Holoholo: Day Trips

The Pampering Pleasures of the Kohala Coast

The Kohala Coast is often perceived as a hedonistic delight—and no wonder. A series of upscale resorts and home developments spring out of the black lavascape like rare blooms, surrounded by exceptional golf courses, and offering extraordinary dining and luxurious spas. The island’s best beaches lie on the Kohala Coast, and less than eight inches of rain falls in an average year. At the Kona International Airport, private jets line the runway after disembarking their wealthy clients for the Kohala Coast. This is the playground of the well-heeled adventurer, but it welcomes everyone with an array of hidden and not-so-hidden charms.

The Kohala Coast stretches from historic Kaupulehu and Hualalai Resort all the way to the Mauna Kea Resort. The islands’ first hotels, the Kona Village Resort in Kaupulehu, and the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel close to Kawaihae, serve as unofficial bookends of the “Gold Coast.” (Note: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is currently closed for repairs, following the October 15, 2006 earthquake.)

At Kaupulehu, the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai might have the most lavish—and expensive—rooms on island, but its interactive Kaupulehu Cultural Center is free to the public. Here visitors can learn about the early Hawaiians who lived in Kaupulehu, and see rare artifacts and powerful Hawaiian artwork by Herb Kawanui Kane. Daily cultural activities include Hawaiian language, hula and ukulele lessons. Nearby, a white sand beach is also open to the public (as are all beaches in Hawaii), with parking and freshwater showers. Enjoy watching honu (turtles) paddle ashore in the late afternoon, where they bask in the lingering rays of sunshine.

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Extending north are more exceptional beaches, including Kiholo Bay, where a relatively new gravel road leads to the shoreline. This area was once King Kamehameha’s personal network of fishponds, but is now a snorkelers’ dream with even more honu and lots of colorful reef fish.

All the resorts of the Kohala Coast are adjacent to fabulous beaches, which the public has the right to use. Within the Waikoloa Beach Resort is Anaehoomalu Beach, a well protected bay offering incredible swimming, snorkeling, diving and windsurfing. A handful of boat cruises depart from here, utilizing skiffs to pick up passengers on the beach and transporting them to the moored vessels. Waikoloa is a treasure trove of Hawaiian history, with its many fishponds and petroglyph fields. Take advantage of the free guided petroglyph hike which heads out daily from the Kings’ Shops at Waikoloa.

More beautiful beaches extend north, and include Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, which constantly ties for first place with neighboring Kaunaoa Beach at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel as the “best beach in the world.” There is ample parking, a snack stand and crystal clear waters that no one can resist. These two well-known beaches are magnificent, but a real hidden pleasure is Waialea Beach in Puako, known by locals as “69.” At one time, 69 was marked by a phone pole bearing the number 69, but today the pole is 71. To find it, turn into Puako and take a right after the transfer station. You’ll see Waialea Beach on the left, with its new parking lot, restrooms and showers. Even with these modern amenities, not many people know about 69, but it’s easily one of the prettiest little beaches in Hawaii, offering great snorkeling in calm conditions and a welcome dose of serenity.

Next door to Puako is the Mauna Lani Resort, home to two fabulous hotels and several upscale condominium complexes. At the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, visitors should plan on stopping by the Eva Parker Woods Cottage, where Hawaiian cultural advisors share the history of this area, which is rich in Hawaiian fishponds, petroglyphs, shelter caves and mountain springs that emerge in the ocean.

In addition to fantastic beaches, incredible dining and a dedication to preserving Hawaiian history, all of the resorts along the Kohala Coast boast a spectacular golf course or two. Hualalai Resort is home to the annual PGA Master Card Championship. You must be a guest or homeowner of Hualalai Resort to golf there. Continuing north, more amazing golf courses beckon dedicated swingers. The Waikoloa Beach Resort offers two courses, as does the Mauna Lani Resort, which named theirs for Francis H. Ii Brown, a native Hawaiian sportsman who once owned the area, and was a former national golf champion. Up the highway, Mauna Kea Resort offers the Hapuna and Mauna Kea courses. On all the Kohala Coast resort golf courses, expect excellent views of the ocean and the slopes of Maunakea, Maunaloa and Hualalai. Where else in the world can you see humpback whales and a snow-capped mountain during a round of winter golf in warm, sunny weather?

