I always imagined a trip to Hawaii would be like in the movies, with people in flower shirts and someone greeting us with leis and dancing. Unfortunately, I got none of those things. Maybe that is what happens when you fly economy.
Jokes aside, Hawaii was always an interesting destination for us because of the beaches, but even more because of the volcanoes. So the Big Island felt like the right place for both. The beaches may not be the most famous in Hawaii, but they are still very good.
The first thing we liked was the weather. It was a warm and pleasant night.
Trip at a Glance
- Duration: 2.5 days (Easter long weekend)
- Base: Waikoloa Village
- Main focus: Volcanoes + beaches
- Top highlights: Kīlauea viewpoints, Nāhuku Lava Tube, black sand beaches, and sunset at On the Rocks
Day 1: Volcano Day
The first day, we dedicated our time to visiting a volcano, specifically Kīlauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
We left our Airbnb in Waikoloa Village around 7 AM because we wanted to get there early and beat the tourist rush. It takes around two hours via Saddle Road, and the drive is smooth.
The drive itself was beautiful, with volcanic scenery we had never seen before. There are no meaningful stops unless you just want to pull over and enjoy the view.
I bought the park admission while we were in the car, and we paid USD 30 for seven days of access.
We got to the park around 9 AM, and there were a few people but not too many, so it was a good time to arrive, especially because it was a US holiday.
Kīlauea Overlook
We stopped at the welcome center, but there was nothing special there, so we moved on to the Kīlauea Overlook. Parking was really easy since there were a lot of spots available at that time in the morning.
The overlook is fantastic. We could see almost the whole crater, with smoke rising during the day.
Kīlauea Overlook was our first big view of the crater, and it immediately felt worth the early drive.
It was great to see the crater floor with gas vents.
The best part was the hill with the most smoke. It was striking to see the green patches around it.
Uekahuna
We walked here from the Kīlauea Overlook. It was a short walk, and this view is a bit better for seeing the whole crater.
Uekahuna gave us another great angle of the crater, with a broader sense of the scale of the landscape.
It was also interesting to see the flow. It felt like walking on polystyrene, and it cracked below your feet.
It looked like hard rock but was very spongy and broke very easily. It was a really new and exciting experience.
Steaming Vents
We stopped by the steam vents. It was cool to see the power of nature this close. I expected them to be smellier than they were, but they did not have much smell. It was also nice to stay in the warmth because the day was a bit cold.
The steaming vents were a simple stop, but one of the best reminders of how active and alive the park feels.
Kīlauea Iki Overlook
We then went to the Kīlauea Iki Overlook because we wanted to do a short hike. Actually, I wanted it more than May did, but she came along.
Kīlauea Iki Overlook was where we started the short hike down into the crater.
We parked here because it was easier and allowed more time than parking closer to the lava tube. We had to walk a bit more, but it is part of the experience.
We went down to the bottom of the crater to see what the floor looked like and say that we had been in a volcano crater (we had already been in one in Africa, during our safari trip in Kenya and Tanzania, including the Ngorongoro Crater), but we wanted one that felt more recent and rocky.
The whole hike was around 1 hour to the bottom and back. We did not want to do the full loop.
On the way back, we were able to see eruptions in Kīlauea from far away. It was small, but still really nice because we were really looking forward to it.
Seeing live lava, even from far away, was one of the highlights of the whole trip.
Nāhuku Lava Tube
The lava tube was simple but very cool. It is basically a cave you can walk through. It is easy and close to the parking lot (or the trail). It is definitely worth a stop.
Nāhuku Lava Tube was a quick stop, but walking through it was still a very cool experience.
Volcano’s Lava Rock Cafe
We decided to stop for lunch before heading to the next adventure. What better place than one that has Volcano and Lava in the name?
It was a good spot for a quick lunch. It was quite empty when we arrived, but got fuller later. The food came quickly and tasted good. The portion size was enough to sustain us for the rest of the day.
Mauna Ulu Lookout
After lunch, we headed south to the Mauna Ulu Lookout. The road there is amazing. It is fascinating to see so many volcanic landscapes, some very rugged and some less so. It is also interesting to see where the lava stopped and how it contrasts with the greenery.
Mauna Ulu Lookout was one of the best places to appreciate just how varied the volcanic landscape can look.
The wind here is very strong, so hold your doors and your hats. But the view of the rugged volcanic floor with the sea in the background is breathtaking.
Hōlei Sea Arch
We went even farther south for the Hōlei Sea Arch. In pictures, it looked closer, but it is actually not that close to the viewpoint. The arch itself is not really worth the stop, but the road there is really nice, so if you have time, go for it. The views are great, and the arch is a nice extra. It is also a good stop for a washroom break.
Hōlei Sea Arch itself was fine, but the drive there was part of the fun.
Kehena Black Sand Beach
We wanted to go to a black sand beach, and before the trip we prepared a map and added Kehena Black Sand Beach because it appeared to be closer to the arch. But it turned out that the lower road was closed, so we had to take the long way back to the park entrance and then head south again.
But we wanted to see a black sand beach, and we did not know there was another one on the island, so we decided to go. It was a bit of a drive, more than an hour.
The beach is more remote than we expected, and we needed to go down some steep steps to access it.
The beach was really nice. It was amazing to see the contrast between the water and the black sand.
Kehena was more remote than we expected, but the contrast between the black sand and the water was beautiful.
But the biggest surprise was that it was a nude beach. We had no idea. There were a few nude people, and it made us laugh the whole way back to the Airbnb.
We are so random that we ended up at a nude beach without knowing. That is what we call an adventure day.
