After taking my fill of nature’s feisty features at Volcanoes National Park, the sun, the sand and the coastal draws of the Big Island were calling. The Kona Coast is a 100km long sweep along Hawai’i’s western coast, brimming with attractions and experiences that smashed my expectations. Lined with lava fields, coffee farms, and some of Hawaii’s most beautiful coastline, I wish I’d set aside more time on the Big Island to delve into its numerous delights. There are charms at every turn. The beating heart of the tourist scene is Kailua-Kona, the colourful and bustling town a short distance from Kona Airport. It incorporates Kailua Village which once a sleepy fishing village and retreat for Hawaiian royalty.  

Today, this buzzing seaside village is like a Hawaiian version of Russell or Akaroa, steeped in historical sights, coral churches, a sparkling hospo strip and idyllic beach scene. Kailua Pier, a great place to watch the sunset, is also the start and finish point of the Ironman World Championship, held every October, when the village is bursting with the buff and beautiful. Good eats? If you feel like a great pizza that is hand-made from sauce to crust you should check out Black Rock Pizza. For authentic local cuisine, Kona Inn is an historic open-air restaurant lauded for their fresh seafood and Mai Tai’s. Start with the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail followed by their Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi. 

King Kamehameha I, who famously unified the Hawaiian islands in 1810 into one royal kingdom, spent his last years living at Kamakahonu Beach near Kailua Pier. Ahuʻena Heiau (sacred temple) was his last residence. A reconstruction of his temple and home was built in 1970 as a national historic landmark. The temple was dedicated to Lono, god of peace, agriculture, and prosperity where members of Kamehameha’s council frequently met with him for ritual ceremonies. 

Kamakahonu Beach sacred temple site. Photo / Supplied

You can also travel back to the days of the Hawaiian monarchy at Huliheʻe Palace, located right on Aliʻi Drive in the heart of the village. This beige and teal painted plantation-style home was built nearly 190 years ago, becoming a summer vacation home for Hawaiian royalty. Today Huliheʻe Palace is a museum showcasing Victorian artifacts from the era of the last male monarch King Kalākaua and his consort, Queen Kapiʻolani. Built of lava rock and coral lime mortar, the palace features vintage koa furniture, weaving, European crystal chandeliers, giant four-poster beds, royal portraits, tapa cloth, feather work, and Hawaiian quilts. It’s a great way to sample Hawaiʻi’s royal past.  

About half an hour’s drive south of Kailua Village, I tootled down to Kealakekua Bay. It’s a dazzling spot for snorkelling, with the bay's brilliant waters ablaze with coral and vast schools of tropical fish. Strike it lucky and you might spot some spinner dolphins, frolicking in the bay. History runs deep here, too, because this is where Captain James Cook was killed in a skirmish with Native Hawaiians, in 1779, after a major misunderstanding. After first anchoring in the bay, the locals thought he might be the god Lono and welcomed him with a great feast.  After departing, he returned ashore a week later after a severe storm damaged the Resolution. This time, the locals realising he wasn’t a god, were quite hostile, stealing one of his vessels. Cook along with four of his sailors died in the battle that ensued. A white obelisk on the shoreline of Kealakekua Bay memorialises his death. On the east side of the bay there is also the Hikiau heiau (sacred stone temple) dedicated to the Hawaiian god, Lono. 

Kealakekua Bay and the Cook Monument. Photo / Supplied

As a caffeine junkie, Kona coffee was high on my check-list – famed around the world for its rich, full-bodied, but smooth taste. There are many active and historical coffee farms to visit and taste a cup for yourself. Rising up from the Kona Coast, the volcanic mountain slopes are blanketed with over, 650 coffee farms of various sizes. A farm tour is a great way to experience fresh-brewed coffee firsthand, from the world-renowned quality and consistency of its beans. I soon learnt about the marketing gimmicks to bedevil Kona Coffee. Kona Roast and Kona Style should be given the wide berth, while Kona Blend only contains 10% of Kona beans.  

