Come Visit

Hawaii's Big Island - Places & Events of Potential Interest

(Updated 28JUL2016, but not all links checked to make sure they still work properly; please let me know if you find any links which need updating. Please also mention any aspect which in your experience should be added, updated, changed, or deleted).

These links may assist you to become aware of seasonal festivals, performances, and special events happening during your stay as well as familiarizing you with places of interest year-round. If your idea of a vacation is drowsing on a warm sandy beach then you are coming to the right place. Likewise, if you want to plan out routes to various sites of interest and be happily busy nonstop, then there certainly is plenty to do and see here. Far more, in fact, than you could possibly do and see in any one visit (or probably even in several visits). We recommend you read up in The Big Island Revealed (often called “the Wizard Guide”) as this book is replete with maps, detailed comments, and specifics galore on all aspect of Hawai’i island. If you are spending significant time on any of the other islands then you’ll want the guide for those places as well.

http://www.hawaiirevealed.com/

Glimpse Hawaii's past in this old movie; compare with that you'll observe today in the same places:

Good overview and general online resource site with updated current events:

http://www.instanthawaii.com/

Photo Tour of East Hawaii Sites:
http://travelphotodiscovery.com/highlights-in-visit-hawaii-island-east-side-photo-tour/

Hawaii Island Museums Overview and Links

http://em.gohawaii.com/mtr40/images/HVCB/afaaae/web-page/index.html

Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly the East Hawaii Cultural Center)
http://www.ehcc.org/

UHH Events
http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/news/

UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
http://artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu/

Palace Theater, Hilo
http://www.hilopalace.com/

Hilo Calendar
http://www.hiloliving.com/Hilo_Calendar.html
(click on bright blue monthly schedule link within the site for details of the current month)

Hilo Online (with Puna-focused calendar)

http://hiloonline.wordpress.com/

East Hawaii Calendar
http://www.gohawaii.com/about_hawaii/plan/events_in_hawaii/

SPACE
http://www.hawaiispace.com/

Kalani
http://www.kalani.com/

Imiloa Planetarium Shows (let e know if you are going and I’ll call ahead and see if they can play a certain short but breathtaking astronomy music video for you)
http://imiloahawaii.org/
daily 11AM, 1PM, 2PM, 3PM

Hilo Zoo
http://www.hilozoo.com/

Lyman Museum
http://www.lymanmuseum.org/

Tsunami Museum
http://www.tsunami.org/index.html

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
http://www.htbg.com/

Volcano National Park
http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm

[Note: As of JUN2015, Mauna Kea may not be accessible -at least any farther up than the Visitor’s Center (not worth visiting other than for the pressure change adjustment period, during which it does have good informational videos and a good gift shop)- due to an identity-politics power struggle dressed up as an ongoing spiritual and cultural protest, which has disrupted visitor access to the summit. Check if you intend to try to visit this remarkable site. For useful background and perspective on the anti-science aspects and racially-motivated aspects of this controversy please see the Facebook page of Richard Ha, of Hilo, HI. An excellent source for historical perspective on Hawaii in general is available via Peter T. Young’s websites on Facebook and Google+]

http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/07/peter-apo-the-tmt-honors-mauna-kea-through-universal-exploration/?ir=Hawaii

http://imagesofoldhawaii.com/its-about-nationality-not-race/

https://www.facebook.com/richard.ha.hilo?fref=ts

Mauna Kea Astronomical Observatory Visitor Center (especially note the summit tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons)
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/visiting.htm

-and, to evaluate whether you want to take the better part of a day to head all the way up to the top of the planet, watch this:

http://www.universetoday.com/105388/incredible-time-lapse-puts-you-near-telescopes-at-mauna-kea/#.UlXDzA_zKSw.facebook

Great slide-show of sunrises and sunsets atop Mauna Kea: https://www.flickr.com/photos/77754016@N00/sets/72157624345162906/show/

Also, please see-
http://www.accuweather.com/…/967…/weather-forecast/86634_poi

Fun things to see on the way there;
http://www.instanthawaii.com/cgi-bin/hi?Drives.loa

Here’s some background info;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauna_Loa_Observatory

John Barnes the scientist in charge asks that we bring our own water and that we do our dishes back at home;
http://esrl.noaa.gov/…/visitingan…/preparationchecklist.html

Web camera;
http://esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/mlo/livecam/livecam.html

Part of the Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring Division there is a lot of scientific data being collected;
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/mlo/programs/programs.html

Could the MLO be haunted;
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/mlo/webmuseum/mlodog.html

Finally one of the most advanced lasers anywhere in the world is located here;
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/…/progr…/gmdlidar/general_info.html

Flora of Mauna Kea:

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/natural-history/flora.html

…this following clip is from over on Maui and seems a bit less grand than the array atop Mauna Kea, but has much the same awesome flavor if you are visiting Maui and have time while there:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/maui-time-lapse-video_n_4277960.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009&ir=Hawaii

Waipaio On Horseback (up past Honoka’a)

http://waipioonhorseback.com

…we also know a handsome and friendly young local fellow who conducts horseback rides for visitors, here in Puna. Let me know if you want me to put you in touch.

