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Posts about the Big Island

The Big Island covers 8 of the world's 13 climate zones, which is how one island fits snowy Mauna Kea winters next to white, black, and green sand beaches. If your trip leans toward volcanoes and open backcountry, this is your island. The posts below are our Big Island lists; the full planning layer is our Big Island activities guide.

Rainbow Falls running brown and full after heavy rain

Big Island Things to Do

15 Rainy day activities for the Big Island (and 2 to skip)

You booked your trip to the Big Island several months ago, and now, in the weeks and days leading up to the trip, you see…

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Manta rays passing over divers sitting on the ocean floor during a night dive at Garden Eel Cove, Kona

Big Island Trip Planning

Big Island for Beginners: Need-to-Know Tips for First-Time Visitors

Nearly every mainland flight to the Big Island lands in Kona, on the west side of the island. Plan on 7 days here, with 4…

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Lava from an ocean entry pouring into the sea at dusk on the Big Island

Big Island Trip Planning

What is the best time to visit the Big Island?

Whale season on the Big Island runs from November through April, and it’s the only time of year you’ll see humpbacks offshore. Winter brings its…

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Fissure eruption fountaining along a line of vents at Kilauea, September 2023

Big Island Volcanoes

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts for the third time this year

Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island is Erupting! Lava viewing is a must-do activity if you are on the Big Island now.

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rainbow falls going off big island

Big Island Things to Do

Big Island on a Budget (Cheap & Free Things to do on Hawaiʻi Island)

It’s no secret that it will cost you a pretty penny to visit Hawaiʻi. Flights and accommodations, which are amongst the most expensive in the…

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Waiʻānapanapa State Park on Maui

Big Island Maui Things to Do

The 7 Best Black Sand Beaches in Hawaiʻi

When it comes to beaches, Hawaiʻi is no one-trick pony. There are the familiar white sand options, of course, but there are also black, red,…

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Hiker arriving at Waimano Falls on Oʻahu after a short hike

Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do

The 10 Best Hawaiʻi Waterfalls to Swim in (all islands)

Of the ten Hawaiʻi waterfalls you can swim in, one has lifeguards: Waimea Falls on Oʻahu, where staff decide at 9am daily whether swimming is…

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Aerial photo of the ongoing Maunaloa eruption showing the a line of fissure vents erupting above 10,000 ft elevation on the Northeast Rift Zone

Big Island Volcanoes

Mauna Loa’s 2022 Eruption: What Happened and What It Means for Future Travel

Mauna Loa erupted for two weeks, from November 27 to December 10, 2022. It was the volcano’s first eruption since 1984, a 38-year gap, and…

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Sunrise from Pololu valley

Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do

13 Best Sunrise Spots in Hawaiʻi: Big Island, Oʻahu, Maui, and Kauaʻi

Haleakalā sunrise requires an advance reservation and a hotel departure around 3 a.m. Diamond Head opens at 6 a.m. and charges an entrance and parking…

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Kaumana caves

Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do Volcanoes

Hawaiʻi’s Lava Tubes, Sea Caves, and Blowholes, Island by Island

Kaumana Caves in Hilo drop into a lava tube Mauna Loa’s 1881 flow carved for 25 miles. No permit, no tour operator, just walk in.…

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Molokini and Kaho'olawe

Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do

A Beginner’s Guide to Snorkeling in Hawaiʻi (+12 easy snorkeling spots)

A first snorkel comes down to two things: where you get in, and what the water is doing that day. Nerves are the smaller problem.…

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sunrise from lanikax pillbox on oahu

Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do

The 16 Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Hawaiʻi: Big Island, Maui, Oʻahu & Kauaʻi

When Kīlauea is erupting, the crater rim at Volcano House gives you two shows in one: the sun goes down while the Halemaʻumaʻu glow builds…

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Long exposure shot (notice the elongated star trails) of the Milky Way from a Kauaʻi beach.

Astronomy Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do

Stargazing in Hawaiʻi: The Best Spots on Four Islands

From secluded beaches to dark volcanic summits, the BEST stargazing spots on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Maui, and the Big Island selected for their dark skies and…

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A Hawaiian green sea turtle (Honu) swimming off the coast.

Big Island Kauaʻi Maui Oʻahu Things to Do

The 9 Best Spots to Find Sea Turtles in Hawaiʻi (All Islands)

One of the most common questions we get from visitors to Hawaiʻi is where they can reliably encounter sea turtles, either on land or in…

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Sunrise from Pololu valley

Big Island Things to Do

16 (short) Things to Do for your Big Island Itinerary

Looking for activities to add to your Big Island itinerary? Below, we offer ideas that range from active adventures to educational museum stops – and…

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taro fields in Hanalei, Kauai

Big Island Island Comparisons Kauaʻi Trip Planning

Big Island or Kauaʻi: which island fits your trip?

Kīlauea has erupted in more than 50 episodes since December 2024, and the Big Island is the only Hawaiian island where that’s true. That settles…

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people hiking in Iao Valley

Big Island Island Comparisons Maui Trip Planning

Big Island or Maui, which is better?

The Big Island? Maui? Or both? Plan your trip to Hawaii by comparing the activities, volcanoes, night life, beaches, and natural variety.

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kailua beach

Big Island Island Comparisons Oʻahu Trip Planning

Oʻahu or the Big Island: which is better?

O'ahu? The Big Island? Or both? Plan your trip to Hawaii by comparing the activities, the volcanoes, the night life, the beaches, and the natural…

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Köppen climate zone map of the Big Island in 3D relief, with Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa capped in the grey of tundra climate

Big Island Nature & History

The 8 climate zones on the Big Island

How many climate zones are there in the world? And how many of those can you find on the Big Island? (spoiler: 8, not 10,…

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Seismic map for Hawaii

Big Island Nature & History Volcanoes

Hawaii, the Earthquake State?

Hawaii is the state with the highest earthquake density in all of the USA! Learn where you are most likely to feel an earthquake (the…

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The second-biggest island in the chain, much of Maui’s appeal comes from its natural landscape and biodiversity, including its two massive volcanoes, whale watching and marine ecosystems

Love Oʻahu

1: Oʻahu Overview
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Oʻahu is the busiest and most visited of the Hawaiian Islands, with the widest range of things to do: nature, culinary discoveries, historic landmarks, shopping, nightlife and festivals.

Love Kauaʻi

1: Kauaʻi Overview
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7: Kauaʻi blog posts

With a population of less than 75,000, Kauaʻi is truly a small-town island, littered with open space, protected preserves, and old plantation history.

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