Topic Wiki

List of TR's:
JewJitSew, Something Fishy, Cbs, MendyP, PBaruch, mechayamom, 3yummyboys, PBaruch, shulem92, Yehoshua, CGR

Kosher Food/ Restaurants:

Synagogue:

Things to Do:
Lava (find out in advance what the best way is to see the lava):
  • Helicopter
  • Hike/Bike
    • Surface flow - depending on the conditions, it might be possible to hike to surface flow.  Inquire with Kalapana Cultural Tours.
    • Ocean entry - At the present time, there are three ways to access the area where lava is flowing into the ocean: (i) walk the approximately 10 miles round trip over the county emergency access road from Kalapana (you can also walk over the road from the National Park side as well) - UPDATE - you are now restricted to .5 miles from the surface flow due to dumb tourists putting themselves in danger and almost getting killed. As a result, viewing ocean entry from land is not as enjoyable as it used to be; (ii) rent a bicycle from one of several companies and ride to the ocean entry; or (iii) pay for Kalapana Cultural Tours (www.kalapanaculturaltours.com) to drive you most of the way and then hike or bike the remaining approximately 1.8 miles each way. 
  • Boat

Caves/lava tubes
  • Thurston Lava Tube (parking now restricted to 30 minutes)
  • Kaumana
  • ranger-led to?
  • Cave 3
  • Kazamura Caves http://kazumuracave.com/

Mountains
  • CAUTION: after SCUBA diving, wait 24 hours before going up the mountains
  • Mauna Loa
    • Mauna Loa Observatory - if this interests you, contact MLO to arrange tour; they'll ask, "you know we don't do astronomy, right?"; will give you code to gate; one-lane, seriously winding and undulating road
    • ways to summit:
      • day hike from parking lot just before MLO gate
      • minimum 3-5 day hike from Mauna Loa Access Road
  • Mauna Kea
    • visitor center for telescopes in evening
    • to do at summit
      • view sunset
      • Keck Observatory
      • Lake Waiau
      • adz quarry

Waterfalls

Historical/museums

Beaches
  • Waipio
  • Kalapana/Kaimu - black sand; 10(?) minute walk over lava rock
  • Punalu'u - black sand; good place to see turtles (I once saw 4)
  • Papakolea/Mahana/Green sand beach - there is a local family that shuttles folks from the parking area to the beach for a nominal fee.  Private tours can also be arranged to the beach and surrounding area.
  • Hapuna - has been rated #1 in US, top 10 international

Snorkeling

Snuba (ages 8+)
  • from shore
    • Snuba Doo available (ages 4-7)
  • Fair Wind snorkel trip to Kealakekua Bay
    • no Snuba Doo
    • may allow <8 if child has done Snuba Doo

SCUBA

Swimming with dolphins

Coffee Farm Tours

NPS sites
  • If you plan on going to more than one NPS site in your time in Hawaii, it probably makes sense to get a Hawaii Tri-Parks Pass, which costs $30 per year for all three parks that collect fees (HAVO,HALE,PUHO), instead of up to $25 for a few days for one park.
  • Hawaii Volcanoes NP (HVNP) (ALL BUT KAHUKU UNIT IS CLOSED FOR NOW)
    • Jaggar Museum/Halemaumau overlook
    • Thurston lava tube (Definitely do the dark end if open, but has been closed for years.)
    • Chain of Craters Rd. to Holei sea arch
    • Kahuku (only weekendsEXPANDED HOURS FOR NOW)
    • Easy hikes:  Sulphur Banks, Devastation Trail, Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs
  • Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP
  • Kaloko Honokohau NHP
  • Pu'ukohola Heiau NHS (heiau means temple)

Botanic Gardens
  • Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden htbg.com

Miscellany
  • Lava Tree State Monument CLOSED
  • Ahalanui (covered by lava, July 2018)
  • Seahorse Farm (great place for kids)- http://seahorse.com/
  • Cape Kumukahi Lighthouse - you can see where the lava came right up to the fence surrounding the lighthouse
  • South Point
  • Atlantis submarine
  • Hilo farmers market, Wednesdays (and Saturdays)
  • Pololu
  • Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo
  • Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center - skippable; more expensive than Walmart; Rabbi Chazanow, previously of the BI has said that nuts without any chocolate/dairy are PAREVE, including Dry Roasted and Honey Roasted, even when bearing the OU-D

Hotels:
  • Kohala
  • Kona
  • Volcano
  • Hilo

Getting Around:
  • rent a car
    • Harpers - only rental car company that allows you to drive anywhere on the island
  • Bus
  • tours
  • bike
  • hike

Notes:
« Last edited by cgr on February 24, 2022, 09:16:15 PM »

Author Topic: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread  (Read 283042 times)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #680 on: August 18, 2016, 08:55:17 PM »
If anyone going needs convincing to make it out to the lava fields, this was last night (Press to see full size):

Darn it, you are NOT making this any simpler for me ;D.

The plan was to do a Sunday-Thursday workshop on the Big Island in September. However, the lava is just being to unpredictable this time around, so there's no way of knowing if it'll still be there in a month. Additionally, the costs are so high that I'd need to charge over $2k per person, which I think is too much for such a short trip.

I was able to bring the cost down to ~$1500p/p if we have at least 4 people (somewhere around $1750 if we only have 3), so maybe it really could happen...
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline whYME

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #681 on: August 18, 2016, 09:01:48 PM »
Darn it, you are NOT making this any simpler for me ;D .

