Hawaii

September 2022

  1. Kailua-Kona
  2. Captain Cook
  3. Volcano
  4. Hilo
  5. Mauna Kea Observatory
  6. Hawi

Day 1: No pain, all gain (and superior poke)

Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii!

Hawaii is incredibly, almost suspiciously easy to reach from Seattle — just a short, painless direct flight! It feels almost too easy to get here, given how absolutely beautiful this part of the country is. We’re used to long flights to reach paradise, so landing after just five hours feels like we’ve somehow cheated the system. “No pain no gain” they say with great authority… but what do they actually know? Have they been to Hawaii? We’re guessing not, because if they had, they’d understand that sometimes you can absolutely have all gain and no pain. This is one of those times.

Our first priority as soon as we landed and dropped our bags — even before unpacking or taking proper showers — was to get some authentic poke (chunks of raw marinated fish, traditional in Hawaii and pronounced “POH-keh” for those keeping track). Poke has become quite popular in Seattle over the past few years, so we’ve had our fair share of it and consider ourselves reasonably knowledgeable, but today’s poke genuinely beats them all by a significant margin. Although our enthusiastic dinner experience may have been somewhat influenced by the balmy evening temperature, the surprisingly great live music drifting over from a nearby bar, or simply the fact that we’re already feeling the noticeably relaxed pace of Hawaiian life seeping into our bones. Regardless of what contributed to the experience, it tasted absolutely delicious to us and set exactly the right tone for the week ahead.

We’re staying in a charming little cabin on a working farm that we found on Airbnb, which feels considerably more authentic than a hotel. We were immediately greeted by an official “Pigs at play” caution sign at the entrance — which we initially thought was a joke but turned out to be very literal — and received a warm welcome from our friendly and helpful host, Shucheng. Our little modern cabin is absolutely adorable, with big windows, comfortable furnishings, and that perfect blend of rustic and contemporary that’s hard to achieve. We’re already looking forward to falling asleep tonight to the relaxing symphony of frogs and crickets.

Day 2: Praying for small waves (the gods weren’t listening)

Hawaiians invented surfing, and today we got to take a surf lesson in Hawaii! The irony of learning surfing in its birthplace — surrounded by people who’ve been doing it since childhood — was not lost on us, but we figured if we were going to embarrass ourselves, we might as well do it somewhere with historical significance.

We headed to Kahalu’u Bay, the location of our surf lesson and apparently our impending humiliation. In ancient times, this particular surfing beach was reserved exclusively for chiefs, because it has some of the best and most consistent waves on the island. So we felt pretty special to be able to experience this magical place, even if we were about to demonstrate why the ancient Hawaiians probably wouldn’t have chosen us to be chiefs. Right by the beach is an ancient temple, Ku’emanu Heiau, where chiefs used to come and pray earnestly for big waves. We made our way there before the class started and prayed with equal sincerity for small waves. Manageable waves. Beginner-friendly waves.

It turns out that we’re pretty bad at praying, because we got big waves… and a genuinely strong current! All the expert surfers in the surf shop were absolutely stoked about the conditions, practically vibrating with excitement and counting the minutes until they could get off work and go surf with their buddies. But for beginners like us? Oh boy… it was legitimately hard work to paddle against that current. Our arms were screaming at us. Still, with genuinely great directions from our upbeat and remarkably patient instructor Steve — who somehow managed to stay encouraging even when we fell off for the tenth time — we both eventually managed to get up on the surfboard and ride waves all the way to shore… just like the chiefs did! Although we were certainly, definitely not as graceful. More flailing, less gliding. But we were up, and that counts.

In the evening, slightly sunburned and thoroughly exhausted but feeling accomplished, we headed to the Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, which gets our enthusiastic vote for most enjoyable national park in the US — and we’ve been to quite a few. It’s a relatively small park, but absolutely beautiful, and with a genuinely fascinating history that deserves more attention than it gets.

In the old days, Hawaiians lived under the “kapu” system of laws, which governed all manner of their day-to-day life in extraordinarily specific detail. It was a remarkably rigid system, which forbade women and men from eating together, a commoner from crossing the chief’s shadow (which must have been difficult to avoid on sunny days)… and anyone other than a chief from surfing in Kahalu’u Bay! Infringements were punished swiftly by death… unless you were able to make it to Pu’uhonua O Honaunau before you got killed, which presumably required some very fast running. Once in the refuge, you were expected to perform all the rituals mandated by the priest, which could last anywhere between two days and two years depending on the severity of your transgression, before you were absolved of your sins and allowed back into the community. Our visit was considerably briefer, but we made sure to formally ask for forgiveness for surfing Kahalu’u Bay as non-chiefs… just in case…

These days the park consists of several beautifully carved wooden figures depicting various gods (each with their own specialty and personality), a meticulously reconstructed mausoleum containing the actual bones of chiefs, a few curious sea turtles who swim remarkably close to shore, and lots of gracefully swaying palm trees. What a perfect location to watch a spectacular sunset! The light was golden, the ocean was calm, and we felt profoundly grateful to be exactly where we were.

