A Different Hawaii

November 25th, 2017

In Hawaii, the Big Island can sometimes be overlooked. Maui is fun for families. Oahu attracts surfers and partiers. Kauai is perfect for romance and honeymoons. And the Big Island is just...big. Not many people vacation or go traveling to Hawaii and stay the whole time on the Big Island. However, after I graduated High School I decided to take a gap year and actually spent 3 months in no other place than Kailua-Kona (The Big Island) Hawaii.

Geographically unique, the Big Island has everything from black sand beaches to snow-covered peaks. From lush rainforests and waterfalls to an active volcano; and I got to experience all of it. I attended the summer session of YWAM Awaken DTS and stayed at the University of the Nations in July 2013 right after graduation. Along with meeting amazing new friends, I also got to explore some pretty cool places. Here are some of my favorites and if you ever want to see a different side of Hawaii, I recommend checking them out.

1. Cliff diving in Ka Lae (South point) which is the southernmost part of the US. Crazy adrenaline rush but totally worth it.

2. Stargazing at Mauna Kea Summit Careful it gets very cold up here and is usually covered in snow. Watch out for the cows, about halfway up you can sign a guest book and there are telescopes and a little shop. You can only get to the top certain times of the year and must have proper snow tires and chains.

3. Hapuna Beach One of Hawaii's largest white sand beaches.

4. Waipio Valley in Waimea. Specifically, the white road trail and water slide which is officially illegal now. Takes a couple hours to get here, hiking through tunnels and across small bridges. The view is amazing and pictures do not do it justice.