The state of Hawaii is actually an archipelago of five main islands in the central Pacific ocean. Entered into the union as the 50th state in August 1959, Hawaii is a few degrees north of the Equator. This makes it an extremely popular tourist destination. Sometimes, however, you want to get away without being swept away by hoards of tourists paying high prices for burgers and beers. Kona, a district on the big island of Hawaii, lets you get way from that.
Although you can comfortably drive the entire circumference of the island in about a day, there is still enough air traffic to sustain two airports. The one on the eastern side of the island is Hilo; on the western side, in Keahole, is the other. Here, passengers can arrive from/depart to the western seaboard of the continental United States, as well as destinations in Canada and Alaska.
Externally, the airport gives the impression that it could just as easily be a shopping mall, chalet hotel, or night club. Don't let the quaint charm fool you, the customs officers are fiercely determined not to allow any foreign produce disrupt the ecology of the small island. It has all the other passenger services you would expect at any other air terminal.
The local area definitely feels more like a suburban neighborhood than it does a tourist resort. The bright lights, crowds, and noise are out there somewhere if you want to go looking for them but they are not in your face. There is all the accommodation you could ask for and all the amenities your heart could desire. At one restaurant in particular, diners can sip cocktails or mocktails on the coast of Kailua Bay and observe body-boarders being tossed in the surf or humpback whales swimming with other humpback whales.
The dormant volcano, Mauna Kea, is also within comfortable driving distance. One million years old, and rising 14,000 feet above sea level, it is taller than Everest and the tallest peak in the state. The Mauna Kea Observatory is the biggest such facility on the planet.
If you are feeling adventurous and can find someone offering this activity, there is nothing in the world like parasailing. This involves getting hitched into a parachute and being towed by a speed boat as you ascend higher and higher into the atmosphere. The average distance above sea level is 800 feet, although the brave can signal being taken to 1,200 feet. The best feeling of the experience is being allowed to free fall. The ride is over all too soon.
Those who don't care to toss their lunch a quarter of a mile down into the sea can still enjoy a boat trip. There are dolphins to discover, rafts to cruise and diving to be done. Whatever type of marine adventure you are after, you should certainly be able to find it here.
What makes staying in Kona great is its atmosphere of suburban independence. You have access to whatever you need in terms of food, shopping, and sight seeing but without the crowds and high prices. If you are lucky enough to find accommodation with your own balcony or patio, you can pretend that you really live there and have your own apartment. It makes you feel like you belong there.
Although you can comfortably drive the entire circumference of the island in about a day, there is still enough air traffic to sustain two airports. The one on the eastern side of the island is Hilo; on the western side, in Keahole, is the other. Here, passengers can arrive from/depart to the western seaboard of the continental United States, as well as destinations in Canada and Alaska.
Externally, the airport gives the impression that it could just as easily be a shopping mall, chalet hotel, or night club. Don't let the quaint charm fool you, the customs officers are fiercely determined not to allow any foreign produce disrupt the ecology of the small island. It has all the other passenger services you would expect at any other air terminal.
The local area definitely feels more like a suburban neighborhood than it does a tourist resort. The bright lights, crowds, and noise are out there somewhere if you want to go looking for them but they are not in your face. There is all the accommodation you could ask for and all the amenities your heart could desire. At one restaurant in particular, diners can sip cocktails or mocktails on the coast of Kailua Bay and observe body-boarders being tossed in the surf or humpback whales swimming with other humpback whales.
The dormant volcano, Mauna Kea, is also within comfortable driving distance. One million years old, and rising 14,000 feet above sea level, it is taller than Everest and the tallest peak in the state. The Mauna Kea Observatory is the biggest such facility on the planet.
If you are feeling adventurous and can find someone offering this activity, there is nothing in the world like parasailing. This involves getting hitched into a parachute and being towed by a speed boat as you ascend higher and higher into the atmosphere. The average distance above sea level is 800 feet, although the brave can signal being taken to 1,200 feet. The best feeling of the experience is being allowed to free fall. The ride is over all too soon.
Those who don't care to toss their lunch a quarter of a mile down into the sea can still enjoy a boat trip. There are dolphins to discover, rafts to cruise and diving to be done. Whatever type of marine adventure you are after, you should certainly be able to find it here.
What makes staying in Kona great is its atmosphere of suburban independence. You have access to whatever you need in terms of food, shopping, and sight seeing but without the crowds and high prices. If you are lucky enough to find accommodation with your own balcony or patio, you can pretend that you really live there and have your own apartment. It makes you feel like you belong there.
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