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  Upon arrival at the Keahole Airport on the Kona Coast, the tourist might be
forgiven for asking themselves "why did I come here?" For miles and miles
around, all that can be seen is black lava flows, and precious little else. Pretty
desolate, to say the least. My advice would be to hang in there. There is much to
see and do on the Big Island of Hawaii. Lava and volcanoes are a big part of the island,
but there is much diversity.
The first time I visited the Big Island in 1995, we stayed on the Kona Coast just south of Kailua-Kona
town. This area is a typical strip development for tourists. The Big Island has some superb beaches,
however you must seek them out. Most of the coastal area is lava rock shoreline, which
limits the usefulness for just "lying about". Resorts typically have pools and
large deck areas available for their guests who wish to swim or sun themselves.
The second time I visited the Big Island in 2001 I was traveling alone. I found many
interesting bed and breakfast establishments situated throughout the Big Island.
I decided to stay at A Place of Refuge B&B
in
Captain Cook, on the South Kona Coast. This is a nice central
location, and yet it's well south of the Kailua-Kona "strip".
The third time I visited the Big Island in 2009, I was also traveling
alone. I returned to the Captain Cook area and found another good B&B to
stay at: Cedar House
Bed & Breakfast for six nights, then drove around the south end of the
island to stay in Hilo at
Old
Hawaiian Bed & Breakfast for four nights.
Restaurants
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 Mi's Italian Bistro
- on the mountain side of the Mamalahoa highway in Kealakekua...a bit hard
to find, but close to the infamous Manago Hotel (not recommended). I
ordered the Seafood fettuccine (my first visit) which was made with lots of
local seafood and home made pasta. The sauce was light enough to let
me savour the seafood flavours. On my second visit, I ordered the Cioppino
(fish stew), which was a delicious mix of prawns, scallops and blue crab in
a rich tomato and garlic sauce. I ate it with a fork, despite it supposedly
being a stew.
Mi's offers superb home style Italian cooking with an Island flare that is
not to be missed. Prices are moderate, service is excellent, and there
is lots of parking available. JoeTourist recommended. |
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Teshima Japanese restaurant - on
the mountain side of the the Mamalahoa highway in Honalo by the Shell
station. Very popular with the
locals. You can't go wrong ordering the Japanese dinners - they
include Miso soup, salad and rice. Some combos feature Sushimi (raw AhiAhi),
so if you don't eat raw fish, order something else or ask for a substitute.
Good food, very reasonable prices. Friday and Saturday nights usually see
this place jammed with locals, so get there early if you don't want to wait
for a table. They only take cash payment (no credit cards). |
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Keei Cafe - on the
the mountain side of the Mamalahoa highway at Hokukano - very good seafood
specials, and a great view of the Kona coast sunsets from the tables near
the balcony; nice atmosphere with live music some nights. They only take
cash payment (no credit cards). |
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Oodles of Noodles in the Safeway Mall, Kailua - very
good food, reasonable prices, atmosphere is only so-so. A favorite with the senior set, but go anyway! |
| The Kona Ranch House, near the corner of Palani & Kuakini in
Kailua-Kona (808) 329-7016 - If you are in the mood for some meat and
potatoes, then try their Prime Rib. Good service, good
food - lots of older customers again. |
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