Island Guide: 10 Best Things to do on The Big Island of Hawaii

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Last Updated on April 21, 2024 by sydabroad

Looking for the best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii, then keep reading! 

The Big Island (also known as the Island of Hawai’i) is known for its volcanic landscape, historic sites, and two national parks. And to my surprise, the Big Island had some beautiful beaches as well. 

This guide will cover all of the best things to do on the island, where to eat, where to stay, and more. So if you are planning a trip to Hawaii – this article is for you! 

Looking for more guides to Hawaii?

• The Ultimate Oahu Travel Guide
• How to Spend a Week in Oahu & Maui
• The Ultimate Road to Hana Itinerary
• The Best Things to Do in Hilo
• Kona to Hilo Drive: How to Roadtrip The Big Island
• Ultimate Guide to Snorkeling with The Manta Rays in Kona

This post is all about the best things to do on the Big Island of Hawaii. 

THE BASICS 

CURRENCY = USD

The currency in Hawaii is the US Dollar. Almost anywhere you visit will also accept card payments and you can find ATMs just about anywhere. 

LANGUAGE = ENGLISH

Hawaii is the only US state to have two official languages, those being English and Hawaiian. Although Hawaiian is still considered an official language in the state, you’ll find that everyone speaks English. The Hawaiian language is classified as a “critically endangered” language now that there are only a couple thousand native speakers. 

PHONE & INTERNET 

Cell service and wifi were okay throughout the Big Island. At times the service was spotty but I was working remotely from my hotel for three days and didn’t have an issue. You’ll find that more places have reliable wifi on Maui and especially Oahu. 

DAILY BUDGET 

Hawaii is not cheap. It’s one of the more expensive travel destinations. Expect to spend around $150 to $250 per day (excluding accommodation) depending on activities and transportation. It is possible to travel on more of a budget (about $70 – $100 per day) if you are eating at local markets and doing minimal costly activities.

TIPPING IN HAWAII 

Tipping in Hawaii, like the rest of the US, is expected when dining out at restaurants and during guided activities. 15% is standard. 

IS THE TAP WATER DRINKABLE? 

Yes, tap water is safe to drink on the Big Island. 

BEST TIME TO VISIT HAWAII

According to the weather, the best time to visit Hawaii is any time from March through September. This is when the islands have the lowest rainfall and the highest temperatures.

However, during the summer months, the islands will be crowded. I suggest going during the shoulder season which is before or at the beginning of March and the end of September. 

Personally, I visited Hawaii in September and December. Both times I had a great experience. December is usually more crowded but this is the prime whale-watching season which is cool. So if whale watching is on your bucket list, visit during whale-watching season. 

HOW TO GET TO THE BIG ISLAND 

You will likely either fly into Kona International Airport (KOA) or Hilo International Airport (ITO). Kona International Airport is the largest airport on the Big Island and where most people arrive. 

Kona is where I flew into, and although we were staying in Kona, we did end up driving to Hilo for a day (which is a bit of a drive, about 2 hours). So if you want to visit Hilo, I suggest flying into Hilo, staying for the day, and then driving to Kona. 

Read here all about how to roadtrip the Big Island of Hawaii

KONA VS.  HILO 

Although I spent little time in Hilo, I would recommend spending most of your time on the Big Island in Kona. There is a lot more to do on the Kona side of the island. Kona offers better weather, prettier beaches, and more snorkeling spots. In my opinion, the town was better too. 

Kona and Hilo are about a 2 hours drive from each other, so you will need a rental car to get from town to town. I would recommend visiting Hilo for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (located just outside of Hilo). I think this national park is the highlight of this part of the island. 

Hilo does have a more local, jungle feel – which is unique. But if are looking for a spot with more to do, I suggest staying in Kona for the majority of your time on the island.  Read more about the best things to do in Hilo here!

10 BEST THINGS TO DO ON THE BIG ISLAND

1. HAWAI’I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK 

One of the best things to do on the Big Island is to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It’s located about a 40-minute drive away from Hilo and well worth a visit if you are on the Big Island. 

If you want the full experience, I suggest staying in the area (Hilo for instance) so you can spend the day and evening exploring the park. Even if the lava isn’t flowing, you can at times see the lava glow at night. 

TIP: You can book the historic Volcano House hotel for a view of Halema’uma’u Crater. 

The entrance fee for the park is $25 per vehicle and here you can visit the Halema’uma’u Crater overlook, the Kilauea visitor center, Thurston Lava Tube, and Mauna Loa Road. There are all sorts of different hikes and night tours to see lava the lava flow and glow as well. 

Unfortunately, since I was not staying in Hilo, I didn’t get to spend much time here. I did not get to see any lava but I am still glad we visited Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The lava tube was my favorite.  

TIP: If you have a US national park pass make sure to bring it! 

Related Post: The Best Things to Do in Hilo, Hawaii

2. SPEND TIME AT THE BEACH 

To my surprise, the Big Island has some beautiful beaches. I wasn’t sure how they would compare to beaches on Maui or Oahu since the Big Island is essentially all volcanic rock. 

But there were beaches with clear blue water and white sand and it was unique to have the black volcanic rock out past the beach. I’ve listed a few of the best beaches on the Big Island below. 

