Big Island

13 Vacation Rentals on the Big Island Under $100/Night

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Are you struggling finding the perfect place to stay on the Big Island? Picking just the right spot is usually one of the hardest parts for me when I’m planning a trip. I love staying at fancy beach resorts (pretty much more than anything!), but it just doesn’t always make sense to pay so much money when I’ll be spending most of my days hiking in Hawaii Volcano National Park or visiting amazing colored sand beaches.

So I’ve got the perfect solution for you…you can save a bundle and still get amazing amenities by staying in a condo or vacation rental on the Big Island!

Hawaii has a great variety of accommodation options, which makes it the perfect place to try out a vacation rental. Since Hawaii is a major vacation destination, there are of course MANY condos to choose from but besides condos, Hawaii has a ton of “ohanas.” Ohana means family (any Lilo and Stitch fans out there???) and in Hawaii the term is applied to separate living units located on the same property as the main house. Many homes in Hawaii are divided up into multiple spaces (each with its own private entrance, bathroom, kitchenette, etc.) while some have a guest cottage on the property. Because so many homes are configured this way, it’s easy to find a private apartment or cottage on the same property with a local host.

There are several ways you’ll save money on a trip to the Big Island by staying in a condo or vacation rental. The biggest way you’ll save money is that it’s soooo much cheaper than staying at a resort or hotel. On many islands you can find condos or ohanas either right on or just a block or two from the beach. Plus, resorts can get expensive really fast if you have more than two adults staying in a room. Rental units are perfect for larger parties who can rent an entire house or multi bedroom condo and split the cost. Another big benefit that rentals offer is the full kitchen (or kitchenette depending on what you book). Having a place to cook some meals and a fridge to store snacks and drinks can really save you a lot.

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

Before you start looking around for specific condos or rentals, it’s best to have a general idea of where you want to stay. If you’re not very familiar with the Big Island, you should read this post to get the lay of the is(land) and decide which area you’d most like to stay.

Consider what you need. What’s important to you? Are you looking for a specific location near a certain beach or resort area? Do you need a full kitchen? Reliable Wi-Fi? A full house or just studio? Be clear about what you want before you start searching.

The Best Big Island Activities: What’s Worth Your Money

It would seem like the bulk of your trip expenses are paid for before you show up (accommodations and airfare), but you’d be surprised how quickly the other stuff adds up. You’ll be bombarded with activities and excursion opportunities from the minute you arrive at the airport so how do you know where to save and where to splurge? Listen up, here’s what you need to know:

In my opinion, there are a few paid tours/excursions on the Big Island that are absolutely worth doing. However, many tours and excursions are actually things you can do yourself or things that maybe aren’t worth doing. I’ll break down the activities on the Big Island that I think are worth paying for, the ones you can do yourself, and the ones you should skip.

To clarify, this post is breaking down the best PAID activities/tours. For more ideas, check out the best FREE things to do in Hawaii and my favorite general things to do on the Big Island.

Must Dos

Night Snorkeling/Diving with Manta Rays: This is also the only island where you can do a night dive with manta rays, which is an incredible experience. Most companies will guarantee manta sightings or they’ll let you come again, so be sure to schedule this early on in your trip.

Sunset & Stargazing at Mauna Kea: If you only have room in the budget to do one paid tour/excursion on the Big Island, make it a tour to Mauna Kea summit! You can read all about my experience here. It’s not cheap (it’ll run you about $200/adult), but it’s unlike anything you’ll experience anywhere else in the world. It’s also not something that’s easily done on your own. You have to have 4WD to make it all the way to the summit (and there’s only a couple of rental car companies who will allow their vehicles up there). Also, in terms of value, by the time you’re picked up and dropped off, you’ll get 6-7 hours of activity.

Helicopter Tour: If there’s an active lava flow on the island, there’s nothing like seeing it from the air. Tours that leave out of Hilo (which is most of them) are MUCH cheaper than those that leave out of Kona.

Lava Boat Tour: Conditions have to be just right for one of these tours to work out, but when they do there’s nothing like it. All of these tours leave out of Hilo.

Waipio Valley Tour: I’ll preface this recommendation by saying that I wouldn’t put an excursion down into Waipio Valley on my short “must do” list, BUT if you’re set on going down into the valley then I think a tour is a must do. I would probably opt for a horseback riding one. The valley is largely private property and there’s not a lot to see if you’re not with a tour.