Photo tour of West Hawaii sites:

http://travelphotodiscovery.com/hawaii-island-key-attractions-on-the-west-side/

Konaweb calendar
http://www.konaweb.com/calendar/

In Kailua-Kona (west side of the Big Island) there is a notable tiki bar in upscale classic fashion (Don the Beachcomber’s) with a great prime rib dinner at the Royal Kona hotel, and some genuinely excellent art to be enjoyed in the downstairs lobbies of the King Kam Hotel. It is free to wander around in either place.

If you are a fan of chocolate, then this place is not to be missed (we recommend the “bark” with nuts)
http://www.konaoftheworld.com/

If you are a fan of lavender, then this place is fairly interesting. Lavender is a strong molecular estrogen mimic so please do not apply it to infant and young boys as it can produce large breasts and micropenis in the laddies if they are sensitive to estrogen mimics. Somewhere between 1 in 10 to one in 100 infant boys are thusly vulnerable, from that which I have read.

http://www.aliikulalavender.com/

If you are a fan of vanilla, then maybe call ahead for reservations at this place but be aware they have gotten themselves a bad reputation as being rather righteous religious Fundamentalists, have been unfriendly and haughty to local neighbors (good folks we know), and their vanilla is not actually grown there. The drive up and onward past their tourist-trap is itself quite pleasant, especially if you end up at Kalopa State Recreation Area:
http://www.hawaiianvanilla.com/

La’akea - Our next door neighbors, very friendly folks; they hold workshops on permaculture, yoga, art, meditation, and so on. They also play marimba as a group:
http://permaculture-hawaii.com/

Big Island Pride Parade Links-

Usually happens in mid to late June; do a web search for “Big Island Hawaii Pride Parade” for current info.

Big Island Surfing Links-

http://bigislandeast.com/2009/03/surfing-big-island-east/

http://hawaiisurfnews.com/

http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island/guidebook/topics/surfing

For detailed current info contact these folks:

http://www.hilosurfboardco.com/

http://www.orchidlandsurf.com/

http://jeffhuntsurfboards.com/

Food Festivals on the Big Island every year - this is by no means all of them, just dates and locations as I have received them; some of these links may be dated by now but do a Google search if you want to know current dates & locations for a specific food festival focus:

Big Island Avocado Festivals - Saturday, February 21st - Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa
Big Island Chocolate Festival - Sat - Sun - May 8th - 9th - The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii
Big Island Mango Festivals - Saturday, August 1st - also @Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa

Annual Lilikoi Festival Saturday, October 17^th at Puna’s Makuu Market

Various notes for potential visitors-

Markets:
The big arts and crafts markets –always in combination with farmers' markets-- are on Wednesday morning in Hilo (Bayfront in old downtown) and on Sunday from 8-2 at Hwy 130 & just past Makuu Rd near Pahoa (alongside the highway; you will see the huge bunch of vendors and cars; the entrance is on the far side of the event, off the highway, as approached from Hilo. Lots of local color, crafts, fruit, and great food including divine French crepes, decent BBQ, and so on at the Makuu Market).

Hawaiian Culture:
There is a museum in Hilo and a portion of the permanent exhibit at the Imi Loa Astronomy Center conveys lore regarding traditional Polynesian and Hawaiian sailing, mythos, and culture. The historical portion of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu is worth visiting (even though the science center there is an enormous disappointment). The so-called Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu is run by the Mormon church.

Airports:

Which airport is better to fly into and out from: Hilo (ITO) or Kona?

ITO, Hilo. Unless one is intending to do a Kona-side vacation the "cheaper" flights to Kona are always more than offset by the added cost of car, gas and hotel (best to spend a night there in Kona before flying out the next day; do not try to drive over and depart all in one day as there are too many ways to be stressed out &/or end up missing your flight due to slow traffic or a road closure). If the flight schedule constrains choice to Kona, though, then it is not the end of the world- it just means starting and ending one's vacation there and figuring on getting a rental car at the Kona airport. In theory it is "only" a three and a half hour drive from here to there, but so far in our experience always ends up being much longer (and too tiring to go over, shop, and return all in one day –especially if driving in the dark on the way back with headlights in the eyes the whole way and in fog or pelting rain during the steep downhill portion). It costs about $90 to $100 for gas to take our F150 truck over and back, when we do a CostCo run. If you do fly in to Kona and are going to CostCo anyhow, before heading over here, then please let us know if you are willing to pick up some items for us (we’ll insist on paying you back though, so save the receipt and don’t argue!)

