Is it better to stay in Hilo or Kona?

Kona offers better weather, the best beaches and snorkeling, newer resorts, more vacation rentals, and more nightlife compared to Hilo Town. Hilo is worth a visit but may not be worth staying for more than a night. Erica and I make Kailua-Kona our launching pad during our Big Island vacations.



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Hilo or Kona: Number of Days on the Big Island If you are staying for a week on the Big Island and don't mind hotel hopping, I recommend staying 6 nights in Kailua-Kona and 1 night (2-days) in the Hilo or Volcanoes National Park area.

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Overall, you'll find more of a traditional Hawaiian feel on the Kona side. You'll also discover that it can be wetter and cooler than Kona, where it can be hot and sunny nearly every day. However, many people love the lush landscape of Hilo, with its Jurassic-Park-sized waterfalls and botanical gardens.

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Lower Tourist Population = Lower Prices This means greater room availability and lower prices for accommodations in and around Hilo, making a Hawaii vacation within easier reach for those traveling on a budget.

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Hilo weather is rarely dry for days at a time. The driest month is June, with just over 7 inches of rainfall on average. The wettest month is November with an average rainfall of nearly 16 inches.

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Hilo is more pedestrian-friendly, with more of a proper downtown area, whereas Kona isn't very walkable. Recommended Hilo Tours: What is this?

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Hilo is the wettest city in America. The opposite of Kona, rain is more common in the morning than the afternoon. A clear and sunny Hilo morning is a rare treat. Puna is similar to Hilo and is very wet.

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Good guests are always welcome. The occasional bad guest isn't, but Hilo doesn't get a lot of those. FWIW, locals in Kona resent mainlanders too, but there are so many mainlanders that they have a sort of quorum, whereas in Hilo one is a minority.

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Kona is a walkable seaside village, so allocate the early hours to exploring every inch of the town on foot.

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Regardless, it is still almost twice as big as all other Hawaiian Islands combined. If you want to be in control of your own transport there is only one viable option to navigate around the Big Island: renting a car. Getting around without a rental car: With public transport (the bus)

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If you've got a week on the Big Island, try 3 days in Kona, 2 in Hilo, and 2 in Volcanoes National Park. Or consider swapping out a day in Hilo for one on the less-populated northern side of the island, perhaps in Waimea or Laupahoehoe.

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Hilo is a very supportive town and a fun community to be a part of. a city but not a city. hilo has such a homey feel for the so called big city of the bis island. its such a green place because of all of the rain but its beautiful and the community is filled with amazing people.

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If you only have 4-5 days, perhaps spent 1 day in Hilo and the rest of your time in Kona and Volcanoes National Park. Kona and Hilo are both worth visiting – just adjust your schedule based on whether you prefer beaches and upscale shops or rainforests and history. You can't go wrong with either destination!

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Hilo Beaches Enjoy swimming and snorkeling in the calm waters at Carlsmith Beach.

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Hilo weather is rarely dry for days at a time. The driest month is June, with just over 7 inches of rainfall on average. The wettest month is November with an average rainfall of nearly 16 inches.

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It can be very hot and humid in summer. Rain, you know, it just depends. This summer has been rainy on the whole island because of the very active hurricane season. But sometimes in summer, Hilo weather is sunny for days or weeks.

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