Oceanrider Seahorse Farm: This quick one hour tour through the seahorse farm is one of my favorite things on the Big Island. It’s ~$40/person, but I consider it mostly a donation towards the farm’s conservation work. You’ll learn so much about seahorses in the wild as well as the farm’s breeding programs but the real highlight is when you get to hold a seahorse at the end!

How to Save $1000 on Your Trip to Hawaii

Where to Stay in Hawaii

If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, you’re in for a great time. It’s not the island that most first time visitors to Hawaii choose to visit (most favor Oahu or Maui) and it’s usually because they’re intimidated by its size (you really can’t see the entire island from one central location). Actually, all of the other Hawaiian Islands could fit inside the Big Island TWO TIMES. This is of course why they call it the Big Island. So yes, it can be overwhelming but the Big Island is home to some of the most spectacular sites in the world (the world-not just Hawaii) so it’s a shame to skip it just because the logistics are tougher to figure out. So here’s what you need to know to figure out where to stay in Hawaii:

The island is divided into two sides: Kona side and Hilo side.
The vast majority of visitors stay on the Kona side even though the island’s best attractions are on the Hilo side.
It’s a Big Island so it’s not really possible to stay on one side and drive back and forth to the other, which means if you want to see the whole island, you’ll need to stay in at least two places.

Side note: After you read up on the lay of the is(land) and know which part you want to stay on, check out these posts for recommendations:

Big Island condos under $100/night

7 Big Island budget hotels

10 Big Island beach resorts

6 best family friendly resorts on the Big Island

5 best Big Island honeymoon resorts

Top 10 luxury resorts in Hawaii

12 favorite boutique hotels in Hawaii

Here’s an overview of the island broken down by area:

Kona Side

Kona side refers to roughly the entire West side of the island, including the town of Kailua-Kona (often referred to just as “Kona.” This is the dryer side of the island (no lush jungles or rainforests here) and it’s mostly barren lava fields as far as the eye can see. But no rain also means the best beaches (the vast majority on the Big Island are found on the Kona side) and therefore all of the resorts and condos. This side of the island is mostly made up of:

Kailua-Kona: This is where the main airport is and it’s a good home base for exploring this side of the island. There aren’t many beaches in Kona but you will find a lot of budget accommodation options. You can easily drive to beaches located north and south of town and you’ll be close to most of the island’s cultural and historic sites. You can also easily daytrip to the Pololu and Waipo valleys from here. One of the downsides of staying in Kona is how touristy it is. This is where the cruise ships dock so you can imagine what that entails but on the upside there are a lot of shopping and dining options.

5 Day Trips on the Big Island

If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island, you’re probably planning quite a bit of time for beach bumming and lounging around the resort pool (because that’s what a beach vacation is all about right??), but just in case you’re looking for more things to do on the Big Island, for a bigger dose of adventure, or to get out and explore all that the Big Island has to offer, here are 5 suggestions for Big Island day trips:

Hilo: Hilo just might be the prettiest town in Hawaii, and if you’re not splitting your stay on the island with a partial stay in Hilo, it deserves at least a day trip. My favorite way to reach Hilo is via the road along the north shore of the island. Starting in Waikoloa, you’ll see the Big Island’s beautiful upcountry as you pass through Waimea before getting to the Hamakua Coast where you’ll see eucalyptus forests, lush jungles, and waterfalls. Make Akaka Falls State Park your first stop. Sure, the state’s tallest waterfall is something to see, but the short hike is really stunning. Once you’re in Hilo, check out the Farmer’s Market if it’s a Wednesday or Saturday, Rainbow Falls, and the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens. For more things to do in Hilo, check out this list. To mix it up, don’t retrace your steps, but take Saddle Road back across the island to Kona side.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: The number one attraction on the island deserves at least a day to explore. There are two main roads you can drive through the park. I suggest following the National Park’s driving tours (Chain of Craters Road & Crater Rim Drive). If you’re keen on seeing lava, you’ve got a few options. A helicopter tour will give you an incredible aerial view. If lava is flowing into the ocean, a boat tour will take you up close to view it. Also, depending on how the lava’s flowing, sometimes you can hike to it (I recommend a guided tour). Of course, since the lava/volcanoes are a natural phenomenon, conditions can change in a moment so always be aware when planning and stay flexible. For example, as this post is being published, the national park has been closed for over a month due to a series of earthquakes and new fissures.