Cars:
We recommend full insurance and a bigger rental car model, preferably a 4WD, for several reasons: roads here are often not so great, there are drunk drivers galore & fairly frequent weather-related accidents. A bigger vehicle improves your chances. Many places cannot be reached without 4WD and a high clearance for the oil pan; the potholes in some driveways will swallow a small car. Yes, the gas is more expensive and the full insurance costs more, but a big vehicle can avoid some problems and if there is a problem then you will be ever so glad you have the full insurance. Rental cars are easy to spot because the license plates usually start with the letter “Z” and they are all shiny and new, not yet bunged up, devoid of bumper stickers, and therefore fairly obvious as “current rental car” rather than “former rental car, now owned and driven by a local” so please do not leave valuables in your rental car. Get a 4WD if you plan on going into Waipio Valley; nothing else will make it down and back up again. Good to have 4WD for South Point too, if you go anywhere other than the parking lot at the end of the paved road. Absolutely necessary for offroad along the coast, up in the wet gulches, and if you visit the observatories. Going up to the observatories is not so bad but coming back down is hard on the brakes, the driver’s nerves, and passengers’ stomachs (use Dramamine patches if at all subject to carsickness- there are a million tight curves and switchbacks).

Road Trip Planning:
I recommend circumnavigating the island if possible over the course of several days to a week. You can drive all the way around in one day but will be exhausted and only see the massive climate zone changes. The 4th Edition or later of "Hawaii - The Big Island Revealed" by Doughty/Wizard Publications is essential for intelligent and accurate planning; we have loaner copies available while you are here. This is the one you want, trust us. The locals here love/hate the Wizard guide because everyone here uses it and wishes the tourists did not have access to so much local knowledge. Be aware of chronic traffic jams happening daily in the following directions at the times indicated; budget extra time –at least 35 to 45 minutes—for your travel time if heading in these directions at these times:

7am-2pm, weekdays: Hwy 130 to Hilo; Hwy 12 to Kona between Capt Cook and Kailua.

3-6:30pm, weekdays: Hwy 130 to Pahoa; Hwy 12 from from Kona between Kailua and Capt Cook.

[Please ignore this next part as the lava has stopped for the moment, but I am leaving in the Blurb since between now and your visit this COULD become an issue once again. Nobody knows.

“Until further notice please be aware that an active flow of hot lava is headed very slowly toward Pahoa and could (though unlikely) unexpectedly speed up, stream across Hwy 130, and cut you off on one side or another. It usually takes weeks for such flows to advance 1000 feet, so there should be plenty of advance notice and news coverage galore if the highway is threatened. Once it happens, though, then until an alternate route is established nobody will be going to or from our house and the airport for the duration. No worries, we have plenny weeds for you to pull if you are unexpectedly staying a couple months with us. Updates on the active flow can be found via USGS (search Pu’u O’o June 27^th 2014 Flow) or via Big Island Video News.”]

If you intend to circumnavigate the Big Island, which I do recommend doing, then your experience will be enhanced if you read this first so you have a better sense of just how remarkable that which you are seeing really is:

http://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/hawaii-has-10-worlds-14-climate-zones-explorers-guide-each-them

Saddle Road: If your goal is simply to travel between Hilo and Kona as fast as possible then the new Saddle Road is probably the fastest route, though least scenic and arguably the most dangerous. People tend to drive too fast and sometimes have accidents because they cannot stop in time with the steep slope. Goats, pigs and other animals wander out onto the road, causing occasional accidents. The police might also fine you upwards of $700 and take your license away on the spot if you are not related to them and caught speeding on this stretch (we know a completely sober gentleman this happened to; he got up to 80 mph without noticing, as can easily occur on that slope), so beware!

Honomu

Nifty old cane plantation town. Worth a stop. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. This is on the route to Akaka Falls, which are very much worth visiting if it is not pouring rain while you are there. Do walk the longer loop and read the placards. A species of fish there only lives in that one stream, climbing the tall cliffs under the falls. In the little strip of shops visit Mr. Ed’s for jars of lilikoi butter and suchlike; great gift items. All such will need to be mailed in USPS Large Flat Rate boxes to avoid problems with TSA and breakage in your checked bag. The shop can mail a box for you, or we can.