I was able to bring the cost down to ~$1500p/p if we have at least 4 people (somewhere around $1750 if we only have 3), so maybe it really could happen...
Anyone else have some awesome pictures to post? Maybe then he'll figure out how to get it down to $1000 :))

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #682 on: August 18, 2016, 09:04:22 PM »
Anyone else have some awesome pictures to post? Maybe then he'll figure out how to get it down to $1000 :))

Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline whYME

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #683 on: August 18, 2016, 09:13:00 PM »
https://dannydealguru.com/2016/08/16/free-entry-to-all-412-u-s-national-parks-this-month/
So apparently there are 412 national parks now.  :-\ who knew...





(yes, I know what he meant and that I'm being pedantic. :P )

Offline PBaruch

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What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline shulem92

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #685 on: August 19, 2016, 12:19:34 AM »
Used to be there and it appears they removed it. I think they are working on a new version of the app.
Do they still have a tablet version?

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #686 on: August 19, 2016, 12:22:00 AM »
Do they still have a tablet version?

NAFAIK
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline Zalc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #687 on: August 19, 2016, 01:44:15 AM »
Used to be there and it appears they removed it. I think they are working on a new version of the app.
Does anyone still have the working app on their phone?

Maybe someone can share the APK of the old version?

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #688 on: August 19, 2016, 01:45:23 AM »
Maybe someone can share the APK of the old version?

I haven't found one online so far.
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline shulem92

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #689 on: August 19, 2016, 10:40:37 AM »
I haven't found one online so far.
That sucks, I'm due there next week

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #690 on: August 19, 2016, 10:48:09 AM »
I was able to bring the cost down to ~$1500p/p if we have at least 4 people (somewhere around $1750 if we only have 3), so maybe it really could happen...

Well, it's official now. The workshop is on.

http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=62659.msg1538835#msg1538835
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline shulem92

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #691 on: August 19, 2016, 07:03:32 PM »
I haven't found one online so far.
Is downloadatoz a safe site? It looks like they have an apk version for android

Offline Zalc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #692 on: August 22, 2016, 05:25:48 AM »
Has anyone run the Manta Snorkel with this company?

Sunlight On Water
Their Boat: 40 foot Fiberglass Boat with warm shower.
Manta Ray Snorkel - $87

Tripadvisor reviews
Update:

It was absolutely amazing!

From what I could tell this company is one of the best out on the water, quality. Nevermind that they are a good $20 cheaper then the nearest comparable tour.

Basically, there is one spot in the "Manta village" where tens boats congregate around, and the divers stand on the floor and look up. (This killed the coral BTW)
They end up fighting over the same few mantas, getting mostly flybys.

This company has specially engineered lights (cost $50k) that attract far more plankton then most other's white LED boards, and they go off to the side and "poach" the mantas, which then stay only by them.

Our night the "campfire" had one or 2 by them, but our boat had 3 to ourselves for at least 25 minutes, and a fourth showed for a bit.

They came within millimeters of us tens of times, and I'm pretty sure one brushed me.
   
Has anyone run the Manta Snorkel with this company?

Sunlight On Water
Their Boat: 40 foot Fiberglass Boat with warm shower.
Manta Ray Snorkel - $87

Tripadvisor reviews
Update:

It was absolutely amazing!

From what I could tell this company is one of the best out on the water, in quality. Nevermind that they are a good $20 cheaper then the nearest comparable tour.

Basically, there is one spot in the "Manta village" where a dozen boats congregate around, and the divers stand on the floor and look up (This killed the coral BTW).
They end up fighting over the same few mantas, getting mostly flybys.

This company has specially engineered lights (cost $50k) that attract far more plankton then most other's white LED boards, and they go off to the side and "poach" the mantas, which then stayed only by us.

Our night the "campfire" had one or 2 by them, but out boat had 3 to ourselves for at least 25 minutes, and a fourth showed for a bit.

They came within millimeters of us tens of times, and I'm pretty sure one brushed me.

They post free underwater pictures of each tour here.

They had plenty of food and drink on the boat, (kosher snacks as well), and the hot shower as you get out of the water makes the ride back super comfortable.

Offline shulem92

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #693 on: August 26, 2016, 07:35:05 PM »
The view from the jaggar museum was incredible this past Wednesday night. The lava was the biggest in 5 years! If anyone has a need for the volcano's national park pass (20$ value good till 8/31) I'm in LA till Sunday night

Offline Zalc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #694 on: August 28, 2016, 03:36:36 PM »
The view from the jaggar museum was incredible this past Wednesday night. The lava was the biggest in 5 years! If anyone has a need for the volcano's national park pass (20$ value good till 8/31) I'm in LA till Sunday night
Any pics?

I had horrible weather while I was there...

Offline shulem92

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #695 on: August 30, 2016, 10:17:54 PM »
Any pics?

I had horrible weather while I was there...
It was horrible weather, but then it cleared up. Pix will be uploaded as soon as I figure out how...

Offline Zalc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #696 on: August 30, 2016, 10:20:37 PM »
It was horrible weather, but then it cleared up. Pix will be uploaded as soon as I figure out how...
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=46084.0

I've used flickr and photobucket in the past.

Flickr is better, the other is faster.

Offline shulem92

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #697 on: August 30, 2016, 11:32:37 PM »
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=46084.0

I've used flickr and photobucket in the past.

Flickr is better, the other is faster.
Thanx

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #698 on: August 31, 2016, 02:10:57 AM »
There's a hurricane that's set to hit TBI tomorrow, most national parks are closed (including VNP) and lots of beaches are closed too.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #699 on: August 31, 2016, 03:13:04 PM »
Will shops at Ali'i drive be open around 6 pm? Do they close early?