Located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, Big Island, Hawaii, is the perfect destination to relax, unwind and have some great fun for the young and the old alike.

The Big Island, as the name suggests, is the largest of the eight Hawaiian islands and is a mélange of pristine beaches, lush greenery with plenty of coconut trees, volcanoes, icy mountains, waterfalls, friendly people and a rich cultural history.

Hawaiians, clad in Hawaiian shirts (for men and women) and Sarongs, (for women) welcome visitors with the word ‘Aloha’, which translates into a warm ‘Hello’ in English, as soon as they arrive at the Kona airport. One is immediately struck by the old world charm and rusticity this airport has retained, when compared to the swank airports in other parts of the United States of America.

Kona, situated on the western end of Big Island, is a busy sea-side town that is best known for its beautiful sunsets. Our day begins with a visit to the Kailua Kona pier, which is famous for its water sports such as jet skiing, parasailing, snorkeling and kayaking. The pier is crowded and noisy from dawn to dusk, with people who throng the area to shop for candy and trinkets. A submarine ride that starts from this pier takes us about 100 ft below sea level to explore the various flora and fauna in the Pacific Ocean. Apart from this, we are shown the mangled remains of small ships that sank decades ago, and still lie untouched on the floor of the ocean.

A stroll down Ali’I Drive is a shopper’s delight -- rows of shops sell Hawaiian clothes and precious jewellery, several roadside cafes sell the tastiest coffee in the world.

Big Island’s most popular white sand beach is in the Hapuna Beach State Park, which is a short 30- min drive from Kona. It is ideal for swimming and surfing and it is guarded by rocks on the periphery. For the not-so-adventurous kind, basking in the warmth of the sun, sipping pineapple juice and reading a book will be time well-spent.

The Punalu’u black sands beach is a must-visit sit for its unique jet black shores. It is a beautiful beach, but one has to watch out for the currents. It is the place of the Hawaiian green turtles. The Kolekole Beach State Park is a quiet retreat for couples who want downtime to recharge their batteries. Just listening to the sound of the waves hitting the rocks can be a rejuvenating experience.

Hawaii’s Big Island is known for its active volcanoes. On the east coast of Big Island is the rainy city of Hilo. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which is located near Hilo, is home to perhaps the only active volcano in the world, Kilauea – which erupted for the first time in 1982. The Caldera Drive takes us on a drive around the Caldera with a stop at the steam vents. Visitors can clearly see the volcanic plume from a distance. But to see red molten lava, you have to drive to Kalapana, where there is a lava viewing area. A thrilling, less than 10 minute walk in the darkness with a small torchlight in hand, takes us to the viewing area, where we can see large quantities of spewed molten lava.

Not quite content with this, we decided to do a Helicopter tour of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Soaring over the Caldera is an out-of-the-world experience. We could see the volcanic eruption from different angles. At one point, the helicopter is stopped mid-air for a couple of minutes to get a glimpse of the breathtaking view of the lava pouring into the ocean. The journey continued, with some spectacular views of the magnificent Akaka Falls and the splendid triple-tier Umauma Falls.

During the last leg of our journey, we took a shuttle to Waipio Valley, which is situated on the wonderful Hamakua Coast. The bumpy ride down to the valley was well worth because of the incredible experience it provided. The Waipio Valley lookout point gives an awesome view of the ocean and the cliffs. Some of the cliffs are at least 2000ft high and are hiker-friendly. Throughout the journey, our local guide told us about the valley’s rich history, vegetation and the native population. Some parts of the valley are accessible only to its residents. Nevertheless, one could get an eye full and breathe in some fresh, unpolluted air and feel exhilarated.

Hawaii has a bit of all the four classical elements – earth, water, fire and air to satiate the needs of every nature lover!

By Sunitha Bhaskaran