Honoka’a

Very pleasant area, Honoka'a. Walk around old downtown for interesting art, antiques, crafts, and so on. Drive through town and to the end of Hwy 240 to see a big lava tube opening alongside the road (several miles past town) and a nice view of the Waipio Valley from the end of the road. Horseback riding is available at World On Horseback and floating the big irrigation ditch in a kayak is also available as scenic day activities. Maui is visible across the way on most days. Just across the highway upslope from Honoka'a is the entrance to the Old Mamaloa Highway; it is a very pleasant drive through the hills between Honoka'a and Waimea. This, by the way, is the same Honoka’a depicted in the film and book “Cloud Atlas.” [The movie was not filmed here on the Big Island even though the book is set here, so do not expect to see the actual place shown in the film.]

Old Mamalahoa Hwy

Honokaa, HI 96727

Also in the area, a few miles back toward Hilo from there, is Kalopa State Recreation Area up on the hillside. Nature trails in there. The drive on the Old Mamalahoa Highway and to and from Kalopa reminds me of the Russian River area or out toward Bolinas above SF. Steep slopes, narrow windy road, lots of trees interspersed with grasslands.

Kalopa State Park:
http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/parks/hawaii/index.cfm?park_id=45

Waipio Valley:

Weather Sources -&- If A Major Storm Is Coming

In general, major tropical storm and hurricane season in the Hawaiian Islands is June through November, with August being the peak. Most years there are around five storms during this period. Most hurricanes veer away from the Big Island thanks to the protective factor provided by it being the second largest mountain in the solar system, after Olympus Mons on Mars. In an “El Nino” year expect more than five big storms, and concordantly higher probability of a storm or hurricane making landfall. At our place in particular, the rainiest months of the year tend to be NOV and MAR, whereas the driest months tend to be JUN, JUL, & AUG -but increasingly this has varied more and more each year. Keep an eye on the weather reports, check a freshly updated satellite photo of cloud cover, and see a radar imaging loop via these links:

NOAA satellite view of Hawaii in infrared spectrum, updated every 30 minutes:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ha_sat_tab.php

Local weather forecast:

http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/96778

Visible spectrum
http://www.die.net/earth/

Doppler radar
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/radar.php

(loop the radar to see what is likely to be coming).

Flash Flooding -&- “Should we go to Kona today or wait until tomorrow?”

Know that in the event a big rainstorm is headed this way then electricity may be out for hours to days afterward and roads may be impassible due to fallen trees and flash flooding. Do not mess around with the flash floods; please do watch this short clip so you can see the difference in a number of different places on the island pictured both in dry conditions and just after a big rain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LaHOZXWRo8

Eats:
Eat here at home or figure around $20-$30 per person per lackluster meal, minimum, without drinks, at most places. Really great food is available at a very few restaurants for around $30-$40 per person, less for some items/places. We can recommend the good places specific to certain menu items, only; even at these restaurants listed below the item selection is very narrow as regards the items which places here do well. For example, the hamburgers at Ken’s are awful, but they do wonderful large omlettes (approx $18). In brief:

Cafe Ono (Volcano Village) is a relatively inexpensive and fairly decent place for a sandwich.

Cronies (Hilo): hamburgers, fries, and fish & chips. We recommend “Da Works Burger, Big Daddy Style” –be sure to have a big appetite if you order that one. Cronies will serve your burger cooked rare, medium, or well done as you prefer.

Don The Beachcomber’s Restaurant (in the Royal Kona): prime rib.

Imi Loa Science Museum cafeteria, AKA, “Sky Garden Restaurant” (Hilo): Thursday through Sunday afternoon/evening upscale buffet (usually crab legs and prime rib). http://www.imiloahawaii.org/22/sky-garden-restaurant

Kalani (Kalapana): Healthy and tasty chow, fixed menu, call ahead to see what is being served and to get reservations (if an event is happening they can sell out). http://www.kalani.com/guest-info/cuisine

Ken’s (Hilo): omlettes, oxtail stew (but not the oxtail soup, unless you like peanuts and cinnimon), sliced steak fried to order w/ onions, pancakes with local tropical fruit syrups. Prime rib on Wednesday afternoon/evenings, only; come between 3pm and 5:30 for rare as it is all medium and well done by 6pm. Senior discount after 3pm.

Kilauea Lodge (Volcano Village): good for elaborate food (e.g., rabbit stew) but more expensive and the portions are relatively small; lots of atmosphere as it was a YMCA camp in the 1930s. Reservations needed for holiday evenings.

Luquin’s Mexican (Pahoa): shrimp & avo cocktail (soup), carnitas (fried pork bits, ala carte), fish tacos.