RELATED: Not very familiar with the Big Island? Read up on the lay of the (is)land and my favorite beach resorts, budget hotels, condos, honeymoon resorts, family friendly resorts, luxury resorts, and boutique hotels.

Green Sand Beach & South Point: The southern most point of the Big Island also happens to be the most southern point in the US. And what you’ll find nearby is pretty special…a green sand beach! It’s definitely worth making the drive down south to check it out. Once you reach the parking lot, it’s a pretty long trek along the sunny coast to reach the beach. Tip: take cash and catch a ride from one of the locals offering shuttle service across the lava field. While you’re down this way is also a good time to check out Punalu’u (the black sand beach). It’s not uncommon to see turtles here.

Staying at the Fairmont Orchid, Big Island

There are many reasons why I love Hawaii, but high on the list is that good beach resorts are plentiful. Yes, I love to snorkel colorful reefs, hike to waterfalls, and stargaze atop volcanoes, but to me nothing says vacation like laying around the resort pool/beach eating guava popsicles, working on my tan, and reading the day away.

That’s why on my most recent trip to the Big Island, after snorkeling Kealakekua Bay, trekking to waterfalls in Hilo, and exploring the summit of Mauna Kea, I was beyond thrilled to check into the Fairmont Orchid for three days on doing absolutely nothing.

The Fairmont Orchid is a relaxed five star resort situated on 32 ocean front acres about 20 miles north of the Kona airport. With plenty of amenities including a pristine pool complex, golf, tennis, a spa, a sandy beach with good snorkeling, resident sea turtles, a handful of restaurants, and numerous cultural activities, it’s possible to be “busy” just taking advantage of everything the resort has to offer.

In this post, I’m going to share a travelogue of my stay at the Fairmont Orchid, give you a list of 15 things to do at the resort, and finish up with tips for enjoying your stay.

My Travelogue

This trip to the Big Island was a mother/daughter trip with my mom, my aunt, and my cousin (and extra special because we were celebrating my cousin’s high school graduation).

We checked into the Fairmont around noon on Saturday and they had a room already set for us. We had signed up for the Fairmont President’s Club and had received an email/text asking when we would arrive, so it was super nice having our room ready and waiting since we were itching to hit the pool!

It was a little overcast, but that didn’t stop us from finding some chairs at the pool and wasting the day away until sunset. I mostly spent the day reading, but I did take a few breaks to swim, and wonder around to check out the beach and the sea turtles. They come up on the beach to rest right in front of the pool.

We had dinner near the pool at Hale Kai (we ate here a few times and the avocado toast, margherita pizza, fish and chips, and lobster fried rice were all VERY good).

After dinner, we ventured out of the resort for the only time the whole three days we were there…for a Target run! I know. We needed some more books and sunscreen plus it’s always fun to see what a local Target has. Kind of a side note but the Target in Kona is great! They stock a lot of cover ups and dresses that most Targets don’t have, and I found a line called “Aloha Royale” with an awesome romper that I wore for the rest of the trip.

We arrived back to our room to a special surprise! We all LOVE chocolate covered strawberries so this was a huge treat.

We got up pretty early the next morning (I can never sleep late in Hawaii), and headed down to the Orchid Court to try their breakfast buffet. I loved it. First off, I love a buffet in general because I like to try a little bit of everything and be a bit more adventurous than I would if I was ordering off a menu. Also, there was POG (pineapple, orange, guava) juice and I have a tiny obsession with guava so I was happy. All of the American breakfast favorites were well-represented (eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, potatoes, etc.) plus some Asian favorites (I’ve never had noodles and pot stickers for breakfast!) and a very exotic looking Asian condiment section. There was a continental section with breads, bagels, muffins, pastries, etc. and a lot of fruit options.

After breakfast I stopped into the resort store to check out their swimsuits (so many cute ones!) and pick up a new sunscreen that I wanted to try. I highly recommend Coola if you’ve never used it before. 70% of the ingredients are organic (although it’s not reef safe) and it smells amazing!!

Next up I headed down to the pool deck to settle in for the day. I pretty much passed the day by reading, swimming, checking for turtles, strolling down to the beach, and hitting up Brown’s Deli for snacks (they had amazing locally made guava popsicles!).

