November 6th, 2007

Kona is the social and economic center of the dry half of the Big Island Hawaii. The Big Island is divided and is watched over by snow capped Mauna Kea and the still steaming Mauna Loa. The east side or windward side is rainy and mist shrouded with lots of waterfalls and tropical plants. In the midst of that you will find the cultural center of Hilo. It is well worth the drive from Kona across the island to visit this wonderful history filled town. There are actually several places worth visiting while staying in Kona. One of those is Hawaii Volcano National Park. It is home to the most consistently active volcano on the planet. You can only see the actual lava from the air due to the safety issues currently. Kilauea is currently active and flowing lava can be seen by taking a helicopter tour of the volcanoes. Mauna Loa was recently active in the last 25 years and is still considered active, it just isn’t flowing lava at the moment. One of the wonders on the Big Island is to see the literal changes to the island that have happened over the last 25 years. It is something you can’t see very many places on earth.

While in your Kona Hawaii vacation home rental there are many other activities to do to keep yourself occupied and having fun. To start with, if you’re a coffee drinker, you are at the home of some of the world’s best coffee. Take the time to go to the different coffee shops or take a tour of a coffee plantation and try the different coffees. Once you have your caffeine start to the day, head to the beach for some kayaking or snorkeling. There are world class beaches on the Big Island and one that is a must see is the Kehena Black Sand beach. Again, there aren’t many true black sand beaches in the world for you to visit. You can also try your skill at surfing, wind surfing and kite surfing among a host of other ocean activities. To find out more about the home rentals and activities available, go to hawaiinbeachrentals.com and visit with the friendly staff. They are eager to help you make this your most memorable vacation yet.