Big Island Hawaii — Blog — The Grains Of Paradise

Less than a 20 minute flight from Maui but for some reason I haven’t gotten back to the Big Island in over 25 years! Absolutely inexcusable. I definitely won’t be letting that happen again.

Hawaii island is pure magic. Of all the islands, I must say, the mana there is there truly tangible. With it’s snow capped mountains, dramatic lava flows, dense Ohia forests, and coffee plantations, the Big Island has so much to offer the curious visitor. So if you go, get ready to drive. Not that there’s anything wrong with spending your time lounging with a Mai Tai in a Waikoloa resort, but the Big Island is really meant to be explored.

Kona, Kealakekua, Captain Cook, Hawi, Waimea, Honokaa, Hilo, Kalapana, Volcano, and South Point. Go see it all. You will not be disappointed. I promise.

Here’s some snippets of our most recent adventure.

How we got there

Direct flight from Maui to Kona on Southwest Airlines

Where we stayed

Airbnb in Waimea. We chose Waimea for a number of reasons. First, the chilly weather. At 2,600 ft, Waimea gets “cold”. Especially in late November when we were there. Night time temps dipped into the low 50s so that was a treat for these long time Hawaii residents. Another reason we chose Waimea was for it’s proximity to both east and west coastlines. We planned on driving A LOT this trip so Waimea was a great home base with it’s almost equal distance to Kona and Hilo. And lastly, the multiple cafe’s and coffee shops that line Waimea’s cute downtown. We heard that Waimea had some of the best dining on the island and we must say that after several meals, we agree.

Where we ate

Moa’s Kitchen Waimea - Definitely our favorite place for dinner. Super delicious ramen bowls, especially on a cold evening. Sushi, yakatori, and a full bar. I think we had dinner here 3 nights on our 6 day trip. Prices were really fair for what you get. Place gets busy so make a reservation if going for dinner.

The Fish and The Hog - Really cute ( and busy! ) place. Smells like BBQ but I was able to get an incredible roasted veggie sandwich. Husband had the Ribeye. Desserts looked yummy too!

Waimea Coffee Company - Great coffee and breakfast items like pastries, bagels, and sandwiches. Centrally located in downtown Waimea.

Cafe Pesto Hilo - Delicious pizza, risottos, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and a full bar. ( vegan options ) Great building! Went on a weekday for lunch and it was BUSY. Would go again.

Holualoa Garden and Kitchen - Beautiful restaurant nestled amongst the coffee plantations in Kona’s coffee belt.

Kaya’s - Popular ( for obvious reasons ) coffee shop in Kona’s coffee belt.

We missed a lot of places this time. Next trip we plan on going to more farmer’s markets as well as Two Ladies Kitchen in Hilo for fresh Mochi!

Things we really enjoyed

Hilo - Beautiful old town. Great retro buildings, beautiful parks, and crystal clear rock pools along the coast.

Antique shops - Especially in the Coffee Belt ( Kealakekua, Captain Cook, and Holualoa ) as well as Hilo.

The Hamakua Coast - Lush beautiful rainforests, parks and waterfalls

The Red Road to Kalapana - Absolutely magical. The new black sand beach forming in Kalapana is a cool sight along with the ( brave ) newly built homes on this vast 1990 lava flow.

Whole island views from Waimea. The snowy peak of Mauna Kea was extra special this trip.

Honokaa - Cute little town near Waipio Valley. Ended up going there on a Sunday so many of the shops and cafes were closed. Need to go back on a week day next time.

Hilo’s famous Farmer’s Market. Been wanting to go see this for years! So many hard to find exotic fruits like rollinia, lychee, and chocolate sapotes.