AKAKA FALLS-north of hilo, plunges over 420 feet in a sheer drop over a volcanic cliff.

BLACK SAND BEACHES-of Kaimu and Punaluu, made up of pulverized lava, are on the south-eastern shorline.

CAPTAIN COOK MONUMENT-at Kealakekua Bay, is a tribute to the British navigator and discoverer of the Hawaiian islands who was killed on the shoreline in 1779.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH-at Kailua-Kona, was erected by American missionaries who first landed on this coast in 1820.

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK-one of the top attractions in the Aloha State, has an array of unique volcanic formations, forests of giant tree ferns, steaming craters and a volcanological museum .

HULIHEE PALACE-in the village of Kailua-Kona, was once the summer home of Hawaiian royalty and now houses a rare collection of Hawaiiana.

KAMEHAMEHA STATUE-in Kohala, was lost at sea during shipment to Hawaii and later recovered after a replica had been made and erected in Honolulu.

KAMUELA MUSEUM-in Kamuela/Waimea, with royal Hawaiian treasures from Lolani Palace, ancient Hawaiian artifacts and art objects from around the world.

LAPAKAHI STATE HISTORICAL PARK-north of Kawaihae, was once an ancient Hawaiian fishing village.

LAUPAHOEHOE-which literally translated means "leaf of lava," is one of the Hamakua Coast's many scenic and historic spots.

LAVA FLOWS-are marked by warrior signs which designate flows which have surged down the mountains of Mauna Loa and Kiluwa since prehistoric times.

LYMAN MISSION HOUSE AND MUSEUM-in the city of Hilo, contains a collection of historic Hawaiian relics.

ORCHIDS AND ANTHURIUMS-grow in profusion in Hilo and surrounding areas for export to far ports of the world .

PAINTED CHURCHES-at Honaunau, St . Bendict's is the oldest Catholic church on the island constructed in 1875. The church has brilliantly hued murals depicting biblical scenes on the interior walls. Murals in the star of the Sea Catholic church at Kalapana were painted by a priest a half century ago.

PARKER RANCH-in the Waimea-Kamuela district at the foot of Muana Kea, is the second largest cattle ranch under the American flag.

POLOLU VALLEY-in Kohal, was once the locale of a number of ancient Hawaiian heiaus (temples).

PU'UHONUA O HONAUNAU (palce of refuge)-a National Historical Park, is said to have been built at the Honaunua location in the 12th century to provide political and religious asylum.

PUUKOHOLA HEIAU-near Kawaihae, was built by Kamehameha the great and is now a National Historical Site.

RAINBOW FALLS-one of the Big Island's loveliest waterfalls, is located in Hilo.

WAHA'ULA HEIAU AND VISITOR CENTER-at the foot of the Chain of Craters Road is maintained by the National Park Service as part of Volcanoes National Park. Walking tours are available.

WAIPIO VALLEY-north of the town Honokaa, was once the home of kings of old Hawaii.

WHITE SANDS BEACHES-at Hapuna Sate Beach Park, Anaehoomalu Beach, and Magic Sands Beach, Kailua, all on the western side of the island.

Arriving & Departing:

All major American and many international carriers fly to Honolulu International Airport. Some also fly direct to Kailua-Kona.

United Airlines offers the most frequent service from the U.S. mainland, but American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and TWA all have regular flights. In addition to flying to Honolulu, United and Hawaiian both fly nonstop from Los Angeles and San Francisco to the Big Island. Continental offers the only daily nonstops to Honolulu from the New York area (Newark).

The Big Island has two major airports for jet traffic between the islands: Kona International Airport and Hilo International Airport. The Kona Airport receives direct overseas flights from Japan (Japan Airlines) and Canada (Canada 3000), as well as direct mainland flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco on United and Hawaiian. Otherwise, you'll have to pick up an interisland flight in Honolulu.

AGRICULTURAL SCREENING AT THE AIRPORTS--At Honolulu International and the neighbor-island airports, baggage and passengers bound for the mainland must be screened by agricultural officials before boarding. The process is usually quick and easy. Officials will confiscate fresh avocados, bananas, mangoes, and many other kinds of local produce in the name of fruit-fly control. Pineapples, coconuts, and papayas inspected and certified for export, boxed flowers, leis without seeds, and processed foods (macadamia nuts, coffee, jams, dried fruit, and the like) will pass. Call federal or state agricultural officials before leaving for the airport if you're not sure about your trophy.

If your initial flight lands in Honolulu, it's easy to move on to the Big Island. Don't expect to jump a ferry; everyone island-hops by plane. In fact, almost every 20 minutes of every day from just before sunrise to well after sunset (usually around 8pm), a plane takes off or lands at Honolulu International Airport on the interisland shuttle service. If you miss a flight, don't worry; they're like buses--another one will be along real soon.

Aloha Airlines is the state's largest provider of interisland air transport service. It offers more than 175 regularly scheduled daily jet flights throughout Hawaii, using an all-jet fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. Aloha is the only interisland carrier (and perhaps the only airline in the world) to guarantee that if you're not satisfied with your flight, you can get your money back.

Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii's first interisland airline (which also files daily to Hawaii from the West Coast, see above), has carried more than 100 million passengers to and around the state. It's one of the world's safest airlines.

MULTI-ISLAND PASSES The standard interisland fare on both interisland carriers is $98 (rate may vary). However, both airlines offer multiple-flight deals.

Aloha Airlines offers the Seven-Day Island Pass, which allows visitors unlimited travel on Aloha and Island Air flights for 7 consecutive days. The price is $321. Aloha also offers a 1-month version for $999. And for $315, you can buy a Coupon Book, which contains six blank tickets that you can use--for yourself or any other traveler--any time within 1 year of purchase. If you and a companion are island-hopping two or three times during your stay, this is an excellent deal.

Hawaiian Airlines offers the Hawaiian Island Pass, which gives you unlimited interisland flights for $299 per person for 5 consecutive days, $349 for 7 days, $369 for 10 days, and $409 for 2 weeks. Because Hawaiian Airlines also flies to and from the mainland U.S., you may also be able to apply your transpacific flight toward discounts on your interisland travel; be sure to inquire when booking.

Best Bets:
The Best Beaches

Too young geologically to have many great beaches, the Big Island instead has an odd collection of unusual ones: brand-new black-sand beaches, green-sand beaches, salt-and-pepper beaches, and even a rare white-sand beach.

THE KONA COAST

Kekaha Kai State Park (Kona Coast State Park)

You'll glimpse this beach as your plane makes its final approach to Kona Airport. It's about 2 miles north of the airport on Queen Kaahumanu Highway; turn left at a sign pointing improbably down a bumpy road. You won't need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to make it down to the beach--just drive slowly and watch out for potholes. What you'll find at the end is 5 miles of shoreline with a half-dozen long, curving beaches and a big cove on Mahaiula Bay, as well as archaeological and historical sites. The series of well-protected coves is excellent for swimming, and there's great snorkeling and diving offshore; the big winter waves attract surfers. Facilities include rest rooms, picnic tables, and barbecue pits; you'll have to bring your own drinking water. Since it's a state park, the beach is open daily from 8am to 8pm (the closing is strictly enforced, and there's no overnight camping).

White Sands Beach

As you cruise Alii Drive, blink and you'll miss White Sands Beach. This small, white-sand pocket beach about 4½ miles south of Kailua-Kona--very unusual on this lava-rock coast--is sometimes called Disappearing Beach because it does just that, especially at high tide or during storms. It vanished completely when Hurricane Iniki hit in 1991, but it's now back in place. (At least it was the last time we looked.) Locals use the elementary waves here to teach their children how to surf and boogie board. On calm days, the water is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. In winter, the waves swell to expert levels, attracting both surfers and spectators. Facilities include rest rooms, showers, lifeguards, and a small parking lot.

Kahaluu Beach Park

This is the most popular beach on the Kona Coast; these reef-protected lagoons attract 1,000 people a day almost year-round. Kahaluu is the best all-around beach on Alii Drive, with coconut trees lining a narrow salt-and-pepper-sand shore that gently slopes to turquoise pools. The schools of brilliantly colored tropical fish that weave in and out of the well-established reef make this a great place to snorkel. It's also an ideal spot for children and beginning snorkelers to get their fins wet; the water is so shallow that you can literally stand up if you feel uncomfortable. Be careful in winter, though: The placid waters become turbulent, and there's a rip current when high surf rolls in; look for the lifeguard warnings.

