Kona Itinerary

[ShawninFL]

Hello,

 

We are in Kona from 8-6 and will be renting a car. Here is the itinerary I have tentatively set up. Keep in mind I always include more in my intinerary than I believe we can possibly get done. We just stop and head back when the time comes. So with that in mind here is my itinerary. Does anyone recommend any different order and changes? Also, how much of this itinerary would you believe we could realistically get through? Any suggestions to visit someplace different? Thanks for your help.

 

1. Place of Refuge

2. Painted Church (Is this worth stopping by?)

3. Keauhou Beach Park

4. Kawaihae -Temple

5. Drive up to or toward Hawi

6. Hapuna Beach

 

Drop off rental and back to the tender to the ship. I definitely want to get a little bit of beach time in and scenic photography is the number one objective as my partner is a photography buff with a really nice new digital camera that we bought in May for our Grand Canyon trip.

[sansterre]

We liked the painted church (Jan. 2010). I don't think it is out of your way if you are headed south to the popular (forgot it's name) beach.

We also stopped at the a coffee plantation/factory on the way.

[sammiedawg]

The Painted Church is worth a quick stop, next to the Place of Refuse. We enjoyed a couple coffee farms, Greenwell farms was giving frequent free tours. Drive beyond Hawi to the end of the road, Puohola valley lookout ( cannot remember how to spell it ) . If you have time drive from Hawi to Waimea through the Parker Ranch and the mountains, very pretty. Then head back to the main highway and drive toward Kona.

I think you an do all of this in one day unless you spend a lot of time at the beach. I would do Hapuna Beach last, driving toward Kona so you can judge your time.

[sharks48]

There's quite a distance between Place of Refuge and Hawi. And, keep in mind that traffic into Kona from the Kohala area can be very slow at "rush hour". We were there on a land vacation earlier this year and it took a good hour to get from Mauna Lani [up in the general area of Hapuna Beach] and Kona village for meeting others at 5:00 [we were late, needless to say]. From talking with others while there and reading on other boards, this is not at all unusual.

[Astro Flyer]

Based on my last experience in Kona, I think you're being very optimistic to do all of this during your time in port. It takes time to rent & drop off a car and we got back for one of the last tenders which isn't our routine way of doing things.

 

We drove 3 miles north to the very easy to explore petroglyphs (http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island/guidebook/topics/petroglyphs) before heading south to the Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park (aka Place of Refuge). The late afternoon traffic returning to Kona was a terrible bumper to bumper crawl & as I said we barely had enough time to get to the tender.

[beachchick]

Yikes, that's a lot of car driving time. It's a good 20 miles south from Kona to Place of Refuge and the roads to Painted Church and coffee farms are quite rural (read: not fast). It's about 40 miles north of Kona to Kawaihae, so you're looking at a good 120 miles of just driving on routes 11, 19, and 270 (main roads). Hawi is another 20 miles up 270 and completely unrealistic with your time constraints, IMO. The island of Hawaii is called "the Big Island" because it really is big and takes time to traverse. With traffic backups that can occur into and out of Kona (and we have experienced them--they can be a buggah!), you need to factor in extra time, plus returning the car (you're renting at the King Kam, I hope) and catching the tender back to the ship.

 

A big question you must ask yourself is this: How much of your precious day do you want to spend just driving in the car to get from place to place? If you want any time at all at beaches, Place of Refuge, and any other stops, then you're going to need to decide whether you want to go north or south from Kona. Yes, there will be those who say you should try to cram it all in and spend that much time driving. I am rather infamously in the other group that says it's better to do less and enjoy it more. It's sad when what people remember most about Hawaii is rushing around in order to see/do "it all" on a cruise. They may have tons of pictures of 200 places, but they don't necessarily remember those places well. I urge you to think long and hard about what is important to you. (End of mini lecture.)

 

You can't go wrong choosing either north or south. If you go north, you could go ahead up to Hawi if time permits. If you go south, you could wander around the coffee plantation region and spend more time at Place of Refuge (fascinating), Honaunau Bay (next to Place of Refuge), and the Kona coast area.

