Kona Hawaii 2/18/24
Kona Hawaii
We’ll be tendering ashore to Kailua Village while Serenade is anchored in Kailua Bay. The village covers a pretty small area and is a nice town to walk around in.
Here on the leeward side of the island they get over 300 sunny days a year as opposed to Hilo on the wet windward side, it’s also known for calm, clear waters. The Big Island, the largest island in the U.S., is geographically diverse enough and big enough that it boasts eleven of the world’s thirteen climate zones in its 4,000 square miles (10,360 square km). Kailua itself is located at the foot of the Hualalai Volcano and is the home of the Ironman Triathlon every October. It’s believed that the Kona coast was discovered by the Polynesian explorers sometime between 100-600 AD and became beloved for its weather, fertile fields, and friendly waters. Kona became the home of many Hawaiian kings and was their seat of power from the 15th century onwards. It was with the coming of Christian missionaries, who built churches and homes, that Kailua turned from a sleepy fishing village into a small seaport. The main road is Ali’i Drive which runs from the pier through the middle of the town to the Kuamo’o Battlefield, a spot that in 1819 became a site of conflict between the Hawaiians over sticking with their traditional ways or becoming more modern, an event that tore island families apart. Kona is known for beautiful sunsets.
Unfortunately, one of the best sites to visit in Kailua, the love Hulihe’e Palace, is closed on Sunday. As it’s located on Ali’i Drive you can still walk by for a look at the exterior and gardens of this former vacation home of Hawaiian royalty. One other spot to see in town is the Mokuaikaua Church, the oldest Christian church in the islands. The interior is decorated with native Koa wood and with their Sunday services open to all you should be able to take a look at it.
the Pu-uhonua o Hanaunau National Historical Park, Located about 40 minutes south of Kona it’s one of the most sacred sites in Hawaii. During times of war, it was a place of refuge and forgiveness for lawbreakers, warriors and others within its ancient stone walls, while outside were the grounds where generations of powerful chiefs lived. Today there are historic temples, ancient artifacts, and petroglyphs found here as you take a self-guided tour, plus there are park rangers there who give daily talks as well. It’s probably the best place on the island to learn about Hawaiian history and culture.
Mixing water sports and history is the Kealakekua Bay State Park, excellent for snorkeling and diving, especially if you’d like to see Manta Rays, and the spot where Captain James Cook was killed. Just a refresher, he was the first European to make contact in Hawaii but died here during a quarrel with the locals in 1779. A monument stands at the site of his death. This site was also sacred as an ancient burial place for high-ranking chiefs. For more beaches you can visit Kona Coast (Kekaha Kai) State Park where there’s tons of beautiful sand and gorgeous blue water. It’s located north of Kona, and Mahai’ula Bay is a favorite there for sunbathing. If you want incredible views your best choice is to go to the Mauna Kea Summit.
Again, a very easy day for us as we have also had the privilege of visiting Kona many times in the past. We decided to make another Walmart and Costco run since this is our 2nd to last stop in the US until September. It turned into a very hot day, started quite pleasant but got up to the high 80's with humidity. We walked to the Walmart so got in our 15K in steps today but did Uber to and from Costco back to the ship area. Once again Mickey found a great restaurant complements of Triple D, and it was really good Thai food and lots of it. We were very disappointed we could not get a to go box to bring back on the ship. Back to the open market around port to do a little tourist shopping and on to the ship to head to Honolulu tomorrow.
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