Kahaluu isn't the biggest beach on the island, but it's one of the best equipped, with off-road parking, beach-gear rentals, a covered pavilion, and a food concession. It gets crowded, so come early to stake out a beach blanket-sized spot.

THE KOHALA COAST

Kaunaoa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach)

For 25 years, this gold-sand beach at the foot of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has been the top vacation spot among America's corporate chiefs. Everyone calls it Mauna Kea Beach, but its real name is Hawaiian for "native dodder," a lacy, yellow-orange vine that once thrived on the shore. A coconut grove sweeps around this golden crescent, where the water is calm and protected by two black-lava points. The sandy bottom slopes gently into the bay, which often fills not only with schools of tropical fish but green sea turtles and manta rays, especially at night, when the hotel lights flood the shore. Swimming is excellent year-round, except in rare winter storms. Snorkelers prefer the rocky points, where fish thrive in the surge. Facilities include rest rooms, showers, and ample parking, but there's no lifeguard.

Hapuna Beach

Just off Queen Kaahumanu Highway, south of the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, lies this crescent of gold sand-big, wide, and a half-mile long. In summer, when the beach is widest, the ocean calmest, and the crowds biggest, this is the island's best beach for swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing. But beware Hapuna in winter, when its thundering waves, strong rip currents, and lack of lifeguards can be dangerous. Facilities include A-frame cabins for camping, pavilions, rest rooms, showers, and plenty of parking.

Anaehoomalu Bay (A-Bay)

The Big Island makes up for its dearth of beaches with a few spectacular ones, like Anaehoomalu, or A-Bay, as the locals call it. This popular, peppered, gold-sand beach, fringed by a grove of palms and backed by royal fishponds still full of mullet, is one of Hawaii's most beautiful. It fronts the Outrigger Waikoloa Beach Resort and is enjoyed by guests and locals alike. The beach slopes gently from shallow to deep water; swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and windsurfing are all excellent here. Equipment rental and snorkeling, scuba, and windsurfing instruction are available at the north end of the beach. At the far edge of the bay is a rare-turtle cleaning station, where snorkelers and divers can watch endangered green sea turtles line up, waiting their turn to have small fish clean them. There are rest rooms, showers, picnic tables, and plenty of parking.

HILO

Leleiwi Beach Park

Hilo's beaches may be few, but Leleiwi is one of Hawaii's most beautiful. This unusual cove of palm-fringed black-lava tide pools fed by freshwater springs and rippled by gentle waves is a photographer's delight--and the perfect place to take a plunge. In winter, big waves can splash these ponds, but the shallow pools are generally free of currents and ideal for families with children, especially in the protected inlets at the center of the park. Leleiwi often attracts endangered sea turtles, making this one of Hawaii's most popular snorkeling spots. The beach is 4 miles out of town on Kalanianaole Avenue. Facilities include rest rooms, showers, lifeguards, picnic pavilions, and paved walkways. There's also a marine-life facility here.

SOUTH POINT

Green Sand Beach (Papakolea Beach)

Hawaii's famous green-sand beach is located at the base of Puu o Mahana, an old cinder cone spilling into the sea. The place has its problems: it's difficult to reach; the open bay is often rough; there are no facilities, fresh water, or shade from the relentless sun; and howling winds scour the point. Nevertheless, each year the unusual emerald-green sands attract thousands of oglers, who follow a well-worn four-wheel-drive-only road for 2½ miles to the top of a cliff, which you have to climb down to reach the beach (the south end offers the safest path). The "sand" is actually crushed olivine, a green semiprecious mineral found in eruptive rocks and meteorites. If the surf's up, just check out the beach from the cliff's edge; if the water's calm, it's generally safe to swim and dive.

How to Get to Green Sand Beach: From the boat ramp at South Point, follow the 2½-mile four-wheel-drive trail; even if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you may want to walk, as the trail is very, very bad in parts. Make sure you have appropriate close-toed footwear: tennis shoes or hiking boots. The trail is relatively flat, but you're usually walking into the wind as you head toward the beach. The beginning of the trail is lava. After the first 10 to 15 minutes, the lava disappears and the trail begins to cross pasture land. Then, after about 30 to 40 minutes, you'll see an eroded cinder cone by the water; continue to the edge, and there lie the green sands below.

The best way to reach the beach is to go over the edge from the cinder cone. (It looks as though walking around the south side of the cone would be easier, but it's not.) From the cinder cone, go over the overhang of the rock, and you'll see a trail.

Going down to the beach is very difficult and treacherous, as you'll be able to see from the top. You'll have to make it over and around big lava boulders, dropping down 4 to 5 feet from boulder to boulder in certain spots. And don't forget that you'll have to climb back up. Look before you start; if you have any hesitation, don't go down (you get a pretty good view from the top, anyway).

Warning: When you get to the beach, watch the waves for about 15 minutes and make sure that they don't break over the entire beach. If you walk on the beach, always keep one eye on the ocean and stick close to the rock wall. There can be strong rip currents here, and it's imperative to avoid them. Allow a minimum of 2 to 3 hours for this entire excursion.

Best Time to Visit:
Holidays

When Hawaii observes holidays, especially those over a long weekend, travel between the islands increases, interisland airline seats are fully booked, rental cars are at a premium, and hotels and restaurants are busier.

Federal, state, and county government offices are closed on all federal holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents' Day, Washington's Birthday), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veteran's Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas).

State and county offices also are closed on local holidays, including Prince Kuhio Day (March 26), honoring the birthday of Hawaii's first delegate to the U.S. Congress; King Kamehameha Day (June 11), a statewide holiday commemorating Kamehameha the Great, who united the islands and ruled from 1795 to 1819; and Admissions Day (the third Friday in August), which honors the admittance of Hawaii as the 50th state on August 21, 1959.

Other special days celebrated in Hawaii by many people but which involve no closing of federal, state, and county offices are the Chinese New Year (February 5 in 2000), Girls' Day (March 3), Buddha's Birthday (April 8), Father Damien's Day (April 15), Boys' Day (May 5), Samoan Flag Day (in August), Aloha Festivals (in September and October), and Pearl Harbor Day (December 7).

Best Time to Visit:
The Weather

Since Hawaii lies at the edge of the tropical zone, it technically has only two seasons, both of them warm. There's a dry season that corresponds to summer, and a rainy season in winter from November to March. It rains every day somewhere in the islands any time of the year, but the rainy season sometimes brings gray weather that can spoil your tanning opportunities. Fortunately, it seldom rains in one spot for more than 3 days straight.

The year-round temperature usually varies no more than 15°F. At the beach, the average daytime high in summer is 85°F (29.4°C), while the average daytime high in winter is 78°F (25.6°C); nighttime lows are usually about 10° cooler. But how warm it is on any given day really depends on where you are on the island.

Hawaii is full of microclimates, thanks to its interior valleys, coastal plains, and mountain peaks. On the Big Island, Hilo is the wettest city in the nation, with 180 inches of rainfall a year, while at Puako, only 60 miles away, it rains less than 6 inches a year. If you travel into the mountains, the climate can change from summer to winter in a matter of hours, since it's cooler the higher you go. So if the weather doesn't suit you, just go to the other side of the island--or head into the hills.

Getting Around:
By Car

Hawaii has some of the lowest car-rental rates in the country. To rent a car in Hawaii, you must be at least 25 years of age and have a valid driver's license and a credit card.

At the airports, you'll find most major rental-car agencies, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty.

MULTI-ISLAND DEALS--If you're going to visit multiple islands, it's usually easiest--and cheapest--to book with one rental-car company and carry your contract through on each island for your entire stay; you just drop off your car on the island you're leaving, and there will be one waiting for you on the next island with the same company. By booking your cars this way, as one interisland rental, you can usually take advantage of weekly rates that you'd be excluded from if you treated each rental separately. Both Avis and Hertz have interisland rental arrangements.

INSURANCE--Hawaii is a no-fault state, which means that if you don't have collision-damage insurance, you are required to pay for all damages before you leave the state, whether or not the accident was your fault. Your personal car insurance may provide rental-car coverage; read your policy or call your insurer before you leave home. Bring your insurance identification card if you decline the optional insurance, which usually costs from $12 to $20 a day. Obtain the name of your company's local claim representative before you go. Some credit-card companies also provide collision-damage insurance for their customers; check with yours before you rent.

