a side bar area with its own entrance. That seemed to be where the action was when we arrived at 7:00pm. There was a woman playing guitar and singing. She had a pleasant voice and provided a nice background sound to what would have otherwise been a very quiet dining experience.

This was a nice place at good value. If you are exploring the Puna Region of the Big Island and find yourself looking for something to eat, this might be a good find for you too. They are located on the main road into Pahoa. You will need to take the "business route" rather than the by-pass around Pahoa, which makes me laugh given this little village is quite old Hawaii and doesn't seem to need a by-pass around it. In fact during other trips through this area, we missed the opportunity to see this real old time Hawaiian village.

I wish I had more info to share like their hours of operation, but they don't have a web site and I don't recall seeing them posted on the front door.

Enjoy!!