BEST BEACHES ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII: 

• Kua Beach 
• Magic Sands Beach 
• Hapuna Bay 
• Mahai’ula Beach 
• Waialea Bay  

RELATED POST: 15 AMAZING THINGS TO DO IN OAHU, HAWAII

3. WHALE WATCHING (DECEMBER – MARCH) 

If you are in Hawaii during whale watching season, December through March, make sure to take a boat trip to see the whales. It’s incredible. You’ll find whale-watching tours on every island during this time of year.

4. SNORKELING

You’ll find the best snorkeling on the Big Island near Kona. Two Step Beach is a great spot to snorkel and it is more accessible. Kealakekua Bay is another amazing spot to snorkel, one of the best snorkeling spots on the island. 

There are also a variety of snorkel boat tours you can book around the island. Half-day tours, full-day tours – there are a lot of options. 

5. NIGHT SWIM WITH MANTA RAYS 

Night snorkeling with manta rays is 100% one of the best things to do on the Big Island (if not the best). This was personally my favorite activity and one that you ~have~ to do.

 Kona is one of the best places in the world to snorkel and dive with these animals. And they all take place at night because this is when the mantas feed. It’s very safe – these animals don’t have stingers and they feed on the tiny plankton that comes out at night. 

You are essentially taken out on a small boat and these giant lights are placed in the water to attract the plankton. This then attracts the manta rays and you get to snorkel with them while they feed on the plankton. 

If you want to know more about this experience I have a post here with everything you need to know and the best tours to book!

I think snorkeling with manta rays is solely a reason you should visit the Big Island. It was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. 

6. KONA BREWING COMPANY

There are a few Kona Brewing locations throughout Hawaii, but I loved the location in Kona. It was such a cool spot with great food and great beer. Try a beer flight – it was so good and you get to choose the beers.

7. HIKING ON THE BIG ISLAND

Listed below are a few hiking options on the Big Island with difficulty levels. 

• Mauna Loa: Hard 
• Mauna Kea: Hard
• Papakolea Green Sand Beach: Moderate 
• Akaka Falls State Park: Easy & the waterfalls are beautiful! 
• Kalopa Nature Trail: Easy 
• Kiholo Bay: Easy

8.  EXPLORE KONA 

Downtown Kona is a super cute place to shop locally. There are so many cute boutiques and gift shops. We even found a local market selling fresh produce and handmade goods. 

TIP: Hawaii is known for its macadamia nuts. Make sure to pick some up and macadamia nut chocolate to take home! It’s so good

9. EXPLORE HILO

Although I didn’t spend much time in Hilo, it was nice to see. You can spend some time exploring the tiny town of Hilo, shopping locally, and visiting restaurants. Hilo has more of a local feel than Kona and it’s more lush and jungly. There isn’t too much to see in the actual town of Hilo but is still something to experience on the Big Island. 

10. PU’UHONUA O HŌNAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK

Located on the west side of the Big Island is the national historic park, Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau. The park is hundreds of years old and was once the home of the royal grounds and a place of refuge. The national park gives visitors a glimpse into Hawaiian culture. 

WHERE TO EAT ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII 

To be honest, as a whole, I was disappointed with the food on the Big Island. I have never said this about any place but there were a couple of very popular restaurants that my friend and I visited that we were pretty disappointed with. 

But there were some great restaurants and cafes, so I’m going to list the places we liked! 

• Greenflash Coffee: Try the coconut latte with macadamia nut milk – so good. 
• Da Poke Shack: For fresh poke 
• Basik Açai Cafe: For amazing acai bowls and smoothies! 
• Kona Brewing: Mentioned this earlier but a really good spot

RELATED POST: KONA TIKI HOTEL, THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

WHERE TO STAY ON THE BIG ISLAND 

I stayed in Kona at Kona Tiki Hotel which was the perfect boutique hotel situated right on the water in Kona. From the short time I was in Hilo, it looked like Kona had a lot more to do. I am glad we stayed in Kona during the trip but it would have been nice to stay in Hilo for a night to be closer to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 

WHERE TO STAY IN KONA

• Book Kona Tiki Hotel 
• Book Holualoa Inn 

WHERE TO STAY IN HILO 

• Book Volcano Rainforest Retreat
• Book The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls 

FIND A PLACE TO STAY ON THE BIG ISLAND

Booking.com

HOW TO GET AROUND THE BIG ISLAND 

You will need a rental car. There are so many places to explore on this island it is pretty big. Hilo and Kona are about a 2 hours drive apart and there is practically nothing in the middle of the island. Read more about the drive from Kona to Hilo here.

TRAVEL TIPS – BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

• There is nothing in between Kona and Hilo – no gas, no stores, and no lights. So make sure you stop for gas and snacks before you make the road trip.  
• The island is volcanic rock, so some of the beaches have rocky roads to get to them. I don’t know how we didn’t bust the tires on our rental car tbh. (this was on the way to Mahai’ula Beach)
• The Big Island is big and there’s a whole lot of nothing on most of the island. You’ll likely either be in Kona or Hilo 
• I personally think you need to visit this island to do the manta ray snorkel. It was incredible and something you can’t do on any of the other islands. 

I hope this list of the best things to do on the Big Island was helpful! If you have any more questions while you are planning your trip, comment below, email me at sydabroad@gmail.com, or DM me on Instagram. 

RECOMMENDED  TOURS ON THE BIG ISLAND 

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