Kona, Hawaii Island

Exotic fish and elaborate coral formations beckon you underwater, while Kona's year-round sunshine invites you to her warm beaches. An experience of Kona's enticement offers a glimpse into why Hawaii's greatest king, Kamehameha I, made this island his home.

The Big Island of Hawaii

Sun-drenched Kona is every bit the opposite of Hilo, its tropical east coast counterpart. The driest and sunniest spot on the Big Island, Kona is deserving of its nickname 'The Gold Coast'

Ebony soil bursts into bloom. Mile after mile of vivid bougainvillea, poinsettias, and anthuriums prove just how fertile lava can be.

The delicate fragrance of the Kona's flowers is often overshadowed by the aroma of coffee beans roasting in the sunshine, for Kona is also home to dozens of gourmet coffee plantations.

Kona's coastal beaches and rugged lava fields beckon both adventurers and seekers of solitude.

The waters off Kona's small black-sand beaches teem with marine life, an enchanted setting for snorkeling, tide pooling, and legendary sport fishing, or take a glass-bottomed boat or submarine to view the coral reef gardens.

For a more introspective look at Kona, visit some of the area's sacred sites: on an excursion to Pu'uhonua 0 Honaunau you'll explore a traditional 'Place of Refuge', where absolution was granted to law-breakers and sanctuary was provided for non-combatants and defeated warriors.

St. Benedict's Church, also known as 'The Painted Church', and Moku'ai Kaua Church, the first Christian Church in the Hawaiian Islands, stand as reminders of Hawaii's missionary days. Today, these peaceful sanctuaries nurture flowers, plants, and birds.

Legends are filled with the wondrous deeds of Kamahameha the Great. He seems supernatural, even in death. In 1880 a statue of the late king was shipped to Hawaii, but was lost at sea. A copy was placed at the Judiciary Building in Honululu. When the original was found, many say the king was behind it's loss and recovery, to make sure it was placed in Kapaau, his birthplace. There it stands today.