By Gary Walther
The Big Island’s Kona-Kohala (or west) coast is one of Hawaii’s—no, make that America’s—epic landscapes, one shaped by volcanic eruptions. It has millions of tons of matteblack lava all over the place to prove it, much of it having been spewed by Mauna Loa, the world’s
largest volcano in terms of volume and area (last big blow in 1926). There are great resorts along the Kohala section of the coast, but this is not Maui: Most of the shoreline is covered in lava whittled to sharp points by the tides, and the sea is rough. But the golf is great, the views from poolside ditto, and if you’re not a beach person, there’s a lot out there to be discovered, including the largest cattle ranch in the U.S. Note to coffee hounds: Kona coffee is one of the world’s finest, produced only in the upcountry south of Kailua-Kona. The best of the best is Kona Peaberry.
The Deal
Straightforward. For travel Aug. 15 through Dec. 14, Delta and Hawaiian are offering First Class fares from numerous cities to Kona. The deal is best Monday through Thursday. On Delta you have to make a connection in LA and the one downside is that return flights are overnight, getting into LAX around 5am.
The Fares: Starting at just over $1,000 (normally about $2,500) from the West Coast, and about $1,800 (normally about $3,120) from the East Coast.
Sample of Special First Class Fares to Kona
[table_opt style="gray-header" id="656 " width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]
Where to Stay Four
Seasons Hualalai: Gorgeous Asian-inflected décor, excellent food, a 92-foot-long pool looking out at the ocean, a spa deeply into island ingredients, and a 15,000 square foot Sports Club (also has a pool of rental villas).
Mauna Lani Bay Bungalows: Five butler-serviced, 2,700-square-foot accommodations, off to the side of the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel. Each bungalow has a swimming pool, two bedrooms, a living room you could have a catch in, and tropical fishponds in front of the patio. The Mauna Lani Bay hotel isn’t bad either.
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel: A landmark in hotel history—one of Laurence Rockefeller’s original Rock Resorts—this one with a modernist design by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “Every great beach deserves a great resort,” said Rockefeller, and this hotel does have the Kona coast’s best beach, one of the few tranquil, lava-free nooks.
Volcano Rainforest Retreat: Dreamy compound of four handcrafted cottages amid a grove of ohi’a lehua near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Sights to See
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: The world’s only drive-in volcano. To see the devastation up close, take the 11-mile-long Crater Rim Drive. To feel the heat itself, hike into Kilauea Iki Crater. To see a live lava flow, go to the end of Chain of Craters Road (25 miles). Best at dusk.
Waimea: The village, eight miles up from the coast, has a great upcountry, small town ambience. On the return, take the turn for route 180 for a scenic drive down to Kailua-Kona that takes in some of the island’s prettiest villages.
Drive to the Summit of Mauna Kea: The peak is a majestically bare expanse of scree (and at times, snow patches). Bring warm clothes as the temperature drops precipitately, as well as lunch, as there are no tourist services at the top. But the view, above the clouds, is amazing, and on weekdays you can tour the Keck Observatory, which has the world’s largest optical and infrared telescopes. The drive up on the Saddle Road is stupendous, but tank-up before departing. Four-wheel drive vehicle recommended.