Big Island & Maui

We traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii in March 2001 and January 2002 and to East Maui in May 2006.


We spent about a week in the Kona area on each trip to Hawaii. During our 2001 trip, we ventured across the Island to Hilo, and saw this on the way.


We went to  Wipio’o lookout, Rainbow Falls and botanic garden, and took a walk around the crater area in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This has likely changed a great deal since then.

It was much hotter here, at the caldera, than at the beach in Kona.

During our 2002 trip, we spent more time just relaxing at the beach. There was a great deal of black lava around the resort.

During both trips we enjoyed dining out at Merriman’s (which has since grown to other locations but at the time was only in the agricultural town of Waimea (on the road from Kona to Hilo).


We traveled to East Maui in May 2006 where we spent 5 nights in the small town of Hana. We had driven the famous “Road to Hana” once before, but it was a much different experience staying on the very quiet side of the Island with few tourists and no big resorts. The views were beautiful.

We relaxed at the beautiful beach but also visited Kahanu National Tropical Botanical Garden, Nahiku with its nice waterfall, and Waianapanapa State Park with its striking black lava.

We also finally made it to the Seven Sacred Pools. When we drove the road in 1987 as a day trip, we didn’t have time to take the walk. This time we did, and the drop of Waimoku falls was pretty impressive.

We also drove the “bad part” of the road south of Hana around the south end of the island with views up the flank of Haleakela and the really beautiful site of Huihola Church.

Here’s a map of the “Road to Hana.” The church is near Kaupo, the arrow. We drove just about three miles past that and then returned to Hana.