Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [185]
From Kikaua Beach, you can see (and walk to) the bay’S northern Kukio Beach, which is within the grounds of the Four Seasons. This brochure-worthy crescent of sand is great for swimming or lounging away a perfectly good afternoon. You can follow a paved footpath north past some intriguing lava rock coastline to another beach. To drive here, turn onto the (unsigned) Ka′upulehu Rd between the 87- and 86-mile markers; go to the Four Seasons gate and request a beach pass. Public parking accommodates 50 cars and almost never fills up.
KA′UPULEHO CULTURAL CENTER
Don’t miss this often-overlooked Native Hawaiian cultural center (325-8520; Four Seasons Resort; admission free; 8:30am-4pm Mon-Fri) on the grounds of the Four Seasons. Excellent displays are organized around the center’S incredible collection of 11 original paintings by Herb Kawainui Kane (which the Four Seasons commissioned in 1995). Each work portrays an ancient craftsman or elder, and is accompanied by a hands-on exhibit: shake an ′uli′uli (feathered hula rattle), test the heft of a kapa (mulberry tree bark) beater or war club, examine adze heads and pandanus paint brushes. It’S run by Hawaiian cultural practitioners who actively link the present with the past. The center holds classes (usually open to resort guests only), but they’ll happily refer you to kumu directly. At the Four Seasons gate, tell them you’re visiting the center.
Sleeping
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (325-8000; 888-340-5662; www.fourseasons.com/hualalai; 72-100 Ka′upulehu Dr; r $775-1155, ste from $1525; ) The only five-diamond resort on the Big Island, the Four Seasons exudes taste, luxury and class. Service is impeccable, accommodations are without flaw, and the tone – from the PGA-tour golf course to the luxurious spa to the world-class restaurant to the last detail of the sumptuous furnishings – is one of understated elegance. The resort aims to please those who don’t need to be impressed, but simply want everything perfect. It is only overpriced if you have to worry about price.
Kona Village Resort (325-5555, 800-367-5290; www.konavillage.com; 1 Kahuwai Bay Dr; 1-room hale $660-$1200, 2-room hale $975-1475; ) When this 82-acre hideaway resort opened in 1965 it was so isolated guests had to fly in. That ‘lost’ feeling is cultivated today. Kona Village is a truly unplugged resort: accommodations are individual thatch-roof hale (houses) lacking TVs, phones, radios and wi-fi (cell phones are forbidden from being used outside them). The sprawling layout ensures a maximum of privacy, and service is genuinely friendly and professional without the stuffy corporate deference of other resorts. Plus, rates include three meals a day and special events like the luau and BBQ night; kids programs are free. Guests are encouraged, in other words, to relax, whether they’re rock stars, senators, or average joes. And don’t worry: hale interiors are stylishly luxurious; some have the ocean practically lapping at their lanai. Kona Village is an oasis from modern life, and when you do the math, a surprisingly affordable one at that.
Eating
Hualalai Grille by Alan Wong (325-8525; Golf Clubhouse, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai; mains $30-56; 5:30-9pm) Nicknamed the ‘19th Hole,’ the Hualalai Grille was under the direction of celebrity chef Alan Wong till 2008, when he passed the ladle to chef du cuisine James Ebreo. Ebreo promises to continue emphasizing ‘farm-to-table island cuisine’ – which Wong elevated to the best fine dining on the island – while using locally grown produce as much as possible. Expect to see Kona kampachi (yellowtail) and ahi and Keahole lobster as the menu evolves. The bar opens at 2pm with a limited menu of Kobe beef sliders and lobster wontons. Reservations are highly recommended.
Drinking & Entertainment
Kona Village Resort (325-5555, 800-367-5290; 1 Kahuwai Bay Dr; adult/child 3-5/child 6-12 $97/40/67; from 6pm Wed & Fri) What really sets this commercial luau apart is the food,