DRIVING LAWS--Hawaiian state law mandates that all passengers in a car must wear a seat belt, and all infants must be strapped into car seats. The fine is enforced with vigilance, so buckle up--you'll pay a $50 fine if you don't. Pedestrians always have the right of way, even if they're not in the crosswalk. You can turn right on red from the right lane after a full and complete stop, unless there's a sign forbidding you to do so.

DRIVING ON THE ISLAND--You'll need a rental car on the Big Island; not having one will really limit what you'll be able to see and do. All the major car-rental firms have agencies at both the airports and at the Kohala Coast resorts.

There are more than 480 miles of paved road on the Big Island. The highway that circles the island is called the Hawaii Belt Road. On the Kona side of the island, you have two choices: the scenic "upper" road, Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 190), or the speedier "lower" road, Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Hwy. 19). The road that links east to west is called the Saddle Road (Hwy. 200), because it crosses the "saddle" between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Saddle Road is the one rental-car agencies ask you to avoid, because it's rough and narrow and the weather conditions can be a handful for motorists.

Highlights:
Wedding Planning

Whatever your budget, Hawaii is a great place for a wedding. Not only does it exude romance and natural beauty, but after the ceremony, you're already on your honeymoon. And the members of your wedding party will most likely be delighted, since you've given them the perfect excuse for their own island vacation. Many couples who were married long ago come to Hawaii to renew their vows and enjoy a second honeymoon.

More than 20,000 marriages are performed annually on the islands, mostly on Oahu; nearly half are for couples from somewhere else. The booming wedding business has spawned more than 70 companies that can help you organize a long-distance event and stage an unforgettable wedding, Hawaiian style or your style. However, you can also plan your own island wedding, even from afar, and not spend a fortune doing it.

Planning the Wedding

DOING IT YOURSELF--The marriage-licensing agents, who range from employees of the governor's satellite office in Kona to private individuals, are usually friendly, helpful people who can steer you to a nondenominational minister or marriage performer who's licensed by the state of Hawaii. These marriage performers are great sources of information for budget weddings. They usually know wonderful places to have the ceremony for free or for a nominal fee.

Highlights:

Creep Up to the Ooze. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a work in progress, thanks to Kilauea Volcano, which pours red-hot lava into the sea and adds land to the already big Big Island every day. You can walk right up to the creeping lava flow for an up-close-and-personal encounter.

Go Underwater at Kealakekua Bay. At easily accessible, mile-wide Kealakekua Bay, an uncrowded marine preserve on the South Kona Coast, you can swim with dolphins, sea turtles, octopi, and every species of tropical fish that calls Hawaii's waters home.

Gawk at the Day's Catch in Honokohau Harbor. Every afternoon between 4 and 5pm, local fishermen pull into the fuel dock to weigh in their big-game fish. We're talking 1,000-pound blue marlins and 200-pound yellowfin tunas, plus plenty of scale-tipping mahimahi, ono (also known as wahoo), and other Pacific billfish.

Discover Old Hawaii at Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park. This sacred Honaunau site was once a refuge for ancient Hawaiian warriors. Today, you can walk the consecrated grounds and glimpse a former way of life in a partially restored 16th-century village, complete with thatched huts, canoes, forbidding idols, and a temple that holds the bones of 23 Hawaiian chiefs.

Hang Out in Waipio Valley. Pack a picnic and head for this gorgeously lush valley that time forgot. Delve deep into the jungle on foot, comb the black-sand beach, or just laze the day away by a babbling stream, the tail-end of a 1,000-foot waterfall.

Stargaze from Mauna Kea. A jacket, beach mat, and binoculars are all you need to see the Milky Way from here. Every star and planet shines brightly in this ultraclean atmosphere, where the visibility is so keen that 11 nations have set up telescopes (two of them the biggest in the world), to probe deep space.

Savor a Cup of Kona Coffee. Most of the coffee craze is centered around the North and South Kona districts, but for a truly authentic cup of java, head upcountry to Holuakoa Cafe, on Mamalahoa Highway in Holualoa, where owner Meggi Worbach buys green beans from local farmers, roasts them, grinds them, and then pours you the freshest cup of coffee you've ever had.

Hunt for Petroglyphs. Archaeologists still aren't sure who's responsible for these ancient rock carvings, but there are more than 3,000 in the 233-acre Puako Petroglyph Archaeological District, depicting canoes, paddlers, turtles, sails, marchers, dancers, and more. See how many you can spot!

Chase Rainbows at Akaka Falls. When the light is right, a perfect prism is formed and a rainbow leaps out of this spectacular 442-foot waterfall, located about 11 miles north of Hilo. Take some time to roam through the surrounding tropical rain forest, where you'll see exotic birds, aromatic plumeria trees, and shocking red-torch ginger.

Shop at the Hilo Farmers Market. For less than $10, you can buy a pound of rambutan (a sweet Indonesian fruit), a bouquet of tropical orchids, and a couple of tasty foot-long Hawaiian laulaus (pork, chicken, or fish steamed in ti leaves). Be sure to arrive early--the market opens at sunrise--as many of the 60 or so vendors quickly sell out of their Big Island specialties.

Introduction:

The Big Island of Hawaii--the island that lends its good name to the entire 1,500-mile-long Hawaiian archipelago--is where Mother Nature pulled out all stops. Simply put, it's spectacular.

The Big Island has it all: fiery volcanoes and sparkling waterfalls, black-lava deserts and snowcapped mountain peaks, tropical rain forests and alpine meadows, a glacial lake, and miles of beaches filled with a rainbow of black, green, and golden sands. The Big Island has an unmatched diversity of terrain and climate. A 50-mile drive will take you from snowy winter to sultry summer, passing through spring or fall along the way. The island looks like the inside of a barbecue pit on one side, and a lush jungle on the other.

The Big Island is the largest island in the Pacific (4,038 sq. miles--about the size of Connecticut), the youngest (800,000 years), and the least populated (with 30 people per sq. mile). It has the nation's wettest city, the southernmost point in the United States, the world's biggest telescope, the ocean's biggest trophy marlin, and America's greatest collection of tropical luxury resorts. It also has the highest peaks in the Pacific, the most volcanoes of any Hawaiian island, and the newest land on earth.

Five volcanoes--one still erupting--have created this continental island, which is growing bigger daily. At its heart is snowcapped Mauna Kea (or "White Mountain"), the world's tallest sea mountain, complete with its own glacial lake. Mauna Kea's nearest neighbor is Mauna Loa (or "Long Mountain"), creator of one-sixth of the island; it's the largest volcano on earth, rising 30,000 feet out of the ocean floor (of course, you can only see the 13,796 feet that are above sea level). Erupting Kilauea makes the Big Island bigger every day--and, if you're lucky and your timing is good, you can stand just a few feet away and watch it do its work.

Steeped in tradition and shrouded in the primal mist of creation, the Big Island called to the Polynesians across 2,000 miles of open ocean. In fact, ancient Hawaiian chants talk about a great burning in the night skies which guided the sojourners to the land of volcanoes. The Big Island radiates what the Hawaiians call "mana," a sense of spirituality that's still apparent through the acres of petroglyphs etched in the black lava, the numerous heiaus (ancient temples), burial caves scattered in the cliffs, sacred shrines both on land and in the sea, and even in the sound the wind makes as it blows across the desolate lava fields.

The Big Island is not for everyone, however. It refuses to fit the stereotype of a tropical island. Some tourists are taken aback at the sight of stark fields of lava or black-sand beaches. You must remember that it's big (expect to do lots of driving). And you may have to go out of your way if you're looking for traditional tropical beauty, such as a quintessential white-sand beach.

On the other hand, if you're into watersports, this is paradise. The two tall volcanoes mean 350 days of calm water on the leeward side. The underwater landscape of caves, cliffs, and tunnels attracts a stunning array of colorful marine life just waiting to be visited by divers and snorkelers. The island's West Coast is one of the best destinations in the world for big-game fishing. And its miles of remote coastline are a kayaker's dream of caves, secluded coves, and crescent-shaped beaches reachable only by sea.

On land, hikers, bikers, and horseback riders can head up and down a volcano, across black-sand beaches, into remote valleys, and through rain forests without seeing another soul. Bird watchers are rewarded with sightings of the rare, rapidly dwindling native birds of Hawaii. Golfers can find nirvana on top championship courses, less-crowded municipal courses, and even some unusual off-the-beaten-track choices.

