Kona Hawaii
Kona Hawaii is the west side of the big island of Hawaii and is also, the leeward side of the island.
Hence, obviously, the meaning of Kona Hawaii in Hawaiian is ‘leeward’. Kona Hawaii is also, mostly famous for sports fishing, sunsets, snorkeling and coffee.
The name given to the northern part of Kona Hawaii is Kohala district.
Depending on the time of the year and the trade winds, the weather and the ocean conditions of Kona Hawaii may vary and would be different from the other side of the island. The large and diverse big island of Hawaii hence has 11 of the world’s climate zones which number to 13.
Due to the mountains that block the trade winds from the north east, Kona Hawaii usually gets a less amount of rain and enjoys sunshine for more than three hundred days per year.
Kea-hole air port and the vibrant town Kailua- Kona is located in the northern part of Kona Hawaii. As there are direct flights to Kona Hawaii from the mainland as well as overseas, Kona Hawaii is very accessible.
The Honokohau harbor which is the location where many tour boats leave for snorkeling, sightseeing, SCUBA diving, deep sea fishing adventures and dolphin-whale watching tours, is located just south of the air port in Kona Hawaii. The Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park can be accessed in Kona Hawaii through the trail that starts from the parking lot in the north of the harbor.
Kailua Kona is considered the heartbeat of Kona Hawaii and has stores, restaurants and other historical landmarks.
There are many stores that let tourists buy the most sought after souvenirs from Hawaii.
The spectacular event- Kona Hawaii sunset is truly a marvelous sight to withhold as the Kailua town sits at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Further south of Kona Hawaii, the road will be more elevated and hence while passing small villages and coffee farms, the air will become noticeably much cooler- because you will be climbing the slopes of a volcano – Hualalai.
The slopes of the mountain witness the Coffee belt of Kona Hawaii which has many small coffee farms and stores, along with an awesome view of the valleys and the coast.
South of Kona Hawaii, at the Kealakekua bay and Honaunau, the best snorkeling and diving spot in the island can be found.
Frequently visiting and swimming at these spots are the green sea turtles and spinner dolphins.
With so much to see, and so much offered at Kona Hawaii, it may even seem overwhelming. However, this would be a life time experience.