Hawaii 2024

Mika had been counting down the days until our Hawaiian vacation, and finally, on Feb 13th, 2024, the day had arrived. We woke up bright and early, eager to start our adventure. Flying out of our local airport only added to the excitement for Mika, who had been dreaming about this moment for weeks.

Despite the unexpected delay and extra three hours added to our 6-hour flight, everyone on board handled the situation pretty well. The captain had informed us that the airport in Kona was temporarily closed for sealing, so we were diverted to land in Kauai instead. Waiting on the ground in the plane while the sealant dried was certainly not ideal, but we made the best of it. Overall, our journey from Seattle to Kona may have been a bit longer than anticipated, but we arrived safely and were able to make the most of the situation.

We landed on the Big Island, got our luggage, and made our way to the rental car, which was ready and very easy to pick up. Thanks, Costco and Alamo for making the process seamless. The car we rented was a monster in size, but very comfy for everyone once we all met up. More on that later as we hit the road and settled in for our Hawaiian adventure.

Our first stop for lodging was north of the airport, at the stunning Hilton Waikoloa Village. This luxurious resort was the perfect start to our trip. Our room was located in the Makai Tower, also known as the Lagoon Tower, and we found that both names were commonly used interchangeably.

The room was fantastic, with a perfect view from the fifth floor overlooking Dolphin Quest. You know, that famous place where you always see pictures of kids and families frolicking in the water with dolphins? Most likely, that's Dolphin Quest. At first, we were a bit hesitant about the idea of dolphins being enclosed in a controlled area, but after witnessing the genuine care and affection the dedicated staff provide for the dolphins, our concerns were alleviated.

Each of our three magical nights there we would wake up to the dolphins playing, clicking, and chirping in the early morning sunlight. We would watch them eagerly gobble up their breakfast before heading off to their daily tasks, engaging with the countless families and individuals who eagerly booked time with them. Their joyful demeanor never failed to bring a smile to our faces.

But dolphins were not what we came to this resort for. No not at all. It was the pools, lagoon, and all things aquatic that had us excited. So anyone who knows Mika, knows she loves water. So this part of the trip was focused on swimming, relaxing in hot tubs, and flying down thrilling water slides.

Snorkeling was definitely the highlight of my stay at this resort, as I was most intrigued by the expansive saltwater lagoon located right in the heart of the property. I dedicated two separate hours to exploring the underwater world, where I encountered a variety of vibrant fish, graceful eels, and even caught a glimpse of some majestic turtles (albeit from the surface).

Mika tried her best in the salt water to snorkel but in the end, decided it was not for her (yet she didn't give up).

Dining at the Hilton was excellent, and expensive, but very good. We enjoyed the on-site Nui Italian restaurant most. The lagoon grill has great fish tacos that were a favorite of ours. This resort is also where we learned about an amazing breakfast bowl called the Acai bowl. The definition on the internet is “Açaí na tigela is a Brazilian dessert from Pará and Amazonas, where the Ribeirinhos people prepare it regularly. It is a dish made with the frozen and mashed fruit of the açaí palm, described as having an earthy or creamy taste.” We also added Banana, granola, and nuts to our bowls. Christy and I we both instantly intrigued. We enjoyed them so much that we purchased ingredients to make them ourselves, once we moved on from the resort to the condo.

We decided to stop at a few scenic spots along the way to break up the drive and take in the beautiful ocean views. Mika was thrilled to show her grandparents some of her favorite spots, like the secret beach where she likes to collect seashells. It was heartwarming to see her bond with Susan and Jerry over their shared love of the ocean and nature. The anticipation of settling into our new home for the next week was palpable as we approached the timeshare condo in Kona.

After exploring the lava beach, we continued our journey to other parts of Kona. The lush greenery and colorful flowers that lined the roads were truly breathtaking. We then made our way to a local farmers market, where we sampled fresh fruits and chatted with friendly vendors. As the sun began to set, we headed to a nearby beach to watch the magnificent colors dance across the sky. It was a perfect ending to a day filled with natural wonders and Hawaiian charm.

We couldn't help but marvel at the breathtaking views and vibrant atmosphere as we continued our journey along the coast. The array of colors and delightful scents, coupled with the local people going about their daily lives, made the experience truly captivating and enriching.

