 Welcome
to the Big Island of Hawaii
Please use our Interactive
Map of the Hawaiian Islands page to get a better idea of the "lay
of the land" on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The Big Island of Hawaii is the newest island in the Hawaiian Island
chain. The Big Island of Hawaii is the last of the major Hawaiian Islands
to ascend from the floor of the sea and it is the only Hawaiian Island
that is still volcanically
active and in fact still growing in size. For the past 20 years or
so the Big Island of Hawaii's volcano of Kileaua has been almost continually
active and at various times during the 1900's the volcano of Mauna Loa
has been active as well.
All this volcanic activity has provided tremendous excitement for residents
and visitors alike and it has become the focal point for many of the
Hawaii activities available on the island. The Big Island activities
include the famous and spectacular helicopter
flights over the active volcano, flight seeing planes, land
tours to see the area from within the Volcano's National Park and
various hiking
trips which often put you face to face with live volcanic lava.
The allure of the Big Island of Hawaii does not end with its volcanoes
however as it is also home to what can arguably be considered the best
sport fishing location on the planet off Kona Hawaii.
Kona fishing is
dramatic because of the extreme depths to which the water descends directly
off the Kona coastline. Within just a few hundred yards off shore the
underwater sea shelf falls off to depths not found in most other Hawaiian
waters. This seems to be one of the attractions for the enormous billfish
which are caught often in these waters. Throughout the towns, restaurants,
shops and museums you will find evidence of these mighty fish in the
form of mounted castings.
These fish can reach weights in excess of 1000 lbs and the fight to
real these ocean giants to the boats can often take many hours and is
the grist for many often told sea stories. Of course, the largest marine
animal seen on the Big island of Hawaii are the whales that
visit Hawaii each year.
Evidence for this excellent fishing can be seen in the harbors which
are loaded to capacity with fishing boats. One of the oddities surrounding
the Kona fishing industry is that because there is such good fishing
there are many boats and because there are many boats the competitive
pricing for these charters is relatively low. This means that you can
do some of the best fishing in the world in Kona and yet pay relatively
little to do so.
Air Tours - Fixed Wing in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island
of Hawaii is big indeed, larger in fact than all the other islands put
together. Taking an air tour on a fixed wing aircraft is a great way
to see the Big Island of Hawaii in a short amount of time, and at a lesser
expense than in a helicopter. The air tours over the live volcanoes on
Big Island of Hawaii are among the most spectacular and this Hawaii activity
is among the most popular.
 ATV
Off-Road Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island of Hawaii is the original site
of the very first 4-wheel ATV tours in Hawaii. This Big Island of Hawaii
activity is one of the most exciting to be offered anywhere in the
state.
Dinners
and Dinner Cruises in the Big Island of Hawaii - These boats off
the Big Island of Hawaii have been known for years as the spot to "party
your sandals off." The coastline
off the Kona shore with its views of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea is an
ideal setting for a Big Island of Hawaii Dinner Cruises.
Diving
- Scuba Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Kona Coast in particular has been blessed with
some of the calmest waters in Hawaii in both the morning and the afternoon
allowing scuba companies to take charters out all day long. This Hawaii
activity is one of the few in the State of Hawaii to feature views
of Manta Rays on a regular basis.
Dolphin
Watching Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Known for their inshore habits, playfulness around
vessels and star performances at oceanariums, Bottlenose dolphins are
probably the most popular of all cetacean species located off the Big
Island of Hawaii. Four other species of dolphins are regularly found
in the waters around Hawaii. They are the Pacific Bottlenose dolphin,
the Rough-Toothed dolphin, the Spotted dolphin and the Spinner dolphin.
As far as Hawaiian activities go, dolphin watching is among the most
popular.
Fishing
Charters in the Big Island of Hawaii - Perhaps the single most well-known and important activity
on the Big Island of Hawaii is sport fishing or deep sea fishing. The
quality of the "big game" on Big Island of Hawaii is unparalleled
anywhere in the world. The underwater terrain off the coast of Kona
features an almost "free-fall" drop-off that entices the
Pacific Blue marlin and other fish species to gravitate to these waters.
Golf in the Big Island of Hawaii -
Golfing on the Big Island of Hawaii is some of the best to be found anywhere
in the world. Some of the premier golf courses are: the Mauna Kea Golf
Course - Voted "America's #1 Favorite Hawaii Resort", Hapuna
Golf Course - considered a golf haven at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel,
Kona Country Club - featuring some of the most scenic golf in the Hawaiian
Islands, the Mauna Lani Golf Resort - which has earned a place among
the world's golfing meccas, and the Waikoloa Beach Resort - which is
a challenging yet scenic course and has lava throughout and runs along
the Pacific Ocean.
