See what the experts are saying about Kailua Kona. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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Introduction
There's no place on earth quite like this handful of sun-drenched, mid-Pacific islands. The Hawaii of South Seas literature and Hollywood films really does exist. Here you'll find palm-fringed blue lagoons, lush rainforests, hidden gardens, c... Continue reading »
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Frommer's favorite experiences
Hitting the Beach: A beach is a beach is a beach, right? Not in Hawaii. With 132 islets, shoals, and reefs, plus a general coastline of 750 miles, Hawaii has beaches in all different shapes, sizes, and colors, including black. The variety on... Continue reading »
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Best dining bets
The Best Dining, Hawaii Style Tropical Fruit: Mangosteen, the queen of fruit in Indonesia, is the sensation at the Hilo Farmers Market on the Big Island. Mangosteen's elegant purple skin and soft, white, floral-flavored flesh (like litchi,... Continue reading »
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The best beaches
Lanikai Beach (Oahu): Too gorgeous to be real, this stretch along the Windward Coast is one of Hawaii's postcard-perfect beaches -- a mile of golden sand as soft as powdered sugar bordering translucent turquoise waters. The waters are calm ye... Continue reading »
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The best cultural experiences
Experiencing the Hula: For a real, authentic hula experience on Oahu, check out the Bishop Museum, which has excellent performances on weekdays, or head to the Halekulani's House Without a Key at sunset to watch the enchanting Kanoelehua Mill... Continue reading »
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The best golf courses
Mauna Kea's Beach and Hapuna Courses (Big Island; tel. 808/882-5400 for Beach Course, tel. 808/880-3000 for Hapuna Course): The Mauna Kea Golf Course, located out on the Kohala Coast, is everyone's old favorite. One of the first fields of pla... Continue reading »
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The best luxury hotels
Halekulani (Oahu; tel. 800/367-2343; www.halekulani.com): When price is no object, this is really the only place to stay. An oasis of calm amid the buzz, this beach hotel is the finest Waikiki has to offer (heck, I think it's the finest in th... Continue reading »
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The best mid-range hotels
New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel (Oahu; tel. 800/356-8264; www.kaimana.com): This is one of Waikiki's best-kept secrets: a boutique hotel nestled right on a lovely stretch of beach at the foot of Diamond Head, with Kapiolani Park just across the... Continue reading »
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The best natural attractions
Volcanoes: The entire island chain is made of volcanoes; don't miss the opportunity to see one. On Oahu the entire family can hike to the top of ancient, world-famous Diamond Head. At the other end of the spectrum is fire-breathing Kilauea at... Continue reading »
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The best family hotels & resorts
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa (Oahu; tel. 800/HILTONS; www.hawaiianvillage.hilton.com): The Rainbow Express, Hilton's year-round daily program of activities for children ages 5 to 12, offers a wide range of educational and fun ac... Continue reading »
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The best spots for sunset cocktails
Duke's Canoe Club, at the Outrigger Waikiki (Oahu; tel. 808/922-2268): It's crowded in the evening, but who can resist Hawaiian music with Waikiki sand still on your feet? Come in from the beach or the street -- it's always a party at Duke's.... Continue reading »
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The best resorts & spas
SpaHalekulani, Halekulani hotel (Oahu; tel. 808/923-2311; www.halekulani.com): This is Waikiki's first spa to explore the healing traditions of the Pacific islands, as well as Hawaii. Like everything else at the top-rated Halekulani hotel, th... Continue reading »
Kailua Kona Travel Experiences
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Big Island adventure
Big Island, HawaiiWell, we started the second half of our Hawaiian adventure. We flew with Aloha Airlines from Oahu to Kona airport on th... Continue reading »
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Going to Market
I love this little market we found in Kona not to far away from their famous sea wall. We found sooo many gifts to give to friends and fa... Continue reading »
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Another Sunny Day
On Friday, we were back on the big island. This time it's Kona, a nice little tourist joint on the West coast. Kona doesn’t have a dock b... Continue reading »
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Girls' Day Out at Makalawena!!!
So Sunday night came and five of my closest NSE pals were hanging out in my room talking about Polulu Valley and Greensands Beach, wishi... Continue reading »
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Diving & Snorkeling in Kona
The DivingThough we were there for 2 weeks we only did 4 days of diving. But we also did 2 days of snorkeling that I’m including in this... Continue reading »
Popular Kailua Kona Hotels
- Kona Reef
- Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort
- Kona Seaside Hotel
- Kona Village Resort
- Holua Resort at the Mauna Loa Village
- King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel
