The state of Hawaii is actually an archipelago of five main islands in the central Pacific ocean. Entered into the union as the 50th state in August 1959, Hawaii is a few degrees north of the Equator. This makes it an extremely popular tourist destination. Sometimes, however, you want to get away without being swept away by hoards of tourists paying high prices for burgers and beers. Kona, a district on the big island of Hawaii, lets you get way from that.
The island of Hawaii is small enough to drive around the circumference in a day, and yet it has enough air traffic to support two airports, one in the nearby district of Keahole and the other side of the island in Hilo. Keahole is accessible from cities in California (LA, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego), Phoenix, Arizona; Seattle/Tacoma, Washington; and Portland, Oregon. Other accessible destinations are Anchorage in Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.
Externally, the airport gives the impression that it could just as easily be a shopping mall, chalet hotel, or night club. Don't let the quaint charm fool you, the customs officers are fiercely determined not to allow any foreign produce disrupt the ecology of the small island. It has all the other passenger services you would expect at any other air terminal.
The local area definitely feels more like a suburban neighborhood than it does a tourist resort. The bright lights, crowds, and noise are out there somewhere if you want to go looking for them but they are not in your face. There is all the accommodation you could ask for and all the amenities your heart could desire. At one restaurant in particular, diners can sip cocktails or mocktails on the coast of Kailua Bay and observe body-boarders being tossed in the surf or humpback whales swimming with other humpback whales.
The island is just the right size for sight-seeing in that nothing is too far away. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano standing nearly 14,000 feet above sea level. It is the highest peak in Hawaii. A million years old, it is actually taller than Mount Everest. The Mauna Kea Observatory is the largest facility of its kind in the world.
Feeling bold and adventurous? Try parasailing. Here, you are hitched into a harness with a parachute and towed behind a speeding boat, while your lead is gradually let further and further out. Maybe you stop at 800 feet over the crystal clear blue waters, or maybe you signal to go higher. Either way, your tummy tickles like crazy while you gaze at the beautiful scenery and float gently in free fall. Alternatively, hire a motorized sea vehicle.
Those who don't care to toss their lunch a quarter of a mile down into the sea can still enjoy a boat trip. There are dolphins to discover, rafts to cruise and diving to be done. Whatever type of marine adventure you are after, you should certainly be able to find it here.
In Kona, you have all the necessary amenities without the high tourist prices. If you can find accommodation with your own patio/balcony, you can stroll around like a local. You retain your independence, yet somehow, you feel like you belong there.
The island of Hawaii is small enough to drive around the circumference in a day, and yet it has enough air traffic to support two airports, one in the nearby district of Keahole and the other side of the island in Hilo. Keahole is accessible from cities in California (LA, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego), Phoenix, Arizona; Seattle/Tacoma, Washington; and Portland, Oregon. Other accessible destinations are Anchorage in Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.
Externally, the airport gives the impression that it could just as easily be a shopping mall, chalet hotel, or night club. Don't let the quaint charm fool you, the customs officers are fiercely determined not to allow any foreign produce disrupt the ecology of the small island. It has all the other passenger services you would expect at any other air terminal.
The local area definitely feels more like a suburban neighborhood than it does a tourist resort. The bright lights, crowds, and noise are out there somewhere if you want to go looking for them but they are not in your face. There is all the accommodation you could ask for and all the amenities your heart could desire. At one restaurant in particular, diners can sip cocktails or mocktails on the coast of Kailua Bay and observe body-boarders being tossed in the surf or humpback whales swimming with other humpback whales.
The island is just the right size for sight-seeing in that nothing is too far away. Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano standing nearly 14,000 feet above sea level. It is the highest peak in Hawaii. A million years old, it is actually taller than Mount Everest. The Mauna Kea Observatory is the largest facility of its kind in the world.
Feeling bold and adventurous? Try parasailing. Here, you are hitched into a harness with a parachute and towed behind a speeding boat, while your lead is gradually let further and further out. Maybe you stop at 800 feet over the crystal clear blue waters, or maybe you signal to go higher. Either way, your tummy tickles like crazy while you gaze at the beautiful scenery and float gently in free fall. Alternatively, hire a motorized sea vehicle.
Those who don't care to toss their lunch a quarter of a mile down into the sea can still enjoy a boat trip. There are dolphins to discover, rafts to cruise and diving to be done. Whatever type of marine adventure you are after, you should certainly be able to find it here.
In Kona, you have all the necessary amenities without the high tourist prices. If you can find accommodation with your own patio/balcony, you can stroll around like a local. You retain your independence, yet somehow, you feel like you belong there.
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