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 283080 times)

Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #860 on: August 18, 2019, 09:41:59 PM »
This.

Back when the volcano was active a short hop to TBI made sense. Now it doesn't.

Also, your little kids will preclude you from going up MK.
Even with a volcano going to Maui for 1.5 days makes no sense. Can't even do RTH in that short a time.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #861 on: August 18, 2019, 10:03:22 PM »
Even with a volcano going to Maui for 1.5 days makes no sense. Can't even do RTH in that short a time.

I thought he was asking about going from Maui to TBI for a day...

But yeah, not worth to do an island for less than 4 days or so. Day trips to Lanai, Molokai, or Nihau are the obvious exception.
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Offline nirc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #862 on: August 18, 2019, 10:23:15 PM »
I thought he was asking about going from Maui to TBI for a day...

But yeah, not worth to do an island for less than 4 days or so. Day trips to Lanai, Molokai, or Nihau are the obvious exception.

exactly.

plan is to arrive into maui on sun mid afternoon. so we can either leave to BI on thurs or sunday (4 or 7 days stay). I figured since more to do on maui with kids, better to stay till sunday early afternoon then take 1-way flight to BI, and from there fly back home (9 day trip). this gives us 48 hrs on BI to explore.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2019, 12:21:35 AM by nirc »

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #863 on: August 18, 2019, 11:22:40 PM »
exactly.

plan is to arrive into maui on sun mid afternoon. so we can either leave to BI on thurs or sunday. I figured since more to do on maui with kids, better to stay till sunday early afternoon then take 1-way flight to BI, and from there fly back home. this gives us 48 hrs on BI to explore.
It sounded like you were going to be on Maui for two days. This makes more sense.  Why not spend that extra day on Oahu, exploring Pearl Harbor?  The BI is my favorite island, but doesn't make sense as part of your itinerary.
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Offline nirc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #864 on: August 19, 2019, 12:27:48 AM »
Even with a volcano, going to Maui for 1.5 days makes no sense. Can't even do RTH in that short a time.

apologies for not being clear. planning on being in Hawaii for 9 days total, and trying to figure out the best way to spend that time. obviously cant do 3 islands, but thought 2 is doable. considering maui and BI are more different then kauai and BI, I thought to spend 1 week in maui (sun-sun), followed by 2 days on BI.

but nothing set in stone and am open to suggestions. considering age of kids is why I leaned more to maui then kauai.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2019, 12:35:28 AM by nirc »

Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #865 on: August 19, 2019, 08:01:16 AM »


apologies for not being clear. planning on being in Hawaii for 9 days total, and trying to figure out the best way to spend that time. obviously cant do 3 islands, but thought 2 is doable. considering maui and BI are more different then kauai and BI, I thought to spend 1 week in maui (sun-sun), followed by 2 days on BI.

but nothing set in stone and am open to suggestions. considering age of kids is why I leaned more to maui then kauai.

I assume you're keeping 2 days of shabbos? Otherwise, maybe going to BI on Friday is better.

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #866 on: August 19, 2019, 08:10:07 AM »

I assume you're keeping 2 days of shabbos? Otherwise, maybe going to BI on Friday is better.

correct - keeping D'oreisas on Friday and full Shabbos on Saturday.

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #867 on: August 19, 2019, 08:39:34 AM »
I'd go to Kauai on Thursday
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Offline nirc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #868 on: August 19, 2019, 09:42:59 AM »
I'd go to Kauai on Thursday

interesting.

so you're suggesting spending 4 days in maui (sun - thurs afternoon), then spend 2.25 days (cant really count thurs, fri or Shabbos) in Kauai with a 2 yr old?

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #869 on: August 19, 2019, 09:52:06 AM »
If you're trying to squeeze in 2 islands, sure.
Otherwise just stay on Maui.
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Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #870 on: August 19, 2019, 10:15:34 AM »
If you're trying to squeeze in 2 islands, sure.
Otherwise just stay on Maui.
Why kauai over BI? just easier to do in such a short time?

Offline nirc

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #871 on: August 19, 2019, 10:25:38 AM »
If you're trying to squeeze in 2 islands, sure.
Otherwise just stay on Maui.

may I ask why you think traveling on thurs afternoon & spending Shabbos in kauai is preferred over sun afternoon and spending Shabbos in maui? your suggestion only gives me an extra half day or so of Kauai, unless that's exactly your point :)

my thinking was that 7 days in maui allows me to use a 7 day marriot cert (easy to buy), rather then using my own points for 4 individual nights in maui and 5 nights in kauai.

Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #872 on: August 19, 2019, 10:34:37 AM »
may I ask why you think traveling on thurs afternoon & spending Shabbos in kauai is preferred over sun afternoon and spending Shabbos in maui? your suggestion only gives me an extra half day or so of Kauai, unless that's exactly your point :)

my thinking was that 7 days in maui allows me to use a 7 day marriot cert (easy to buy), rather then using my own points for 4 individual nights in maui and 5 nights in kauai.
Hmm.. Could be 4 nights + 1 free is better than a 7 night. I guess that would also require shabbos in Maui.

Another factor could be if you care about minyan. Chabad Maui might have a shabbos AM minyan (posted start time is 1015 so might not be so helpful for a litvak). I don't beleive kauai ever has minyan. Either way, this discussion probably belongs in the "which island to visit thread".

With a 2 year old, my personal preference would just be to stay in Maui. Maybe do a day in HNL if you need to connect there anyway for a flight back to the mainland.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #873 on: September 11, 2019, 01:04:34 AM »
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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #874 on: November 26, 2020, 01:55:20 PM »
It seems as if quite a few popular places on TBI are closed. Some temporarily because of COVID and others permanent.

To start the list:

Kīlauea Visitor Center
Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku)
Jaggar Museum
All Volcano House services

To be cont....

« Last Edit: November 26, 2020, 01:58:54 PM by nirc »

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #876 on: December 21, 2020, 10:24:51 AM »
Can't keep.it quiet for long. I was reading an article over the weekend where USGS mentioned changes that seemed like an eruption could be coming.

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #878 on: December 21, 2020, 11:03:44 AM »
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-12-21/kilauea-volcano-erupts-big-island-hawaii-earthquake

Perhaps this makes TBI more appealing for visitors now.

I imagine there are those that once the lava stopped flowing in 2018, decided against TBI and instead went to other 3 islands.

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Re: Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
« Reply #879 on: December 21, 2020, 11:26:45 AM »
Insane.

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