 Helicopter
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Within the past 20 years or so the only place on the planet
that you could consistently see an active volcano has been on the Big
Island of Hawaii. Many believe that this is the ultimate helicopter
tour in Hawaii. The molten lava flows, lava tubes, erupting vents and
general rift zone areas are for many a "once in a lifetime" Hawaii
activity experience.
Hiking
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island of Hawaii hiking tours and activities include
rainforest hikes, eco-tours, volcano tours, lava tube hikes, hikes
through the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, waterfall hikes, Mauna
Loa summit adventures, bird watching hikes, mule ride adventures, various
wildlife hiking tours and a variety of nature walks, walking tours
and sightseeing tours of the Big Island of Hawaii.
 Horseback
Riding Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Many of the ranches offering horseback riding on
the Big Island of Hawaii allow a more permissive style of riding than
found on other islands. With so much beautiful ranchland available
for horseback riding it's no surprise that Hawaii horseback rides and
horseback stables are a favorite for visitors and locals alike.
Inter-Island
Excursions from the Big Island of Hawaii - Did you know
that you can take one day trips to Maui or to Oahu from the Big Island
of Hawaii. These are great tours allowing you to take in the Hana rainforests
or Pearl Harbor without having to move to another island or change
hotel rooms.
Jet
Ski Rentals in the Big Island of Hawaii - Enjoy the excitement
of jet skiing in the beautiful waters off Kona. The Honda Aquaxtraxs
or the Waverunner XL-700 can handle riders up to a weight of 400 lbs.
So 1 or 2 people are no problem. This is a great Hawaii activity for
those that have a "need for
speed".
Kayaking
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The calm waters, abundant sea life, great snorkeling, picturesque
sea caves and beautiful weather surrounding the Big Island of Hawaii
make it an ideal location for Big Island of Hawaii kayak companies
to operate a variety of Hawaii kayak tours. Kayak tours are among the
most marine intensive of all the ocean tours and activities available
to you on the Big Island of Hawaii and your snorkeling adventures off
the kayaks will be some of the most rewarding to be found on any of
the Hawaiian islands.
Kids
Tours and Activities in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island of Hawaii has many tours
and activites that are suitable for children. Glassbottom boats, submarine
rides, a petting zoo, luaus and pony rides highlight the list of available
children's activities.
Land
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest island in the State
of Hawaii and has more areas to visit on a sightseeing tour than other
islands. One of the most dynamic of the Big Island of Hawaii tours
are the land tours taking you Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where
you can often see lava close up. Mauna Kea is one of the most spectacular
places in the world to view the cosmos from and the full-day circle
island tours give you a perspective on the whole island.
Live
Hawaii Volcanoes in the Big Island of Hawaii - Perhaps of all the features that mark the Big
Island of Hawaii's landscape the Kileaua Volcano at the Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park is the most exciting and dynamic! For over 20 years the
fountains of fire have continued with tremendous intensity and today
Mt. Kileaua is the volcano with the longest-lived rift activity in
known Hawaiian volcano history. Its ever present and relentless march
to the sea has proved unstoppable and has forever changed the landscape
of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Luaus in the Big Island of Hawaii -
The Big Island of Hawaii provides luaus from Kailua-Kona town to the
resorts of Waikaloa. There is nowhere on the planet that you can truly
attend an authentic Hawaii luau outside the State of Hawaii and the Big
Island of Hawaii offers you a wonderful variety for your enjoyment.
 Parasailing
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Parasailing on the Big Island of Hawaii is high excitement
and is done virtually every week of the year as compared to its counterpart
on Maui which closes for the Winter during the whale season. Flights
can be either single or in tandem with a friend and the boats here
make use of a winch system in which you are reeled out from a platform
on the back of the boat and then reeled back in to a safe landing right
back onto the boat. You'll never even get wet, unless you ask the captain
for a "dunk and go" on the way down.
Parker
Ranch in the Big Island of Hawaii - Parker Ranch is a highlight of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Founded by John Parker, a New Englander who jumped ship on the Big
Island of Hawaii, it is the largest private ranch under single ownership
in the United States and a home of the legendary Paniolo or Hawaiian
cowboys.
Restaurant
and Food Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Merriman's Farm Visits and Dinner an afternoon
and evening adventure. Go behind the scenes of Hawaii regional cuisine
on this unique guided tour which takes you to two farms in the North
part of the Big Island, then follows up these visits with a dinner featuring
fresh ingredients from the farms.
