Family Vacation 2018 - Highlights, Big Island

 

Summer Vacation 2018 - Hawaii

(created Sat. July 21, 2018)





This page provide highlights from our visit to Hawaii / The Big Island.

(color: red, per GoHawaii.com)




Kona is located on the western side of the Big Island and we stayed at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.


The hotel is located on King Kamehameha’s beach, where you can also see Kamehameha’s temple and the Kailua pier... right outside our window at the Courtyard... thanks to Jim and Shelia who pointed us to this hotel!


The beach and temple are between the two palm trees in this photo, captured from our balcony.


The pier is extending outward, to the left of the left palm tree.


And to the left of the pier, you can see seeing the beach where they start the Ironman Triathlon.





  1. -the crashing surf









  1. -St. Benedict Painted Church... much like stained glass windows were used to tell the stories of the Bible to generations who could not read nor write; the same was done here, but they used the walls to tell the stories instead of the windows.








  1. -Kona Joe’s coffee farm - they patented using trellises for coffee, similar to how wine makers grow grapes








  1. -South Point / Ka Lae - the southern-most point in the USA...





... clear calm waters to the west







... windy white-capped waters about a quarter mile to the east













and amazing horses along the drive back to the main road







  1. -Black Beach / Punalu’u, where we saw sea turtles on the beach and also kicked Abby’s soccer ball around










  1. -Mass at St. Michael the Archangel’s Church




  1. -Outrigger canoe ride, powered by our own arms and paddles




  1. -LAVA BOAT
    LAVA BOAT
    LAVA BOAT
    !!!
    riding a boat from Hilo to see the two-mile wide lava flow from Kilauea Volcano’s Fissure 8 enter into the sea - A M A Z I N G!

    THANK YOU, MOKU NUI for the awesome experience!!!

    We left Kona at 1:30 am, arrived at the dock in Hilo at 3:15 am and set sail at 4 am.  The voyage was one hour from Hilo to the lava flow, one hour at the lava flow, and a one hour return trip... three hours total.  And we saw the sun rise while out at sea!


  1. All of the clouds are steam, not smoke, from the lava evaporating the ocean water.














the water a quarter mile off shore was a warm 107 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to a warm bath.




we were blessed with a rainbow on the ride back into port







  1. -the leisurely drive along Highway 19 from Hilo back to Kona, including a stop to see Akaka Falls





red hibiscus, near Akaka FallsFalls captured by Abby, as she pointed the camera up over our heads to where it was flowering





  1. -the view at Waipi’o Valley Lookout





  1. -sushi and (virgin) pina coladas

  2. -frisbee and catch in the ocean, and soccer on the beach

  3. -frisbee and catch in the pool










Links to the rest of this travel journal:


  1. 1)Highlights

  2. 2)Highlights - Big Island

  3. 3)Highlights - Oahu

  4. 4)Highlights - Kauai


  5. 5)Hawaii Geography


  6. 6)Flights - STL / St. Louis to KOA / Kona


  1. 7)Kona - Kailua

  2. 8)Kona - Painted Church and Place of Refuge

  3. 9)Kona - Coffee


  1. 10)Ka Lae / South Point and Punalu’u / Black Beach

  2. 11)Kona - Outrigger Canoe and Snorkeling

  3. 12)Moku Nui Lava Boat Tour

  4. 13)Lava Boat Videos

  5. 14)Drive, Hilo to Kona on Hw 19



  6. 15)Flight - KOA / Kona to HNL / Honolulu

  7. 16)Oahu - Chinatown and Diamond Head

  8. 17)Oahu - Dole Plantation Maze and Polynesian Cultural Center

  9. 18)Oahu - Hanauma Bay

  10. 19)Oahu - Hanauma Bay Videos



  11. 20)Flight - HNL / Honolulu to LIH / Lihue, Kauai

  12. 21)Kauai Churches

  13. 22)Kauai - Na Pali Catamaran

  14. 23)Kauai - Na Pali Videos

  15. 24)Kauai - fun in the resort and at Kalapaki Beach

  16. 25)Flight - LIH / Lihue, Kauai to STL / St. Louis



  17. 26)SLUH in HI



  18. 27)Hawaii Revealed

  19. 28)Postcards

  20. 29)Reviews



  21. 30)Hawaii 2000

  22. 31)Hawaii 2000 - Maui

  23. 32)Hawaii 2000 - Oahu