Adventure? Alpaca my bags…and my mask and face shield because I’m about to move to Hawaii in the middle of a pandemic!

During the summer of 2020, I became extremely envious of my friends living in big homes with backyards and hot summer weather because I was stuck in confined spaces in cold, gloomy San Francisco. If you don’t know, San Francisco is unlike most of California. Mark Twain supposedly once said, “The coldest winter I’d ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” So even if I’d had a backyard that summer of 2020, I probably wouldn’t have wanted to use it. San Francisco was losing its appeal day by day. Then, as if it couldn’t be more dreary, fire season came early and hard. When one of my friends proposed the idea of moving to Hawaii, I initially thought it was too crazy. The more I thought about it; I realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Soon after, my significant other, myself and a few other friends had signed a lease in Holualoa, Hawaii. It’s a town up in the hills near Kailua-Kona (“Kona”) on the Big Island, which is officially the island of Hawai’i.

Hawaii is known for surfing 🏄🏼‍♀️, snorkeling 🤿 , volcanoes 🌋, manta rays, rainbows🌈, 🐬cool marine wildlife 🦈 like sea turtles🐢, coffee ☕️and macadamia nuts. I loved being on the Big Island because it had all of these things.🌎

Moving to an island was an adjustment for me. I am the type of person who walks fast even if I have nowhere to go. When people run on island time (or aloha time), they stroll more than walk. I eventually learned the beauty of taking a stroll.

Surf’s up almost everyday 🏄🏽‍♀.

I heard someone say, “it’s a beautiful day today,” or caught myself saying it every day.

Needless to say, living in Hawaii for six months was really cool.

I will share my top recommendations for when visiting the Big Island in Hawaii based on my experience living in paradise. It wasn’t a smooth transition into Hawaiian culture. Their “w”s are pronounced as “v”s in Hawaiian. This was easy to get used to when saying “Ha-vai-ee,” but it sometimes made communicating difficult. The first difficulty was my first weekend out of the 14-day quarantine. My significant other, Justin, and I grabbed our boogie boards (aka body boards) and went to Honl Beach in Kona. The tide was low, and the seafloor was covered with lava rocks. This kid told me I needed to watch out for the “vana,” which I thought was something different than the “wana” (aka sea urchin). Suddenly, I thought I was in danger from multiple different creatures that could sting and really hurt me. That’s when I started crying. That evening, Justin got 16 stitches at the local urgent care after running back into the ocean to save me from being a damsel in distress. The next time the V for W pronunciation miscommunication got me was when my golf pro told me to go golf in “Hauvey” (or so I thought). It took me a couple of weeks of asking him about it & multiple searches to find “Hawi” on the map. I enjoyed golfing on a par 3 course for $10.

Here are my Big Island recommendations!

#1: Rent a Jeep!

Many of the best beaches on the Big Island are hard to get to because they are only accessible by a 4X4 vehicle or a long hike. I had so much fun off-roading all over the island. The first time I drove off-road, I felt adrenaline rush through me. I had a blast getting out there in the wilderness, driving over anything, including lots of lava rocks.

Here are some of my favorite off-road destinations accessible by a 4X4 vehicle:

*Green Sands Beach, nearby the Southernmost part of the United States

Green Sands Beach may be my favorite beach on the Big Island. I personally really like to play in the ocean. Green Sands Beach has nice waves that continuously roll in from the Ocean. Not only is the sand actually green, but the sand also extends out into the water. I felt comfortable playing in the water there compared to the other beaches on the island since most of the other beaches have lava rocks or wana (aka sea urchins) scattered around the beach.

Fun fact: this beach is located at the bottom of the island, the US’s southernmost part.

*Makalawena Beach

This beach passed Justin’s test for being a nice beach (he is an annoying beach snob from LA). When we stepped onto this beach, the sand was so nice and soft and white. It felt squishy and nice between our toes. Several coves stretch a mile or so down the coastline. If you 4×4 in, you entered from the Northside. If you hike in, you enter from the Southside. The offroading entrance is one of those local roads where you “turn left after mile marker 90” and then “left at the upside-down school bus.”

*Waipi’o Valley, located down the steepest road in America!

Waip’io Valley is the nicest black sand beach on the Big Island. It is located down the steepest road in America, so you have to have a 4×4 vehicle to drive down. One time we couldn’t secure a jeep rental, so we hiked down, which was hard on our knees. Luckily, a local with an empty work truck offered to take us to the top on our hike back up. I must admit, hanging on to the back of a work truck with no side rails going up a very steep road was a bit scary, but I held on tight and hoped I would avoid (1) death and (2) getting a splinter up my bum. I was relieved when I made it safely back to the top safe and sound.

*Mauna Kea Observatory

When my group of friends rolled up to the Mauna Kea Observatory in our Jeeps, we had to wait in line for a while to speak to an employee before we climbed to the top of the volcano. It turns out you need a 4×4 vehicle to drive to the top. It was comical watching a lot of Mustang convertibles get turned around. We got a stern lesson about having a dirty car (from offloading at Waip’io Valley pictured above) because of how sensitive the microclimates were in Hawaii. You aren’t supposed to carry dirt from place to place.