Sightseeing
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest island in the State
of Hawaii and has more areas to visit on a sightseeing tour than other
islands. One of the most dynamic of the Big Island of Hawaii tours
are the land tours taking you Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where
you can often see lava close up. Mauna Kea is one of the most spectacular
places in the world to view the cosmos from and the full-day circle
island tours give you a perspective on the whole island.
Sailing
Charters in the Big Island of Hawaii - Sailing charters on the Big Island of Hawaii generally
depart from the Kona side of the island. Because Kona is usually protected
from the stiff tradewinds by the enormous volcanoes behind, these sails
are often gentle in nature and are a great way to experience the beauty
of Hawaii's ocean and sealife.
Snorkeling
Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - The Big Island of Hawaii has a number of different boats
that offer snorkeling tours. Many of them cruise the coast off Kona
down to Capt. Cook. Most of the boats offer morning and afternoon trips
and one trip even offers "night snorkeling" to see the giant
Manta Rays. Some of the most beautiful snorkeling to be found anywhere
in the State of Hawaii can be found in the colorful waters off the
Kona Coast.
 Submarine
and Glassbottom Boat Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Atlantis Submarine cruises will take
you on a submarine cruise on one of their 5 million dollar underwater
viewing vessels to depths of over 100 feet and stay submerged for approximately
40 minutes! This is not your typical glass bottom boat ride, as
this Atlantis submarine boat actually submerges to the ocean floor.
Large window ports are located at every seat, the cabin is fully air-conditioned
with lots of ventilation and the underwater viewing of Big Island of
Hawaii tropical fish is spectacular.
 Sunset
Sailing in the Big Island of Hawaii - Sunset Sails off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii
provide the ultimate in relaxation. The beauty of the ocean and the
colors of the sunset provide a remarkable experience to conclude your
Hawaiian day.
Unique
Tours and Activities in the Big Island of Hawaii - Some tours and activities are simply unique
to the Big Island of Hawaii and cannot be experienced anywhere else.
These include tours to the summit of Mauna Kea, guided hikes into the
Volcanoes National Park, horseback riding on the Parker Ranch and "night
snorkeling" off the coast of Kona.
Visit
the Other Islands from the Big Island of Hawaii - Did you know
that you can take one day trips to Maui or to Oahu from the Big Island
of Hawaii. These are great tours allowing you to take in the Hana rainforests
or Pearl Harbor without having to move to another island or change
hotel rooms.
Whale
Watching Tours in the Big Island of Hawaii - Unlike other locations in Hawaii, the Big Island
of Hawaii is not only the seasonal home for the famous Humpback whales
but is also home year round to a selection of Sperm whales, Pilot whales,
Pygmy Killer whales, the Melon Headed whales and the rare Beaked whales.
Big Island of Hawaii - General Information:
The Island of Hawaii (called the Big Island or Hawaii
Island) is a volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean and one
of the eight main islands that compose the U.S. state of Hawaii. With
an area of 4,028 square miles (10,432 km²), it is the largest
island in the United States and the 76th largest island in the world.
Larger than all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined, Hawaii is said
to have been named for Hawaiiloa, the legendary Polynesian navigator
who first discovered it. However, other accounts attribute the name
to the legendary land or realm of Hawaiki, a place from which
the Polynesians originated (see also Manua), the place where they go
in the afterlife, the realm of the gods.
The Island of Hawaii is administered under the County of Hawaii. The
county seat is Hilo. It is estimated that as of the year 2003, the island
had a resident population of 158,400 persons.
Big Island of Hawaii - History:
Hawaii was the home island of Kamehameha the Great, who by 1795 had
united most of the Hawaiian Islands under his rule after several years
of warfare and conquest. He gave his kingdom the name of his native island,
which all the islands are now known as, Hawaii. Captain James Cook, who
made the Western world aware of these "Sandwich isles", was
killed on Hawaii.
Big Island of Hawaii - Geology and Geography:
The Island of Hawaii is built from five separate shield volcanoes that
erupted somewhat sequentially, one overlapping the other. These are (from
oldest to youngest): Kohala (extinct), Mauna Kea (dormant), Hualālai
(dormant), Mauna Loa (active, partly within Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park), and Kīlauea (very active; part of Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park). Interpretation of geological evidence from exposures of old surfaces
on the south and west flanks of Mauna Loa led to the proposal that two
ancient volcanic shields (named Ninole and Kulani) were all but buried
by the younger Mauna Loa (MacDonald and Abbott, 1970). Geologists now
consider these "outcrops" to be part of the earlier building
of Mauna Loa.
