Our honeymoon was split into roughly 3 sections - Big Island, Maui and New York, the hope being that a few days in New York would dent the jet lag enough that we wouldn't be zombies by the time we got back to autumnal blighty.
We flew American Airlines to get to Hawaii, and the service was adequate, but you should note that now they don't feed you on any internal American flights so you might want to pick something up in the airport to eat.
Accomodation and Logistics
We stayed at the Sheraton Keahou Bay, about 15 miles from the airport. The hotel was very clean, very well maintained and were offering great upgrade deals as it was their first year opening so we had a partial ocean view (this meant that you were set back about 200 yards from the ocean, viewing it accross the lawns of an adjacent resort, but I was more than happy with that). When you check in, they offer you something called an 'Amenity Card' for $28 a day, which entitles you to breakfast (and lots of kiddie club type things), if you are going to eat breakfast in the hotel most days, it's worthwhile as the breakfast is $19 per person.
You have to hire a car to get anywhere on Big Island, there is no public transport, hotel shuttles are very rare and taxi firms are so small that they don't have dispatchers, you ring the driver direct on his mobile and he'll see if he can come collect you in a resonable time frame.
Snorkelling
I didn't think I'd like snorkelling, as I'm not the strongest swimmer and I panic easily. But, nothing ventured nothing gained, on our first day we went to the local WAL*MART and bought mask and snorkel sets (there are plenty of rental places around if you don't want to buy and they can rent you masks with lenses for short sightedness) $25 dollars poorer we went to Kealakekua Bay and I had my first ever snorkelling session. It was great. There were loads of pretty fishes ranging from bright yellows to iridescent blues. I did have a bit a scare though, as my mask lost seal and I ended up in my panic drifting towards the rocks.
The best snorkelling spot we went to was Kahuluu Beach. This is a sheltered cove where you can walk into the sea and see fish galore (even when crowded this place was full of almost tame fish - I can only dream what it must be like if you go there early morning). Green turtles (Honu) are around there to eat their lunch and bask on the rocks, though awkward on land when basking, they are beautiful as they swim around.
Horse Riding
My birthday treat! We booked with a company called Paniolo Adventures. The horses were fit and well cared for, they loaned you safety hats, boots and sunscreen and the rolling landscape of the ranch was fabulous. You got to canter the horses and were actively encouraged to ride the horses off the marked trails.
Other Cool Stuff
No visit to Hawaii is complete without visiting Volcanoes National Park. The Park is a good 2 hours drive from the Kona district, so be prepared for a late night drive home if you decide to drive down the chain of craters road to look at the lava at sunset. The lava gently glows at nighttime but remember to bring a torch (for the walk back) and something to sit on (blanket/towel) as the solidified lava is of the scratchy a-a type which cuts and tears your clothes.
Mauna Kea! Though you can't drive to the summit without a 4 WD, you can get as far as the Onizuka Centre for International Astronomy. From there you have fantastic views of the sunset from above the cloud level and once the sky darkens they hold star viewing programs. You will be stunned by the amount of stars you can see, making familiar constellations difficult to discern as there are so many other points of light. When we visited, the moon wasn't visible and you could clearly see the planets of Venus and Jupiter. The visitor centre sells hot chocolate and cup noodles to keep you warm as the temperature drops (bring a fleece or a coat). There are a lot of tours that offer you a visit to the summit and stargazing programs, but really, just pack a picnic and drive up to the visitor centre yourself, you won't be disappointed.
Food
After a week in Hawaii I was getting ready to scream if I had to eat in another 'Bar and Grill'. However, for location alone, Huggos is fantastic. Pricey, but the restaurant is set on stilts facing over the ocean and has wonderful views of the coastline.
Things I would do differently
Stay 1 night near Volcano National Park. The drive back was very dodgy as Mark was very tired and it had been a long day. If we'd stayed on there we would have spread the day out better and done at least one of the longer crater hikes. The payment to get into the National Park is valid for a week, so it's only the cost of a room.
2 comments:
What a great time you must have both had.
I like the red shoes the horse is wearing
I'm not sure what they red things were about, they looked like Kids From Fame style legwarmers in real life!
I've seen those bandages on horses that are going jumping, as they can bruise their shins catching them on the posts.
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