Hawaii Island may be steering away from its long-time “Big Island” moniker, but there is still nothing small about it.
It’s still twice as large as the rest of the Hawaiian islands put together. It still offers some of the Earth’s driest and wettest climatic zones. And, best of all, it’s still a magical place shared by snow-capped mountains, macadamia forests, rolling pastures, orchid gardens, beaches of black and green sand, steaming volcanic cauldrons, flowing lava and temples created for Hawaiian royals.
While the term “Big Island” isn’t going away completely—in fact, the Big Island Visitors Bureau has no immediate plans to change its name—island marketers are encouraging the use of Hawaii Island instead, says George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau.
“We’ve used the nickname ‘Big Island’ for the past 25 years to distinguish Hawaii, the island, from Hawaii, the state,” he explains. “The nickname has since become part of our history and people are connected to it, but it’s not the name of our island. We will introduce the island as Hawaii Island moving forward.”
No matter what its name, Hawaii Island remains a larger-than-life meetings destination on many fronts. Not only does the island boast five national parks and some of the state’s most renowned resorts and venues, it is rapidly earning a reputation for sustainable practices that include alternative energy research, a wealth of CSR (corporate social responsibility) options for groups and fine locally sourced cuisine.
“We also offer rejuvenation, which is one reason we are so popular with the incentive market,” Applegate says. “When people go back to work, they are inspired and refreshed.”
Hawaii Island’s history and culture, which are showcased in attractions such as Puuhonua Ohonaunau (Place of Refuge) National Historic Park, are also big draws, he adds.
“We were where the Polynesians first landed—they came here by navigating the stars,” he says. “There is a sense of spirituality here.”
Applegate also maintains that part of the island’s appeal stems from what it doesn’t have—congestion, overcrowding and a lot of asphalt.
“Development was slower to come to Hawaii Island, so we’ve taken care of our natural wonders,” he says. “In the 1960s everyone wanted the big cities, so we were overlooked. As a result, we still have the beauty people are looking for. There’s a real freshness to this island.”
Kohala Coast
Located on the northwest side of the island, the Kohala Coast is home to an impressive lineup of luxury resorts set in a lava-strewn landscape between mountains and sea. Despite four decades of resort development, the region still offers plenty of open space, everything from black-sand beaches to highland pastures.
With the towering Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa mountains acting as a barrier from the heavy rainfall on the east side of the island, the Kohala Coast also offers a perpetually sunny climate.
“The west side of the island gets very little rain, which means that people can use the outside venues just about any time,” Applegate says.
The oldest of the resort communities is Mauna Kea Resort, which includes the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel developed by Laurence Rockefeller on the then-isolated coast in the 1960s, and the 350-room Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. Mauna Kea Resort, which also offers two championship golf courses, is operated by Prince Hotels Hawaii.
To the south, Mauna Lani Resort is 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. The 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.
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. Both properties have recently unveiled major renovations to their guest rooms, public spaces and meetings areas.
Farther south, not far from Kailua-Kona Airport, is the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, where some of the 243 guest rooms include private gardens with outdoor showers. While the hotel sustained some minor damage, primarily to landscaping, from last spring’s tsunami, it reopened six weeks later in full repair. However, the neighboring Kona Village Resort, where unique thatched-roof, tree house-like accommodations made it a popular retreat for over 40 years, closed down permanently after the tsunami.
Beyond the luxury resorts, the Kohala Coast 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, or cowboy, culture is at the upcountry Parker Ranch in Waimea, one of the largest cattle ranches in the world. Everything from customized rodeos to ritzy receptions in one of the ranch’s elegant historic homes can be arranged.
Kailua-Kona Area
Just south of the Kohala Coast is Kona International Airport, the major airport for the west side of the island, and the bustling town of Kailua-Kona, which offers a diverse array of art galleries, boutiques and restaurants and is the jumping off point for fishing and snorkeling excursions and other activities.
Meetings hotels right in Kailua-Kona include Royal Kona Resort and the King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, which recently completed a renovation that included a new lobby, infinity-edge pool and beachside restaurant. The property, which signed a franchise agreement with Courtyard by Marriott, is slated to be reflagged as the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel by the end of the year.
To the south, the Keahou Resort is home to the Sheraton Keahou Bay Resort, which offers 58,000 square feet of function space. The property recently completed a renovation of all 521 guest rooms.
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 outdoor events.
Just south of Kailua-Kona 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. The park, once a refuge for those who broke the ancient Hawaiian laws, offers several hiking and walking options, including a two-mile, round-trip trail to Kiilae Village, where inhabitants lived traditionally by the sea up until the 1930s.
Hilo Area
On the east side of the island, the town of Hilo and environs offer a lush, tropical landscape that is a stark contrast to the west side’s arid terrain. It also provides a 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 as well as botanical gardens and orchid and macadamia nut farms.
Laid-back Hilo exudes a locally flavored, non-commercial atmosphere, yet still has plenty for visitors to enjoy, including art galleries and boutiques housed in vintage wooden storefront buildings. 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 showcases historic photographs of giant waves that struck Hilo back in 1946 and 1960.
At the University of Hawaii at Hilo, a popular attraction and off-site venue is the Imiloa Astronomy Center, which offers interactive exhibits, a giant dome planetarium and an “Earth sphere” floating globe. The facility also has a variety of function spaces, including a special events hall seating up to 300 people.
Getting to Hilo from the U.S. mainland recently became more convenient with the start in June of nonstop service on United Airlines from San Francisco and Los Angeles. No nonstop service from the mainland has been offered to Hilo in more than 30 years.
According to Debbie Hogan, director of sales for the Big Island Visitors Bureau, the new service promises to boost the Hilo area as a destination for tourism, including meetings.
“Because our island is so large, this makes Hilo a second gateway for us,” she says. “It could definitely spur more meetings to be based on Hilo, as well as be a great option for groups who want to do a pre- or post-trip to the east side of the island. They now have the option of arriving in Kona for the meeting, then flying out of Hilo on the way home.”
While offering a more limited hotel selection than the west side of the island, Hilo has meetings-friendly hotels that include the 286-room Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and the 325-room Hawaii Naniloa Resort, which offers a nine-hole golf course and a function room accommodating 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 glowing lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano. The park even offers a golf course overlooking the steaming craters.
The park’s historic Volcano House, a hotel with 42 sleeping rooms, banquet areas and breathtaking views of the steaming craters, is currently closed while the National Park Service searches for a concessionaire to renovate and operate the property.