I was worried I would get car sick on the bumpy ride in the Jeep as we climbed over lava rocks to the top of Mauna Kea, which peaks at over 14,000 feet of elevation. I turned out to be just fine, and it was absolutely worth it! We watched the sunset high above the clouds, then went back down to the Visitor Center to stargaze because the observatory closes for safety purposes. I was in awe seeing the stars like that for the first time. Being there on a new moon night, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I could see the milky way galaxy! I felt thankful for my thoughtfulness to bring the comforter from our house because it was really cold late at night that high up in elevation. I knew to bring lots of water to avoid any altitude sickness, having made the drive from the prairies of the Midwest to the Rocky Mountains several times growing up.

In December 2020, we saw Mauna Kileua erupt from the top of Mauna Kea! It was thrilling to see a large, vibrant red mass in the middle of the night.

The Big Island is famous for this volcano because it has erupted in recent history, but it stopped spewing lava in 2018. We were so lucky to see it start back up again, and especially from this vantage point!

#2 Snorkel, snorkel, snorkel

You can tell I just got out of my 14-day quarantine in this photo because I am quite pale. I was so excited to adventure out and explore new places, especially since seeing dolphins was a possibility. This snorkel adventure was at Kapahukapu Manini Beach. I was nervous entering the water because the waves kept crashing up onto the lava rocks. Since this was my first time snorkeling with my own gear, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It didn’t feel very safe, and ultimately I did end up stumbling into the water.

P.S. I purchased a full-face snorkel mask and can’t recommend it enough. My germaphobic side doesn’t like all the dirt and fish poop in the water getting on my face. My snorkeling gear made me feel comfortable in the water. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about it fogging up or getting water in my nose.

Once I finally was deep enough in the water and calmed myself down, I got into a groove. I was mesmerized by all the fish I was able to see. I was excited to take full advantage of the low cost of entry and easy access snorkeling provides.

I always kept my eye out for the state fish of Hawaii, the humuhumunukunukuapuaa (aka reef triggerfish). It’s relatively easy to pronounce once you get the hang of it. I even saw baby humuhumunukunukuapua’a once at Hapuna Beach.

I learned quickly to keep my snorkel gear with me at all times because one can pretty much snorkel anywhere on the Big Island.

Here are some of my favorite destinations to snorkel on the Big Island of Hawaii:

*Two Step

In my opinion, Two Step is the best place to snorkel on the Big Island. There is so much coral and wildlife. It’s about a 30-minute drive straight south from Kailua-Kona. The reason it’s called Two Step is because there are two “steps” that you climb down to enter and exit the water. I was nervous my first time going in because I heard it was tough and had several wana (aka sea urchins). It wasn’t as bad as people claimed it to be because the wana were hidden in the cracks. I ended up going back several times. The first time I went there, I wasted a lot of time swimming along the shore to the right. The best part is to the left and out towards the ocean with all sorts of amazing coral.

On my last trip to Two Step, I discovered the Coffee Shack, recommended by a friend who grew up visiting the Big Island. This quaint cafe has stellar ocean and island views accompanied by their equally stellar food and beverages.

*Manta Ray Snorkel Adventure & Tour at Night

Kona offers several manta ray snorkeling expeditions.

Manta Ray’s eat tons (literally tons in weight) of plankton a day. So the strategy for spotting the manta rays is to go “snorkeling” at night and shine these massive floodlights down, attracting the plankton to congregate. The manta rays, constantly hunting for food, will notice these congregations and swoop in for dinner. I put snorkeling in quotes because you don’t really swim around; you just hold onto a raft of some sort. The manta ray will quite literally somersault and open their mouths really wide to catch more plankton. One manta came so close to me I had to suck in my stomach to avoid touching them, which is considered harmful to them as the oils on human skin break down the protective enzyme layer that lives on the manta ray’s skin.

I got a kick out of how our tour company used a wave storm, the $120 surfboard pictured above from Costco. They literally cut a hole in the middle of this crappy surfboard to shine a line down into, while ~8 or so folks hung onto the edges. It must have been quite a sight.

*Magic Sands Beach

Magic Sands Beach has it all – white sand, badass waves, and coral/fish for snorkeling on the right side of the beach. Although it’s a relatively small beach, we loved it for the proximity to Kailua-Kona. I was so jealous the first time I went because my roommate got to swim with a sea turtle for almost 30 minutes. The idea of swimming with sea turtles became my dream for Hawaii, which sadly never came to fruition (although I did see several from the shoreline).

*Kahalulu’u Beach Park

I like this spot because it is also right in town. Conditions will vary based on the tide, but the coral is home to most classic Hawaiian fish. Who doesn’t enjoy seeing a school of yellow tangs swim together? I know I do!

