The Big Island will always have a special place in my heart. I grew up coming here on family vacations, and it’s a destination I’ve returned to many times with my parents, which gives it a sense of familiarity and comfort that’s hard to replicate. There’s something grounding about the island—it feels slower, more expansive, and deeply rooted.

In my opinion, the Big Island has the prettiest beaches in Hawaii, and because of its sheer size, the crowds feel much more spread out. Even in popular areas, it rarely feels overwhelming. The island definitely skews a bit older than Maui and doesn’t have much of a digital nomad or younger social scene, which can be either a pro or a con depending on what you’re looking for.

The most beautiful beaches are near the resorts north of the airport, and that’s where I’d recommend staying. I wouldn’t suggest staying in Kona or Hilo—Kona is great for dining and exploring, and Hilo is worth a day trip, but neither felt like an ideal home base. Because everything is spread out, knowing where to go is key, and having a car is highly recommended.

While the Big Island isn’t the easiest destination for solo travel, it’s still very doable. I stayed at a farm stay near Captain Cook, which was peaceful and unique, though definitely more isolated. Overall, the Big Island is perfect if you’re looking for stunning beaches, space to breathe, and a more traditional, less scene-driven Hawaiian experience.

BIG ISLAND OVERVIEW/FAQs

Where should I stay? I don’t recommend staying in Kona (alot of tourists and commercial feel) and Hilo (can get boring and too far from everything). I would stay north of the airport or south of Kona to Captain Cook area.

Do I need a car? Yes it’s hard to get around without a car, you can uber but they are quite expensive.

Is this a good solo destination? It is not the best place to be solo because it’s quite expensive and has an older crowd. I did stay in Big Island alone though and was able to find cheaper accomodations.

Thoughts against popular opinions/hot spots: I would skip snorkeling with manta rays because it’s a little unauthentic compared to other places in the world you can snorkel with them.

Recommended Beaches:

Kona Village/Four Seasons: You can visit the beaches even if you’re not a guest. There is a separate visitor parking area, and if you walk south you’ll reach the Four Seasons beaches as well, which are all gorgeous. My favorite one was near the Ulu Beach Restaurant. (pictures shown below)
Manini’owali Beach (Kua Bay): A stunning white sand beach with unbelievably blue water. Parking is easy and they also have showers.
Makalawena Beach: Very beautiful beach but you will need to hike/walk a bit to reach it.
Mauna Kea Beach: A great spot for sunset. It’s located in front of a hotel but is open to the public.
Hapuna Beach: Another popular, beautiful beach.
Puako Bay: Not a white sand beach, but rocky and absolutely beautiful, with tons of turtles. It’s tucked into a residential area.
Magic Sands Beach Park: A smaller white sand beach that can get crowded, but it’s super easy to access. Lots of parking, nearby restaurants, and bathrooms.
Waialea Beach: Another popular, beautiful beach spot

Snorkling Spots:

Captain Cook (Kealakekua Bay): The best snorkeling spot! You can kayak here or hike down (see hike info below).
Two Step Beach: Amazing snorkeling, but it’s not really a beach to lounge on. There’s no white sand, and you’ll need to pay for parking.

Sunset Spots:

Kealakekua Bay Viewpoint: If you’re already in the Captain Cook area, it’s a nice place for sunset — but I wouldn’t drive out of your way just to see it.
Mauna Kea Beach: Mentioned above, but also a beautiful sunset spot.

Hiking Spots:

Pololū Valley Lookout: A very easy, short hike with a black sand beach and beautiful views. I didn’t go to Waipi’o Valley because it’s considered a sacred site and hiking is not allowed.
Captain Cook Monument Hike: You can hike down to the water, and the snorkeling there is incredible! Hiking back up can be hot and tiring, so bring plenty of water. There are no shops in the area, so make sure to pack your own snacks.
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail: A historic park with a beautiful trail that offers great lookout points. You still park in the park but can skip the sculptures and park near the picnic tables which is a lovely spot to hang out at.
Green Sands Beach (Papakōlea): You can hike to the green sand beach on a relatively flat and easy trail, but it does get very hot, so bring plenty of water. There are no shops, so pack your own snacks. The beach is stunning and unique because of its green sand. There’s no shade, and the waves can be very strong, so use your judgment — I wouldn’t recommend fully swimming here.

Food Spots:

Sundog Bread: Best bread spot that tastes less homemade and more professional, everything we had was amazing but our favorite was the lilikoi croissant
Da Bread Stand / Bana Bread Spot: all the small stands that are on the side of the road are truly the best and you just venmo someone to pay for the bread, I think I got passion fruit bread almost everyday
Island Gourmet Markets at the Queen’s Marketplace: this is near the airport and on the way out of the airport to your hotel you can stop by here and get the MOCHI malasada, it is very very good. The actual queens marketplace is kinda whatever, wouldn’t recommend eating at the center as it’s overpriced
Waimea Butcher Shop: honestly sooooo amazing, definitely worth visiting
The Coffee Shack: I think we went here during the wedding, it has great views and really good
Shaka Tacoz: Honestly I was impressed that the tacos were so good!!
Manuela Malasada: Was good and on the side of the road, but it is very rich and you have to order 3 of them
Kona Brewing Company area: there’s lots of restaurants and live music and you can sit outside, i got Willie’s Hot Chicken and it was good
Anuenue Ice Cream and Shaved Ice: Best icecream shaved ice
Pau Hana Poke: Rated the top poke in Kona, but I just thought it was good but not amazing and no where to sit
Panalu’u Bake Shop: if you are in the area I would go, but I wouldn’t drive all the way to go it’s not as amazing as you would expect

Would Skip:

Turtle Site of Kaloko – Honokōhau National Historical Park: A very chill beach, not the most beautiful and the water isn’t the bluest, but it’s quiet with very few people and lots of turtles. A lower-priority stop.
Spencer Beach Park: Nice, with lots of parking and shade, but mostly filled with children. There are so many more beautiful beaches to visit instead.
Kahalu’u Beach Park: We came here for surf lessons. It gets crowded and honestly there are much better beaches, but this one is popular because it has good facilities, parking, and amenities. The snorkeling is also decent as well and the cove is quite calm.
Old Kona Airport Beach: Very convenient and long stretch of beach with very little people, it’s not bad but there are better beaches.
Punalu’u Beach: A black sand beach that’s unique and worth seeing, but I personally prefer the green sand beach. This one feels more touristy, and the water is really cold.
Paradise Bakery: Wasn’t impressed compared to other bakeries as the malasadas were oily
Snow Island: They have mochi malasadas and they were good but we preferred other baked goods

Guide to Big Island, Hawaii