In greatest dimension, the island is 93 miles (150 km) across and has
a land area of 4,028.0 square miles (10,432.5 km²), representing
62% of the total land area of the Hawaiian Islands. Measured from its
base at the sea floor, to its highest peak, Mauna Kea is the tallest
mountain in the world, even taller than Mount Everest, according to the
Guinness Book of Records. Traditionally, Hawaii is known as the Big Island
because it is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands and some confusion
between Hawaii Island and Hawaii State can be avoided.
Because Mauna Loa and Kīlauea are active volcanoes, the island
of Hawaii is still growing. Between January 1983 and September 2002,
2.2 km² (543 ac) of land were added to the island by lava flows
from Kīlauea volcano extending the coastline seaward. Several towns
have been destroyed by Kīlauea lava flows in modern times: Kapoho
(1960), Kalapana (1990), and Kaimū (1990).
Hawaii is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago, and contains
the southernmost point in the United States, (Ka Lae). The nearest landfall
to the south would be in the Line Islands. To the north is the island
of Maui, where East Maui Volcano (Haleakalā) is visible across the
Alenuihāhā Channel.
18 miles (29 kilometers) off Hawaii Island's southeast coast is the
undersea volcano known as Lōihi. Lōihi is an actively erupting
seamount that lies 3,200 feet (975 m) below the surface of the ocean.
It is thought that continued volcanic activity from Lōihi will cause
the volcano to eventually breach sea level and later attach at the surface
onto Kīlauea, adding even more land to Hawaii's surface area. This "event" is
presently predicted for a date several tens of thousands of years in
the future. Hilina Slump or the Great Crack is an 8-mile (13 km)
long, 60 feet (18 m) wide and 60 feet (18 m) deep
crack in the island, situated in the district of Kaū. The Great
Crack is one of many series of cracks and rifts that were formed by eruptions
and, in fact, is an extension of the southwest rift zone. Often these
rifts are the sites of volcanic eruptions and occasionally a rift can
be so deep and so fractured that it can cause a chunk of the island to
fall into the ocean.
Some believe that the Great Crack is a result of the south flank of
the Big Island moving away from the rest of the island. Speculation abounds
that some day, perhaps soon, a major chunk of the island will break away
and fall into the ocean, resulting in turn in a huge tsunami and earthquake.
This actually does happen every ten thousand years or so, so it is not
outside the realm of possibility. Others believe the Great Crack is not
a fault that will break the island apart, but instead was created (probably
thousands of years ago) as a result of the crust moving apart slightly
due to magma forcing itself into the rift zones. The Great Crack has
been measured and is tracked and there is no indication that it is enlarging
in any way or that the island is shifting near this point. Furthermore,
the walls of the crack have been shown to fit together perfectly, thus
proving that the crack was a widening of once joined ground.
One can find trails, rock walls, and archaeological sites from as old
as the 12th century around the Great Crack. Much of these finds are on
the park side of the fence. About 1,951 acres (8 km²)
of private land beyond the fence were purchased during the Bill Clinton
administration specifically to protect the various artifacts in this
area as well as to protect the habitat of the turtles. However, near
the end of the crack is an area of land between the fence, the crack
and the ocean which is not part of the park land and does have many archaeological
artifacts on it.
In 1823 a very fluid flow of lava came out of a 6 mile portion of the
crack and made its way to the ocean.
On April 2, 1868, an earthquake in this area with a magnitude estimated
between 7.25 and 7.75 on the Richter scale rocked the southeast coast
of Hawaii. It triggered a landslide on the slopes of Mauna Loa, five
miles (8 km) north of Pahala, killing 31 persons. A tsunami claimed 46
additional lives. The villages of Punaluu, Nīnole, Kawaa, Honuapo,
and Keauhou Landing were severely damaged. According to one account,
the tsunami "rolled in over the tops of the coconut trees, probably
60 feet (18 m) high ... inland a distance of a quarter of a
mile in some places, taking out to sea when it returned, houses, men,
women, and almost everything movable." This was reported in the
1988 edition of Walter C. Dudley's book, "Tsunami!".
On November 29, 1975, a 60 kilometer (37 mile) wide section of the Hilina
Slump plunged 11 feet (3 m) into the ocean, widening the crack by 26 feet
(8 m). This movement caused a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a 15
meter (48 ft) high tsunami. Oceanfront properties were washed off their
foundations in Punaluu. Two deaths were reported at Halapē, and
19 other persons were injured.
