Last Updated on February 16, 2026 by Adrienne
While Maui, Kauai and Oahu all have a place in my heart, it’s the Big Island of Hawaii that takes the crown for my favorite Hawaiian island. This island has it all – great snorkeling, amazing wildlife and spectacular volcanic scenery, plus it tends to be a little more affordable and less crowded than other Hawaiian islands, particularly Maui and Oahu. Here are six things I highly recommend you do on the Big Island.
Go Night Snorkeling with Manta Rays
While snorkeling with manta rays might sound like an exotic activity, you don’t have to travel to Indonesia or the Maldives to do it. The Big Island of Hawaii is one of the best places to see manta rays in the wild, and it’s an entirely ethical encounter with no feeding involved (manta rays feed on plankton which are drawn to the lights of Kona coast hotels). I went on a tour with Big Island Divers and will never forget the magic of being in the water with these incredible animals.
Snorkel with Tropical Fish and Sea Turtles at Kahalu’u Beach Park
Though I snorkeled plenty growing up I never fell in love with it until I snorkeled at Kahaluu Beach Park on the Big Island. The marine life was so diverse and so close to your face that it totally changed my opinion on snorkeling. It didn’t hurt that our hotel on that trip (the now-shuttered Outrigger Keauhou) was about 100 feet from this beach, so we’d walk over every day for an early morning snorkel after waking up at 6 am thanks to jetlag. We also saw tons of sea turtles here, both in and out of the water.
Visit the Picture Perfect Kua Bay (Manini’owali) Beach Park
Kua Bay Beach Park is everything I think of when I think of a classic Hawaiian beach: white sand, turquoise water, and waves that are perfect for body-surfing. The combination of this beach for swimming and Kahalu’u Beach Park for snorkeling is all you really need, but if you’re inclined to check out other beaches, Hawaii the Big Island Revealed has a write-up of pretty much every beach on the island, and I’ve found their recommendations to be spot-on.
Take in a Hawaiian Sunset
I’ve seen the sun set in a lot of beautiful places, but it’s hard to top Hawaii for consistently gorgeous sunsets, and the Big Island has given me some absolutely spectacular ones, especially on the perpetually sunny Kona side of the island.
Explore the Other-Worldly Landscapes of Volcanoes National Park
What you can do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will depend on what the very active volcano Kilauea is doing, so it’s hard to plan too far in advance.
When we were last there, a good chunk of Crater Rim Drive (the 11 mile road that circles the volcano) was closed. Still, we were able to drive a portion of the road that had steam vents, sulfur banks, lava tubes, and the Mars-like Devastation Trail. We also stopped at overlooks to observe the volcano and the lava-covered Kilauea Iki crater, which you can actually hike into if you’re feeling adventurous.
Drive the Kohala Mountain Road
The Kohala Mountain Road cuts inland across the northwest tip of the Big Island from Waimea to Hawi. The lush green farmland is very pleasant to drive though and there are a couple of scenic overlooks where you have great views of the Kohala Coast (which my point & shoot camera did not do justice to). On clear days you can supposedly see all the way to Maui from these overlooks.
From Hawi, head east on Highway 270 (the Pule Highway) to the Pololu Valley Lookout, where you’ll be treated to beautiful coastal views that are well worth the winding drive it takes to get there.
Have you been to the Big Island? What would you add to my list?
[…] I were forced to pick a favorite Hawaiian island I would probably go with the Big Island, but Kauai is a close runner-up. The beauty of the Na Pali coast is unparalleled elsewhere in […]
[…] some of the best snorkeling in Hawaii. Although I’m personally partial to the Big Island (mainly due to one spot – Kahaluu Beach Park), there’s no denying that Maui has some excellent and easily accessible snorkeling. One of […]