Next was Costco, time to stock up. The first challenge was finding a parking spot amidst the sea of cars in the busy lot. We were driving this monster of a car, a 2023 full-size Chevy Suburban that I was still getting used to. Not my first choice, but the spaciousness came in handy when we all traveled together. More on that later. Costco in Hawaii was a unique experience, offering items not found at other Costcos. We discovered a variety of food items from Japan and the Pacific Island Nations, including raw Açaí and all the toppings for our new breakfast obsession. As a seasoned Costco shopper, I was fascinated by the selection. Despite the bustling atmosphere, we lingered longer than expected, but it was during our Costco trip that we received the call informing us that our unit was ready.

We made our way to Sea Village and got all checked in. Our unit is a spacious two-bedroom on the top floor with a lanai (Which is where I’m currently writing) facing the ocean and Kailua Bay. The day we arrived the surf was high. So high that the management was posting signs that the water could enter the lower floor rooms if the tenants don’t close their sliding glass doors and windows. For us though, the biggest thing was the sound of the large waves. They were so loud. Mika got pretty freaked out at first, and it took her a little time to get adjusted to the noise. By the next morning, the seas had calmed and all was well.

The first morning in the condo was absolutely spectacular, as I witnessed the best whale sighting of my life. As I navigated my drone through the air, I was able to capture the incredible sight of a mother Gray Whale and her calf swimming gracefully in the crystal-clear waters. Additionally, I had the joy of spotting a pod of spinner dolphins frolicking in the bay just outside our lanai. Observing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat brought me immense joy and made flying in this stunning location all the more exhilarating.

We were truly living the island life, soaking up the sun and enjoying every moment. The vibrant farmers markets, leisurely walks into town, and refreshing swims in the ocean became our daily routines. And each evening, we found tranquility on the lanai, observing the beauty of Hawaii all around us. The weather remained consistently perfect throughout our stay, with clear skies and sunshine dominating most days. A light morning chill was the only reminder of the changing seasons. The occasional sprinkle of rain was quickly swept away, either on the east or south side of the island. We have yet to explore the north, but that adventure awaits us in the days to come.

Our first big journey was over the Saddle Road. This road was originally built as a way for the military to move from one side of the island to the other more quickly. There is still a sizable active military base near the summit of this road. We saw Blackhawk helicopters flying in formation as we passed by. There was also a nice park with new play equipment that Mika enjoyed as we used the clean restrooms.

The landscape up here was so different. It would change from lava fields to grassland, to short scrub, to trees in such a short amount of time. It would have been interesting to see it from the sky for sure. The lava would change also, from rough, sharp, and rocky to smooth and flat. As we made our way back down the mountain toward Hilo, the vegetation began to get thick, lush, and green. Some of the most impressive were the Banyan trees. This fig tree can put down accessory trunks to help prop the tree up. This could allow the tree to spread outward indefinitely.

Our first stop in Hilo was the Hilo Burger Joint. It had great food and the atmosphere reminded me of an old western saloon with a modern twist.

Next, we were off to the famous Rainbow Falls. There was not a great amount of water going over the falls the day we were there, and for the rainbow… well not so much. The most impressive feature of this area, on this day, was the grove of Banyan trees at the top of the staircase. The canopy, branches, and exposed roots were impressive.

We also visited Wai’ale Falls, which we could see some of from the road. Susan and I attempted a brief rugged hike to get a better view but did not make it to the swimming hole that others were at. It was fun to try. The landscape and vegetation are so different than what we have in Washington, that just being out in it is a sight on its own.

The gardens were some of the most lush vegetation we had seen yet, with vibrant colors and diverse plant life at every turn. Now that we were on the east side of the island we were seeing the benefits of having more rain than the west, with the flora thriving in the tropical climate.

We spent about an hour in the reserve, taking our time to explore and admire the beauty surrounding us. As we walked the 1.2 miles of winding paths, half downhill and half uphill, we were captivated by the variety of flowers and fauna that filled the garden. And the koi pond, with its graceful fish swimming lazily beneath the lily pads, added an extra touch of tranquility to our experience.

As we were heading out of Hilo we saw this amazing tree in a cemetery. We stopped and got a great picture. The tree and sun were in just the right place. It was a great end to our time in Hilo. We made the drive back over the saddle road to Kona.

The next day Mika and I took an adventure on a submarine. We booked an hour on Atlantis Submarine Adventures which is a real sub that seats about 30 people and took us down to over 100 feet underwater. They told us we are now part of the one percent of people in the world who have been 100 feet under the sea. It was fun we saw some modern shipwrecks and a cool school of fish. Other than that it was more about the experience of going in the sub.

