Hawaii, USA

HAWAII: 13 Best Things to Do on the Big Island of Hawaii

The Big Island is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands, hence it’s name, and famously home to multiple active volcanoes. This includes Mauna Loa which is the largest active volcano in the world, and Kilauea which last erupted in May 2018. As you approach the Big Island in the plane, it is clear how vastly different it looks to the other islands. The landscape is made up of stretches of black lava rock. These contrast sharply with bright green areas of plants that have either started to grow back, or were narrowly missed by lava flow in recent years. Though the island is the biggest in the state, it seems hardly inhabited at all in relation to its size. The Big Island is fascinating and certainly shouldn’t be overlooked on a trip to Hawaii. Here I have put together my top tips for travelling to the Big Island. This includes how to get around, where to stay, and 13 incredible things not to miss on your Big Island itinerary!

How to Get Around:

Hire a Car – This is my main tip for all of the Hawaiian Islands. This is because having a car is the best way to discover the dramatic landscapes, as well as manage a busy itinerary. On the Big Island a car is necessary to access the majority of the best sights such as the Volcanoes National Park.

For car hire I recommend downloading the app ‘Turo’. Turo allows you to hire cars from locals in the places you’re travelling to. This option was more flexible and a lot cheaper than traditional rental cars, particularly because we were all under 25. You still have to pay the young driver surcharge, but it is much lower than with big car rental companies.

Where to Stay:

Due to the size of the Big Island I recommend splitting your stay in two different accommodations. By having a base close to the things you’re going to be doing, you’ll be able to really make the most of your time there. This will also mean you’ll avoid wasting hours of your day driving to the opposite side of the island. In terms of locations, I recommend staying around Kona on the west side of the island, and Hilo on the east side.

We stayed on the west side of the island for three nights in a guest house near Kailua-Kona. From here we explored the beaches of the island’s west coast, as well as Pu’uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park and the town of Kona. We also drove to Papakōlea Green Sand Beach in the south and Waipio Valley in the north whilst staying on the west of the island. We then stayed in a yurt outside Hilo on the east side of the island for three nights. From this side of the island we explored Hilo and the surrounding waterfalls and beaches on the east coast. We also drove to Punalu’u Black Sand Beach and spent a day exploring the Volcanoes National Park whilst staying here.

Things to Do:

1. Manini’owali Beach (Kua Bay)

Manini’owali Beach is a beautiful white sand beach surrounded by black lava rocks on the Big Island’s West coast. The beach is located around a 25 minute drive away from Kona. It is a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon relaxing, sunbathing and cooling off in the sea. The water here was unbelievably clear and beautiful, perhaps the clearest we saw on the whole trip! However, be careful as the waves can be big and currents strong at this beach.

2. Look Out Across Waipi’o Valley

Waipi’o Valley is a beautiful mile-wide valley located on the North coast of the Big Island. It’s also known as the ‘Valley of the Kings’ as it was the former residence of Hawaiian royalty. The valley is an important Hawaiian historical and cultural site. There is a hike down to the floor of the valley and to the black sand beach. It is a moderate difficulty hike which also features a waterfall. Alternatively, you can enjoy views of the valley from the lookout point at the top. The Waipi’o Valley is a stunning area and a really great thing to do on the Big Island.

3. Magic Sands Beach Park

Magic Sands Beach Park is another beautiful white sand beach located on the island’s West coast. This is a popular beach for swimming and surfing, which is overseen by lifeguards. Another great thing to do on the Big Island is to chill out and sunbathe here for an afternoon. The water at Magic Sands beach was beautiful and clear when we visited. However, the waves were enormous, so be cautious about swimming.

4. Punalu’u Black Sand Beach

Punalu’u Beach is a stunning black sand beach lined with palm trees on the island’s south coast. This is one of the most popular black sand beaches in Hawaii and a sight you simply cannot miss whilst on the Big Island! It is also common to spot Hawaiian green sea turtles on this beach or swimming near the shore.

5. Take a Coffee Tasting Tour

Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation is a private reserve located near Kona on the west of the island. On a tour of the plantation you’ll learn about the process of growing the beans, as well as how they are sorted and roasted. You’re also free to taste as many of their delicious coffee samples as you wish! The plantation offer a range of different tours such as coffee tasting, a tour on a 4×4 and a lava tube and nature walk. The people at Mountain Thunder were lovely to us, and their shop had a great selection of products. This included coffee chocolate spread and even a range of coffee hot sauces! A tour of a coffee plantation is a fun experience to add to your itinerary during your stay on the Big Island.

6. Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park

Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park is a gorgeous protected space on the west coast of the island. The park has historical and cultural importance as it is the former royal grounds. It was a sanctuary and place of refuge, and those who had broken the law would flee here for safety. You can take a self-guided tour around the park and immerse yourself in learning about early Hawaiian culture. This park is an important cultural site and a fascinating thing to do on the Big Island.