This is the least-explored island in the Hawaiian chain--but if you're looking to get away from it all and back to nature in its most primal state, that might be the best thing of all about it. Where else can you witness fiery creation and swim with dolphins, ponder the stars from the world's tallest mountain and catch a blue marlin, downhill ski, and surf the waves in a single day? You can do all this, and more, on only one island in the world--the Big Island of Hawaii.

Money:

On the other islands, it's not so easy. None of the other airports have currency-exchange facilities. You have to either go to a bank (call first to see whether currency exchange is available) or use your hotel.

TRAVELER'S CHECKS--It's actually cheaper and faster to get cash at an automatic teller machine (ATM) than to fuss with traveler's checks. Traveler's checks are, however, readily accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and large stores. But do not bring traveler's checks denominated in any currency other than U.S. dollars.

CREDIT CARDS--Credit cards are widely used in Hawaii. You can save yourself trouble by using "plastic money" rather than cash or traveler's checks in most hotels, restaurants, and retail stores (a growing number of food and liquor stores now accept credit cards, too). You must have a credit card to rent a car in Hawaii.

Regions in Brief

THE KONA COAST--One Hawaiian word everyone seems to know is Kona, probably because it's synonymous with great coffee and big fish--both of which are found in abundance along this 70-mile-long stretch of black lava-covered coast.

A collection of tiny communities devoted to farming and fishing along the sunbaked leeward side of the island, the Kona Coast has an amazingly diverse geography and climate for such a compact area. The oceanfront town of Kailua-Kona, a quaint fishing village that now caters more to tourists than boat captains, is its commercial center; sooner or later, everyone meets on Kailua-Kona's Alii Drive, a 2-mile retail strip of shops and restaurants that's fun to cruise on foot or by car, especially on Saturday night. The lands of Kona range from stark, black, dry, coastal desert to cool, cloudy upcountry so fertile that it seems anything could grow here--glossy green coffee, macadamia nuts, tropical fruit, and a riotous profusion of flowers cover the jagged steep slopes. Among the coffee fields, you'll find the funky, artsy village of Holualoa. Higher yet in elevation are native forests of giant trees filled with tiny, colorful birds, some perilously close to extinction. About 7 miles south of Kailua-Kona, boarding the ocean, is the resort area of Keauhou, a suburban-like series of upscale condominiums, several hotels, a shopping center, and homes in the seven-figure range.

Kona means "leeward side" in Hawaiian--and that means full-on summer sun every day of the year. This is an affordable vacation spot. An ample selection of midpriced condo units, peppered with a few older hotels and B&Bs, line the shoreline, which is mostly rocky lava reef, interrupted by an occasional pocket beach. Here, too, stand two world-class resorts: Kona Village, the site of one of the best luaus in the islands, and Hawaii's newest luxury retreat, the Four Seasons at Hualalai.

SOUTH KONA--Away from the bright lights of the town of Kailua lies the rural South Kona Coast, home to coffee farmers, macadamia nut growers, and people escaping to the country. The serrated South Kona Coast is indented with numerous bays, starting with Kealakekua, a marine-life preserve that's the island's best diving spot and the place where Capt. James Cook met his demise; down to Honaunau, where a national historic park recalls the days of old Hawaii. Accommodations in this area are mainly inexpensive B&Bs, everything from the very frugal Japanese Manago Hotel to the very classy McCandless Ranch B&B. This coast is a great place to stay if you want to get away from crowds and experience peaceful country living. You'll be within driving distance of beaches and the sites of Kailua.

THE KOHALA COAST--Fringes of palms and flowers, brilliant blankets of emerald green, and an occasional flash of white building are your only clues from the road that this black-lava coast north of Kona is more than bleak and barren. But, oh, is it! Down by the sea, pleasure domes rise like palaces no Hawaiian king ever imagined. This is where the Lear-jet set escapes to play in world-class beachfront hotels set like jewels in the golden sand. But you don't have to be a billionaire to visit the Waikoloa, Mauna Lani, and Mauna Kea resorts: The fabulous beaches and abundant historic sites are open to the public, with parking and other facilities provided by the resorts, including restaurants, golf courses, and shopping.

NORTH KOHALA--Seven sugar mills once shipped enough sugar to sweeten all the coffee in San Francisco from three harbors on this knob of land at the northernmost reaches of the island. Hawi, the region's hub and home to the Kohala Sugar Co., was a flourishing town. It even had its own railroad, a narrow-gauge train that hauled cane down to Mahukona, on North Kohala's lee coast.

Today, Hawi's quaint, three-block-long strip of sun-faded, false-front buildings and 1920s vintage shops lives on as a minor tourist stop in one of Hawaii's most scenic rural regions. The small cosmopolitan community of diverse ethnic groups, including Chinese, Japanese, Puerto Rican, Korean, and Filipino laborers, is slowly shrinking as the old-timers die out.

This region is most famous as the birthplace of King Kamehameha the Great; a statue commemorates the royal site. It's also home to the islands' most sacred site, the 1,500-year-old Mookini Heiau.

WAIMEA (KAMUELA)--This old upcountry cow town on the northern road between the coasts is set in lovely country: rolling green pastures, big, wide-open spaces dotted by puu (hills), and real Marlboro-smoking cowpokes who ride mammoth Parker Ranch, Hawaii's largest working ranch. The town is also headquarters for the Keck Telescope, the largest and most powerful in the world, bringing world-class, starry-eyed astronomers to town. The nightlife here is far out, in the galactic sense; bring your own telescope. Waimea is home to several affordable B&Bs, and Merriman's Restaurant is a popular foodie outpost at Opelo Plaza.

THE HAMAKUA COAST--This emerald coast, a 52-mile stretch from Honokaa to Hilo on the island's windward northeast side, was once planted with sugarcane; it now blooms with flowers, macadamia nuts, papayas, and marijuana, also known as pakalolo (still Hawaii's number one cash crop). Resort-free and virtually without beaches, the Hamakua Coast still has a few major destinations, such as spectacular Waipio Valley, a picture-perfect valley with impossibly steep sides, taro patches, a green riot of wild plants, and a winding stream leading to a broad, black-sand beach; and the historic plantation town of Honokaa (making a comeback as the B&B capital on the coastal trail). Akaka Falls and Laupahoehoe Beach Park are also worth seeking out.

Elsewhere along the coast, communities are reeling in the wake of the sugar-plantation shutdown, and the cane in the fields is going to seed. Valleys draining Mauna Kea's slopes meet the sea every few miles; they're so choked with foliage that they look like Indonesian jungles.

HILO--When the sun shines in Hilo, it's one of the most beautiful tropical cities in the Pacific. Being here is an entirely different kind of island experience: Hawaii's largest metropolis after Honolulu is a quaint, misty, flower-filled city of Victorian houses overlooking a half-moon bay, with a restored historic downtown and a clear view of Mauna Loa's often snowcapped peak. Hilo catches everyone's eye until it rains--and when it rains in Hilo, it pours.

Hilo is America's wettest town, with 128 inches of rain annually. It's ideal for growing ferns, orchids, and anthuriums, but not for catching a few rays. Yet there's lots to see and do in Hilo, so grab your umbrella. The rain is warm (the temperature seldom dips below 70°F), and there's usually a rainbow afterward.

Hilo's oversized airport and hotels are remnants of a dream: The city wanted to be Hawaii's major port of entry. That didn't happen, but the facilities here are excellent. Hilo is Hawaii's best bargain for budget travelers. It has plenty of hotel rooms--most of the year, that is. Hilo's magic moment comes in spring, the week after Easter, when hula halau (schools) arrive for the annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival competition. This is a full-on Hawaiian spectacle and a wonderful cultural event. Plan ahead if you want to go: Tickets are sold out the first week in January for the post-Easter event, and the hotels within 30 miles are usually booked solid.

Hilo is also the gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; it's just an hour's drive up-slope.

THE PUNA REGION--Lava, and lots of it, characterizes the Puna Region on the Big Island's remote eastern shore. Black lava covers almost everything, both ancient sites and latter-day villages, with alacrity: In 1963, lava ran down to Cape Kumukahi and oozed around the lighthouse, which still looks startled; it destroyed the village of Kalapana in 1990. Since it overran Chain of Craters Road in 1988, there's only one way in and out of Puna: Highway 130. Land not buried by lava is planted in red and green anthuriums, golden sunrise papayas, and marijuana. The illegal leaf growers add an edgy element to this remote region. The main town in Puna is Pahoa, a town that time forgot, where you might spot residents still dressed like the flower children of the 1960s, complete with peace symbols, dreadlocks, and multicolored VW vans.