After that Mika wanted some time in the pool and I wanted to take a drive down the coast to the south. It was amazing to see the coffee country of South Kona. I stopped at a great coffee spot on the side of the cliff overlooking Captain Cook. It’s called the coffee shack and is worth the view. The coffee is great too.

The next day we were all off to Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park or a place of refuge as some call it. It was a fun walk and the self-guided tour was adequate to learn the history of the space. The idea that individuals can earn a second chance has always appeals to me.

They also have the royal fish ponds that have lots of cool fish but the tilapia which was introduced years ago to control mosquitoes, are now considered an invasive species. They make and defend these circular nests under the water that look cool.

Over the course of our time at the VI condo we were visited by two cruise ships, many whales, and a pod of dolphins. The view was great and it was a great place to take flight with my drone. Well until someone complained and I had to start walking down the street to use it further. At least by that time, I had gotten the main shots I wanted.

Over the course of our time at the VI condo we were visited by two cruise ships, many whales, and a pod of dolphins. The view was great and it was a great place to take flight with my drone. Well until someone complained and I had to start walking down the street to use it further. At least by that time, I had gotten the main shots I wanted.

The next day we were off on our snorkeling and water play day on the Fair Wind II. It’s a larger tour boat that takes people down to Keauhou Bay in the Captain Cook area. The Area is known for having great snorkeling due to the clear water and abundance of sea life on the coral reef. I was happy to see when we got there that it lives up to its name. The viability was great and the crew was fun and helpful. The vegan food was even good.

Christy, Mika, and I went on this tour and we all spent time in the water either swimming, floating, snorkeling, or just being brave and going off the high dive for the first time. Mika even got to use the boogie board with an underwater viewer built in to see the fish and even an octopus swimming and blending in with the coral. It was a great morning and early afternoon. We even saw some whales on the boat ride there.

The next day I wanted to see the sights on the south end of the island. Nobody else wanted to spend the day in the car so it was just me. Alone on the road. I was going to have to move quickly as I had an ambitious plan. My goal was to see the main sights along the southern coast and Volcano National Park.

I started early and first made my way to South Point. This is the furthest point south in all of the United States. I was not sure what to think but when I got there it was a beautiful place. The land driving up to it is grassland and the road is paved but really just one lane so you have to drive on the shoulder when oncoming cars pass. There are some windmills for electricity down there too that make a dramatic view.

At the actual point area, there is a cliff where people were deep water fishing and lots of lava where waves were dramatically crashing. It was very pretty and I was glad I went. When I got back to my car there was a cute lizard of some sort sitting on my side mirror that I did not even notice until I got in the car.

The next stop was the Punalu’u Sweetbread Bake Shop. Mika had been asking for doughnuts so I knew I should not pass up the chance. Besides, I needed coffee and food. The guidebooks were right and the food was well worth the stop. Plus it did not take long. I have miles to go.

The next stop was Punalu’u Black Sand Beach where I was lucky enough to see Sea Turtles both on the sand and in the water. It was very pretty the black sand and the Turtles. I think I even saw the VI Sea Mount location on the way in, and on the way out there looked to be some old waterfront maybe park structures that appeared to have been abandoned and taken over by graffiti artists that I would have liked to explore if I would have had more time.

Back on the road I passed by macadamia nut farms and was quite impressed by the size of the trees. I’m not sure why but I expected them to be smaller.

The next stop was Volcano National Park. There were two Maine things I wanted to see. The Lava Tube and the Crater itself, but I got to see three. The two I mentioned and also the Steam Vents.

I first stopped at the steam vents and was surprised at how hot they were. It was like you could feel the heat of the earth itself. It felt deeper somehow than other heat if that makes sense at all. I was also suprized to see how many there were. For some reason, I was expecting just one, the one I had seen in videos. Yet they seemed like they were everywhere just coming out of the cracks around the area. It gave you a feel of how the area was alive somehow.

From there it was up to the crater rim. There was actually a really good view from the steam vent area, but the upper viewing area was just up the road. I stopped at the first viewing area parking lot and walked the path about 0.5 miles to the upper area where the observatory was closed for construction, but there were still open bathrooms. The upper viewing area for the crater was good but there was only some smoke rising from it when I was there. I think the latest eruption had been 5 months ago.