100% Kona Coffee is they key term you need to look for to savour the real deal. Kona coffee production is labour-intensive, because the beans are picked by hand in a rotating cycle, as they reach their peak ripeness, before milling and drying. Some great farms to visit include Hula Daddy Kona Coffee, Kona Joe and Greenwell Farms. Greenwell is one of the longest running Hawaiian coffee farms, established in 1850 - and they’ve been scooping global accolades ever since. But my favourite coffee haunt is in the truly gorgeous upcountry village of Hōlualoa, arguably the best place in Hawai’i for a coffee break.  

Hula Daddy Kona Coffee Store. Photo / Supplied

Just 10 minutes inland from the coast, the Hōlualoa Kona Coffee Company’s Kona Lea Plantation is a tranquil destination for coffee lovers of every stripe. Free tours are available each weekday, including a complimentary cup of their delicious coffee at the conclusion of the tour. Hōlualoa is in the heart of the coffee belt, a 30km-long strip at an elevation of between 1,000 and 1,400 feet, where all the Kona coffee in the world is grown in the rich volcanic soil of the cool uplands. Everyone's backyard seems to teem with glossy green leaves and ruby-red cherries (which beans, used to make coffee), and the air smells like an espresso bar. But there’s so much more than just the coffee. 

Nestled amid a lush, tropical landscape Hōlualoa is where avocados grow as big as footballs. The artsy village has a distinctly boho vibe where people politely queue outside a hole-in-the-wall bakery for freshly-baked sour dough.  Hōlualoa is a cluster of brightly painted, tin-roofed plantation cottages enjoying a revival as B&Bs, art galleries, and quaint shops.  There’s an old-fashioned general store, a vintage 1930s gas station and the Kona Hotel, a century-old fluorescent-pink clapboard structure that looks like it should be cast in a Western movie. 

An art gallery in Hōlualoa. Photo / Mike Yardley

Where to stay? Positioned in the heart of downtown Kailua-Kona, Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel is an iconic destination to base yourself. In deference to the hotel’s premium position, in front of the Kamehameha’s final residence, the lobby features impressive displays of Hawaiian artifacts, including feathered helmets, capes, ancient hula instruments, and battle weapons, along with royal portraits. Affordable, comfortable, and packed with lively events and activities, the hotel offers a grand Hawaii experience tailormade for fun-in-the-sun island getaways.  

Bonus points for the hotel’s direct access to the crescent-shaped Kamakahonu Beach, an aquatic palm-fringed, white sand playground for beachgoers and spinner dolphins in Kailua Bay. Nicknamed King Kam beach, this is an idyllic spot to try your hand at paddle-boarding before venturing out into the wider waters of Kailua Bay. Splish splash! Take a ride in an outrigger canoe with the Kona Boys, who operate from here. It’s tough work, fully justifying a post-paddle Mai Tai or two at Honu’s on the Beach happy hour! https://www.gohawaii.com 

Balcony view frim Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha Hotel. Photo / Supplied

I flew on Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu and on to Kona from Auckland. The widely-acclaimed carrier is set to return to our skies, with direct flights resuming on November 15, through to April 30. Hawaiian Airlines connects to 16 US mainland cities, with the option of enjoying a stopover on the Hawaiian Islands in either direction, with fantastic island-hopping connectivity. Seating in economy certainly didn’t feel restricting, although why not treat yourself? Hawaiian Airlines’ Extra Comfort seats on the Airbus A330 offer considerably more legroom, priority services and enhanced amenities to make your long-haul travel experience decidedly more indulgent. It’s very reasonably priced, too.  

The personable sense of warmth and care is conspicuous from that very first “Aloha”, as you step aboard the plane. I love their disarming, chilled and friendly style of customer service – utterly professional but irresistibly informal. On-demand seat-back entertainment is comprehensive, without being overwhelming, with an excellent selection of new release movies, perennial hits and popular TV shows. The airline is also proud of its bragging rights as the only US carrier offering complimentary meals on domestic services.  Across all my flights, my meals were tasty, fresh and plentiful – with an excellent beverage service too. You can also enjoy complimentary high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi, which is being rolled out across all its A330s by the end of the year. If you’re shopping up a storm, you’re in luck - Hawaiian offers economy passengers a generous 32kg luggage allowance. For sharply-priced fares and flights to suit, head to www.hawaiianairlines.co.nz 

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.