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & VOLCANO VILLAGE--The sleepy village of Volcano sits in a rain forest on the edge of America's most exciting national park, where a live volcano called Kilauea erupts daily. (If you're lucky, it will be a spectacular sight. At other times, you may not be able to see the molten lava at all--but there's still a lot to see and learn.) Ideally, you should plan to spend 3 days at the park, exploring the trails, watching the volcano, visiting the rain forest, and just enjoying this most unusual, spectacular place. But even if you have only a day, get here--it's worth the trip. Bring your sweats or jacket (honest!); it's cooler up here, especially at night.

If you plan to dally in the park--and you should--Volcano has some great places to stay. Several terrifically cozy B&Bs, some with fireplaces, hide under tree ferns in this cool, misty hamlet. The tiny highland (at 4,000 ft.) community,first settled by Japanese immigrants, is now inhabited by artists, soul-searchers, and others who like the crisp air of Hawaii's high country. It has just enough civilization to sustain a good life: a few stores, a gas station, and a golf course.

KA LAE: SOUTH POINT--This is the Plymouth Rock of Hawaii, where the first Polynesians arrived in seagoing canoes, probably from the Marquesas Islands or Tahiti, around A.D. 500. You'll feel like you're at the end of the world on this lonely, windswept place, the southernmost point of the United States (a geographic claim that belonged to Key West, Florida, until 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th state). Hawaii ends in a sharp black-lava point. Bold 500-foot cliffs stand against the blue sea to the west and shelter the old fishing village of Waiahukini, which was born in A.D. 750 and lasted until the 1860s. Ancient canoe moorings, shelter caves, and heiau (temples) poke through windblown pili grass. The East Coast curves inland to reveal a lonely, green-sand beach, a world-famous anomaly that's accessible only by foot or four-wheel drive. For most, the only reason to venture down to the southern tip is to say you did, or to experience the empty vista of land's end.

Everything in the two wide spots in the road called Naalehu and Waiohinu that pass for towns at South Point claims to be the southernmost this or that. Except for a monkeypod tree planted by Mark Twain in 1866, there's not much to crow about. There are, thankfully, a gas station, a couple of places to eat and a fruit stand, a picture-postcard 19th-century church, and a couple of B&Bs. These end-of-the-world towns are just about as far removed from the real world as you can get.

Special Traveler Info:
For Families

The larger hotels and resorts have supervised programs for children and can refer you to qualified baby-sitters. By state law, hotels can only accept children ages 5 to 12 in supervised activities programs, but they often accommodate younger children by simply hiring baby-sitters to watch over them.
For Seniors
Discounts for seniors are available at almost all of Hawaii's major attractions, and occasionally at hotels and restaurants. The Outrigger hotel chain, for instance, offers travelers age 50 and older a 20% discount off regular published rates--and an additional 5% off for members of AARP. When making reservations or buying tickets, always ask. And always carry identification with proof of your age--it can really pay off.
For Travelers with Disabilities
Travelers with disabilities are made to feel very welcome in Hawaii.

For travelers with disabilities who wish to do their own driving, hand-controlled cars can be rented from Avis (tel. 800/331-1212) and Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131). The number of hand-controlled cars in Hawaii is limited, so be sure to book well in advance--at least a week. For wheelchair-accessible vans, contact Accessible Vans of Hawaii, 186 Mehani Circle, Kihei, HI 96753 (tel. 800/303-3750 or 808/879-5521; fax 808/879-0640), which has vans on the Big Island. Hawaii recognizes other states' windshield placards indicating that the driver of the car is disabled, so be sure to bring yours with you.

Vision-impaired travelers who use a guide dog can now come to Hawaii without the hassle of quarantine. A recent court decision ruled that visitors with guide dogs only need to present documentation that the dog is a trained guide dog and has had rabies shots. For more information, contact the Animal Quarantine Facility (tel. 808/483-7171; www.hawaii.gov).

Fast Facts

Area Code--All the Hawaiian Islands are in the 808 area code. Note that if you're calling one island from another, you'll have to dial 1-808 first, and you'll be billed at long-distance rates (which can be more expensive than calling the mainland).

Liquor Laws--The legal drinking age in Hawaii is 21. Bars are allowed to stay open daily until 2am; places with cabaret licenses are able to keep the booze flowing until 4am. Grocery and convenience stores are allowed to sell beer, wine, and liquor 7 days a week.

Police--Dial tel. 911 or call the Hawaii Police Department at tel. 808/326-4646 in Kona, tel. 808/961-2213 in Hilo.

Safety--Although Hawaii is generally a safe tourist destination, visitors have been crime victims, so stay alert. The most common crime against tourists is rental car break-ins. Never leave any valuables in your car, not even in the trunk. Thieves can be in and out of your trunk faster than you can open it with your own keys. Be especially leery of high-risk areas, such as beaches and resorts. Stay in well-lighted areas after dark.

Smoking--It's against the law to smoke in public buildings, including airports, grocery stores, retail shops, movie theaters, banks, and all government buildings and facilities. Hotels have nonsmoking rooms available, restaurants have nonsmoking sections, and car-rental agencies have nonsmoking cars. Most bed-and-breakfasts prohibit smoking inside their buildings.

Taxes--Hawaii's sales tax is 4%. The hotel-occupancy tax is 7.25%, and hoteliers are allowed by the state to tack on an additional 0.1666% excise tax. Thus, expect taxes of about 11.42% to be added to every hotel bill.

Time--Hawaii is 2 hours behind Pacific Standard Time and 5 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. In other words, when it's noon in Hawaii, it's 2pm in California and 5pm in New York during Standard Time on the mainland. There's no daylight saving time here, so when daylight saving time is in effect on the mainland, Hawaii is 3 hours behind the West Coast and 6 hours behind the East Coast--therefore, in the summer, when it's noon in Hawaii, it's 3pm in California and 6pm in New York.

Hawaii is east of the International Date Line, putting it in the same day as the U.S. mainland and Canada and a day behind Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.

Upon Arrival

The Big Island's best free tourist publications are This Week, the Beach and Activity Guide, and 101 Things to Do on Hawaii The Big Island. All three offer lots of useful information, as well as discount coupons on a variety of island adventures. Copies are easy to find all around the island.

The Beach and Activity Guide is affiliated with the Activity Connection, King Kamehameha Mall, Kuakini Hwy. (behind the King Kamehameha Hotel), Kailua-Kona a discount activity desk offering real discounts (no fees, no timeshares) of up to 15% on activities, including island tours, snorkeling and dive trips, submarine and horseback rides, luaus, and more. Stop by the office; it's open daily from 7:30am to 5:30pm.

WEATHER:
 

HOTEL REVIEWS:

Before you reach for the phone to book your vacation dream house, read up on the types of accommodations available to make sure you book the kind of place you want. Also, remember that the Big Island is really big.

RESTAURANT REVIEWS:

The Big Island's cuisine is anchored in its fertile soil and the labors of its tireless farmers and fishermen. The island has produced its share of celebrity chefs, but it's also known for its home-style flair and its abundance of small neighborhood ethnic restaurants, especially in Hilo. You'll find an extraordinary diversity of dining choices here. Every time we visit the island of Hawaii, we sing praises to the kitchen gods as we make plans for the next day's hike, a necessary sequel to the typical day's culinary excesses.

Dining here has become an authentic island attraction, rather than an afterthought. The volcanic soil of the island continues to produce fine tomatoes, lettuce, beets, beans, fruit, and basic herbs and vegetables that were once difficult to find locally. Along with the lamb and beef from Big Island ranches and seafood from local fishermen, the freshness of the produce forms the backbone of ethnic cookery and Hawaii Regional Cuisine.

Among the star chefs who claim their roots here, or who have cut their teeth on the island, are Peter Merriman (the visionary behind the eponymous Merriman's in Waimea), Sam Choy (the Kona chef who prepares local food with a gourmet twist), and Alan Wong (who put the Mauna Lani's Canoe House on the map before moving to open his own place, now Honolulu's most popular). They are just a few of the hugely talented artists who have honed and shaped Hawaii Regional Cuisine, giving it culinary muscle and credibility.

