At this point, you might think all I did at The Banana Bungalow was hike up enough muscle soreness to justify an entire evening spent in the jacuzzi. But far from it — a vast majority of every Bungalow week is spent beach bumming. Monday is hiking in the ‘Iao Valley, Tuesday is surviving the twisting […]

 

When I saw that my time at the Banana Bungalow would include a Saturday, the day of their famous Haleakala hiking trip, I briefly considered changing my dates. Yes, it’s true, I’ve become somewhat of a hiker lately, but this was another beast entirely. And while obviously the free tours aren’t mandatory, there’s no way I […]

 

If I ever return to The Big Island (which I truly hope to!), I’ll do things a little differently. I’ll rent a campervan and take a week to circumnavigate the island slowly and leisurely, rather than hopping around like a madwoman and logging millions of hours in the car. To be honest, I was a little […]

 

I’ve said it before — and this is pretty groundbreaking stuff guys — but The Big Island is big. So big, in fact, that Heather and I often felt our butts go numb from hours logged in the car. While we were staying somewhere between Volcano and Hilo, we quite literally drove all the way around […]

 

I had seen The Big Island from deep below sea level, I had seen it from the ground, I had seen it from the mountain-top. But I wanted to get higher. When Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours invited me on their Circle of Fire Tour, I didn’t need much convincing to say yes. But it certainly didn’t […]

 

To visit Volcano National Park is to make a pilgrimage to the ongoing birthplace of Hawaii. The island chain is constantly evolving, in part thanks to the two active volcanoes held within the park. The gently sloping Mauna Lao makes up over half of The Big Island’s landmass, while Kilauea draws visitors from far and wide […]

 

Read Part I of my Big Island diving experience here. So far, our night was brimming with good fortune. Our boat’s wake became a playground for passing dolphins, and our first dive was filled with colorful coral and mysterious critters. We had even spotted a manta ray in the distance as we began to ascend — […]

 

Heather and I went to The Big Island for one reason. Sure, the chance to see lava erupting from an active volcano was pretty nice. And the fact that we had a free place to stay, courtesy of a long time family friend didn’t hurt either. Black sand beaches, laid back towns and 11 of the […]

 

When I pictured Hawaii in the past, it was all palm-fringed beaches, smoldering volcanoes and scenic mountains. In my mind could see the big city of Honolulu, and I could imagine resort towns like Lahaina and Waikiki. What I didn’t know to expect were little hidden gems like Puna, funky tucked away regions where eccentric people […]

 

You know when someone asks you if you want the good news first or the bad? I always want the bad first. I guess that’s why I’m starting with my biggest disappointment from my trip to The Big Island — watching, or shall I say attempting to watch, the sunset from Mauna Kea. By Heather Holt […]