Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [147]
Cabins are popular with locals and require booking well in advance (up to one year ahead). Cancellations do occur; if you’re flexible, you might get one without advance reservations.
COUNTY PARKS
The county allows camping at 10 of its beach parks. Proceeding clockwise around the island, these are: Spencer (Click here) in South Kohala; Mahukona (Click here) and Kapa′a (Click here) in North Kohala; Laupahoehoe (Click here) and Kolekole (Click here) on the Hamakua Coast; Isaac Hale (Click here) in Puna; Punalu′u (Click here) and Whittington (Click here) in Ka′u; and Miloli′i (Click here) and Ho′okena (Click here) in South Kona.
County parks can be noisy places, particularly on weekends when they’re popular with late-night revelers. Only three parks have security guards (Spencer, Isaac Hale, and Ho′okena) who help keep a lid on things. For detailed recommendations, see specific parks. Facilities and upkeep range from good to minimal, with the exception of newly renovated Isaac Hale, which is sparkling. Some parks are isolated, raising concerns about personal safety. If you can, see the park before committing. The only park to expressly avoid is Miloli′i.
Camping permits are required, and can be obtained (up to a year in advance) by mail, online or in person from the Department of Parks & Recreation (Map; 961-8311; www.hawaii-county.com/parks/parks.htm; Suite 6, 101 Pauahi St, Hilo, HI 96720; 7:45am-4:30pm Mon-Fri). The website lists facilities and availability at each county park. You can make reservations through the Hilo office and pick up the permit at the department’S branch offices around the island. The Hilo office has binders with photos of each campsite; staff offer helpful advice about noise and safety issues.
Daily camping fees are $5 for adults, $2 for teens and $1 for children 12 and under; internet bookings cost $1 more. Camping per site is allowed for up to two weeks, except between June and August, when the limit is one week.
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ACTIVITIES
The Big Island is heaven for activity hounds. When it comes to the water, Hawai′i’S western shore has top-quality choices, and when it comes to hiking, the Big Island suffers no comparison: where else can you walk from the snowcapped summits of the world’S largest volcanoes to live lava at the coast?
At Sea
DIVING
Along the Kona Coast diving conditions are first class, with warm, calm waters and, frequently, 100ft visibility. One of the best spots is Ka′awaloa Cove (Click here) in the Kealakekua Bay; most snorkel spots also provide good dives. In Kailua-Kona you can arrange a thrilling night dive to see manta rays (Click here). The best conditions are in spring and summer, but diving is decent year round. On the Hilo side, the diving conditions tend to be mediocre, but good dives are possible (Click here). Most dive outfits are located in Kailua-Kona (Click here) and charge from $110 to $160 for a two-tank dive; Hilo has two dive shops (Click here).
FISHING
Deep-sea fishing is an obsession on the Kona Coast, which is the world’S number-one spot for catching Pacific blue marlin. The waters are also rich with ahi (yellowfin tuna) and aku (bonito or skipjack tuna), swordfish, spearfish and mahimahi (white-fleshed fish also called ‘dolphin’). June to August typically sees the biggest hauls of blue marlin, while January to June is the best time for striped marlin. Most of the world records for catches of such fish belong to Kona fishers. For charter tours, Click here. You can also try your hand at spearfishing (Click here).
For Kona fishing reports, the ubiquitous Jim Rizzutto (www.fishinghawaiioffshore.com) lets you know who’S catching what. For tournament schedules, check the Hawaii Big Game Fishing Club (www.hbgfc.org).
KAYAKING
Kayaking in lovely Kealakekua Bay (Click here) is a must. The most popular launching spot is Napo′opo′o Beach, where you paddle across the bay toward