8 Must See Places Around the Big Island

8 Must See Places Around the Big Island The Big Island offers a huge variety of activities to choose from. To help with your planning, here is a must-see sight from each of the main regions around the Big Island. From Kohala’s beautiful beaches to the molten lava flowing from Kilauea, these are some things not to be missed during your Big Island visit. Kohala – Enjoy a Day on Hapuna’s White Sand BeachTake a drive about 30 miles north of Kona along the Kohala Coast to Hapuna Beach State Park to find one of the most spectacular natural beauties on the Big Island. World-famous for its white silica sand that stays cool no matter how hot it may be outside, Hapuna Beach is perfect for water activities like swimming, snorkeling and boogie boarding, or simply sitting back and soaking in the sunshine and enjoying the splendor of a beach that is ranked among the best in the world. Kona – Watch the Manta Rays at Manta VillageWhether you choose to dive, snorkel, see them from a boat, or simply gaze out over the water from the Sheraton’s balcony, seeing the manta rays come up to feed, illuminated by the spotlights from the shore is an incredible experience. The variety of ways you can choose to see them allows for flexibility in both your time and budget, especially since it’s not guaranteed they’ll return night after night, but when they do, you and your group will never forget it. Mauna Kea – Go StargazingA staggering volcano rising 13,000 feet above sea level, the summit of Mauna Kea is one of the most important and well-respected astronomical locations in the world. More than 11 countries operate 13 telescopes at the summit, making observations crucial to our understanding of the universe, but visitors can take advantage of the unique perspective the volcano provides. While tourists can visit the volcano on their own, guided stargazing tours are available