#3 Surf

Here are the surf spots in Kona/Big Island:

*Pine Trees Surfing Beach

We went to Pine Trees Surfing Beach nearly every day after work to catch some surf, often finding ourselves enjoying the sunset on the beach. Pine Trees Beach is great for BBQ-ing as well! Although we went plenty, we never really managed to gain any real surfing skill, and I have a new appreciation for those who make it look so effortless.

*Kahalu’u Bay Beach Park

Kahalul’u Bay is the other beginner surf spot on the Kona side. This beach varies in conditions from no waves at all to 5+ feet waves during the winter swell. The first time we went out, there were no waves, and we legit just sat there in the ocean for like 30 minutes. One of my friends somehow managed to get seasick because we were sitting there for so long. I was scared when I went out once when powerful currents pushed me towards the rocky shore. We learned quickly to check the forecast and the surf cams.

The Hilo side of the Big Island has more advanced surf if you are up for it! It’s not for me… yet!

# 4: Boogie/Body Board

If you are looking to go out there and have some fun, I highly recommend boogie boarding. Green Sands Beach and Magic Sands Beach are great for boogie boarding. Since I lived in Hawaii during the winter, the swell was massive at times. It’s so crazy to see how some of the locals ride the waves. The kids seemed to have no fear as they flew up the waves into the air twisting and turning.

#5 Golf

Hawaii is a great place to golf with nice weather and ocean views. I purchased my first set of clubs (plastic still on in this ^ photo) and lessons here in Kona. I thought it was so cool seeing wild peacocks at Makalei Golf Course. Unfortunately, it rained a lot up at Makalei, and eventually, we started to play elsewhere as we got sick of playing in the rain. I enjoyed golfing at the Kona Country Club as well because the rain was less likely.

#6: Volcanos

*Crater Rim Trail @ Volcano National Park

I may be as bold as to rank this Crater Rim Hike trail at Volcano National Park in my top 5 hikes to date. I’ve explored craters in South America in the past, but unlike those craters, this one we could walkthrough. The crater was made from a volcanic eruption in the 1950s and has been dormant ever since. It felt like we were walking on Mars – quite the surreal feeling.

I thought it was really cool to see all the hot air billowing out of the steam vents. This happens when the heat from the lava below the ground causes water to evaporate and come to the surface. My excitement never lasts long here because it is usually pretty cold by the time you get here.

~ Muana Kea

Mauna Kea is located approximately an hour and a half from Kona. We went to watch the sunset and stargaze a couple of times, and we wished we could have gone more.

I mentioned some of this above already. Mauna Kea stands at over 14,000 square feet, but if you measure the distance from the seafloor, it is over 30,000 feet! This is taller than Mt. Everest and technically makes it the tallest mountain in the world! Another crazy fact is it took the earth over 40 years to form Mt. Everest while it took less than 4 years to form Mauna Kea.

It even snows at the top of Mauna Kea! Snow in Hawaii? Who would have thought? So don’t forget to bring warm clothes and blankets to stargaze.

Want more adventure?

You can find it on the Big Island.
Kayaking, scuba diving, hoover boards, tennis, volleyball, hikes, cliff jumping, bird watching, and more are available for your pleasure.

I’ll close this out with some other facts about living in Hawaii.

It rains a lot in Hawaii, which is no surprise given its tropical nature, but it’s actually a fluke of nature. Hawaii is the same latitude as the Saharan desert. Yet, it rains over 800 gallons of water here a year. This is because of the weather that comes down from the Pacific West Coast. One thing that surprised me is the rain would often be warm and not last for long. That said, I experienced some massive dumps of rainfall living up in the hills of Kona. I have never heard it rain so hard like that, especially since the rain bounces off all the tropical plants in our yard.

My house in Holualoa was at 1,000 feet of elevation. Up there, there are a ton of Coquí frogs. Once the sun went down, this invasive species of frogs came to life, making these whistle noises. There was one main road to my Hawaii house. I was always so excited when we made it to the top of the main road because you could immediately hear the frogs pretty much like clockwork. These frogs lay 10,000 eggs per frog! Crazy thing, I never actually saw one.

There was so much other wildlife to appreciate on the island. Several birds chirped throughout the day and little green geckos scurried around our house. I was really concerned when this pack of wild turkeys that used to roam around every day seemed to disappear the day after Thanksgiving. Thankfully, some of them reappeared by the end of my lease, so I knew they weren’t eaten for a Thanksgiving meal.

I will never forget the adventure and excitement of living in Hawaii. I can’t wait to get back there again.

Check out this link for my Google Maps itinerary.

Hawaii closely monitors COVID-19 due to the limited hospital capacity. Interisland travel typically requires a negative COVID-19 test. Thankfully, you don’t need one to go to Oahu, which is where Honolulu is. That’s first right, folks… Honolulu is not on the big island. When I first came to the state of Hawaii, I too was misconceived and thought Honolulu would be on the “Big Island.” I was able to spend some time on Oahu and Maui as well.