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Find the Best Things to Do in Kona Coast
By Jade Eckardt
About Kona Coast
Photo courtesy of Jade Eckardt
The Kona Coast is the Big Island locale for long white sandy beaches, epic snorkeling, tasty cuisine, wild nightlife, and the island's most upscale resorts. In Kona the sun is nearly almost always shining, the water is clear and bright blue, and its ample beaches are awaiting your arrival.
Spend a day at Kahalu`u Beach Park to swim with tons of exotic fish, many swimming right up to you for the fish food you can buy on site. Dancing and socializing at Huggo's on the Rocks is some of the most active nightlife you'll find on the island, and shopping in Kona is some serious retail therapy.
So make the trip to the Kona Coast for an experience vastly different and less "in the boonies" than the rest of the island.
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See & Do
Easily one of the Big Island's most popular beaches, Kahalu'u Beach Park offers parking, equipment rental stalls, a covered pavilion, and a snack bar. The snorkeling here is simply epic. A reef far offshore prevents the waters from getting too rough, making a terrific snorkeling opportunity. Have care, though: the beach tends to get crowded early since thousands of locals and tourists flock here to take advantage of the calm turquoise waters. Kahalu'u is situated between Kailua-Kona and Kealakekua.
Party
The younger, wilder sibling of the famous seafood eatery next door, this spirited joint is a terrific place to wind down the day and usher in the evening. Indeed, Huggo's on the Rocks is a popular outdoor bar and dance club whose specialty drinks and beautiful clientele always ensure a great time. A light bar menu features fajitas, salads, sandwiches, and tasty appetizers and offers a cure for the late night munchies.
Stay
The Hilton Waikoloa Village is a haven in the middle of a black lava rock coast and is a drastic difference than other hotels in the area. A unique resort in Waikoloa on 62 oceanfront acres of the exclusive Kohala Coast on Hawaii Island, it's just a 20 minute drive north from Kona Airport. The resort features tropical gardens with waterways, exotic wildlife and a museum walkway with Asian and Polynesian artwork. Trams and canal boats take you around the resort or you can stroll through the garden paths. Enjoy recreational amenities including two championship golf courses, eight tennis courts, three swimming pools, dolphin encounters, and watersports in the lagoon.
Shop
Over forty vendors gather Wednesdays through Sundays from 7 am. to 4 p.m. at the Kona Farmers Market. Located on Alii Drive in the heart of Kailua Kona, the Kona Farmers and Crafts Market is a must see while on the Big Island of Hawaii. Check out the huge selection of locally grown produce, flowers, hand-made arts and crafts, Kona coffee and and many more local items in the outdoor market.
Designed to combine feeling of outdoor shopping with the comforts of outdoor shopping, the Kona International Market features boutiques, unique gifts, art, and locally made crafts. A business center is on site for your comveniance business center and coffee shop. The farmer's market and Asian market offer unique finds. The International Food Court provides extensive cuisine options and parking is free. A free shuttle also runs from the Kailua Pier on ship days from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The market also serves as a platform for local music and shows at the on site stage.