The partner and I are going to Hawaii on Saturday for our 15th anniversary. Doing the Big Island and Maui. For the most part we are going to hike on the Big Island and relax and do as little as possible away from as many people as possible on Maui.
Any suggestions for lesser known hikes or out of the way things? No tourist traps or popular stuff as we are trying to distance and be as low impact as we can.
I have no suggestions because I’ve never been, but enjoy your trip and happy anniversary!
Never been either, but happy anniversary, and safe travels!
Checking out the telescopes would be high on my list…
Cheers
G
@GreenCaciqueHawaii might have some suggestions.
Happy anniversary, hope you both have a blast don’t forget to collect you some genetics while there lol
Hope you read this, it was privileged knowledge: EDIT
I know the big island just a bit, have friends there and have visited a few times
Where are you staying, how long will you be there, and what kind of transportation will you have?
On the Big Island, get out of Kona as fast as you can and go down makai to South Point and hike to, then swim at Geen Sand Beach. Pick a sunny day and go to the public beach at Mauna Kea Resort, but make sure to get there super early as the parking is very limited and they will turn you away. Gotta catch a few waves while on the island, brah!
Then you can go up mauka to the telescopes on Mauna Kea, hiking if you want on the lava. Think about doing the 7 sacred valleys starting on the Hamakua Coast at Waipio Valley.
If you’re hungry and want the best Thai food in the US, make reservations (this is required) and then eat at Tina’s Garden Cafe in Hilo but be prepared to get an appetizer and be there awhile - everything is cooked 100% from scratch and takes a long time to prepare, but it’s worth the wait. And get some kava at Bayfront Kava Bar. Tell Kava Dave that I sent you - and ask for a sacred shell.
If you want some of the best sushi and poke, there’s no better places to get a hand roll or three than Dragon Kitchen Sushi right down the street. And you gotta eat the poke bowls at Suisan Fish Market in Hilo - a real value with the best poke.
If you’re thirsty, don’t waste your time with Kona brewing. Big Island Brewhaus has exceptional beers (their red sea of cacao ale is world class) and great green chile cheeseburgers.
Forget I said anything, @nube has you covered for the big island.
I’ll just add that we didn’t do the 7 valleys, but went into Waipio valley and it was absolutely incredible.
The only thing I can really add is if you are looking for a chill beach over near the Kona side of the island, Makalawena is a little over a mile hike to get to from where you park. It’s not as picturesque as some of the ones already mentioned, but for being near Kona it’s pretty secluded and not crowded the couple of times I’ve been, and it came recommended as such. And we saw a whale from there, so that was cool.
Edit: although a little more touristy, camping at Volcanoes National Park and getting to see the volcano at night is just incredible.
If your going to the big island make sure your do the night mantra ray dive. Its one of the worlds best ranked dives. It’s like no other. It’s a must. You go out at night. They lay out a strip of high powered floating lights across the top of the water. These lights attract plankton the manta rays eat the plankton. These huge manga rays will swim right up to you and brush off of you. And do circles in front of you eating the plankton. You won’t regret it. You will always remember it.
Maui jump on the road to hannah lots of cool stuff on that road plan to stop many times and make it a day
We are flying into Oahu on Friday and getting in in the evening. Staying the night there and then getting on puddle jumper to the Big Island Saturday morning. Well be there until wednesday morning. We’ll be staying approximately here, south of Pahoa.
Wednesday morning we are heading to Maui and staying there til Saturday and leaving to go home from there. In Maui we are staying in a condo in Kihei across from Kamaole Beach#2.
Hellow @FiveGar … and guys
Visited Kauai and Oahu … Burn some Pakalolo and Kauai Electric …
Frontside shopping drug dealers and Sizzler times. Maybe next year i will come back
For now 21 … Some info for you 
Mahalo
Happy anniversary @FiveGar!
Happy Anniversary! Enjoy your trip… drop in with some pics of the sights when ya can.
Never been to Hawaii, tried to as a young man when re-enlisting in Army. Couldn’t get it so I went home… but always wanted to visit.
I watch real estate that i cant afford… and there’s a house on beach in Maui when I hit that lottery… just south of Lahaina. So I’ll be living vicariously through y’all.
Bout to get on the 5:20 hour flight leg. Bleh.
Waiting to board flight to the Big Island now. I’ve checked in on my plants more than my kids. That make me a bad father for not checking in on them more or a good son for trusting my mom with the kids?
