What is the best of the Big Island Hawaii?

Must-do Big Island Activities
  • The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which offers stunning and ever changing landscapes.
  • Visiting the Mauna Kea summit with its world-class telescopes for stargazing and out-of-this-world sunsets.
  • The manta ray night dive/snorkel.
  • Seeing red-hot lava (only when the volcano is active).




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Located on the sunny West Coast, Mauna Kea Beach (also known as Kauna'oa Beach) received a top ranking on the Top US Beaches, a spot well deserved. The soft white sand beach is one of the loveliest you'll ever see, it's relatively uncrowded, and on a clear day, you can spot the impressive Mauna Kea volcano.

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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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All Big Island Beaches
  • Makalawena Beach - #1 Best Beach on the Big Island.
  • Two-Step Snorkeling.
  • Kealakekua Bay.
  • Manini'owali Beach at Kua Bay - #3 Best Beach on the Big Island.
  • Ai'opio Beach.
  • Kona Coast Kekaha Kai State Park - #6 Best Beach on the Big Island.
  • Kiholo Bay Scenic Overlook.
  • Alula Beach.


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Big Island offers the widest variety of experiences for authentic Hawaiian experiences. Maui is perfect for you if you're looking for an island with a more miniature landscape but plenty of outdoor activities.

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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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While you can get a taste of the Big Island in 3 days, spending at least 5-7 days, and ideally more, exploring its diverse attractions is recommended. This allows time for visiting popular sites like Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Kea Summit, and the beautiful beaches.

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Kauai is the winner It has a variety of views and terrain to see. Rocky coastlines, beautiful beaches, lush jungles, and mountains and valleys. There is so much to see and do. Kauai tends to not be as popular as islands like Maui and Oahu so you can fully enjoy what the island offers.

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For experienced swimmers, Kailua Pier is the best spot for ocean swimming in Kona, and is a good place to potentially join others to swim with, commonly known as the “Pier Group”. ~ 8:00 AM tends to be a popular time with the most swimmers at the Pier.

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O'ahu might have the most extreme demonstration of variety with Waikiki on one end and Waianae on the other, but overall, the Big Island is where you'll find the largest variety of terrain, towns, and experiences.

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We suggest splitting your stay between Kailua-Kona on the west side and Hilo (or Volcano) on the east side during your trip. This will ease a lot of extra driving and allow you to experience both sides of the island.

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We have among the highest income taxes and tourism taxes. Now, Hawaii also has a tax called the general excise tax, which is kind of like a sales tax, except it's on all goods and services at every step in the production process. So even though it looks small, it's actually really big by the time it hits the consumer.

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You should plan to spend around $250 per day on your vacation in Big Island of Hawaii, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, $106 on meals for one day and $38 on local transportation.

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The Big Island is definitely worth visiting! It has the most natural diversity of all the Hawaiian Islands, meaning that when you tour it, you'll never be bored with what's outside your car window. All this diversity gives you more than just pretty views!

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

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The Big Island is still growing and is home to the world's most active volcano, Kilauea. There have been 61 historical eruptions, and since January 1983 eruptive activity has been continuous along the east rift zone. Mauna Loa is also among Earth's most active volcanoes, having erupted 33 times since 1843.

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