Day 3: Spinner dolphins, moray eels, and our private island fantasy

Today was dedicated entirely to snorkeling, because apparently we haven’t spent enough time in the water yet this trip. We had heard from multiple reliable sources that the underwater sights of Kealakekua Bay were absolutely not to be missed under any circumstances, but we had also heard — with slightly more concern — that it’s an extremely popular spot and can get uncomfortably busy with tour boats and kayakers. So we decided to book the earliest possible boat tour, with the smallest available boat, hoping we could explore it in relative solitude before the crowds descended. Our strategic planning paid off beautifully. When we arrived at the bay bright and early — which required waking up at an hour that should probably be illegal on vacation — there were only two kayaks there, and we managed to leave before any other boats arrived. Victory!

We saw numerous beautiful fish in impossibly bright colors and healthy coral formations, but the absolute highlight was encountering a large group of spinner dolphins that gracefully swam right by us. Spinner dolphins are justifiably known for their acrobatic moves and sheer joy of movement, and we were genuinely in awe as they jumped and spun so close to us that we could have reached out and touched them (though we obviously didn’t, because we’re not terrible people). It was one of those magical wildlife moments that makes you understand why people become marine biologists. We then moved on to the bay adjacent to the national park we visited yesterday, and among many other fascinating fish, we got to see several white mouth moray eels lurking in crevices and looking appropriately intimidating. We truly, genuinely love exploring the underwater world — it never gets old, no matter how many times we do it!

In the afternoon, feeling sufficiently water-logged and slightly sun-dazed, we decided to explore the dramatic lava cliffs we had seen from the boat earlier, but on foot this time for a different perspective. The Big Island is geologically composed of five separate volcanoes that gradually merged together over time, so black volcanic rock is absolutely everywhere you look. We parked in a satisfyingly remote spot and hiked through a dense jungle of tropical plants and trees, walking carefully on a solidified lava path that still showed the distinct swirls and bands formed by viscous hot lava doing its slow-motion flow. The patterns are mesmerizing when you really look at them.

We eventually reached the dramatic shore, where powerful waves crashed impressively on the bare lava rocks and left behind numerous tide pools teeming with tiny marine life. With absolutely nobody else in sight — other than countless tiny black crabs that scattered at our approach — we thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful feeling of being in our own private tropical island paradise as the sun slowly set. We may have briefly entertained fantasies about never leaving and just living here permanently. The crabs seemed welcoming enough.

Day 4: Poke addiction, honor systems, and an army of frogs

Today we drove approximately a quarter of the way around the Big Island — which sounds more impressive than it is, given that it’s still called the “Big” Island for good reason — from Captain Cook on the west coast to Volcano Village near the south coast. In between these two points, we could clearly see that this particular part of the island is very sparsely populated, which made for a peaceful and scenic drive. The road winds its way through dense forests and across impressively wide swaths of black volcanic rock that look almost lunar in appearance, with frequent glimpses of the brilliant blue ocean appearing between the trees. We stopped at several remote spots along the dramatic shoreline. Sometimes we were the only ones there, enjoying the solitude and feeling like explorers, and in other places, we encountered just a few locals who nodded at us in that universal “fellow adventurer” acknowledgment. We also visited the justifiably popular Punalu’u Beach, which is composed entirely of black sand created when molten lava reached the ocean and exploded into tiny particles. It’s visually striking and feels completely different underfoot than regular sand.

As far as food goes, we’ve been enjoying the remarkable variety of poke flavors so much — seriously, it’s borderline obsessive at this point — that we’re genuinely disinclined to try other local foods. Why fix what isn’t broken? But today, we made incremental progress toward culinary diversity: we had a poi bowl, which consists of mashed taro that tastes like purple mashed potatoes with an interesting slightly tangy flavor… with poke on top! So technically we branched out while still honoring our poke commitment. We also stopped at two local bakeries along our scenic route so we could properly try mochi cakes (a surprisingly delicious cross between pound cake and sticky rice that somehow works perfectly) and malasadas (Portuguese-style fried dough, often generously filled with custard — basically donuts but better). Everything was excellent and we may have bought more than we strictly needed.