We made dinner reservations at Brown’s Beach House for a special celebratory dinner. Here’s a tip: when eating at open air restaurants, I like to make reservations about 30 minutes before sunset so not only do you get dinner with an (even better) view, but it’s also not dark the whole time you’re eating dinner.

I’d wanted to try the lilikoi (passion fruit) margarita since I arrived and it was so good! Bread service was delicious and we all had various seafood entrees. I did a mix and match of a couple of side items (lobster tails and truffle mac and cheese).

We had a great meal and sunset along with the live music did not disappoint. The setting at Brown’s Beach House really is one of the best on the island. And to top it all off, our server Janice (who was so sweet!) brought out a celebratory dessert for us to share! It was the perfect last night in Hawaii.

And to cap it all off, we had this sweet surprise waiting for us in our room!

On our final day, our flight didn’t leave until 9:40 PM so we pretty much had the whole day to hang around. When we checked in, we were approved for an extra late check out (we got to stay in our room until 7PM for an extra $120) and it was sooooo nice!!

We just woke up and headed out to the pool/beach like it was another day. We had breakfast sandwiches from Brown’s Deli, and I finished off my fourth book of the trip.

We had a quick dinner at Hale Kai before getting cleaned up and heading off to the airport. We were all so sad to leave Hawaii, but especially to leave the Fairmont Orchid. Every trip to Hawaii is special, but ones where I get to spend quality time with my family and friends while resting and recharging are my favorite.

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15 Things to Do at the Fairmont Orchid

1.Snorkel: There’s pretty decent snorkeling right around the beach. You can either pick up a complimentary snorkel set and head out on your own or you can go on a guided adventure with a Hui Holokai Ambassador. There’s also an intro to snorkeling and reef etiquette class offered on Sunday mornings.

2.Stand up paddle boarding: Either rent a board for an hour to paddle around Pauoa Bay or take lessons! If you’re planning to use a lot of water and beach gear during your trip (boogie boards, floating mats, paddle boards, kayaks, etc.), consider getting a Fun & Sun Activity pass. It’s $75 for your stay and includes unlimited rentals.

Sunset & Stargazing at Mauna Kea Summit: Everything You Need to Know

The Big Island of Hawaii has some of the most unique terrain to explore on any of the islands. I mean, lava and green and black sand beaches? And not to mention the jungles and waterfalls. But on my last trip to the Big Island, I got to experience something truly special.

Sunset and stargazing at the summit of Mauna Kea is something you shouldn’t miss on your trip. Once you’re up above the clouds, you’ll feel more like you’re on Mars or the moon than Hawaii.

The summit of Mauna Kea (one of the Big Island’s five volcanoes-it’s dormant) sits at 14,000 feet above sea level. Its height and location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (almost no light pollution) have made it an ideal place for viewing sunset above the clouds and for stargazing. Actually, Mauna Kea is considered one of the most ideal spots in the world for astronomical observation. As a result, it’s home to over a dozen of the world’s best observatories.

But getting to Mauna Kea summit isn’t that easy. The road up to the visitor’s center is curvy, but completely paved and doable, cut once you pass the visitors center, the road up to the summit requires 4WD.

In this post, I’m going to break down your options for exploring Mauna Kea summit beginning with a guided tour and wrapping up with tips for doing it yourself.

Mauna Kea Summit Adventures

There are only a handful of outfits that offer guided tours up to the summit of Mauna Kea and I chose to travel with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures. We were staying in Waikoloa and we met our guide, Maka, at the Queens’ Marketplace where we loaded up into a luxury van. There were 14 of us on the tour with Maka. It was about an hour and 15 minute drive from Waikoloa to our first stop at the Mauna Kea visitor information center, but the time flew by as we made our introductions an listened to Maka tell us about the topography of the island including a breakdown of the five volcanoes that make up the island (Mauna Kea is the second oldest and after its last eruption it’s considered dormant).

Nearby Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on the island by far although its summit is 100 feet shorter from sea level than Mauna Kea. Mauna Loa makes up 2/3 of the size of the Big Island and is the largest volcano on the planet (although second to Mt. Olympus on Mars). It last erupted in 1984 and is long overdue for an eruption that will make Kilauea look like an infant volcano.

Before we knew it, we arrived at the visitor’s center (9280 feet in elevation) for dinner and to acclimate. It was actually pretty crowded since most of the tour groups seem to stop here for dinner. We had dinner (homemade veggie lasagna) and brownies and had plenty of time to use the restroom, fill up our water bottles, skim the gift shop and take a few pictures. It was chilly enough for me to wear my sweatshirt at the visitor’s center, but I didn’t need my parka yet (Maka passed them out when we go there).

