Big Island Top Attractions
Your Adventure Blueprint & Curated Maps
Local Adventure Expert
Kalani MillerYour Adventure Blueprint - Curated Attraction Maps
Now for the fun part. I've created a series of detailed maps to guide you to my favorite spots around the island. Each section below focuses on different types of adventures, giving you the visual plan you need to build your perfect itinerary.
Not all adventures are created equal. Some are for relaxing, some are for exploring, and some will challenge you in ways you never imagined. Let me guide you to the experiences that match your spirit.
Map of the Best Beaches & Snorkel Spots
Not all beaches are created equal. Some are for relaxing, some are for surfing, and some are for exploring the incredible world beneath the waves. This map focuses on the best spots for swimming and snorkeling, which are concentrated on the calm, clear waters of the Kona and Kohala coasts.
👨👩👧👦 For Beginners & Families: Kahaluʻu Beach Park
Just south of Kona, this is your go-to spot. A natural rock wall (breakwater) creates a calm, shallow lagoon that's perfect for new snorkelers and kids. It's teeming with colorful fish and you are almost guaranteed to see honu (Hawaiian green sea turtles) peacefully munching on seaweed in the shallows.
Important: Remember to give turtles space and never touch them. It's illegal and harmful to these beloved creatures.
🏖️ For the Postcard White Sand Beach: Hāpuna Beach
Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area on the Kohala Coast is world-famous for a reason. It's a massive, half-mile stretch of soft white sand that's perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and boogie boarding when the surf is up. Snorkeling can be good at the rocky ends of the beach on calm days.
🤿 For the Ultimate Snorkel Adventure: Kealakekua Bay
Home of the Captain Cook Monument, this is the undisputed champion of Big Island snorkeling. It's a protected Marine Life Conservation District, and the water clarity and abundance of coral and fish are simply breathtaking.
Access: You can't just drive up to it. To get to the best snorkeling area near the monument, you have to either take a boat tour, kayak (with a permit), or tackle a challenging 3.8-mile round-trip hike. This effort is precisely what keeps it so pristine.
🌑 For a Unique Experience: Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach
You have to see a black sand beach, and Punaluʻu on the southern Kaʻū coast is the most famous and accessible. The contrast of the jet-black sand against the turquoise water and green coconut palms is stunning. It's also another fantastic place to spot honu basking on the warm sand.
Map of Top Hiking Trails
The Big Island is a hiker's paradise, with trails that take you across volcanic craters, through dense rainforests, and down to secluded beaches. Before any hike, please do two things: wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes (lava rock is incredibly sharp), and check the official trail websites for the latest conditions. For trails in state parks, check the Nā Ala Hele Trail & Access Program website. For trails in the national parks, always check the National Park Service (NPS) website.
🌋 The Iconic Volcano Hike: Kīlauea Iki Trail
Located within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, this is one of the most incredible hikes you will ever do. The trail is a 3.2 to 4-mile loop that descends 400 feet through a lush ʻōhiʻa tree rainforest to the floor of the Kīlauea Iki crater. You then walk across the solidified, but still steaming, lava lake from the dramatic 1959 eruption.
Details: Moderate difficulty • 2-3 hours • Feels like walking on another planet
🏔️ The Dramatic Coastal Hike: Pololū Valley Trail
At the northern tip of the island, this short but steep trail descends about 420 feet into the stunning Pololū Valley. The reward for your effort is a wild, windswept black sand beach and breathtaking views of the rugged, cliff-lined coastline.
Details: 0.6 miles round-trip • Steep workout on the way back up • Worth every step
💧 The Lush Rainforest Walk: ʻAkaka Falls State Park
If you're looking for an easy but spectacular walk, this is it. A paved 0.4-mile loop trail takes you through a beautiful rainforest filled with tropical flowers and birdsong. You'll get views of two waterfalls, including the magnificent ʻAkaka Falls, which plunges 442 feet into a gorge below.
Details: Easy • 0.4-mile loop • Paved trail • Perfect for all ages
🌺 The Historic Trail: Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
This isn't a single hike, but a 175-mile network of ancient coastal trails that connected communities and resources. You can hike various restored sections of the trail, such as through Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau or Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Parks, to literally walk in the footsteps of our ancestors.
Historical & Cultural Sites (Wahi Pana)
To truly know Hawaiʻi, you must listen to the stories the land tells. The Big Island is home to some of the most important and sacred sites in all of Polynesia. These places, which we call wahi pana, hold deep spiritual energy, or mana. Please visit them with the utmost respect: speak softly, stay on the marked paths, and leave everything exactly as you found it.
🏛️ Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
This is the "Place of Refuge." In ancient Hawaiʻi, society was governed by a strict set of laws called kapu. Breaking a kapu was often punishable by death. Your only chance for survival was to flee to a puʻuhonua like this one. If you made it inside the walls, you would be absolved by a priest and could return to society unharmed. It was a sanctuary for all, including non-combatants during times of war.
Today, you can walk the peaceful grounds, see the reconstructed Hale o Keawe temple guarded by fierce wooden kiʻi (images of gods), and feel the power of the massive Great Wall, which is over 1,000 feet long and 12 feet high.
⚔️ Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site
This massive temple, which means "Hill of the Whale," is one of the most important historical sites in Hawaiʻi. It was built by Kamehameha the Great between 1790 and 1791. A priest prophesied that if he built this heiau in honor of the war god Kūkāʻilimoku, he would succeed in uniting the Hawaiian Islands.
The prophecy came true, and this temple stands as a powerful monument to the founding of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
🖼️ Puʻuloa Petroglyphs
Located in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, this is the largest and most significant field of rock carvings in Hawaiʻi, with over 23,000 images etched into the lava. These are not just ancient graffiti. They are a sacred record of our ancestors.
Sacred Meaning: The most common motif is a small hole with a ring around it. This is a piko hole, where the umbilical cord (piko) of a newborn was placed. It was a prayer and a hope that the child would be granted a long life, connecting them to this place of creation forever. Access via 1.4-mile round-trip hike.
Complete Your Journey
Ready to put it all together? Get insider tips for planning your complete Hawaiian journey, including adventures beyond the Big Island.
Complete Planning Guide🗺️ Map Guide Sections
🎯 Adventure Categories
- Beaches: 15+ spots
- Hiking Trails: 25+ trails
- Cultural Sites: 10+ locations
- Volcanoes: 5 active areas
⚠️ Safety Essentials
- Check NPS website for volcano updates
- Wear closed-toe shoes for lava
- Respect cultural sites
- Don't touch sea turtles
- Stay on marked trails
⭐ Must-See Rankings
1. Volcanoes National Park ★★★★★
2. Kealakekua Bay ★★★★★
3. Hapuna Beach ★★★★☆
4. Akaka Falls ★★★★☆
🌺 Insider Secret
Visit attractions early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds and harsh midday sun. The golden hour light makes for incredible photos, especially at volcanic sites.