Manago Hotel (Capt Cook): fried fish dinner; the butterfish is my favorite.

Queens (on Banyan Tree Drive in Hilo): Upscale buffet with wine.

Thai food seems to be about the same everywhere, to me, but we have heard rave reviews from guests about the ginger fish dish at the place in Hilo near the East Hawaii Cultural Center (now renamed something else but everyone still calls it by the old name) and downslope alongside the little park across from the Federal Bldg, the park with a huge banyan tree, WWI monument w/ fishpond, and the beardy bronze Merry Monarch statue. In Pahoa, Ning’s tends to be a bit noisy and crowded but relatively fast. Sukothai in Pahoa is quiet and the food much better than Nings but can take between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours between the time you order and food being served (bring a bottle of wine with you to Sukothai and plan to chat bunches &/or play Trivial Pursuit while waiting- the cards are on the table).

Vietnamese Pho Noodlehouse: behind Garden Exchange in Hilo. Cheap and fairly good; can be crowded. They use an oyster sauce which contains MSG.

Gardens:
Gardens in and near Hilo have remarkable grounds to stroll around, the park between Banyan Tree Drive and Coconut Island is noteworthy, likewise the zoo. An orchid showroom on the highway to Volcano National Park is always worth stopping to visit both for the beautiful flowers and seeing how orchids are propagated. The scenic drive just north of Hilo also has a free walk down a path to the ocean and a pay-for-entry botanical garden worth the admission price, but not really appropriate for folks with mobility issues or wheelchairs.

Here are some sites of botanical interest in and near Hilo:

Atasuka Orchid Gardens

http://www.akatsukaorchid.com/

(Free, wheelchair accessible; actually up near Volcano, a good place to stop on the way to or from Volcano National Park. This is the best place to see orchids in bloom aside from the annual Hilo Orchid Show at the Civic Center. Kid friendly).

Banyan Tree Drive (free, wheelchair accessible)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan_Drive

[Ask us to borrow the book we have about Banyan Tree Drive; interesting history]

Hilo Dept. Land & Natural Resources Arboretum (free; self-guided walking tour on groomed lawns)

HILO ARBORETUM
Hawaii State Forestry & Wildlife
Island of Hawaii District Office
Dept. of Land & Natural Resources
P. O. Box 4849
Hilo, HI 96720
Tel. (808) 974-4221
Hours: 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. Mon-Fri. (Closed Weekends/State Holidays)
A tree nursery containing a large and varied selection of tree species. For more information on the arboretum, please contact the above office.

Nani Mau Gardens (restaurant with large established garden, wheelchair accessible)

http://www.nanimau.com/

We are located about 3 miles south of Hilo Airport on Highway 11
and just 25 miles northeast of Volcanoes National Park. Watch for the "Aloha" landscaped logo indicating the turnoff onto Makalika Street. Nani Mau Gardens is open 8 am - 5 pm daily and is wheelchair accessible. You can contact us at:
Nani Mau Gardens
421 Makalika St. - Hilo, Hawaii 96720
On the Big Island (808) 959-3500 - Fax (808) 959-3501
e-mail: garden@nanimau.com

…and here is a list of everywhere else you could possibly find time to visit if you like tropical plants, flowers, ferns, and flora in general:

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/activity/biecopr.htm

Snorkeling:
We have a bunch of loaner snorkeling gear here. If you are not picky about fit and suchlike then something should work OK. If you wear glasses for being really nearsighted then I recommend planning ahead before your trip and getting a custom facemask with your prescription fitted into the glass; this makes such a huge difference it is worth it. If you have wet suit booties then do bring those as they will prevent chafing from flippers. Wear your sunblock! Nothing ruins an otherwise perfectly good vacation as quickly and completely as a bad sunburn (which can happen in a half hour of Hawaiian sun exposure for most people, twenty minutes of exposure for vampires, and only ten minutes of exposure for Alaskans –no kidding). It is not just peeling skin later, but nausea and pain galore for days- just don’t.

