The Short-Trip Big Island Guide
The Big Island is the biggest of the Hawaiian Islands by a long shot — you can fit Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Molokai inside it with room to spare. For a short trip that means choices: Kona or Hilo side, Volcanoes National Park or Mauna Kea, black sand beach day or Kohala Coast resort pool. You can't do all of it in three days.
The Big Island Highlights Guide helps you pick. Regional breakdown from Kona to Hilo, weather patterns (the island has most of Earth's climate zones), top beaches, and the must-see attractions — Volcanoes NP, Mauna Kea, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, Waipio — with honest takes on which one fits your schedule.
What's Inside
- Island overview — Kona vs. Hilo, why the island has two personalities
- Regions map — Kona, Kohala Coast, Waimea, Hilo, Puna, Ka'u
- Weather by month and by coast — dry Kona vs. wet Hilo
- Top-tier beaches ranked — Hapuna, Manini'owali, Makalawena, Punalu'u black sand
- Must-see attractions — Volcanoes NP, Mauna Kea, Waipio Valley, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau
- Mobile-ready — read on phone, tablet, or save a copy to read offline
See What's Inside
A free-tier preview of the Big Island guide — island overview, regions, weather, and top picks. Past this layer, the Highlights Guide adds the top 5 attractions with our take, the top 5 beaches with swim safety, a 3-day itinerary, and the practical tips that save first-time visitors from rookie mistakes.
Who This Guide Is For
Cruise passengers with a day in Kona or Hilo. Visitors doing the Big Island as a 3-night stop inside a multi-island trip. First-timers who want the overview before committing to a longer return visit. Anyone who wants the highlights without a 40-page guide they won't have time to read.
If you're planning 5+ days on the Big Island — splitting between Kona and Hilo, doing both Volcanoes and Mauna Kea, and exploring the Hamakua Coast — the Essential Big Island Guidebook at $19.95 is the better choice — hotel picks at every price range, restaurant recommendations, day-by-day itineraries, and hiking trails.