 

beachchick

[Jagger11379]

We were on NCL and port time was 7 to 6 (last tender at 5).

 

We did the south route (Place of Refuge, Painted Church, coffee plantation), and we were back in Kona around 3:30. By the time we dropped off the rental, we had little time to see Hulihe'e Pallace, Mokuaikaua church and do some shopping in Kona. So I don't think you can do both south of Kona and north of Kona in the same day. Originally I had the same plan, but it was quickly adjusted on the spot after we saw the local traffic conditions.

 

As of photography, I am a photography buff myself and there are plenty of landscape photography opportunities in the south. Place of Refuge itself is a photographer's heaven.

[DAGVBSB]

We were on a tour that went to Place of Refuge and the Painted Church....I don't remember that much of a distance between them.

 

The other issue is how soon you will be able to get off the ship and to shore. If you are in a high end (AE or higher) suite, you can get priority tender tickets to get off whenever you want. But if you are not in suite, you will have to wait in line and get tender tickets and then wait for that tender # to be called. (those on NCL sponsored tours have priority on tenders as do those in the suites.) So your day may not start as early as you think or want.

 

 

 

Also, since you are an amateur photography buff, don't forget Wal-Mart in Kona. I know this sounds silly, but the Wal-Mart in Kona is located on a high hill above the downtown with a great view of the harbor. I have been there 3 times and each time, we got the best pictures of our ships (Star, Pride of Aloha and Pride of America) from that location. The pictures we took from the parking lot edge of Wal-Mart are what we use on the cover of our picture books of our cruises to Hawaii. Just a quick stop there, get out, take some pictures and drive off. Don't even have to go into Wal-Mart.

 

For those not renting a car, Wal-Mart offers a free shuttle to/from the pier. I think we went into Wal-Mart once on our three visits...lol.

[ShawninFL]

Thank you everyone for your imput....this is the information I was wanting to get back. Basically we should decide whether to go north or south. Okay...again what is your opinion....Place of Refuge looks really cool from what I can see and read about it online; however, the North route sound very picturesque. What are your thoughts on which way to go?

 

Thanks,

 

Shawn

[Astro Flyer]

Thank you everyone for your imput....this is the information I was wanting to get back. Basically we should decide whether to go north or south. Okay...again what is your opinion....Place of Refuge looks really cool from what I can see and read about it online; however, the North route sound very picturesque. What are your thoughts on which way to go?

 

Thanks,

 

Shawn

 

That would depend upon which you prefer to do. As I recall, going south to the Place of Refuge is a considerable distance from the shoreline before driving down to it. It's a historical site & depicts early Hawaiian's lives. Going north stays close to the ocean & some nice beaches. The petroglyphs are ancient Hawaiian etchings in the rocks but a much shorter visit than the Place of Refuge. But as others have suggested, fully explore & enjoy fewer places & leave enough time to get to the tender without stressing. There are some things you could walk to in Kona if you have extra time. Hawaii (or maybe Big Island) Revealed is an excellent tour book but maybe more info than you could use in a day. The Hawaii Visitor's Bureau has an excellent website to read more details on things to do in Hawaii.

[cruisin'4ever]

oops

[TSUmom]

This is the port where I have changed plans so many times and am not sure what to do!!! We want to do the Zodiac snorkle but want to see so much more and there is just not enough time. we keep flip-flopping. Place of Refuge and painted church or zodiac. :confused: I have been to Kona and have seen the painted church, place of refuge, coffee plantation, etc... but this will be my DH's 1st trip. I will admit, I want to do the zodiac because it is new for me and I believe I may be a bit selfish - I don't want him to miss all of the beauty of Kona!!!:o Any suggestions??

[Budget Queen]

going south offers plenty of variety, with multiple stops. I find going north, a large portion of driving on a less than ideal scenic highway- which for me, means specific, many, time consuming pull off areas. I wouldn't be considering both directions.