Hawaii
The perfect Hawaiian holiday starts with a Big Island road trip
My husband and I are on a night-time manta ray snorkel experience with Anelakai Adventures, a locally owned, eco-friendly outfitter. Anelakai takes a different approach to ocean excursions. Instead of using a motorboat, six guests and two guides paddle out to sea in a double-hulled canoe.
At a spot just offshore, those who want to snorkel get in the water. Special lights between the hulls draw the plankton, which draws the manta rays. Great care is taken not to disturb the animals. We simply float and watch their dance below.
Planning the journey
Our night-time snorkel sets the tone for our six-day road trip on Hawaii island, also known as the Big Island. You can drive around Hawaii’s largest island in just eight hours, but why rush? We plan to take our time exploring Hawaii island’s different regions.
The island’s five volcanoes – Kīlauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualālai and Kohala – create distinct climate zones ranging from wet tropical to hot desert to polar tundra. The youngest in the island chain, the island of Hawaii’s volcanic roots are easily seen in vast lava flows.
Exploring Kailua-Kona
We begin our journey in Kailua-Kona, a seaside town 15 minutes south of the airport. Once a sleepy fishing village, it’s now a vibrant hub of resorts, shopping and dining. Our rental condo serves as a perfect base for exploring the area.
We enjoy local cuisine at Huggo’s on the Rocks and Foster’s Kitchen, each offering its take on fresh island ingredients. One afternoon we stop at Kona Brewing Company, Hawaii’s largest craft brewery. Their beer is well known in the US and we sample several craft brews, including a few with tropical twists.
Historical heritage
Nearby, we visit King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Resort on the historical grounds of Kamakahonu Bay. A tour with the resort’s cultural guide, Kalei, reveals the rich history of the area, including Ahu’ena Heiau, a temple of peace and prosperity built by King Kamehameha I in the early 1800s to honour Lono, the god of fertility.
The resort houses an impressive collection of Hawaiian art and historical artifacts that bring the island’s past to life. Through Kalei’s stories, we gain deeper insight into Hawaiian culture, history and values.
Underwater wonders
For me, Hawaii means time at the beach. The waters around the island of Hawaii offer some of the best snorkelling in the Hawaiian chain. At Kahalu’u Beach Park, protected reefs create calm waters teeming with marine life.
While snorkelling, I see spotted boxfish with their endearing doe-like eyes, comical blue spine unicornfish, and schools of brilliant-yellow tang darting through the clear water. The protected bay provides safe waters for both novice and experienced snorkellers, making it an ideal spot for underwater exploration.
South coast adventures
Moving on, we head south along the coast, stopping at Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau, the Place of Refuge. This 72ha national historic park was once royal grounds and a sanctuary for ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers. Those who broke sacred laws could find redemption here, protected by the mana (spiritual power) of 23 chiefs whose bones were preserved in the Hale o Keawe temple. Today, the area remains an important part of Hawaiian culture, preserving ancient traditions and stories for future generations.
Our coastal drive continues to Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach where tall coconut palms frame the striking black sand. We’re lucky to see four Hawaiian green sea turtles resting on the shore, a testament to the island’s rich marine life.
Along the way, we stop at Punalu’u Bake Shop, the southernmost bakery in the US, to try malassadas, a Portuguese-inspired sweet bread that’s become a local favourite. The warm, sugar-dusted treats are irresistible and provide a perfect road trip snack.
Volcanic landscapes
The next phase of our journey takes us to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where we stay at the charming Kilauea Lodge in the rainforest at the foot of Mount Kīlauea. The island of Hawaii has two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kīlauea, both of which are part of the national park.
Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on the planet, makes up 51% of Hawaii island, but Kīlauea is the main attraction at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The volcano has produced steady lava flows for years, drawing visitors from all over the world. Since 2018, eruptions and lava flow have been off and on.
Our first stop is the visitor centre where we learn Kīlauea and Mauna Loa are sacred landscapes deeply connected to native Hawaiian culture. We hike along a paved trail to the crater, watching in awe as steam rises from vents in the earth. While we didn’t see any lava flows during our visit, the most recent summit eruption paused on January 3.
The Hilo side
Our road trip takes us on to Hilo, the island’s second-largest town. Here, we explore Liliʻuokalani Gardens, the largest ornamental Japanese garden outside Japan, where we find tranquillity among the pagodas, koi ponds and carefully manicured plants.
At Rainbow Falls, we time our visit for the morning when the sun faces the waterfall, creating magical rainbows in the mist. We take our time listening to the peaceful sound of cascading water before stopping at Big Island Candies, renowned for its chocolate-dipped shortbread and other local sweet treats.
Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast
We’ve saved one of our favourite spots on the island for the end of our trip – two days at the Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast. The resort’s 12ha of tropical gardens, waterfalls and white-sand beach provide a perfect setting for relaxation.