FYI: Here is an educational and beautiful brief clip from the Big Island- so moving! Kudos to the Kona divers; "Dolphin rescue at manta heaven last Friday" video.
http://www.mantarayshawaii.com/_blog/Manta_Rays_in_Kona_Hawaii

Lava hiking:
We have flashlights galore, but those LED headlamps are a very good idea if you are going lava trekking at night (good boots/sturdy shoes are a must, and gloves). Likewise for going into lava tubes, such as the wonderful Kaumana Cave just above Hilo. Consider your situation if you are at the back of a lava tube or a few miles out in lava fields at night and your one and only flashlight is dropped or simply gives out. Unless you have a second light source, sit down and wait until someone with a loaner comes along. Equipment needed: two light sources, sunblock (wear it), sunglasses, hat, waterbottle, gloves, please be sure to have broken-in shoes when you arrive: do not wear brand-new shoes on big lava hikes and trail hikes; you will Be So Sorry if you do (blisters galore). Ankle support is a good idea on these trails; lots of loose rocks to turn your foot unexpectedly. Light windbreakers are worth their weight in gold for all sorts of weather here. Bring or buy (yes, there is a WalMart, near the airport) more socks and underwear than you think necessary; may be changed several times a day depending on whether it is 24/7 rain while you are here (or not, if clear sunshine the whole time). The gloves seem excessive to most folks but if you trip and start to do a faceplant onto sharp lava then your automatic reflex is to stop your fall with your hands; sometimes the fresh lava is like a razorblade cheese-grater made out of brittle glass, so up to you….

BTW, it is highly recommended to have solidly good tread on the bottom of your shoes for cave hikes because those routes can be slick (it is wet inside the caves). If you have an old beat-up pair of shoes nearing the end of their service then do bring those to wear on the lava. Lava simply shreds shoe soles and itty bitty “glass” shards get into the seams and saw away at the shoe with each step, so even after you are off the lava your shoes will continue to get cut apart from the inside by a bazillion little sharp particles. Be advised: if you wear a pair of $200 or $300 shoes out on the lava then they probably will not be around much longer. USGS field workers buy workboots by the dozen, literally; I have heard each scientist goes through one pair a week when out on the lava fields all day long.

This 3-minute video is worth watching; excellent footage & clear explanations. http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2011/03/07/video-timeline-of-new-hawaii-volcano-fissure-eruption-change/

…and here is another, complete with laws and restrictions applying to lava:

http://www.instanthawaii.com/cgi-bin/hawaii?Volcano.fun

Petroglyph Trail on the Big Island; sites of interest on the other islands

Very interesting, easily accessible; from HuffPost Hawaii article “Non-Beach Activities”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/30/nonbeach-hawaii-activitie_n_4020351.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009&ir=Hawaii

[BTW, if you are willing to risk life and limb for a genuinely awesome sight, then close alongside the Chain of Craters Road is an astonishing lava pipe, straight down. Ask us if you want to know where to pull over to hike off the road 50 yards to see it. Borrow a rope and lash yourself to one end and the other to a tree before you approach the lip]

Hiking in general:

Bring broken-in hiking shoes or boots with you. Flip-flops are totally inadequate (especially if you are caught out in a rainstorm), Birkenstocks will not save your toes from the lava or stinging weeds/little fire ants/mosquitoes/leeches, and you do not want to be breaking in new shoes while on hikes here; the blisters will explain why. We have trail guides in our library. This is the tropics, where pathogens thrive year-round, so take scratches and cuts seriously; triple antibiotic and bandaide, change to fresh dry socks and underwear at least daily if not more frequently.

Hiking along the Coastal Cliffs and being near the ocean in general:

You probably already know to be wary of rogue waves while anywhere near the ocean, yet a couple of visitors to this island have been killed in the last two months so it bears reminding everyone (ourselves, included). After having walked along the cliff edge a hundred times it is easy to not keep an eye on the water that 101st time. This clip is a couple years old but shows how it can happen even on a sunny pleasant day, coming out of nowhere- these folks were lucky. If they'd been pulled off the rocks in the other direction then they'd have died for sure instead of just getting banged around and cut up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwwGtU_MlYY

and

Motorbikes and scooters, ATVs, 3-wheelers, and suchlike:

Yes, they can be rented for use while on the island. Please be sure to wear adequate shoes and a helmet if you are going to ride around on these while here. Experienced riders know why, but others thinking about doing so may wish to reflect upon serious safety issues before renting such wheels. 

OK, fine, yes it is wonderful to ride around on motorbikes and scooters, ATVs, 3-wheelers, and suchlike. Be sure to wear real shoes (with closed toes, preferably steel) and a helmet. I have seen such carnage firsthand, have attempted to give first responder assistance with too much of this, and would really prefer you not join the sad roll call of those who became hamburger in part or whole thanks to being improperly dressed for the occasion of an accident. I will spare you the face shots, but ‘tis the same as with an unshod foot. Please avoid this happening.

