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Aloha to the Big Island of Hawaii
Part 2-- Hawaii. Welcome to Part 2 of my four part journey to the Hawaiian Islands. This blog post is specifically about the Big Island of Hawaii. Not to be confused with the Hawaiian Islands in general, I have found that most people, especially those that live there, refer to Hawaii as the Big Island. Yes, it is the biggest of all the islands: 93 miles long with 266 miles of coastline! There is so much beauty to take in and the vibe is much different from Honolulu....my husband and I both took a mutual sigh of relaxation as soon as we got settled in. Coming down from jetlag and all the excitement of Waikiki beach, we quickly adapted a very low key style on the Big Island and spent more time lounging by the pool and enjoying the sea side views at the resort. Yet, that's a big part of vacation; learning to unplug and unwind and Hawaii is the perfect place for just that.
Our hotel: The Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa was awesome. It wasn't just a place to stay; they had several activities right there at the resort that we happily participated in. After our arrival. the next day we participated in a really interesting and informal talk about the history and cultural traditions on the part of the Kona Coast where we were staying. It was really interesting to learn some of the local history and they even have a "mini museum" right there at the resort with an abundance of cool artifacts and books. It was enlightening and was almost as neat as all the stuff our tour guide Ben taught us when in Oahu! (See part 1....)
The location of this particular hotel is right near where there is an incredible abundance of Manta Rays. These amazing creatures are so graceful as they fly through the water, but look kind of intimidating. Unlike stingrays, they are not harmful to humans. They eat only plankton. Some of the rays in this area grow up to 18 ft. long!
Since our hotel was situated on the coast of a favorite feeding ground of the Manta Rays, guests have opportunities to view the Mantas every night at dusk. When it gets dark enough they shine lights on the shoreline, which actually attracts the plankton and subsequently the Manta Rays. Several folks told us that they saw several Mantas come right up by the shore, but a guaranteed viewing is from the snorkeling or diving perspective.
We did enjoy watching from the shore and it's hard to actually decipher what is in the water when the waves are choppy; it was a pretty windy evening. Nevertheless...I think I saw something! I want to think it was a ray...but I could have sworn I saw several dorsal fins...perhaps a small group of sharks.
The photo here shows the snorkelers seeking a view of the Manta Rays. The blue "light bar" that they are holding on to is how they can stay in one place and view through a little "window pane". We had fun watching from the viewing deck, and it was it was great to hear an occasional shout of delight and awe when one of the rays was spotted.
The Manta Rays are so prominent in this particular area, that the hotel even has carvings of them as part of the hotel décor. I thought it was a stunning part of the architecture that really made the hotel unique and highlighted a characteristic of the area. It is hard to tell from this photo, but the carvings were cut into the stonework on the curved open air windows of the patio. So beautiful! These windows by the patio, are adjacent to the front lobby and face out to a view of the ocean.
Sadly we did not have the opportunity to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. There are so many "do not miss" opportunities in the islands, but we are happy we took the time to just chill and relax. Perhaps we can check out the volcanoes next time. It is something that someday I would like to experience. It is interesting to note that the Park is known for the two most active volcanoes in the world: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Not only are they active volcanoes, there are also of great cultural importance and are considered sacred ground by the Native Hawaiians.
All you coffee drinkers out there, it is interesting to note that the only coffee grown in the US is in Hawaii. We stayed on the Kona coast which is home to several coffee growers producing the infamous Kona coffee. We enjoyed lots of that wonderful brew while there, but come to find out....most of the coffee comes from Kaua'i, not the Kona region. That will be discussed in my next blog: Kaua'i.
The landscapes and the ocean breezes of the Big Island provided ample opportunity for a chance to "unplug" and replenish our spirits. Maholo (thank-you) Hawaii.
