Kailua Kona Become a Travel Agent Near Me

The famed Kona coast covers about two-thirds of the western coastline of Hawaii Island—the perfect spot for spectacular sunsets. At the heart of Kona is the town of Kailua-Kona, where many of the area's restaurants and tourist activities are clustered. Along the North Kona and South Kohala coasts, you'll find some of Hawaii's most luxurious resorts.

Spend several days exploring Kailua-Kona's historical and cultural attractions, engaging in watersports, deep-sea fishing and diving, or just relaxing on the many spectacular beaches. Perhaps the Kona coast's biggest attraction is its fine, sunny weather—daytime temperatures average in the high 70s F/23-26 C year-round.

Must See or Do

Sights—Hawaiian history at Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park; King Kamehameha's compound, Kamakahonu, and reconstructed temple, Ahuena Heiau; Puukohola Heiau National Historic site; a view of Kilauea's lava flows from the ground or a helicopter; a nighttime dive or snorkel trip to view manta rays.

Museums—Viewing indigenous Hawaiian artifacts at Hulihee Palace and Museum; experiencing coffee growing at the Kuaiwi Farm; learning about the region's agricultural roots at the H.N. Greenwell Store museum.

Memorable Meals—Huggo's for fresh seafood; Merriman's landmark Hawaiian regional cuisine; Teshima's Restaurant in Honalo for satisfying local fare and friendly service; Jackie Rey's for seafood and grilled meats; pack a picnic and watch the sunset on one of Kona's many beaches.

Late Night—The Island Breeze Luau at the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel; drinks and dancing at the Mask-querade Bar; refreshing cocktails and light fare at Huggo's on the Rocks.

Walks—Scrambling over lava and seeing resting sea turtles at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park; lava landscape and petroglyphs along the King's Trail; a guided walk through old Kailua Village; exploring an ancient Hawaiian fishing village at Lapakahi State Historical Park.

Especially for Kids—Snorkeling and exploring tidal pools at Kahaluu Beach Park; Ocean Rider Seahorse Farm; drop in at the cephalopod research center, Kanaloa Octopus Farm.

Geography

Unlike the eastern coast, which owes its lush greenery to ample rainfall, Kona gets plenty of sunshine. And because it sits on a lump of volcanic rock, the Kona countryside seems somewhat barren by comparison. Along with sandy beaches and palm trees, the Kona coast has lava caves and jagged inlets that are lapped by a generally moderate surf.

North Kona is a wide expanse of plateaus, mountain slopes, vast lava flows and dry scrubland. In the northern area are the noted Kohala coast resorts. South Kona is a mostly upslope district wrapping around the flanks of the towering volcano, Mauna Loa. Highway 11, the district's primary road, meanders from Kailua-Kona through upslope areas away from the rugged cliffs of the coast.

History

The west coast of the Big Island is linked to important events in Hawaii's past. King Kamehameha was reputedly born near Kohala, on the northwest coast of the island. In his bid to become ruler of all of Hawaii, he built an enormous heiau, at what is now Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, to honor and enlist the support of his war god.

Capt. James Cook first set foot on Hawaii at Kealakekua Bay, south of Kailua-Kona, in 1778; he was killed there in an altercation with some Hawaiians in 1779.

Coffee trees were first brought to Hawaii in the early 1800s as ornamental plants. The first Christian missionaries to Hawaii followed, landing near Kailua-Kona in 1820. An American missionary later imported a coffea arabica cutting to Kona, where it flourished. Kona's very rich volcanic soil, higher upslope elevation, and consistent weather pattern of bright sunny mornings, afternoon cloud cover and ample rainfall furnished the right conditions for coffee to thrive.

By the mid-1800s, coffee growing and milling was an established industry in Kona. A coffee-market crash in 1899 depressed the industry temporarily, but the hard work of many local Japanese families with small coffee farms kept it alive. The backbone of the coffee industry on the island is still the large number of small, family-operated farms on the upland slopes of the Kona coast.

Kailua-Kona remained a sleepy fishing village until the 1960s and '70s, when it was discovered as a tourist destination. With the rise of the Kohala coast resorts in the 1980s, the character of the area changed dramatically and real estate values have skyrocketed.

Potpourri

Soon after World War II, Kona coffee growers set free their sturdy donkeys when they found that cheap Army Jeeps could climb the rugged terrain of the Kona hillside. A few donkeys still wander the Kona countryside on their own, although most have been rounded up and graze the dry grassland outside Waimea.

Only a few decades ago, barges would park off Kailua Pier, just as the cruise ships do today, and cows would be shuttled back and forth. They didn't have tenders to carry them, though. They had to "hoof it" on their own—swimming to shore or sinking.

The beautiful cliffs surrounding Kealakekua Bay hold great significance to the Hawaiian culture. It is in the nooks and crannies of the rocks there that the bones of alii (royalty) were buried after the chiefs passed away.

Kailua-Kona sits on an active volcano. The last flows from Hualalai volcano were in the early 1800s, and some say an eruption is already 100 years overdue.

British explorer Captain James Cook was killed during a skirmish with natives in 1779 at Kealakekua Bay, now a popular snorkeling area nicknamed Captain Cook. There's a memorial to him offshore, in the bay.

Location

Cruise ships visiting the Kona coast anchor in Kailua Bay and tender passengers to the Kailua Pier, at the north end of Kailua-Kona. You can easily explore downtown on foot. Tourist information, transportation and tours are available at the pier, which is great for sunset viewing.

An information booth for visitors is open on the pier 7:30 am-2 pm on days when cruise ships are in the harbor. https://www.destinationkonacoast.com.

Shore Excursions

Among the various offerings available are tours of Kona's historic coffee district of farms, plantations and mills, including a visit to the Kona Coffee Living History Farm and free samples of Kona's favorite brew. Other history-oriented tours take in historic and colorful Kailua-Kona, Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park and other sites.

There are also adventurous snorkel or dive cruises along the Kona coast to famed Kealakekua Bay's marine preserve, or take to the air with a helicopter flightseeing tour over the Big Island's valleys, slopes, waterfalls, remote coastal areas, and the splendors of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (especially recommended during eruption activity). Calculated thrills are in no short supply at Botanical World, where ziplines crisscross a private jungle preserve.

Duffers can hit the links of the nearby Kona Country Club's two course layouts. For anglers, fishing charters will chase Kona's famous blue marlin, mahimahi or yellowfin ahi tuna.

Check with your ship's shore-excursion staff or your travel agent for additional information.