Avoiding Conflicts & Problems

Trouble in paradise! It can be found. Hopefully it will not find you. Compared to a certain district or several in every mainland city I can think of the threat factor here in Hawaii is very low. Nonetheless, tourists’ cars are sometimes broken into, there is disproportionately high incidence of drug addiction & mental illness here (partially because of institutions & families elsewhere taking their problem people to the airport with a one way ticket to Hawaii and saying “Do Not Return!”) There are sometimes loud uncouth outbursts of racially motivated bile (usually the racism here is more subtle and institutionalized). Parking a car in a remote unobserved location with bags and cameras visible on the seats and the windows locked can and does bring on broken-out windows. Being shitfaced drunk &/or flashing around gobs of cash can attract attention of the wrong sort, so do not be an idiot. Sometimes, though, you are doing everything correctly and trouble will still find you, as per these video clips:

http://hawaii.news.blogs.civilbeat.com/post/76996731430/dumb-white-people-like-you-guys-racially-charged

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/25948634/two-men-arrested-in-beach-brawl-at-waimea-bay?utm_content=buffer2456f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Here is a thoughtful perspective on this issue; some of the comments are particularly revealing &/or wise.

http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2014/02/21/21257-gene-park-the-debate-over-race-history-and-racism-in-hawaii/

We have encountered some periodic overt ugliness of this sort, just as we encountered ugly anti-gay violence in Alaska. Here in Hawaii, honestly, the problem is much less personal but more pervasive and deeply-rooted. There is a subtle but problematic nepotism and impersonal closed-shop exclusion which can be quite strong. We have been bluntly told that our problem is not being gay (a refreshing change from Alaska!) but rather that we have repeatedly encountered expensive difficulties because “your name does not end in a vowel.” The situation improves a little every year, I am told, yet it can be excessively expensive or very difficult to impossible to do any of the following if you are not a family member of the local bureaucracy/business-owner class, &/or part of the correct ethnic group, &/or a particular religious group:

-find a job

-obtain a building permit

-pass inspections (of any and every sort, from certified kitchen to simple cement pour)

-be able to purchase quality materials and services (or have such performed/delivered in a timely manner, after purchase)

-have any representation whatsoever in elected office (search the name “Faye Hanohano” for a case in point)

-be treated fairly (e.g., who gets pulled over and ticketed for breaking no traffic laws versus zooming on by above the speed limit, who gets inspected by the County and fined for nit-picking “violations” versus who can build unpermitted structures everywhere without consequence, who gets their bag pounced and ransacked by the TSA at the airport and who goes right on through, etc)

-find yourself uninvited to cockfights and dog fights (on which large sums of money are gambled); hopefully you don’t mind not making that particular guest list

-have your pet dog stolen out of your yard (alas, see above for a common reason why)

Finally, one is more vulnerable to being harassed, attacked, &/or robbed. Welcome to being a minority just about anywhere on the planet!

Buying Land and Moving To Hawaii

If you –like us- decide that you might want to buy some land in Hawaii as an investment, toward retirement, or to begin the next chapter of your life here, then we recommend a whole bunch of due diligence first. Some resources to assist you with this huge decision may be found via useful links and info at the website our dear friend of many years, Gary Petrison. Gary is tremendously well-informed, competent, and absolutely will not steer you wrong -unlike many of the sleazy &/or incompetent realtors around here.

http://www.island-trust.com/

One suggestion I’d definitely recommend is to rent for awhile in not just one but several different locations around the island before you buy. Live in a neighborhood and get a firsthand experience of the local area for at least a month or several first, before putting down roots there. It can be heaven, or hell, depending –and most likely will have a bit of both, so please do become well-informed beforehand.

Also noteworthy:

On Oahu, the Honolulu Museum of Art really is worth seeing if you have a day to do so. The exhibit “Art Deco Hawaii” was amazingly good (the exhibit book is in the museum gift shop). If you visit, then be sure to see the 1505 painting “St. John the Evangelist” –imho it is the most powerful piece in the entire collection (think of the image as a visual metaphor, not a literal depiction). The famous set of idealized and politically questionable Eugene Savage “cruise line menu cover” paintings is upstairs in the back of the Hawaii section, also not to be missed.

Also specific to Oahu: if you are interested in seeing some excellent dalle de verre stained glass windows at various sites around the island (mainly in Honolulu) then please do let me know and I’ll send you a list of addresses.

Other low-cost and high-interest options for the various islands:

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/hawaii/cheap-activities-hi/

Bedbug Briefing:

Visitors to Hawaii (or staying in hotels anywhere, for that matter) are well advised to know about bedbugs.

Last year friends in Texas spent several months fighting their way through a very expensive corner of Hell because somewhere along the way while traveling either they or one of their visitors had a bedbug sneak into a suitcase -a bedbug which subsequently started living in their home. Laying eggs, too. These folks are neat and clean, well educated, affluent, and so on. A bedbug infestation can happen to anyone who travels frequently &/or has frequent visitors -and the odds increasingly are it will, too, unless active steps are taken to prevent the initial infestation from ever happening. The proverbial ounce of prevention is worth thousands of dollars in pest control services and months of time spent battling an unpleasant ordeal.

