Hawaii’s Big Island is what Hawaii is all about—and a whole lot more. Sure, it offers some of the palm-fringed beaches and lush valleys that visitors expect to find in Hawaii, but it also offers what they don’t expect, including grassy ranchlands where cowboys still ride the range and rugged, lava-strewn hills that look more like the surface of the moon than a tropical island.
With a sparsely populated landmass more than double the size of all the other Hawaiian Islands put together, the Big Island gives visitors plenty of breathing room in which to enjoy its array of unspoiled natural wonders. It’s a scenario that makes it easy for groups to find rejuvenation and inspiration, according to George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau.
“While people know that we’re a great vacation destination, they are less certain if we’re right for meetings,” he says. “We tell them that we have the perfect environment to get work done. We provide an atmosphere where people can really concentrate. We have the latest technology for meetings and we have nature as well.”
Applegate says because resort development came to the Big Island relatively late, the island has been able to preserve most of its distinctive geographical features, which include black- and green-sand beaches bereft of hotels or condos and large protected expanses such as Volcanoes National Park.
“Back in the 1960s everyone wanted the big cities, so we were overlooked,” he says. “Now people want serenity, they want to get back to nature. And we still have the natural beauty they are looking for.”
With perpetual sunshine on the west side of the island, where most resorts are located, conditions are ideal for enjoying the outdoors, Applegate adds.
“Our weather is a big draw,” he says. “While we get a lot of rain on the east side of the island, the west side only gets between six and 30 inches a year. So the odds are that any time you come, it will be sunny there. You can use those outdoor venues.”
Giving the island an added boost has been improved air accessibility in recent years, including steadily increasing direct air service into Kailua-Kona Airport from such gateways as Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland, Calif. ATA Airlines recently introduced daily service into Hilo Airport from Oakland.
Kohala Coast
With plenty of open land and sunshine, the Kohala Coast, located on the northwest side of the island, has become a magnet for luxury resort development over the past four decades. However, development has been relatively slow, with plenty of room left between properties.
“What really sets us apart from other resort destinations is that our hotels are not all lined up next to each other,” Applegate says. “When you look out of the window, you see nature, not more hotels.”
It’s a scenario in keeping with the vision of developer Laurence Rockefeller, who was well ahead of his time in his approach to environmentally friendly tourism when he built the low-rise, 31-room Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the then-isolated coast in 1965. Now operated by Prince Hotels Hawaii, the legendary hotel is closed to repair damage done to the structure by an earthquake last October.
According to Dara Lum, spokesperson for Prince Hotels, the property and the adjacent Mauna Kea Golf Course, which is also closed for renovation, are both expected to reopen in fall 2008.
“Even though it is closed for repairs, Mauna Kea looks the same as it did before the earthquake,” Lum says. “The damage was generally restricted to the top floor of the main building and is not at all noticeable from the outside.”
Although specific renovation plans have not been announced for the hotel, Lum says there are no plans to change the classic design of the property.
Also part of the Mauna Kea Resort, the 350-room Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, which offers 31,000 square feet of meeting space, five restaurants, a spa, and a golf course, was unscathed by the earthquake and remains open.
To the south, the Mauna Lani Resort offers stellar views of towering, often snow-capped mountain peaks and is a place where petroglyphs, rock carvings left behind by the ancient Hawaiians, can still be found among the lava beds. It is also the site of two luxury hotels, the 350-room Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows and the 540-room Fairmont Orchid, which recently completed a guest room renovation and added a concierge floor with a private lounge.
The neighboring Waikoloa Resort is home to the island’s largest property, the 1,240-room Hilton Waikoloa Village, as well as the 545-room Waikoloa Beach Marriott, which has added a new 12,000-square-foot ballroom. Both properties recently unveiled major renovations to their guest rooms, public spaces and meetings areas.
Farther south, not far from Kona International Airport, is the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, where some of the 243 guest rooms include private gardens with outdoor showers. Its nearby neighbor is the Kona Village Resort, where unique thatched-roof, tree house-like accommodations have made it a popular retreat for over 40 years.
Beyond the luxury resorts, the Kohala Coast, once the home of Hawaiian ruler Kamehameha the Great, is laced with historic significance. Visitors can get a glimpse of how the early Hawaiians lived by visiting Lapakahi State Historic Park, a reconstruction of a 600-year-old fishing village with interpreters on hand to demonstrate ancient Hawaiian games and other activities.
The place to experience the island’s paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) culture is at the upcountry Parker Ranch in Waimea, one of the largest cattle ranches in the world. Everything from customized rodeos to elegant receptions in one of the ranch’s elegant historic homes can be arranged.
Kailua-Kona Area
The commercial hub for the island’s west side, the town of Kailua-Kona is a fun place to enjoy a diverse array of art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. The town also offers sites of historic interest, including the stately Hulihee Palace, once the summer retreat of Hawaiian monarchs, where the grounds are available for events.
South of town are some of the most important heritage sites in Hawaii, including the Puuhonua Ohonaunau (Place of Refuge) National Historic Park, a majestic burial ground and temple site gracing a seaside cove. Adjoining land recently acquired by the National Park Services has added new trails and points of interest to the park. The nearby St. Benedict’s Painted Church is a charming structure dating to the 1800s.
In the midst of Kona coffee country, the Kailua-Kona area is also a place where groups can enjoy coffee farm tours at places such as Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation. The area is also known for its marine life, making it a hub for fishing and diving.
Major meetings hotels right in Kailua-Kona include the 461-room King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Resort and the 43-room Royal Kona Resort. To the south, the Keahou Resort is home to the 530-room Sheraton Keahou Bay Resort, which offers 58,000 square feet of function space.
Hilo Area
On the lush east side of the island, the town of Hilo offers a quaint glimpse of Old Hawaii and close proximity to a number of the island’s most important attractions and natural wonders, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Many of Hilo’s charming old wooden storefront buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places and house a variety of art galleries and boutiques. Other places to explore in town include the Lyman House, a New England-style house built by 19th century missionaries that features exhibits on Hawaiian natural and cultural history; the Palace Theater, a restored 1925 movie palace; and the Pacific Tsunami Museum, which has historic photographs pertaining to the giant waves that struck Hilo back in 1946 and 1960.
The newest attraction and off-site venue on the Big Island is the Imiloa Astronomy Center, which offers interactive exhibits, a giant dome planetarium and an “Earth sphere” floating globe. Located at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the facility offers a variety of function spaces, including a special events hall seating up to 300 people.
While resort properties are not nearly as abundant as on the west side, Hilo has meetings-friendly hotels that include the 286-room Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and the 325-room Hawaii Naniloa Resort, which offers a 9-hole golf course and a new function room holding up to 308 people.
About a 45-minute drive from Hilo, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the island’s most popular attraction, drawing visitors to both dormant and active volcanic sites, including the lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano. The park’s historic Volcano House hotel offers 42 sleeping rooms, banquet areas and breathtaking views of the steaming craters.
For More Info
Big Island Visitors Bureau 808.961.5797
www.meetbigisland.com
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau 808.923.1811
www.meethawaii.com
Kohala Coast Resort Association 808.886.4915
www.kohalacoastresorts.com