From there it was a quick stop at Nahuku or the Thurston Lava Tube. I have been in a lava tube before near Mt. Saint Hellens in Washington state and I was not surprised to find it similar. The opening and walking through the vegetation was the most interesting part. It was also in this area that I was lucky to catch a glimpse, and photo, of the Kalij Pheasant. The internet says it is from the Himalayan foothills, Nepal, Pakistan, and Western Thailand, so I’m not sure what it and its mate were doing in Hawaii…

By this time it was really time for me to go. I had at least two hours to drive and I had scheduled another activity for this evening before I decided to do this long drive. So I was off, nonstop this time back to Kona.

I arrived back in Kona just in time to run to the condo, grab my swimsuit and GoPro, and head to the Fair Wind offices to board the Hula Kia to head out in the open ocean at night and get in the water. Why would you ask would a person choose to snorkel, in the ocean at night? Well, the answer in Kona is Mantas. Manta Rays eat plankton and plankton is attracted to light. Back in the 70s when the Outrigger Hotel was built they added outdoor lighting pointed at the ocean that attracted the Manta Rays. It was not long before the Snorkel boats saw the great opportunity to start offering night snorkeling with these gentle creatures. Take a look at this video on my YouTube channel, Dronetrailz.

I was the last person to arive and they gave me a wetsuit, snorkel, and mask and we all boarded the Hula Kai. It was a very short trip to the opening of the bay where other outfits had already placed their lighting equipment in the water. The system they have is very efficient in that there is a common board structure with a handlebar all the way around and lighting in the middle. The snorkelers hold the hand bars and place a pool noodle under their ankle to hold their feet up so they are essentially lying flat on the water, with their mask and snorkel down.

It was not more than 30 seconds after we were in the water that these three very large creatures were doing loops under us, eating plankton and brushing up against me. It was a really cool experience, not scary but calming. At about thirty minutes in I was starting to get pretty cold and the bobbing up and down with the waves was starting to make me nauseous. After about 15 more mins we were all done. I was happy to go in and make my way back to the condo, a warm shower and bed. I was grateful Christy had some anti-nausea medication for me when I got back. What a day.

The next day we spent some time at the pool, went to Kona to visit the farmers market, and tried to go out to dinner with Christy’s parents as it was their last night before flying back. We had found a restaurant that we wanted to go to but when we got to the area there was an outdoor concert of some sort going on that was causing such a pile-up of cars and people that we decided to just go back to the condo and order in. We found a great Thai restaurant on Doordash and within 40 mins we were eating some pretty good food together at our dinner table.

In the morning we got all packed up and said goodbye to Susan and Jerry who left for their flight about the same time we were heading North. We had two more nights before we were heading back and we were going to travel in some area that we had not seen yet. The North Island. We headed up to the Belt Road and made our way into a much more rural part of the island. Ranches seemed to be around every corner and we started to see more than just goats, there are a lot of wild goats on Hawaii. We now were seeing sheep, horses, and cattle. As we continued North East we started to see more rain than we had the whole this we have been in Hawaii.

Our first destination on this day was Akaka Falls State Park. When we arrived it was just starting to rain. Within about 10 minutes it was pouring down rain. Soaking wet. I had to return to the car and just wait it out before heading down to the falls. Mika was not having it at all. Christy was kind enough to stay with her so I could go get my shots. Thank you.

The falls area pathways are currently under construction so you are forced to take the longer rought to the falls. But it takes you through some very pretty vegetation and it was in this area that I was able to get this great picture of a geckos on this large red flower bud. The red and green contrast is great.

The falls seemed to have plenty of water and were putting on a great display. The vegetation around the viewing area seems to have grown up enough that it is difficult to see the falls from top to bottom at one time. These were by far the best falls we saw on our trip.

From here it was time to make our way back West on the Northern Belt Road to our Air B&B. This is our first experience with this type of lodging. What I was going for was a different experience than the resort, and then the condo. Now we were going to the jungle.

Mika and I walked the road a bit each day looking at vegetation, artwork, food trucks, and fairy nests, as she calls them. It was fun and reminded me of Costa Rica quite often.

On our first night here we made our way about an hour's drive partway up Saddle Road and Manna Kea to find a place to view the night sky. It was interesting because when we left our Air B&B it was raining and cloudy. But after not too long we were under the stars and in the dark. We ended up just stopping on the side of the road part way up the Mountain and when we stepped out of the car we were greeted with an open starry sky. It is always awe-inspiring to see the Milky Way galaxy. Unfortunately being out in the open strange world in the dark on the side of the road was a little scary for Mika so we had to cut it short, But it did get one pretty good shot.

All in all our stay there was fun and a good way to slow everything down to get ready to go home.

Our trip home was smooth and I think everyone is grateful for the experience, but also grateful to be home. Until Next.