Following these tips reduces risk both for us and for you, too: you really do not want to take bedbugs back into your own home after enjoying a wonderful vacation in Hawaii!

TIPS:

Plastic bags are our friend! Bagging everything you can inside your suitcase --transparent Ziplocks are so handy-- provides a barrier between bedbugs and the contents of your suitcase ...especially while the suitcase is stacked together for hours along with hundreds of other suitcases in luggage holds of aircraft and in airports. Placing lavender-scented mothball sachets inside the suitcase along with the bagged contents may also discourage bedbugs from climbing aboard your particular suitcase when there are so many others to choose from among.

Before checking in at a hotel, ask to see the room. Pull back the sheets and look for characteristic discoloration and spotting left by bedbugs along the seams of mattresses (bloodstains made as the pests defecate). Know how to recognize a dead or live bedbug if you see one as well as how to recognize a bedbug bite (photo links, below). Stay elsewhere if evidence of bedbugs is detected.

Place suitcases atop elevated luggage racks while accessing contents (versus opening and leaving suitcases laying open on the bed or sofa) and keep zipped other than when accessing contents.

Overnight, bag your entire suitcase (contractor trash bags are tough, inexpensive, & fold flat to fit in any suitcase). Especially if your zipped suitcase is not bagged, set it either inside the bathtub or on an elevated luggage rack while staying at hotels en route.

Some European travelers sprinkle milled lavender in hotel bedsheets to discourage nocturnal bedbug visitations. This may work on your suitcase as well.

Separately bag any clothing which is out overnight at hotels, then at your destination be sure the contents of the soiled/exposed clothing bag go directly into the washing machine (not into a laundry basket) to be washed with hot soapy water and then go into the drier (machine drying may be the step which kills bedbugs rather than the washing).

Check yourself, children, and traveling companions for a row of bites in the morning; their presence indicates bedbugs in the hotel room (see photos via links below).

Upon arrival back at your home or at our home in Hawaii, placing the suitcase inside a large sealed black plastic contractor bag and allowing it to sit in full sun to bake with a lavender-scented mothball sachet for several hours is a useful step, if weather allows. Once you have unpacked from the trip keep the unpacked suitcase sealed in a contractor trash bag and stored in the garage or in an outbuilding if possible, versus placing it directly in the bedroom closet.


FACTS:

One pregnant female bedbug can (and does) produce thousands of fertilized eggs.

A bedbug can live for a year between one meal and the next.

Reports of epidemic infestation have been filed from all 50 US states since 2007.

Bedbugs prefer to feed on human blood, biting at night while people are sleeping. Bedbugs den in any gap or crevice which will fit a credit card inserted on edge -including framed pictures on walls, inside electronics (such as bedside clock radios and TVs), and bedside cabinets. Beware adopting abandoned curbside treasures and thrift store finds.

Three separate treatments (using a combination of noxious chemicals and heat) by a pest control service are usually required to eliminate the problem; if just one pregnant female survives then the entire process starts all over again. As part of the ordeal you will need to wash and machine-dry (at a temperature of 120 degrees F for 20 minutes) every item of clothing, bedding, curtains, and so on in the house plus bake all of your books in an oven. The toxic chemicals which are sprayed to kill bedbugs are not so great for the health of humans and pets, either.

Bedbugs will also feed on your pets as well as your human family.


LINKS:

Know Your Foe
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/68013/title/Google_a_bedbug_today
and
http://bedbugger.com/photos-of-bed-bugs-and-signs-of-bed-bugs/

Photo of Bedbug Fecal Spotting on Mattress Seam
http://www.burnspestelimination.com/blog/?cat=3
(scroll down to last photo; click on photo to enlarge)

Slideshow of Bedbug Bites
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/slideshow-bedbugs
(also, Google "bedbug bites")

Photo of Bedbug Waste
http://www.bedbugsguide.com/identifying-bed-bugs.htm

Snopes Urban Myth Debunking:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/bedbugs.asp

Bedbug Plague Real or Hype?
http://www.principalinvestigators.org/bed-bug-plague-real-or-hype/ br /
The tips, facts, and links above are gleaned from diverse reports on bedbugs; you may want to run a search yourself as new information comes out all the time.

Remember, millions of people can and do travel every year without encountering any difficulties with bedbugs. Though bedbug populations are on the rise this problem can largely be countered by using these simple and effective prevention measures.

We genuinely are looking forward to your visit!