The northeast coast of the Big Island has also suffered tsunami damage
from earthquakes that triggered waves from Chile and Alaska. Hilo was
severely damaged in 1946 and 1960, with many lives lost. Laupāhoehoe
alone lost 16 school children and 5 teachers in the 1946 tsunami.
Big Island of Hawaii - Demographics:
As of 2000, there were 148,677 people, 52,985 households, and 36,877
families residing in the county. The population density was 14/km² (37/mi²).
There were 62,674 housing units at an average density of 6/km² (16/mi²).
The racial makeup of the county was 31.55% White, 0.47% African American,
0.45% Native American, 26.70% Asian, 11.25% Pacific Islander, 1.14% from
other races, and 28.44% from two or more races. 9.49% of the population
were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 52,985 households out of which 32.20% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 50.60% were married couples living together,
13.20% had a woman whose husband did not live with her, and 30.40% were
non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals and
8.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The
average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age
of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64,
and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years.
For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females
age 18 and over, there were 97.70 males.
Big Island of Hawaii - Economy:
Sugarcane was the backbone of Hawaii Island's economy for more than
a century. In the mid-twentieth century, sugar plantations began to downsize
and by 1996, the last sugar cane plantation had closed down.
Today, most of Hawaii Island's economy is based on tourism, centered
primarily on the leeward (kona) or western coast of the island
in the North Kona and South Kohala districts. However, diversified agriculture
is a growing sector of the economy of the island. Macadamia nuts, papaya,
flowers, tropical and temperate vegetables, and coffee are all important
crops. In fact, because of Hawaii Island's reputation for growing beautiful
orchids, the island has the nickname "The Orchid Isle." Cattle
ranching is also important. The Big Island is home to one of the largest
cattle ranches in the United States, Parker Ranch, which is situated
on 175,000 acres (708 km²) in and around Kamuela. Astronomy
is another industry, with numerous telescopes situated on Mauna Kea owing
to the excellent clarity of the atmosphere at its summit and the lack
of light pollution.
Big Island of Hawaii - Tourist Information:
The Big Island is famous for its volcanoes. Kīlauea, the most active,
has been erupting almost continuously for more than two decades.
At the coast where the lava meets the ocean, one can sometimes see billows
of white steam rising from off the shoreline. At night, the lava lights
up the steam to give an orange glow. When the molten lava makes contact
with the ocean, the sea water turns into steam, and the sudden cooling
of the lava causes the newly formed lava rocks to explode and crack into
small pieces. The broken up lava is further ground into black sands along
the shore by the ocean waves. Black sand beaches are common on the Big
Island.
References: Official site of County of Hawaii; County of Hawaii
QuickFacts from the U.S. Census Bureau; Hawaii Dept.of Business, Economic
Development, and Tourism; and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Hearing Impaired
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page's audio narrative.
Big Island of Hawaii Tours and Big Island of Hawaii Activities -
If you had to pick one thing, of which there are many, that makes the
Big Island very different than any of the other islands, it would be
the volcanoes.
The Big Island is the newest of all the islands and in fact is getting
newer every day. Huge lava tubes have been forming which carry the
immense volumes of molten magma to places along the shoreline where
huge plumes of steam and gas escape hundreds of feet into the atmosphere
above. At most times in the last couple of decades Kileaua Volcano
was the only volcano in the world that was seriously active and it
has inspired hundreds of thousands of people from every corner of Earth
to come to witness the process of the birthing of our planet.
You too can bare witness to this most humbling of all natural phenomena
when you visit. Whether you see it by helicopter, or “up close
and personal” on one of the variety of guided hikes to the rift
zone, you will be amazed by the sites and “held in awe” by
the spectacle. This single display of nature is certainly enough to
justify a visit but the wonders of the Big Island do not end there.
The Big Island is widely viewed as the best place in the world to
go sport fishing. The vast expanse of coastline off Kona Hawaii is
shockingly close to the ocean depths. A short boat ride from the harbor
will put you in water miles deep and provides the perfect environment
for the larger predator fish such as the Pacific Blue Marlin.
Not to be out-done by the larger fish, the smaller reef fish off
the Kona coastline provide what many people believe is the ultimate
snorkel experience in the islands.
And for an amazing experience in the other direction, we have tours
that take you up to the summit of Mauna Kea to attest to the heavenly
spectacle of the night sky as viewed by some of the most expensive
observatories in the world.
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"The
Big Island" - Discount Tours and Discount Activities