After about 45 minutes at the visitor’s center, we loaded back up and headed up towards the summit. This is where the road to turns to gravel and 4WD is required. I think it’s required as much for the incline as the terrain. We drove for a while and saw the most magnificent views (we were up above the cloud line) before pulling over for a quick photo stop.

Hilton Waikoloa Village: Is this “luxury mega-resort” really the best on the Big Island?

I don’t write a lot of hotel reviews on this blog (you can read my where to stay archives here), but I feel pretty strongly about this one so I definitely wanted to share my experiences.

On my most recent trip to the Big Island, I booked part of my stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. I’ve heard so much about it I was sure it must be “the” place to stay on the Big Island. Some things I’ve heard from friends/peeps on the Internet:

“You’ve definitely got to at least check out the Hilton.”
“It’s so big it even has its own transportation system.”
“It’s the best place for families on the Big Island.”
“It’s so awesome you’ll never want to leave.”
“It’s practically its own town.”
“It’s like Disneyland for grown ups.”

That all sounds great! Sign me up! So I booked five nights in the Palace Tower at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in late May 2018.

Here’s a quick rundown in case you’re not familiar: The Hilton Waikoloa Village is on the “Kona side” of the Big Island about 40 minutes north of the airport in a resort development called Waikoloa. It’s a sprawling 62-acre ocean front property with an impressive list of amenities. 3+ pools, 3 separate accommodation towers, a full service spa, two golf courses, tennis courts, more than a dozen restaurants, a dolphin encounter experience, a protected snorkel lagoon with a sandy beach, plus boat and tram transportation. It’s the kind of place that’s designed to have everything you could ever want on vacation so you never have to leave the resort.

To preface, I’m not entirely against this concept (although I think Hawaii needs to be explored and a trip there without leaving the resort and actually seeing Hawaii is a bit of a waste!) I’ve spent plenty of days at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa just bumming around the pool and beach and on this same trip spent almost 3 full days at the Fairmont Orchid just soaking up rays by the pool. Also, although I don’t have kids, I’ve traveled with them quite a bit and am honestly pretty much a kid myself. So “family friendly” resorts are not a deterrent to me, and I’m not bothered by a lot of kids running around a resort.

All of this being said, here was my overall impression of the resort/my stay: I wasn’t very impressed.

But before I get into the nitty gritty of it, here’s what I did like about the resort:

It’s in a great location. Being up in Waikoloa (as opposed to in Kona) feels slower and a little nicer. The air quality (vog) was also a lot better than in Kona and southwards.

Waikoloa has a couple of little centers with restaurants, shops, markets, and a gas station so there are some conveniences without having to drive all the way into Kona. Waikoloa Village is also pretty close by.

It’s beautifully landscaped. The grounds of the resort are lovely. There are a ton of bridges and waterways plus so much flora and fauna. The resort also has an incredibly large Asian art collection that’s displayed throughout.

It’s a Hilton. My five night stay racked up almost 30,000 Hilton Honors points.

And…that’s honestly about it.

Here’s the obvious complaint: this resort has no beach. Yes, they’ve created a man made snorkel lagoon that feeds into the ocean (so it’s possible to see turtles and fish) with a tiny sandy beach, but that’s it. The whole shoreline is rocky.

However, my biggest complaint about this resort is the complete lack of service. Seriously, besides housekeeping, who I saw a lot of, I think there were about 10 people working at the entire resort. I don’t expect chair service coming around every 10 minutes to see if I want a drink at a place like this, but being at one of the main pools and having to walk and search for 10-15 minutes to find water (to buy!!!) is pretty ridiculous.

Best Big Island Snorkeling Spots (Plus Kayaking Kealakekua Bay)

If you’ve got a list of “must dos” for visiting the Big Island, I bet that snorkeling is ear the top of it. There’s nothing like getting a glimpse of a whole other world under the sea of intricate reefs and colorful fish. Well good news! The Big Island is home to some truly magnificent snorkeling spots and a fun variety of aquatic life to make your time in the water truly worth it. In this post, I’m going to give you a run down of the best snorkeling spots on the Big Island, where to find sea turtles on land, where to get snorkeling gear, and two tours you’ve GOT to do if you’re into snorkeling.