We really appreciate and genuinely admire the honor system used by many of the small home bakers and farm stands here on the Big Island: take whatever you want from the roadside stand, and pay with your phone by scanning a Venmo QR code. No employee watching you, no cash register, just basic human trust. It’s refreshing to see this level of community trust still functioning in the modern world, and it makes us slightly sad that this wouldn’t work everywhere.

At the end of today’s drive, we passed the entrance to Volcano National Park — which we’re saving for tomorrow with great anticipation — and made our way to our next Airbnb accommodation. We’re staying in a well-appointed cabin that’s practically hidden in the middle of a lush tropical forest, completely surrounded by vegetation. We’re thoroughly entertained during the day by numerous flocks of singing birds performing their greatest hits, and in the evening by what can only be described as an entire army of whistling coqui frogs. They’re surprisingly loud for such tiny creatures! We’re extremely excited to visit the park tomorrow and finally see some actual volcanic action!

Day 5: Walking on another planet (with magma underneath)

We got up early today — a pattern we’re noticing on this trip — so we could arrive at Volcano National Park before both the crowds descended and the weather got uncomfortably warm. Our strategic timing paid off beautifully. Arriving shortly after sunrise, it was remarkably easy to find parking (a minor miracle at popular national parks), and the temperature was absolutely perfect for hiking — cool enough to be comfortable but not cold. We ambitiously connected three different trails to make a six-mile loop, which sounded reasonable in theory but felt considerably longer by the end.

The absolute highlight for us — the thing that made the early wake-up completely worth it — was descending into and then crossing the entire floor of the Kilauea Iki crater. This massive crater was half-filled by molten lava during an impressive 36-day-long eruption in 1959, eventually cooling over time to become a solid rocky plain. Hiking across this crater is like walking on another planet — the landscape is alien and surreal, all black rock and strange formations. It’s also a bit of a thrill, if we’re being honest, knowing with absolute certainty that liquid magma is still pulsating and flowing somewhere beneath the surface under our feet. We tried not to think about that too much while we were actually walking on it. Over the years since the eruption, life has gradually, stubbornly returned to the crater floor, where the most tenacious plants are now determinedly growing from tiny cracks in the rock. Nature is remarkably persistent.

We returned to the park in the evening — because apparently we hadn’t had enough volcano for one day — to view the latest ongoing eruption. Since September 2021, Kilauea has been actively forming a lake of molten lava in the Halema’uma’u crater, which is exactly as dramatic as it sounds. From a designated viewing point on the crater rim, we could clearly see the lava actively bubbling and spurting below us, forming bright glowing lines in the lava lake surface and casting an eerie red glow on the thick clouds of steam overhead. The whole scene looked like something from a fantasy movie, except this was completely real. Even from a safe distance — which we were very grateful for — the volcano is truly, genuinely awe-inspiring. It’s humbling to witness the raw power of the Earth creating new land right in front of your eyes.

Day 6: Waterfalls and the best poke yet

Hilo is well-known and justifiably celebrated for its impressive waterfalls, so today we went chasing waterfalls. We made a brief but scenic stop at Rainbow Falls, which is conveniently viewed from a parking area within Hilo itself (accessibility: 10/10). Then we headed north along the winding coastal road to Akaka Falls State Park, where we thoroughly enjoyed walking the short but beautiful trail through remarkably dense rainforest to reach the waterfall.

We were impressed by the size and incredible variety of lush tropical plants growing everywhere we looked — many of them look exactly like giant, thriving versions of plants we’ve desperately tried to keep alive indoors at home in Seattle! Apparently the secret is massive amounts of rainfall and actual tropical climate. Who knew? As we continued along the well-maintained trail, the thick rainforest eventually opened up dramatically to reveal Akaka Falls plunging more than 440 feet (134 meters) into a deep gorge in a single, unbroken drop. Spectacular! The sound alone was impressive, and the mist created tiny rainbows in the sunlight. Worth every step of the hike.

We returned to Hilo for lunch, feeling appropriately hungry after our waterfall adventures. We had poke, of course — at this point it would be more newsworthy if we didn’t have poke. This was the best poke we’ve had yet on the island, and we’re saying that after having poke nearly every day, so we consider ourselves reasonably qualified judges at this point. The secret might be that we bought it directly from the fish market, where the fish is so fresh it was probably swimming that morning. The quality difference is noticeable and worth the slightly industrial setting.

For dessert, because apparently we needed more sugar, we treated ourselves to several different flavors and varieties of mochi from the legendary Two Ladies Kitchen. We say “legendary” because locals kept telling us with great emphasis that we had to go there, and they were absolutely right. The mochi was incredibly fresh, perfectly textured, and came in creative flavors we’d never seen before.

