Hawaii Island is one of the most beautiful and diverse islands in the world. There are plenty of great attractions and beautiful scenery all over the island.
When traveling to the Big Island remember that the temperature averages 71-77 degrees, and some parts of the Island can be found under snow. A light jacket or over-shirt is advisable when traveling across the Big Island.
Polynesian Adventure Tours offer many educational tours around Big Island. They can be scheduled as early as when you arrive or you can be picked up at your hotel. They offer different types of tours, a broad 260-mile complete guide or one that centers around the Big Island's volcanoes.
If you are more of a hands-on person try a Hawaiian eco-tour. An experienced naturalist guide will take you horseback riding to the top of a mountain, kayak through a sugar plantation, swim with dolphins, watch the sunset from the summit of a volcano, or hike to the top of a waterfall. After a tour of the Big Island, visit an authentic Hawaiian Luau. You get a lei greeting, a buffet, an open bar, and many different dance lessons, all on the beautiful Hawaii Island beach.
Many people choose to ride an ATV when visiting Hawaii Island. For the ATV lover there is a 30 mile trip from Mountain to the Sea, all guided by experienced ATV outfitters. It takes about 5 hours to complete the trip and combines a waterfall tour and an ocean cliff trail.
A great day trip beginning on Hawaii Island is to fly to the neighboring island of Oahu. You can visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial located on top the USS Arizona's sunken hull. From there visit the Punchbowl, the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Oahu is also home to the Iolani Palace and the state's capitol. The international marketplace on Oahu is located in Waikiki and is a great place to visit before catching your flight back to the Big Island. A great way to wind down is Captain Bean's Dinner Cruise. The double hulled canoe leaves at sunset and provides a great meal and entertainment on the Pacific. The trip is complete with dancing and an open bar.
For a memorable time, parasailing in the Pacific Ocean is beautiful and a fun thing to do as a couple or with family. The ride can be up to 800 feet for 10 minutes and offers a great view of the coastline. Another fun adventure is a visit to the first National Wildlife Refuge in the country for birds and features some very rare plants and animals. It is a 12 hour tour with meals included and pick up and drop-off at your hotel. The refuge is not open to the public but must be accessed through Big Island Hawaii Tours with a special permit they have obtained. The company provides binoculars and walking sticks for everyone. Another amazing trip is a whale watching experience off the coast of the Big Island. It is a 3 hour tour on a 16 passenger boat. Non-aggressive whales actually come right up to the boat and swim all around.
An experience that can't be missed is a scuba diving trip off Kohala Coast on Big Island. It is a four hour trip for beginners or experienced divers. Over 30% of everything you see underwater is unique to Hawaii and the island's size and shape helps protect it's reefs inhabitants. Each trip has two dive instructors that know every corner of the reefs that are visited. Probably the most notable underwater adventure is the famous submarine ride through a 25-acre coral reef. The submarine holds 45 passengers and lasts over 30 minutes. There are large turtles, colorful fish, and stingrays.
Big Island is full of activities to suit anyone. Whether you are a nature lover or prefer air conditioned submarine rides, Big Island has everything to offer and much more. There are plenty of Hawaiian oriented things to do and breath-taking views as far as you can see. I would definitely recommend staying on big Island when traveling to Hawaii.