Kailua-Kona is teeming with restaurants for all pocketbooks; although most of them are touristy and many overpriced, there are some recommendable restaurants in town. Hopes run high for the Keauhou Beach Resort in Kailua, soon to open with Sam Choy at the helm of all food and beverage operations, including a signature Sam Choy restaurant. The new Huggo's On the Rocks on Alii Drive, adjoining Huggo's, is the local hot spot, a sunset oasis with beach chairs, mai tais, and sizzling appetizer menu for the barefoot-in-the-sand crowd. Nearby on Alii Drive, the new Coconut Grove Marketplace, a stone's throw from the waves, is the hub for all ages, with the very popular Lu Lu's and a seawall lined with under-25s at sunset. Next door to the Grove, Lava Java in the Alii Sunset Plaza is abuzz with javanistas on their way to or from the new Hard Rock Cafi.

The haute cuisine of the island is concentrated in the Kohala Coast resorts, where the 3-year-old Hualalai Resort and its tony Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai, the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, the Orchid at Mauna Lani, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel claim their share of the action for deep pockets and special-occasion tastes.

Waimea, also known as Kamuela, is a thriving upcountry hot spot, a haven for yuppies and retirees who know a good place when they see one. Two new restaurants have sprouted in Waimea, including Parker Ranch Grill, a meat-and-potatoes place in the Parker Ranch Center. It opened too recently for us to visit, but initial reports were not good. In Hawi, North Kohala, expect bakeries, neighborhood diners, and one tropical-chic restaurant. In Hilo in eastern Hawaii, you'll find pockets of trendiness among the precious old Japanese and ethnic restaurants that provide honest, tasty, and affordable meals in unpretentious surroundings.

ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES:

Akaka Falls
One of Hawaii's most scenic waterfalls is an easy, 1-mile paved loop through a rain forest, past bamboo and ginger and down to an observation point, where you'll have a perfect view of 442-foot Akaka and nearby Kahuna Falls, which is a mere 100-footer. Keep your eyes peeled for rainbows.
On Hwy 19, Honomu. (8 miles north of Hilo). Turn left at Honomu and head 3.6 miles inland on Akaka Falls Rd. (Hwy. 220).

Banyan Drive
Old banyan trees shade Banyan Drive, the lane that curves along the waterfront to the Hilo Bay hotels. Most of the trees were planted in the mid-1930s by memorable visitors like Cecil B. DeMille (who was here in 1933 filming Four Frightened People, Babe Ruth (his tree's in front of Hilo Hawaiian Hotel), King George V, and Amelia Earhart, but many were planted by celebrities whose fleeting fame didn't last as long as the trees themselves.

Coconut Island
It's worth a stop along Banyan Drive--especially if the coast is clear and the summit of Mauna Kea is free of clouds--to make the short walk across the concrete-arch bridge in front of the Naniloa Hotel to Coconut Island, if only to gain a panoramic sense of the place.

Ellison S. Onizuka Space Center
This small museum has a real moon rock and memorabilia in honor of Big Island-horn astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who died in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster. Fun displays in the museum include a gravity well, which illustrates orbital motion, and an interactive rocket-propulsion exhibit, where you can launch your own miniature space shuttle.
At Kona International Airport, Kailua-Kona. Admission $3 adults, $1 children 12 and under Daily 8:30am-4:30pm.. Parking: In Airport lot, $2 per hour..

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden
More than 1,800 species of tropical plants thrive in this little-known Eden by the sea. The 40-acre garden, nestled between the crashing surf and a thundering waterfall, has the world's largest selection of tropical plants growing in a natural environment, including a torch ginger forest, a banyan canyon, an orchid garden, a banana grove, a bromeliad hill, and a golden bamboo grove, which rattles like a jungle drum in the trade winds. The torch gingers tower on 12-foot stalks. Each spectacular specimen is named by genus and species, and caretakers point out new or rare buds in bloom. Some endangered Hawaiian specimens, like the rare Gardenia remyi, are flourishing in this habitat.

The gardens are seldom crowded; you can wander around by yourself all day, taking pictures, writing in your journal, or just soaking up the peace and quiet.
Off Hwy. 19 on the 4-mile Scenic Route, Onomea Bay. (8 miles north of Hilo). Open: Daily 8:30am-4:30pm. Admission $15 adults, $5 children 6-16..

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Yellowstone, Yosemite, and other national parks are spectacular, no doubt about it. But in my opinion they're all ho-hum compared to this one: Here, nothing less than the miracle of creation is the daily attraction.

Founded in 1916, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is Hawaii's premier natural attraction. Visiting the park is a yin/yang experience. It's the only rain forest in the U.S. National Park system--and the only park that's home to an active volcano. Most people drive through the park (it has 50 miles of good roads, some of them often covered by lava flows) and call it a day. But it takes at least 3 days to explore the whole park, including such oddities as Halemaumau Crater, a still-fuming pit of steam and sulfur; the intestinal-looking Thurston Lava Tube; Devastation Trail, a short hike through a desolated area destroyed by lava, right next to an Eden-like rain forest; and finally, the end of Chain of Craters Road, where lava regularly spills across the man-made two-lane blacktop to create its own red-hot freeway to the sea. In addition to some of the world's weirdest landscape, the park also has hiking trails, rain forests, campgrounds, a historic old hotel on a crater's rim, and that spectacular, still-erupting volcano.

Hulihee Palace
This two-story New England-style mansion of lava rock and coral mortar, erected in 1838 by the governor of the island of Hawaii, John Adams Kuakini, overlooks the harbor at Kailua-Kona. The largest, most elegant residence on the island when it was erected, Hulihee (the name means "turn and flee") was the gracious summer home of Hawaii's royalty, making it the other royal palace in the U.S. (the most famous being Oahu's Iolani Palace). Now run by Daughters of Hawaii, it features many 19th-century mementos and gorgeous koa furniture. You'll get lots of background and royal lore on the guided tour. No photography permitted.

The Palace hosts 12 Hawaii music and hula concerts a year, each dedicated to a Hawaiian monarch, at 4pm on the last Sunday of the month (except June and December, when the performances are held in conjunction with King Kamehameha Day and Christmas).
75-5718 Alii Dr., Kailua-Kona. Phone: 808/329-1877 . Open: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. Daily tours held throughout the day (arrive at least an hour before closing). Admission $5 adults, $1 students, 50¢ children under 12..

Kalahuipuaa Fishponds
Like their Polynesian forefathers, Hawaiians were among the first aquaculturists on the planet. Scientists still marvel at the ways they developed of using the brackish ponds along the shoreline to stock and harvest fish. There are actually two different types of ancient fishponds (loko i'a). Closed ponds, inshore and closed off from the ocean, were used to raise mullet and milkfish; open ponds were open to the sea, with rock walls as a barrier to the ocean and sluice gates that connected the ponds to the ocean. The gates were woven vines, with just enough room for juvenile fish to swim in at high tide while keeping the bigger, fatter fish from swimming out. Generally, the Hawaiians raised mullet, milkfish, and shrimp in these open ponds; juvenile manini, papio, eels, and barracuda found their way in during high tides.

The Kalahuipuaa Fishponds at Mauna Lani Resort are great examples of both types of ponds in a lush tropical setting. South of the Mauna Lani Resort are Kuualii and Kahapapa Fishponds at the Royal Waikoloan Hotel. Both resorts have taken great pains to restore the ponds to their original state and to preserve them for future generations; call ahead to arrange a free guided tour.

Kamehameha's Compound at Kamakahonu Bay
On the ocean side of the Kona Beach Hotel is a restored area of deep spiritual meaning to the Hawaiians. This was the spot that King Kamehameha the Great choose to retreat to in 1812 after conquering the Hawaiian islands. He stayed until his death in 1819. The king built a temple, Ahuena Heiau, and used it as a gathering place for his kahunas (priests) to counsel him on governing his people in times of peace. It was in this sacred ground in 1820 that Kamehameha's son Liholiho, as king, sat down to eat with his mother, Keopuolani, and Kamehameha's principal queen, Kaahumanu, thus breaking the ancient kapu (taboo) against eating with women; this act established a new order in the Hawaiian kingdom. Although the temple grounds are now just a third of their original size, they're still impressive. You're free to come and wander the grounds, envisioning the days when King Kamehameha appealed to the gods to help him rule with the spirit of humanity's highest nature.
On the grounds of King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, 75-5660 Palani Rd., Kailua-Kona. Open: Daily 9am-4pm; guided tours Mon-Fri at 1:30pm.. Free admission.