Day 7: Lava fields, locked gates, and pristine solitude

This morning we traversed the Big Island from east to west, driving the aptly-named Saddle Road — which really does feel like being in a saddle — between the two biggest volcanic peaks, the imposing Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Turning north, we headed into the Kohala district and made our way toward the lush green valleys near the northern tip of the island. We hiked down the short but steep trail into Pololu Valley, which tested our knees and made us wish we had our trekking poles, ending up at a strikingly beautiful black sand beach that dramatically separates the verdant valley from the powerful ocean. We enjoyed the tranquility of this incredibly scenic spot for a while, just sitting and taking it all in, before reluctantly hiking back up to the overlook.

Our next destination was the western shore of Kohala, which has some of the best white sand beaches on the entire island according to multiple sources. We generally like to avoid crowds whenever possible — they tend to ruin the experience — so we deliberately picked a beach that takes a bit of work to get to. From the highway, we drove our trusty SUV 1.5 miles (2.4 km) on a rough, rocky road through otherworldly lava fields to reach a trailhead, and then hiked an additional 25 minutes across more lava and through shifting sand dunes. It was hot, and absolutely worth it.

Arriving at last at the ocean, slightly sweaty and covered in volcanic dust, we were immediately rewarded with pristine turquoise waves rolling rhythmically onto a long white sand beach, surrounded by dramatic dunes laced with green vines. What a genuinely gorgeous spot! We had the place almost entirely to ourselves — just us, the ocean, and maybe three other people in the distance — and we stayed considerably longer than anyone else, until just past sunset when the light turned golden and then purple. Then we hastily hustled back to our car so we could make it out of the lava fields before the gate to the park closed at the designated time! We made it with maybe five minutes to spare, which was closer than we would have liked but added a certain excitement to the end of the day.

We’re staying a couple of nights in Hawi, a cute and quirky town with well-preserved historic buildings and a distinctive hippie vibe that feels authentically bohemian rather than tourist-manufactured. Our accommodation was once the central house of a sugar plantation back when sugar was king on the island, and is now a charming boutique hotel that also serves delicious vegan food. It turns out you don’t need animal products to make amazing meals when you have access to this much fresh tropical produce.

Day 8: From sea level to the stars (and 53 degrees of temperature change)

We spent the morning intentionally relaxing at our charming hotel, enjoying the excellent vegan food, and indulging in some guilt-free reading on the patio. After a week of near-constant activity, we’d earned a slower morning. In the afternoon, feeling appropriately rested, we met up with a small group of fellow adventurers and our guide who took us to the summit of Mauna Kea. This wasn’t just any drive — we’re talking about an extreme vertical journey.

In just a few hours, we drove from sea level to an impressive 13,803 feet (4,207 meters), and experienced temperatures ranging from a balmy 85°F (29.5°C) down to a freezing 32°F (0°C) — quite an amazing and slightly disorienting variation! We went from shorts and t-shirts to full winter gear in less time than it takes to watch a movie. The top of this mountain is considered one of the absolute best places in the world for astronomy because of its remarkably dry environment, minimal light pollution, and exceptionally clear skies, and as a direct result, there are now 13 major observatories built and operated by various countries, each with its own specialized purpose. It’s like an international science city on top of a mountain.

Our guide, Gage, was absolutely fantastic — equal parts knowledgeable scientist and entertaining storyteller. He patiently explained the different uses and groundbreaking discoveries made by these giant telescopes as we watched the sun slowly set into the sea of clouds far, far below us. The view was otherworldly and surreal. As the stars gradually emerged one by one — and then suddenly all at once when darkness fully fell — Gage set up an impressively powerful portable telescope that probably cost more than our car. He showed us a fascinating variety of interesting features in the night sky, including a binary star system (two stars orbiting each other), the Andromeda galaxy (our nearest galactic neighbor, 2.5 million light-years away), Jupiter with its distinct bands, and Saturn with its famous rings clearly visible. Each view was accompanied by context and stories that made the experience educational and awe-inspiring.

Gage was genuinely knowledgeable and consistently entertaining throughout the entire evening, and the overall experience significantly surpassed our high expectations. Standing on top of a mountain at nearly 14,000 feet, looking at galaxies millions of light-years away, really puts things in perspective. We felt simultaneously very small and very lucky.

This late-night adventure on top of a frozen volcano marks the end of our vacation on the Big Island, which feels like perfect bookend to an incredible week. We’re genuinely impressed with the wide range of activities and diverse experiences that this island has to offer — from snorkeling with dolphins to walking on lava to stargazing from above the clouds.