We wanted to reach Haena before the noon tide swamped the beach, hiding its photogenic black and white sand, the only sandy stretch for miles on a coast known for its imposing cliffs and currents. My friend Andrew and I were alone at the beginning of the Old Puna Trail, where the tidy grid of […]
In the early morning darkness, brittle ʻaʻā lava rock cracks, then crumbles beneath my feet. Navigating my way toward Hawaiʻi Island’s rugged western shoreline, there is barely enough light to see the path ahead. I stop briefly and gaze at the infinite spread of glistening stars, the same twinkling lights early Polynesians used many centuries
Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Hawaii’s tallest peaks, received their first dusting of snow recently, with another 8 inches expected to fall as we head into the first days of December. It came a little early this year, due to strong easterly trade winds and higher levels of precipitation over Hawaii Island and Maui. The
Living in Hawaii Island’s Puna district is hard. Most of the subdivisions are off the county water line and many still lack paved roads. There’s also the fact of living on an active volcano with a history of suddenly disrupting everyday life. Puna residents have long needed to adapt to the unforgiving landscape in whatever
Hilo’s only oceanside restaurant opened earlier this month inside the Grand Naniloa Hotel. The restaurant, Hula Hulas, describes its menu as “casual and creative,” sourcing its ingredients locally, and all meals are paired with panoramic views of the downtown area and Hilo Bay. Hula Hulas signature dish is chef Amy Dibiase’s cast-iron chicken, a half chicken
Let’s just get this out of the way now: $39,500 is a lot of money. For the majority of us, it’s an impossible amount to spend on travel and leisure. But if you have the means, and you fancy yourself being whisked away by helicopter to the most stunning and remote locations on Hawaii Island—think
At a time when some teenagers spend their summers playing video games, 14-year-old Native Hawaiian Hokani Maria used his summertime to build a traditional four-person, double-hulled outrigger canoe, similar to the ones seen in the movie “Moana.” Hailing from Kapaau, Kohala on the Big Island, Maria earned a $10,000 grant in March through Running Strong’s Dreamstarter program, a
In this tried-and-true guide, we highlight the most memorable, the most special, the most aspirational resorts to stay this year. After a year’s worth of checking into everything from the shiny new thing on the block to the enduring turn-of-the-century classic, this collection of properties falls under a special class of accommodations: the 50 hotels,
Driving down a one-lane road with no cell signal, I worry that I may have rented the wrong car for this adventure. I’ve already taken two wrong turns (thanks to Siri) and am now on Upolu Airport Road, cutting through farms on my left and windmills on my right. The airport at the end of
Last month, Hawaiian Airlines announced it will be adding nonstop flights between Kona and Los Angeles in 2018, however, it isn’t the only airline expanding its nonstop service to the Big Island in the coming months. Later on this December, Alaska Airlines will begin nonstop service between Kona and San Francisco, and United Airlines will
Ready to dive in? When you want to make a splash, it’s safe to say that these are some of the grandest pools around. Montage Kapalua Bay, Maui Lounge on the secluded poolside day beds at Montage Kapalua Bay. Photo courtesy: Montage Kapalua Bay The tropical gardens surrounding Montage Kapalua Bay’s multi-tiered, blue pools with
Nestled along the slopes of the dormant Hualalai volcano on Hawaii Island, a traditional stone forno (Portuguese for “oven”) burns with sweet anticipation. Master baker Laurie Westrich, her hair wrapped up in a palaka (checkered) bandana and wearing a matching apron dusted with white flour, rakes the hot kiawe coals heating up the forno’s domed