Day 2: Beach Day
The second day was reserved for beach relaxation and exploration. The goal was to swim in the sea and try to see marine animals, especially turtles, which in theory were supposed to be easy to spot.
Hapuna Beach
One of the reasons for staying in Waikoloa Village was the proximity to the beaches, especially Hapuna Beach, which according to my research is supposed to be one of the most beautiful beaches on this island.
Again, we went very early. By 8 AM we were already at the beach. Day parking was USD 20.
The beach is really beautiful, but you need to bring everything, like chairs and beach umbrellas. As tourists, we were looking to rent them but could not find anything.
The water was great. It was not that warm, but it was not cold either. It was also very clear, and we could even see fish near the bottom. Some people were snorkeling on their own.
Hapuna Beach was exactly the kind of easy, beautiful beach stop we wanted for a relaxing morning.
We enjoyed the beach, the water, and rested. Once the sun got stronger and the UV got higher, we decided to change beaches.
Waialea Beach
Really close to Hapuna is Waialea Beach. If you paid for parking at Hapuna, you do not need to pay here.
Waialea Beach is a lot more natural, and the sand area is a lot smaller than Hapuna. There are a lot more rocks and fallen trees.
It was here that we finally saw a turtle. It was in the water, and we saw its head and flippers as the waves carried it around. Unfortunately, it never came out of the water.
Waialea Beach gave us our first turtle sighting of the trip.
Costco
Not a beach, but Costco was our lunch stop. We are weird and like stopping at Costco when we travel, especially to eat cheaply and buy groceries for cooking, since the quality is good for the price.
Punaluʻu Beach
As the sun was high and the UV was at its peak, we decided to drive to another black sand beach, one that was not supposed to be nude. It was an hour-and-a-half drive to Punaluʻu Beach, and it is supposed to be one of the easiest beaches to spot turtles. We had seen turtles in the morning, but we wanted to see them outside the water.
It was not a great drive. Some winding sections are tiring, and you need to do them for more than 30 minutes. Spending 3 hours going back and forth on that road was exhausting.
The beach was beautiful, and there were a lot more people. It felt more family-friendly and nice to be there.
Punaluʻu Beach was beautiful, even if the long drive made it a harder sell for us.
There were also 2 or 3 turtles, but they were all in the water surfing the waves, so we only saw their flippers when a wave lifted them.
For us, it was not worth it. The road was not that great, we had already seen a black sand beach the day before, and we still did not see the turtles the way we wanted to.
On the Rocks
After that tiring road, we wanted to sit somewhere and relax while watching the sunset. May did some research and found On the Rocks bar. It was perfect because it was by the beach, and we could enjoy a beer while watching the sunset.
Another great thing was that May wanted a Hawaiian drink and some live music.
They had live music with a Hawaiian-style dancer, and it was great. After the frustrating road from Punaluʻu Beach, On the Rocks saved the day.
On the Rocks ended up being the perfect way to close the day, with drinks, music, and a beachside sunset.
The service was great as well, with a very attentive waiter. We got a seafood chowder, since I usually enjoy it, but it was not as good as advertised. I much prefer the San Francisco or Seattle versions.
Day 3: Short Beach Stops
Day 3 was our return day, but we had the morning before catching the flight. We stopped again at Hapuna Beach to swim in the sea and enjoy the clear water and beautiful sand.
We also did a quick stop at Waialea Beach to see if we could spot another turtle, but no luck this time.
After checkout, we still had a few minutes to kill and some food to finish, so we went to Kohanaiki Beach Park, since it was closer to the airport. There we just sat, ate our tacos, and watched the waves, as there were more waves than at the other beaches. There was even someone surfing.
Logistics
For those who are interested, here are the logistics and costs from our trip.
Flights
This trip happened because I found a good flight deal for the Easter long weekend. A direct Vancouver to Kona option made it feel very doable for a short escape from Vancouver’s cold weather.
- Route: Vancouver (YVR) -> Kona (KOA)
- Flight time: ~6 hours each way
- Airlines: WestJet (outbound), Air Canada (return)
- Booking platform: booking.com
Car Rental
The main roads we used were in good condition, so you do not need anything fancy for the typical attractions. We still chose an SUV because it was more comfortable, and the price difference was small.
- Booking platform: Costco Travel
- Rental company: Budget
- Car type: SUV
- Duration: 3 days
Stay
We picked Waikoloa Village mainly because we wanted easy beach access in the mornings. For this trip style, it worked really well as a practical base.
- Area: Waikoloa Village
- Platform: Airbnb
- Duration: 3 nights
- Notes: We mostly used it to shower, sleep, and have breakfast.
eSIM
I usually use Nomad, but this time I tried Booking’s Breeze. It was simple and enough for maps, messages, and normal trip usage.
- Provider: Booking’s Breeze
- Plan: 3 GB per person
Prices
Overall, Hawaii felt expensive, including groceries. We noticed that right away during our first Safeway stop, where prices felt noticeably higher than what we usually pay in Canada.
Summary
It was only two and a half days, but they were packed with activities and enjoyment. The Big Island is awesome. We kept saying it felt like many days in one, because as you drive, you move through very different landscapes just minutes apart. You get desert-like areas, lush tropical green, bare volcanic fields, and everything in between.
Seeing all the different volcanic landscapes and live lava for the first time was incredible. The volcanoes are not the stereotypical cone shapes, but they are amazing and have huge craters.
We definitely want to explore the other Hawaii islands now. It is a great place to escape the cold winter in Vancouver, but only if flight prices are good, since it is not a cheap place compared to Mexico trips like Cancun, which we can reach with a similar flight time.
If you are looking for adventure and relaxation, I would say the Big Island gives you both.
Chheers to more adventures in the future!