Recommended places to go on big island, Hawaii

List A: must go: 

1. Volcano National Park, especially KILAUEA VOLCANO eruptionin the park. Recommend that go there twice,  once during daytime and and once during evening. It is hard to get a spot in the parking lot in the evening. Morning 9-10 am, parking lot is almost empty. But in the afternoon, it is full.

Also in the park, recommend to drive on the Chain of Craters Road until the ocean. Just stops on the roadside to take pictures. No need to go to the trail if in a hurry. We went on a trail to see local Hawaii's handwring on the stones. It is tiring and I do not think it worth the effort. The ocean is not reachable. All you can see is the view, which is pretty. 

Kilauea overlook, steam vents, and surphur banks are on the other side of the visitor center. All can be accessed easily. Recommend to stop and take a look.

2. snorkel  at Captain cook. Best snorkeling place on big island. However, the hike to the beach is long, 3.8 miles round trip. It took around 50 min to go down there. And a little over one hour to get up. Park on the roadside. Spots are limited. On the way I saw one guy carrying snorkeling stuff walking on the road and was wondering what he was doing. I realized it only after we drove to the beach, which was opposite from Captin cook. I asked around and people told me to go back to where I came from. The trail starts from a high point on the road, not from the beach. The trail was marked, from 1 until 10. Captain cook monument is 10. This will give you some sense where you are on the trail.

alternatively, you may joined a tour. When we went there, we saw several tourist boats there, right at the same spot.

parking place for captain hook.

3. Watch sunset at Mauna Kea visitor center. If you rent 4X4 jeep, then you can drive to the summit to see the sunset depending on the weather. The day I went, it was snowing at the summit, no car was allowed to pass the visiter center. Free to entry and park. The view during the journey to the mountain is fatastic too.

 

4. Green sand beach. There are only 4 green sand beach in the world, and this is one of it. Parking is free. Entry is free. But recommend to take the truck ride to the beach, and the journey is really, I mean it, really bumpy. $20 per person. The sand on the beach is greenish and very soft.  The cliff right next the beach is fantastic. No need to bring snorking stuff. Bring water, snack, swimming suit, towl. 

5. Akaka Falls State Park: can finish it within an hour. Parking fee is required. But if you park right outside of the parking lot then it is free. Entry fee is requried. Highlights: falls and plants. The fall is pretty. I also like the bamboo by the fall water there.

List B: may go

1. Kamakahonu Beach (King Kam Beach) next to Courtyard Marriott. Nice place for swimming and snorkeling. Street parking. Hard to find spots. Safe place for swimming. If you swim out, you can see very pretty sea urchins in different colors. I did not see them even at Captain cook.

2. Honaunau Bay for snorkeling. The easiest ocean entry is from an area known as Pae'a, or Two Step. Street parking. Right next to it is a historic park. We did not bother to check it out. Parking fee is requied at that park. 

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park: just to see the turtles. No need to try snorkling. Nothing in the water except the turtles. Entry is free. Parking is free. You can find the remains of the fishpond architecture and  kahua (house site platforms).

https://youtu.be/9X--yh-ekTw

Rainbow fall (hilo). Just a few steps away from the parking lot. Easy to access. No parking fee. No entry fee.

HAWAII TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDENS (hilo): $20 per person. parking free. not big. can finish 1-2 hours. A huge variety of troplical plants in nice layouts.

Waipio valley lookout: offers a different view from what you see either in Hilo or Kona. The airb&b host told us that the  black sand beach down there is the best on big islands. But the hike is long. To participate a tour down there is another option. We did not go due to time constraints. The people we met at the same airb&b told us that there was another valley nearby. I forgot the name. While checking my notes from what I watched on the plane about Hawaii, I noted down a famous valley, Halawa Valley, which is located on Mologai island, also  Kuilau trail on Kauai island. For my next trip :).

The video on the place recommends Daylight Mind Coffee Company (75-5770 Ali‘i Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740) on Big island for Breakfast. I missed it.  Another recommended is on Kauai Island: Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company, 2-2560 Kaumualii Hwy, Kalaheo, HI 96741