Get out of your car and enjoy the Big Island
There’s a lot in Kona that’s within walking distance if you slow down and look
Special to The Okanagan Weekend
There is so much to see and do in Hawaii that it’s tempting to spend your whole vacation in the car, battling traffic congestion and only seeing the sights from a distance.
That’s what we did on our first trip to the Big Island.
The advantage of returning to familiar territory is discovering how much pleasure there is in kicking back on the shore watching the waves crashing on the lava and walking the short distances to great, affordable restaurants.
Hawaii has one of the highest rental car rates in the U.S. — easily $100 a day — plus the has- sle and cost of parking.
In Kailua-Kona (called Kona by just about everyone) it’s easy to get the waterfront experience while still having access to the joys of Island dining and night life.
We chose the Royal Kona Resort, having spent 10 days there last year.
It’s more of a hotel than a resort but has beautiful grounds overlooking a lava-rock shore with great views and sounds of crashing waves.
At US$155 for a back side room ($185 for a partial ocean view – so about $200-$235 Canadian), it’s reasonably priced and has some great features.
Each of its towers have open air gardens with streams, ponds, koi, turtles and exotic plants. All rooms have balconies and even the back side has pleasing views of the mountains.
The best feature is its small shallow lagoon with sandy beach, stairs for a comfortable entry into the water and lots of tropical fish easily seen just with swimming goggles. Very safe for children even with the pounding waves sending spray over the rocks forming the lagoon.
Also on site is an area of sand and lawn overlooking the rocks. It offers plenty of shade and is never crowded.
There’s an onsite Luau where you can enjoy the smell of roasting pig and the sounds of Hawaiian music even if you don’t pay to participate. There’s also Don the Beachcomber waterfront restaurant and Mai Thai bar and pool.
Since most rooms are hotel rooms with only a mini-fridge, you have to go out for your meals. Fortunately, there are many options close by.
Almost adjoined to the north tower is Huggo’s for breakfast. It’s right on the water with waves breaking at your feet. Expect a 15-20 minute wait in the bar to get your table, but it’s worth the wait.
Next door is Huggo’s On The Rocks which opens at 11 a.m. As it’s name states, it’s on the same lava rocks as the breakfast Huggo’s and the resort. It features a sand floor and local entertainment. Reservations are recommended.
Just across Ali’i Drive is Bongo Ben’s with great affordable breakfasts (served until 2 p.m. for those of us who love breakfast as our main meal of the day). Regularly voted best breakfast in Kona, you’re across the road from the ocean but we spotted dolphins playing in the water while we ate.
The Coconut Grove Marketplace, beside and above Bongo Ben’s, has a half-dozen more restaurants and pubs along with funky shops so there’s no need for a long walk to get a great variety of dining experiences.
If you do want to go further afield, head north on Ali’i to Bubba Gump Shrimp Company or the higher end Kona Inn restaurant. Near the far end is Quinn’s Almost By The Sea, reputed to have the best fish and chips anywhere.
From the cruise ship shaped Royal Kona Resort Ali’i Drive runs about 1.5 km beside Kailua Bay to the sandy beach where the Ironman World Championship starts each October (a good time to avoid vacationing in Kona as the event attracts about 2,500 participants and takes over Ali’i and the Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway all the way to Hawi).
For lesser athletes, you only have to walk a few metres into the water at that beach to start seeing coral and fish. While it’s popular for swimmers, snorkelers, kayakers and paddleboarders, it’s protected from power boats and never seems crowded. There are lots of snorkeling rental options along the way, including a Snorkel Bob’s next to the hotel.
There’s plenty to see and do along Ali’i. About half of the west side of the road is open to the ocean so there are lots of opportunities to enjoy the crashing waves, spot spinner dolphins or watch the spectacular sunsets.
Then there’s Hulihe’e Palace museum on the waterfront and the nearby Mokuaikaua Church along with shops and restaurants.
The Big Island has serious traffic congestion problems at certain times of the day – like 2-6 p.m. It’s especially bad around the airport where it can take an hour to travel 20 kilometres. And the lineup to turn left towards Kawaihae at the Tintersection of Highways 19 and 270 can stretch for many kilometres.
If you do want to drive to Hawi for lunch at Bamboo or head off to see the volcano or explore beaches, there’s a Hertz car rental outlet (set up to serve cruise ship passengers) at the King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach (Marriott) Hotel at the north end of Ali’i – a 15-minute scenic oceanfront walk from the Royal Kona.
There are other accommodation options in between, but the Royal Kona provides the only oceanfront experience in downtown Kona.