808/322-9311); Hilo Medical Center, 1190 Waianuenue Ave., Hilo (www.hilomedicalcenter.org; 808/932-3000); North Hawaii Community Hospital, 67-1125 Mamalahoa Hwy., Waimea (www.nhch.com; 808/885-4444); and the tiny Kau Hospital, 1 Kamani St., Pahala (www.kauhospital.org; 808/932-4200).
Internet Access Pretty much every lodging on the island has Wi-Fi; resorts typically include it in their exorbitant resort fees, but some hotels may offer it for a daily charge. All Starbucks and McDonald’s locations, plus numerous local coffee shops also offer free Wi-Fi. The state has also started creating Wi-Fi hotspots with 1-hr. free use around the island.
Pharmacies The only 24-hour pharmacy is in Hilo at Longs Drugs, 555 Kilauea Ave., one of 12 around the island (www.cvs.com; 808/935-9075). The rest open as early as 7am and close as late as 9pm Monday through Saturday; some are closed Sunday. Kona and Hilo’s national chain stores such as Kmart, Safeway, Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco (Kailua-Kona only) also have pharmacies with varying hours.
Police Dial 911 in case of emergency; otherwise, call the Hawaii Police Department at 808/935-3311 islandwide.
Post Office The U.S. Postal Service (www.usps.com; 800/275-8777) has 28 branches around the island, including in Kailua-Kona at 74-5577 Palani Rd., in Waimea (Kamuela) at 67-1197 Mamalahoa Hwy., and in Hilo at 1299 Kekuanaoa St. All are open weekdays; some are also open Saturday morning.
Volcanic Activity Before you visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, learn if lava is flowing and check for any closures at www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/index.htm.
Exploring the Big Island
Attractions & Points of Interest
Although parks are open year-round, some of the other attractions below may be closed on major holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in Nov). Admission is often reduced for Hawaii residents with state ID.
North Kona
Hulihee Palace HISTORIC SITE John Adams Kuakini, royal governor of the island, built this stately, two-story New England–style mansion overlooking Kailua Bay in 1838. It later became a summer home for King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani and, like Queen Emma’s Summer Palace and Iolani Palace on Oahu, is now lovingly maintained by the Daughters of Hawaii as a showcase for royal furnishings and Native Hawaiian artifacts, from hat boxes to koa furniture and a 22-foot spear. You can take a self-guided tour of its six spacious rooms, but it’s worth arriving in time for a free guided tour, at 10am and 1pm daily, to learn more of the monarchs’ history and cultural context; guided tours are also the only ones permitted on the oceanfront lanai. A sign directs you to remove shoes before entering, with free booties provided upon request.
A cultural performance at Hulihee Palace
The palace lawn hosts 12 free events a year honoring a different member of Hawaiian royalty, with performances by local hula schools and musicians. Called Afternoon at the Palace, they’re generally held at 4pm on the third Sunday of the month (except June and Dec, when the performances are held in conjunction with King Kamehameha Day and Christmas). There’s also a monthly garden party that includes a private tour and tea ($40). Check the Daughters of Hawaii website for dates.
75-5718 Alii Dr., Kailua-Kona. daughtersofhawaii.org. 808/329-1877. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $1 ages 5–17. Mon–Sat 9am–4pm, Sun 10am–3pm.
Kaloko-Honokoha National Historical Park HISTORIC SITE/NATURAL ATTRACTION With no erupting volcano, impressive tikis, or massive temples, this 1,160-acre oceanfront site just north of Honokohau Harbor tends to get overlooked by visitors in favor of its showier siblings in the national park system. That’s a shame for several reasons, among them it’s a microcosm of ancient Hawaii, from fish ponds (one with an 800-ft.-long rock wall), house platforms, petroglyphs, and trails through barren lava to marshlands with native waterfowl, reefs teeming with fish, and a tranquil beach where green sea turtles bask in the shadow of Puuoina Heiau. Plus, it’s rarely crowded, and admission is free. Stop by the visitor center to ask about ocean conditions (if you’re planning to snorkel), and then backtrack to Honokohau Harbor, a half-mile south, to park closer to the beach.
Crazy for (real) Kona coffee
More than 600 farms grow coffee in the Kona Coffee Belt on the slopes of Hualalai, from Kailua-Kona and Holualoa in North Kona to Captain Cook and Honaunau in South Kona. The prettiest time to visit is between January and May, when the rainy season brings white blossoms known as “Kona snow.” Harvesting is by hand—one reason Kona coffee is so costly—from July through January. Nearly 20 farms offer regular tours with tastings, and many more provide samples. Note: Buying directly from the farm, and only buying coffee labeled 100% Kona, is the best way to avoid being ripped off by bogus beans with inferior taste. Several small farmers have filed a lawsuit (ongoing at press time) accusing several chain retailers of deceiving consumers through sales of fake “Kona coffee” and highly adulterated blends.
To find the real thing, you can make impromptu stops along Mamalahoa Highway (Hwy. 11 and Hwy. 180) or find more obscure farms and those requiring reservations via the Kona Coffee Farmers Association (www.konacoffeefarmers.org). Some highlights, heading north to south:
Holualoa Kona Coffee Company, 77-6261 Mamalahoa Hwy. (Hwy. 180), Holulaloa (www.konalea.com; 800/334-0348 or 808/322-9937): Owned by Desmond and Lisen Twigg-Smith, this organic farm and mill sells its own and others’ premium Kona coffee. Take a self-guided tour of the orchards (mowed and fertilized by a flock of about 50 geese), witness all phases of processing, and finish with a free cup of organic coffee weekdays from 8am to 3pm.
Kona Joe Coffee, 79-7346 Mamalahoa Hwy. (Hwy. 11 btw. mile markers 113 and 114), Kainaliu; www.konajoe.com; 808/322-2100): The home of the world’s first trellised coffee farm offers a free, self-guided tour with 8-minute video, as well as guided tours by request ($15 adults, free for kids 12 and under), daily from 8am