Best snorkeling spots on the Big Island

Kealakekua Bay: If you’ve done any research about things to do on the Big Island, you’ve come across Kealakekua Bay. It’s widely regarded as the best snorkeling in Hawaii. It’s a very deep but well protected bay, which makes it a safe haven for larger marine life (whale and dolphin sightings are common) as well as plenty of tropical fish. This is also the spot where Captain Cook first landed in Hawaii and his monument stands at the north end of the bay where the best snorkeling is. This spot isn’t the easiest to reach through. You can hike down to the monument, but it’s a 3.8-mile round trip hike in direct sunlight. Of course, the hike back up from the monument is much harder than the hike down. Most people reach the bay by boat, either on small vessels or large snorkeling “party boats.” Boats can’t land at the monument so you’re just snorkeling off the boat. Also, the boats all start rolling in by about 9:30-10AM and there are HUNDREDS of snorkelers in the bay at this point. In my opinion, the best way to snorkel Kealakekua Bay is as part of a kayak excursion. You can rent kayaks from a couple of companies that have permits to land then, but the launching and landing process from the pier is kind of tricky so that’s why I recommend a tour. More on that in a bit.

Two Step: If you’re looking for excellent snorkeling that’s easily accessible by land, this is your spot. Located just north of Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, Two Step is a great spot to swim among bright coral reefs and tropical fish as well as possibly dolphins and turtles. To get here, turn into the entrance of the national park but instead of actually driving all the way in, take a right turn. Hang right until you reach the parking lot. The entry point is all smooth lava rock but you’ll still want to take your shoes right to the edge with you. The best entry point is the farthest point of lava rock jutting out into the ocean. There are two natural little steps formed here (hence the name) that makes for easy access. If you can’t find it, just hang back and watch where everybody else is going.

Kahalu’u Beach Park: This is a great (and very popular) spot for beginners, because the water is very calm. It’s also always nice when you can enter the water from a sandy beach! It’s super common to see turtles here and there’s nothing more magical than snorkeling with sea turtles. Just be careful to keep at least 10 feet away as they’re protected by law. This place does tend to get pretty crowded by 10AM though (it’s a stop with some snorkeling boats) so go early.

Makaiwa Bay: This spot is definitely worth checking out especially if you’re staying at the Mauna Lani Resort. To the left of the resort’s little beach is an ancient fishpond with metal gates that allow small fish into the protected cove while keeping out…”others.”

Pau’oa Bay: A popular snorkeling spot for guests at the Fairmont Orchid, but of course open to the public, this sandy beach has easy entry and the waters are pretty calm and protected. It’s very close to a popular sea turtle resting ground, so chances you’ll find some in the water are usually pretty good.

Kauna’oa (Mauna Kea) Beach: This is a great all around spot if you’re looking for a place to spend the day lounging, swimming, beach combing, and snorkeling. This golden sandy beach is one of the island’s prettiest and the two smallish reefs on either side of it offer decent snorkeling.

Lapakahi State Historical Park: In addition to being an interesting historical site (you’ll find the ruins of an ancient fishing village dating back to the 1300s), Lapakahi is also a marine conservation area so you’ll find good snorkeling!

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Where to Find Sea Turtles on the Big Island

While I commented above about spots where it’s common to snorkel with sea turtles, there are spots where it’s usually possible to see them on land “resting.” Please remember that the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles are protected by law and that you’re required to stay at least 10 feet away from them!

Two Step: If you’re visiting Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, you can usually spot them just to the right of the park nestled up sunning themselves on the smooth lava formations.

Fairmont Orchid: The rocky beach right in front of the Fairmont Orchid is a popular resting ground. There’s even a little fence constructed to protect them. The whole time I stayed here there was at least one turtle on the beach but usually 5-6 closer to sunset.

Punalu’u Beach: The Big Island’s most beautiful black sand beach is one of the most dramatic spots for turtle watching. They can be hard to spot since they blend in with the sand so well!

Anaeho’omalu Bay: Have a meal at Lava Lava Beach Club and do a little turtle watching while you wait for sunset (one of the best on the island). The turtles will usually be barricaded off with cones if they’re beached.

Carlsmith Beach Park: If you’re looking for turtles on Hilo side this is your best bet. It’s more of a park like setting than a beach, but there are a couple of turtles that are known to frequent the area.