7. Hike to a Rare Green Sand Beach

Papakolea Beach is an unusual green sand beach on the south coast of the island. This is one of very few green sand beaches in the world so is certainly a sight not to miss whilst on the Big Island! Interestingly, the green in the sand is caused by a mineral that was in the lava.

The beach is only accessible by a relatively easy hike. In total, it is around a 4 mile round trip. The hike is mostly flat, except for right at the start when you walk downhill towards the sea (and obviously walk back up this hill at the end). The terrain of this hike is a very uneven dirt road so I recommend wearing proper walking shoes. There are no services available along the trail, nor at the beach, so come prepared with plenty of water and take your rubbish away with you. The best time of day for this hike is early, before the sun is at its strongest, as there is no shelter along the trail.

There are usually locals offering lifts to and from the beach in the back of their 4×4’s. This is a much more expensive option, and when researching we could not determine whether or not it is legal to access the beach in this way. This method of transport also seems pretty destructive to the landscape. If you hike to the beach, you will notice there are not just one, but countless different dirt roads zig-zagging across one another along the way. I recommend hiking to the beach along the beautiful coast for free instead!

Don't miss the fascinating Papakolea Green Sand Beach.

8. Explore the Town of Hilo

Hilo is a town located on the east coast of the Big Island, and feels almost like a big city in comparison to the rest of the island! There are a lot of shops in Hilo to explore, as well as a great choice of places to eat. Spend a few hours wandering around Hilo before heading off to one of the nearby waterfalls or beaches!

9. Admire ‘Akaka Falls

‘Akaka Falls is one of several waterfalls in this stunning state park which is located around a 25 minute drive north from Hilo. The park has a 0.4 mile trail around it, and feels like you’re in the middle of a rainforest with all of the tropical plants. ‘Akaka Falls is an incredible 442ft waterfall and another of the Big Island’s attractions not to miss! The park is open from 8:30am-6:00pm every day, and entrance costs $1 per person or $5 per car.

'Akaka Falls State Park has a beautiful 442 foot waterfall not to miss during your trip to the Big Island.

10. Spot a Rainbow at Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is conveniently located within Hilo, just a short 6 minute drive from the waterfront in Hilo Bay. The falls gets its name from the rainbows that can be seen reflecting off it in the early morning. Rainbow Falls is really accessible to view, and there are two viewing platforms. The first is virtually right next to the car park and the second can be reached with just a short climb. There is no entrance fee to access the falls, and there are restrooms available in the car park. Even if you can’t make it in the morning to see the rainbows, the 80ft Rainbow Falls is still an impressive things to do on the Big Island.

11. Swim at Carlsmith Beach Park

Carlsmith Beach Park is a beautiful park and picnic spot located on the outer edge of Hilo Bay. It is less than a 10 minute drive from the main car park in Hilo to this wonderful beach park. The area is made up of various lagoons which are great for swimming, snorkelling and even spotting turtles in. The colour of the water here is stunning and the water is much calmer than at other beaches on the island. Visiting Carlsmith Beach Park was one of my personal favourite things to do on the Big Island!

12. Day Trip to Volcanoes National Park

The Volcanoes National Park is perhaps the most famous thing to do on the Big Island, and is an incredible sight to behold. This enormous park holds both Kilauea and Mauna Loa – two of the most active volcanoes in the world. Since the most recent eruption of Kilauea in 2018, there are currently no active lava flows anywhere on the island. Despite this, the park is still a fascinating place to visit with countless things to see and do. This includes hikes, scenic drives, craters, sulphur banks and lava tubes – just to name a few! Entrance to the park costs $30 in a regular car, and this ticket remains valid for 7 days.

Once you’ve entered the park, stop off at the visitor centre to collect your maps. Here you will also be able to speak to park rangers who give the latest updates on what’s open and closed in the park. The rangers were very helpful when we visited, giving us recommendations on what to do based on how much time we had. We spent one day in the park which gave us time to drive through a great deal of it and make many stops along the way. However, you could easily spend much more than one day in the park if you want to take advantage of the many hikes on offer!

The main sights we visited during our day in the Volcanoes National Park were:

  • Steam Vents, Steaming Bluff and walked along part of the trail on the edge of the crater
  • Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks)
  • Scenic drive along Chain of Craters Road, stopping at all the viewpoints along the way

You can check the park alerts and current conditions, including closure of any attractions, on their official website here.

The Volcanoes National Park is one of the most popular sights on the island and one definitely not to miss!

13. Watch the Sunset

My final recommendation of things to do on the Big Island is to watch a sunset! Relaxing on a beach to watch the sunset is the perfect way to end a busy day of exploring. There are numerous great beaches to watch the sunset from along the Big Island’s west coast.

I hope this list of the 13 best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii helps with planning your own adventure! If you’re interested, I also have other blog posts about Hawaii:

Thanks for reading!

Abbey x