Flying directly into the Island of Hawaii or taking an inter-island flight from Honolulu, staying in the Kailua-Kona area on the west side, renting a car, and using a couple sightseeing tours is the best way to get the most out of your trip to the Big Island!
Best Time To Visit The Island of Hawaii: The Island of Hawaii, with warm weather throughout the year, is a year-round destination! However, there are two peak seasons in the Island of Hawaii – (1) Summer, especially June through August, when the weather is perfect and dry, and schools are on break (2) Early Winter, particularly December, during the holidays when most of the country is covered in snow, you can still enjoy warm weather, beach, and watersports in the Big Island of Hawaii. The shoulder seasons, January through May and September through November, have a wet climate but are the best time to beat the crowds at the Island of Hawaii.
Time Required At The Island of Hawaii: With several things to see and do, I recommend spending a minimum of three days on the Island of Hawaii, which should give you enough time to cover all significant attractions of the Island of Hawaii, including Volcanoes National Park, Hamakua Coast, on the eastern side, and gorgeous sandy beaches, historical & cultural sites, and the southernmost point of the US on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii. If you have more time, you could spend a couple of weeks on the Island of Hawaii and still not run out of places to see and things to do on the Big Island.
Getting To The Island of Hawaii: While you could directly fly into one of the two major airports on the Island of Hawaii – Kona International Airport (KOA), located on the west side of the Big Island, and Hilo International Airport (ITO) on the east side of the Island of Hawaii, another popular way to get to the Island of Hawaii is by flying into Honolulu International Airport / Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and then taking a short inter-island flight to the Big Island. I also highly recommend Norwegian’s Seven Day Hawaii Roundtrip Cruise to all first-time visitors to Hawaii. This cruise departs from Honolulu, Oahu, travels to all major Hawaiian islands, including the Island of Hawaii, and then brings you back to Honolulu.
Rental Cars, Parking & Public Transportation On The Island of Hawaii: Most hotels and attractions on the Island of Hawaii offer onsite parking, and the Big Island also provides bus services on the island – Hele-On Bus, which’s a convenient and economical way to traverse the Big Island, but you would have to plan your day around the schedule of the bus services. I, however, highly recommend renting a car when visiting the Island of Hawaii, as the island is easy to navigate and has proper roads, and most importantly, you will be able to do things at your own pace.Â
Sightseeing Tours On The Island of Hawaii: While the Island of Hawaii is easy to navigate and is best explored by renting a car and then driving around the different regions of the island, there are a couple of guided sightseeing tours I recommend on the Island of Hawaii – (1) Kilauea Volcano tours offered by Adventure In Hawaii, an exceptional tour to see the most active volcano on the planet, conditions permitting, (2) Manta Ray Night Snorkel Trips, offered by Manta Adventures, is a lifetime experience of swimming along with the Manta rays or you could also stay dry and remain on the boat as an observer and still be able to enjoy the Manta show!
Lodging & Dining On The Island of Hawaii: While most resorts and luxury hotels are found on the west side of the Big Island in the Kailua-Kona area, there are several other locally owned bread & breakfasts and vacation rentals throughout the Island of Hawaii! The Big Island has several excellent dining options, including charming local eateries, fine dining restaurants, and seafood shacks, but you shouldn’t miss a few Hawaiian dishes and experiences, including Poke, Acai Bowls, furikake chicken, luau, and of course, authentic Kona Coffee, when visiting the Island of Hawaii. I have reviewed the lodging and dining options on the Island of Hawaii in detail in the later section of this post.
