The Big Island has a tour company for every possible tourist endeavor. If you don't see it covered here, search for it. Chances are there will be a tour guide for what you want to do.
Cave Tour, ☎ +1-808-929-9725, . Kula Kai Caverns offers lava tube cave tours for all ages with various levels of capabilities, ranging from a short walk that's OK for claustrophobics up to full-day personal guided adventures. Located in Ka'u on the south side of the Big Island, between Kona and Volcano. Reservations are required and well worth planning ahead for. �
Helicopter tours over the Kilauea volcano (the only erupting volcano in Hawaii). Because Kona is twice as far from the volcano as Hilo, tours that leave from Kona are generally 2 hours long and accordingly more expensive. You may choose to drive 2h15m to Hilo if money is a consideration. Morning helicopter flights tend to have the least cloud cover, but also book first. If taking photos, wear dark clothing to avoid reflections from windows.
A special mention should be made about the "doors off" helicopter tour, which lets you smell the lava and feel its heat.
Mule/Horseback tours
Snorkeling. A lot of fish and coral ogling can be done without getting a license, only a snorkel and some flippers are required. There are several good areas, like Cooke's cove and some of the more secluded beaches between Waikaloa and Kawaihae.
Scuba diving. Kona has some great diving opportunities during the daytime, but the real thing to do here is the Manta Rays Night Dive. All the dive operators in town do a night dive to see the giant mantas, and this is the best and most reliable place in the world to see them. The manta rays of Kona can be up to 16 feet wide and weigh almost 2000 lbs! On any given night there are 1-20 rays feeding at the dive site, and by bringing lights in the water, plankton (their food) is attracted to feed them. Divers sit in sand on the bottom about 30 feet deep and watch these huge but harmless fishes swim inches from their faces. A must do! Though it's at night, there is so much light in the water and it's so shallow that this is an easy dive for novice divers, as well as a very rewarding dive for even the most seasoned divers. Snorkelers can also get a great up close view of the mantas at the same time. All you have to do is float on the water and hold a light, it's very easy. You must be -certified to do the night dive, but if you aren't you can do a snorkel night tour (sometimes called "dive" as well), which offers comparable views and excitement. Well-reviewed popular companies that do Manta Ray Night dives include: Big Island Divers, Jack's Diving Locker, Kona Diving Company (formerly Bottom Time Hawaii), Fair Wind, Kona Honu, Pacific Rim Divers.
Sailing
Recreational Saltwater Angling. All recreational saltwater fishing is conducted on the leeward (west) side of the island. There are no charter operators on the windward (east) side, the seas are generally too rough. Kona is the hub of charter activity on The Big Island, and Honokohau Marina slips the majority of the fishing fleet. The marina is a few miles north of Kailua-Kona just off State Route 19. Prices vary considerably. A shared charter, six people conceivably unknown to one another, may be $90-100 per person for half day, while an exclusive, eight-hour trip, for up to six anglers, could run $800 or higher. The higher figures are for the boat, not per person. Fishing aboard a charter boat requires no license. Do not be fooled by the island's long-standing public relations effort. It is hard, if not impossible, to plan a trip which would perfectly coincide with sure-fire. There are times when Kona fishing is not "drop a line, catch a marlin". The point here is set up a charter with your eyes wide open. Be prepared for possible disappointment. After all, as they say, they call it "fishing and not catching" for a reason.
Biking. The Big Island hosts the Iron Man competition every year, so there is a lot of touring-style cycling. Most of that is done on Highway 19 between Kona and Kawaihae. But there are also big trucks on that road, so be careful. Mountain biking is good around Waipi'o valley and in the Volcano park. But it can be technical. Mana road is also good for off-road cycling, but it is very long (65-70 miles). You will need support or legs of iron to do it in a day.
Hawaii Forest & Trail, ☎ +1-800-464-1993, . Guided volcano hiking tours, and hiking tours on private grounds with waterfalls and forests. They also do the Mauna Kea summit 7-8 hour trip. Very well-reviewed on TripAdvisor.$125 - $179. �
Big Island Aina Tours, ☎ +1-808-315-3097, . Land Tours of Volcano and Falls as well as hiking tours. Small groups up to 6 per van. Private tours also available �
Hiking
Camping - the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources advises that "you must PURCHASE and PRINT a copy of your permit in advance and have it in your possession while camping or lodging within any park. It is not possible to purchase a permit at any park. ALL PERMITS REQUIRE A FEE – THERE IS NO FREE CAMPING IN HAWAII STATE PARKS OR FOREST RESERVES."
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Big Island
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Big Island - updated May 2024
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Big Island Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