There are a few private courses along the Kohala Coast, enjoyed by the wealthy or anyone lucky enough to get invited. Yet there are a handful of private and semi-private golf courses in West Hawaii that are just as lovely, and more affordable, including the Waikoloa Village Course, Makalei Hawaii Country Club, Big Island Country Club and the Waimea Country Club.

Over the past 15 years, spas have emerged as a must-have amenity at luxury resorts worldwide. The Kohala Coast has many fine destination spas at its glamorous resorts, but it also offers a natural healing experience. Located between five mountains believed sacred by Hawaiians (Maunakea, Maunaloa, Kohala, Hualalai, and Maui’s Haleakala), many healers believe the Kohala Coast area possesses inherent healing powers, similar to Lourdes in France and Sedona, Arizona. Combine that with a pristine ocean, warm sands beneath the toes and a host culture that developed the healing concept of lomilomi massage, and it’s no wonder so many people choose the Kohala Coast as their top health and wellness destination. Two amazing spas that offer indoor and private outdoor treatments, both alongside waterfalls, in a lava field, and on the ocean, include Mauna Lani Spa and Spa Without Walls at The Fairmont Orchid. Both are located within the Mauna Lani Resort. Expect to find highly trained massage therapists with solid knowledge of Hawaiian practices at either spa, and a menu of services that will make it very hard to decide what you deserve more.

After dark, there might not be a night life along the Kohala Coast—not in the traditional sense of dancing ‘til the wee hours—but there are excellent luau dinner shows, including the world famous Ahaaina at the Kona Village Resort, specializing in a traditional Hawaiian experience. In true Hawaiian style, the evening begins with the unearthing of an entire pig from an underground oven, or imu. The ensuing feast is legendary, and the show prides itself on being true to its Hawaiian heritage.

At The Fairmont Orchid, a luau-style dinner show is held twice a week. The Gathering of the Kings is a contemporary theatrical presentation that documents the Polynesian discovery of the Pacific islands through a fusion of Polynesian and modern dance, followed by a sumptuous fresh feast prepared by Fairmont chefs.

There are also many restaurants sprinkled throughout the coastal resorts that serve up a mouthwatering selection of fresh seafood, contemporary Hawaiian, Japanese, American, Italian and other cuisine styles. Hualalai Grille by Alan Wong showcases the creative Hawaii Regional Cuisine of Chef Alan Wong, one of the 12 founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. The Kings’ Shops in Waikoloa offer several great eateries, including Roy’s Waikoloa and Merriman’s Market Café, which unlike Chef Merriman’s flagship restaurant in Waimea, offers a more Mediterranean-influenced menu.

Also offering excellent fresh Hawaiian seafood, albeit in an upscale franchise steakhouse, is Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse at the new Shops at Mauna Lani. There’s a Tommy Bahamas Café next door. All of the resorts feature at least one outstanding restaurant, and in most cases, several. North of the resort areas, there’s Café Pesto, a Mexican restaurant, and the casual Seafood Bar, all in Kawaihae. Here you’ll find snazzy appetizers like fresh island poke (raw cubed fish usually tossed with sea salt, seaweed and green onion and a dash of soy sauce). Most of the crowd of amiable locals work at the neighboring Kohala Coast resorts.

After dinner, anyone who looks up will discover there truly is a night life on the Kohala Coast. It’s mind-boggling how clear the starry sky is here, and it’s not uncommon to see planets, the Milky Way, and satellites upstaging the stars. Find a hammock or a beach lounge and drink it in: this is a night sky you can’t see anywhere else. Visitors who want to learn more can opt for one of several stargazing trips with local ecotour companies that transport guests to the top of Maunakea. No matter how you get your dose of star power, you will find it to be one of the most inspiring and peaceful features of Hawaii’s Big Island.