Kamuela Museum
It only takes about an hour to explore tiny Kamuela Museum. Its eclectic collection includes an early Hawaiian dogtoothed death cup, which sits next to a piece of rope used on the Apollo mission, which in turn sits near ancient artifacts from the royal family.
At the junction of Hwy. 19 and Hwy. 250, Waimea. Open: Daily 8am-5pm. Admission $5 adults, $2 children under 12..

Katsu Goto Memorial
Honokaa has no attractions, per se, but you might want to check out the Katsu Goto Memorial, next to the library at the Hilo end of town. Katsu Goto, one of the first indentured Japanese immigrants, arrived in Honokaa in the late 1800s to work on the sugar plantations. He learned English, quit the plantation, and aided his fellow immigrants in labor disputes with American planters. On Oct. 23, 1889, he was hanged from a lamppost in Honokaa, a victim of local-style justice. Today, a memorial recalls Goto's heroic human-rights struggle.

Kaupulehu Petrolyphs
Here you can see some of the finest images in the Hawaiian islands. There are many petroglyphs of sails, canoes, fish, and chiefs in headdresses, plus a burial scene with three stick figures. Kite motifs--rare in rock art--similar to those found in New Zealand are also here.
At Kona Village Resort, Queen Kaahumanu Hwy.Free admission. Guided tours three times a week; reservations required.. Turn off Hwy. 19 at the sign for Hualalai, then proceed 2.3 miles to the resort. The petroglyphs are reached via a footpath that passes the luau grounds, but you'll need a reservation to get past the gatehouse..

Kona Brewing Co.
This microbrewery is the first of its kind on the Big Island. Spoon and Pops, a father-and-son duo from Oregon, brought their brewing talents here and now produce about 25 barrels (about 124,000 gallons) per year. Drop by at any time during their business hours and take a quick, informal tour of the brewery, after which you get to taste the product. A brew-pub, on the property, serves gourmet pizza, salads, and fresh-brewed Hawaiian ales.
75-5629 Kuakini Hwy. (at Palani Rd.), Kailua-Kona.Open: Tours Mon-Sat 10:30am and 3:30pm. Free tours and tastings. Turn into Firestone's parking lot; the brewery is at the back of the shopping center (behind Zac's Photo) look for the orange gecko on the door..

Kona Historical Society Museum
This well-organized pocket museum is housed in the historic Greenwell Store, built in 1875 by Henry Nicholas Greenwell out of native stone and lime mortar made from burnt coral. Inside, antiques, artifacts, and photos tell the story of this fabled coast. The museum is filled with items that were common to everyday life here in the last century, when coffee-growing and cattle-raising were the main industries. Serious history buffs should sign up for one of the museum's walking tours. Hwy. 11, between mile markers 111 and 112 (park on grassy area next to Kona Specialty Meats parking lot), Captain Cook. Open: Mon-Fri 9am-3pm. Admission $2.

Kona Pier
This is action central for water adventures. Fishing charters, snorkel cruises, and party boats all come and go here. Come by around 4pm, when the captains weigh in with the catch of the day, usually huge marlin--the record-setters often come in here. It's also a great place to watch the sunset.
On the waterfront outside of Honokohau Harbor, Kailua-Kona.

Kula Kai Caverns and Lava Tubes
Before you trudge tip to Volcano to see Pele's volcanic eruption, take a look at her underground handiwork for the past 1,000 years or so. Ric Elhard and Rose Herrera have explored and mapped out the labyrinth of lava tubes and caves which crisscross their property on the southwest rift zone on the slopes of Mauna Loa near South Point. As soon as you enter their thatched yurt field office (which resembles something out of an Indiana Jones movie), you know you're in for an amazing tour. Your choices range from an easy one-hour tour on a well-lit underground route for $12 adults, $8 children ages 5 to 12; to a more adventuresome spelunking two-hour trip for $45 adults. $25 children ages 8 to 12; to the deluxe half-day explorations for $125 adults (minimum age 12 years), which includes lunch. Helmets, lights, gloves., and knee pads are all included. The Herreras recommend that you wear long pants and closed shoes.
Off Hwy. 11, P.O. Box 6313, Ocean View. Tours by appointment. Between the 79 and 78 mile markers on Hwy 11, turn towards the ocean on Kula Kai Rd. Turn right on the 7th street down, Lauhala Rd. Look for thatched "yurt" field office on right..

Lapakahi State Historical Park
This 14th-century fishing village, on a hot, dry, dusty stretch of coast, offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the ancients. Lapakahi is the best-preserved fishing village in Hawaii. Take the self-guided, mile-long loop trail past stone platforms, fish shrines, rock shelters, salt pans, and restored hale (houses) to a coral-sand beach and the deep blue sea. Wear good hiking shoes or tennies; it's a hearty 45-minute walk. Go early or later in the afternoon, as the sun is hot and shade is at a premium. An attendant in a thatch hut, who hands out maps, also keeps a handy cooler of ice water available in case you didn't bring your own.
Hwy. 270, Mahukona. Open: Daily 8am-4pm. Free admission. Guided tours by appointment.

Laupahoehoe Beach Park
This idyllic place holds a grim reminder of nature's fury. In 1946, a tidal wave swept across the village that once stood on this lava-leaf (that's what laupahoehoe means) peninsula and claimed the lives of 20 students and four teachers. A memorial in this pretty little park recalls the tragedy. The land here ends in black sea stacks that resemble tombstones. It's not a place for swimming, but the views are spectacular.
Laupahoehoe Point exit off Hwy. 19.

Liliuokalani Gardens
Also along Banyan Drive is Liliuokalani Gardens, the largest formal Japanese garden this side of Tokyo. This 30-acre park, named for Hawaii's last monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, is as pretty as a postcard from the Orient, with bonsai, carp ponds, pagodas, and a moon-gate bridge.
Open: 24 hours. Free admission.

Lyman Museum & Mission House
The oldest wood-frame house on the island was built in 1839 by David and Sarah Lymam, a missionary couple who arrived from New England in 1832. This hybrid combined New England- and Hawaiian-style architecture with a pitched thatch roof. Built of hand-hewn koa planks and timbers, it's crowned by Hawaii's first corrugated zinc roof, imported from England in 1856. Here, the Lymans served as the spiritual center of Hilo, receiving such guests as Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Hawaii's own monarchs. The well-preserved house is the best example of missionary life and times in Hawaii. You'll find lots of artifacts from the last century, including furniture and clothing from the Lymans and one of the first mirrors in Hawaii. The 2lst century has also entered the museum, which offers online computers and interactive, high-tech exhibits.

The Earth Heritage Gallery next door continues the story of the islands with geology and astronomy exhibits, a mineral rock collection that's rated as one of the top 10 in the country, and a section on local flora and fauna. Upstairs is the Island Heritage Gallery, which features displays on native Hawaiian culture, including a replica of a grass hut, as well as other cultures that were transplanted to Hawaii's shores.
276 Haili St., Hilo. (at Kapiolani St.).Open: Mon-Sat 9am-4:30pm. Admission $7 adults, $5 seniors over 60, $3 children under 18, and $15 family..

Maunaloa Macadamia Factory
Explore this unique factory and learn how Hawaii's favorite nut is grown and processed. The 1-hour guided van tour even takes you through the macadamia orchard. And, of course, you'll want to sample the tasty mac nuts, too.
Macadamia Nut Rd. (8 miles from Hilo, off Hwy. 11), Hilo. Open: Daily 9am-4pm. Free admission, self-guided factory tours. Orchard tours every hour 10am-4pm; $5 adults, $3 children.. From Hwy. 11, turn on Macadamia Nut Road; go 3 miles down the road to the factory..

Mookini Luakini
On the coast where King Kamehameha the Great was born stands Hawaii's oldest, largest, and most sacred religious site, which is now a national historical landmark--the 1,500-year-old Mookini Heiau, used by kings to pray and offer human sacrifices. You need four-wheel-drive to get here, as the road is rough, but it's worth the trip. The massive three-story stone temple, dedicated to Ku, the Hawaiian god of war, was erected in A.D. 480; each stone is said to have been passed hand to hand from Pololu Valley, 14 miles away, by 18,000 men who worked from sunset to sunrise. Kamehameha, born nearby under Halley's Comet, sought spiritual guidance here before embarking on his campaign to unite Hawaii. Go in the late afternoon when the setting sun strikes the lava-rock walls and creates a primal mood.
On the north shore, near Upolu Point Airport.

Naha Stone
This 2½-ton stone was used as a test of royal strength: Ancient legend says that whoever could move the stone would conquer and unite the islands. As a 14-year-old boy, King Kamehameha the Great moved the stone--later he fulfilled his destiny. The Pinao stone, next to it, once guarded an ancient temple.In front of Hilo Public Library, 300 Waianuenue Ave..

Nani Mau Gardens
Just outside Hilo is Nani Mau ("forever beautiful") Gardens, where Makato Nitahara, who turned a 20-acre papaya patch into a tropical garden, claims to have every flowering plant in Hawaii. His collection includes more than 2,000 varieties, from fragile hibiscus, whose bloom lasts only a day, to durable red anthuriums imported from South America. There are also Japanese gardens, an orchid walkway, a botanical museum, and a restaurant, open for lunch and dinner.421 Makalika St. (3 miles south of Hilo Airport on Hwy. 11, turn on Makalika St., go 3/4 mile), Hilo. Open: Daily 8am-5pm. Admission $7.50 adults, $6 seniors, $4.50 children 6-18. Tram tours $5 extra..

Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority
Technology buffs should consider a visit to NELHA, the only site in the world where the hot, tropical sun, in combination with a complex pumping system that brings 42° F ocean water from 2,000 feet deep up to land, is used to develop innovations in agriculture, aquaculture, and ocean conservation. The interesting 1½-hour tour takes in all areas of the high-tech ocean science and technology park, including the seawater delivery system, the energy-conversion process, and some of park's more interesting tenants, from Maine lobsters to giant clams.
73-4460 Queen Kaahumanu Hwy. (at mile marker 94), Kailua-Kona. Free guided tour Thurs 10am; reservations required..

Panaewa Rainforest Zoo
This 12-acre zoo, nestled in the heart of the Panaewa Forest Reserve south of Hilo, is the only outdoor rain forest zoo in the U.S. Some 50 species of animals from rain forests around the globe call Panaewa home--including several endangered Hawaiian birds. All of them are exhibited in a natural setting. This is one of the few zoos where you can observe Sumatran tigers, Brazilian tapirs, and the rare pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered "minihippo" found in Western Africa.Stainback Highway (off Hwy. 11), Hilo. Open: Daily 9am-4pm. Admission free.

Pololu Valley Lookout
At this end-of-the-road scenic lookout, you can gaze at the vertical jade-green cliffs of the Hamakua Coast and two islets offshore. The view may look familiar once you get here--it often appears on travel posters. Most people race up, jump out, take a snapshot, and turn around and drive off; but it's a beautiful scene, so linger if you can. For the more adventurous, a switchback trail leads to a secluded black-sand beach at the mouth of a wild valley once planted in taro; bring water and bug spray.
At the end of Hwy. 270, Makapala.

Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
With its fierce, haunting idols, this sacred site on the black-lava Kona Coast certainly looks forbidding. To ancient Hawaiians, however, it must have been a welcome sight, for Puuhonua O Honaunau served as a 16th-century place of refuge, providing sanctuary for defeated warriors and kapu (taboo) violators. A great rock wall--1,000 feet long, 10 feet high, and 17 feet thick--defines the refuge where Hawaiians found safety. On the wall's north end is Hale O Keawe Heiau, which holds the bones of 23 Hawaiian chiefs. Other archaeological finds include burial sites, old trails, and a portion of an ancient village. On a self-guided tour of the 180-acre site--which has been restored to its precontact state--you can see and learn about reconstructed thatched huts, canoes, and idols and feel the mana (power) of old Hawaii.

A cultural festival, usually held in June, allows you to join in games, learn crafts, sample Hawaiian food, see traditional hula, and experience life in the islands before outsiders arrived in the late 1700s. Every Labor Day weekend, one of Hawaii's major outrigger canoe races starts here and ends in Kailua-Kona, 18 miles away. Call for details on both events.
Hwy. 160 (off Hwy. 11 at mile marker 104), Honaunau. Open: Visitor center open daily 7:30am-5:30pm; park open Mon-Thurs 6am-8pm, Fri-Sun 6am-11pm.. Admission $2, free for children 16 and under.. From Hwy. 11, 3 1/2 miles to park entrance..

Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site
This seacoast temple, called "the hill of the whale," is the single most imposing and dramatic structure of the ancient Hawaiians. It was built by Kamehameha I in 1790-91. The temple stands 224 feet long by 100 feet wide, with three narrow terraces on the seaside and an amphitheater to view canoes. Kamehameha built this temple of sacrifice with mortarless stone after a prophet told him he would conquer and unite the islands if he did so; 4 years later, he fulfilled his kingly goal. The site also includes the house of John Young, a trusted advisor of Kamehameha, and, offshore, the submerged ruins of Hale O Ka Puni, a shrine dedicated to the shark gods.
Hwy. 270, near Kawaihae Harbor.Open: Daily 7:30am-4pm. $1 admission. The visitor center is on Hwy. 270, and the heiau is a short walk away; the trail is closed when it's too windy, so call ahead if you're in doubt..

Rainbow Falls
Go in the morning, around 9 or 10am, just as the sun comes over the mango trees, to see Rainbow Falls at its best. The 80-foot falls spill into a big round natural pool surrounded by wild ginger. If you like legends, try this: Hina, the mother of Maui, lives in the cave behind the falls. In the old days, before liability suits and lawyers, people swam in the pool, but it's now prohibited.
West on Waianuenue Ave., past Kaumana Dr..

Suisan Fish Auction
Since 1914, Hilo fishermen have delivered the catch of the day--fresh ahi, mahimahi, and opakapaka--to Suisan Fish Auction, at Kamehameha Avenue and Banyan Drive. The boats return to harbor just at sunrise after fishing all night. The auction is conducted in three lingoes, including Hawaii's own pidgin, and can last an hour if the catch has been good. It begins at 7:30am Monday through Saturday, so arrive at 6:30am to get a good look as the fishers unload the boats. The Suisan Fish Market Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm) is next door if you miss the early-morning action.
Kamehameha Avenue and Banyan Drive.

The Original King Kamehameha Statue
Here stands King Kamehameha the Great, right arm outstretched, left arm holding a spear, as if guarding the senior citizens who have turned a century-old New England-style courthouse into an airy center for their golden years. The center is worth a stop just to meet the town elders, who are quick to point out the local sights, hand you a free Guide to Historic North Kohala, and give you a brief tour of the courthouse, where a faded photo of FDR looms over the judge's dais and the walls are covered with the faces of innocent-looking local boys killed in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

But the statue's the main attraction here. There's one just like it in Honolulu, across the street from Iolani Palace, but this is the original: an 8-foot, 6-inch bronze statue by Thomas R. Gould, a Boston sculptor. It was cast in Europe in 1880 but was lost at sea on its way to Hawaii. A sea captain eventually recovered and returned the statue, which was finally placed here, near Kamehameha's Kohala birthplace, in 1912.

Kamehameha was born in 1750, became ruler of Hawaii in 1810, and died in Kailua-Kona in 1819. His burial site remains a mystery.
Hwy. 270, Kapaau.

The Painted Church
Oh, those Belgian priests--what a talented lot. At the turn of the century, Father John Berchman Velghe borrowed a page from Michelangelo and painted biblical scenes inside St. Benedict's Catholic Church, so the illiterate Hawaiians could visualize the white man's version of creation.Hwy. 19, Honaunau.

Volcano General Store
Even if you're just visiting the park for the day, it's worth turning off to stop for gas at Volcano General Store, on Haunani Road, where kindly clerks give directions and sell fresh orchid sprays, local poha berry jam, and bowls of chili rice, a local favorite.

Volcano Winery
Volcano Winery is worth a stop to taste the local wines, made from tropical honey (no grapes) and tropical fruit blends (half-grape and half-fruit). Lift a glass of Volcano Blush or Macadamia Nut Honey and toast Madame Pele at this boutique winery; tastings are free.
Pii Mauna Dr., off Hwy. 11 at the 30-mile marker (go all the way to the end).Open: daily from 10am to 5:30pm.