One highlight is an early-morning outrigger canoe trip to greet the sunrise over Maunakea. Our guide, Elisha, who grew up on the island, shares his love of Hawaii with fascinating stories. When the sun begins to rise, he blows the conch in welcome, chanting an ancient Hawaiian oli, a chant of gratitude. In the following silence, we listen to the waves in a moment of deep reflection.
Our last day is spent enjoying the resort’s amenities with its Fun & Sun Activity Pass, which gives us access to snorkelling gear, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and boogie boards. We spend hours exploring Pauao Bay where natural sea walls protect a healthy coral reef teeming with sea turtles, puffer fish and countless other marine species.
As the sun sets on our final evening, we dine at the oceanside Brown’s Beach House restaurant, watching the sky paint itself in brilliant oranges over the Pacific. Sitting under waving palm trees with the warm night air around us, it’s a perfect farewell to this remarkable island.
Checklist
The island of Hawaii
Getting there
Fly non-stop from Auckland to Honolulu with Air NZ and Hawaiian Airlines in about 8 hours 30 minutes, then connect to Kona International Airport on the island of Hawaii.
Details
gohawaii.com
The demolition of Aloha Stadium on Oahu took a big step forward Thursday with the first section of seating pulled down from the steel structure.
Half of the elevated deck-level seating on the stadium’s makai side was severed and toppled backward as part of demolition work that began in February.
The other half of the upper makai-side seating is slated to come down Tuesday, followed by similar sections on the mauka side and both end zones, though the concrete foundations for lower-level end-zone seating are being preserved for a new, smaller stadium to rise on the same site.
A private partnership, Aloha Halawa District Partners, led by local developer Stanford Carr, is replacing the 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium, which opened in 1975 and was shuttered in 2020, with a new stadium featuring up to 31,000 seats.
AHDP is using $350 million of state funding toward the cost of the new stadium, which could be $475 million or more, and will operate and maintain the facility on state land for 30 years with a land lease.
The development team also is to redevelop much of the 98-acre stadium property dominated by parking lots with a new mixed-use community that includes at least 4,100 residences, two hotels, an office tower, retail, entertainment attractions and open spaces expected to be delivered in phases over 25 years and costing close to or more than $5 billion or $6 billion.
Earlier parts of stadium demolition work led by Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. included removing four covered multistory spiral walkways leading to the upper level from the ground, and concourse bridges.
Demolishing the stadium is projected to be done by August, according to Carr.
Building the new facility is expected to be finished in 2029.
Hawaii
This Airbnb Tiny Home Sits on a Lava Field in Hawaii With Unbeatable Night Sky Views—and It’s a Guest Favorite
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/tal-airbnb-one-off-tout-1465b3bde0864117b43761b0d1dd346e.jpg?ssl=1 "This Airbnb Tiny Home Sits on a Lava Field in Hawaii With Unbeatable Night Sky Views—and It’s a Guest Favorite")
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The team behind a popular Hawaii-based home renovation show is now facing legal troubles after airing content that shouldn’t have been released, according to the state.
Hawaii’s Attorney General is now involved after HGTV’s ‘Renovation Aloha’ showed uncensored images of apparent ancient skeletal remains that were discovered at a Hilo property.
In a now-deleted clip on social media, Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama, along with the production team, discovered a cave beneath a Hilo property where they found the remains deep inside.
Video documented their shock when it was found, with the hosts saying, “There’s bones back here. I got to get out of here. Are you fricken serious? I’m serious dude. Is that a skull?”
Tristyn was seen standing further back, saying “This is terrifying. I’m at my stopping point” before leaving.
Hawaii News Now is not showing the bones, but confirmed with HGTV the episode was filmed in December 2025.
Video didn’t show them touching or moving the remains, and HGTV said authorities were notified after the discovery, the property was not developed, and the site was later blessed.
At the time, police said no crime was committed, and the state AG obtained a TRO to prevent the broadcast of the images in accordance with state law.
However this week, uncensored video of the bones was posted online by the Kalamas and HGTV, and included in the episode, triggering a quick rebuke from the community.
“We don’t kaula’i iwi. We do not lay our bones out in the sun to expose him in this manner,” former Oahu Island Burial Council Chair Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu said.
She also said the release of the images was “extremely disappointing,” saying the damage was already done.
“It is irrelevant that bones were not moved. It is irrelevant that they were not disturbed, per se, because somebody didn’t touch them — but you went into their space and that space becomes kapu space once they have transitioned over to po. And when you do that, we honor that. We don’t disturb them,” Wong-Kalu added.
The AG said they took immediate legal action to prevent the unlawful broadcast of images, pointing to a TRO issued prior to the episode’s release. They also said, “We are aware that the segment aired notwithstanding the court’s order, and we take this matter very seriously. The Department will pursue additional action as necessary.”
Court Documents revealed the Kalamas and producers of the show are now facing four counts for allegedly breaking Iwi Kupuna protection rules.
“If that were our grandparent, would we want them, after they have physically transitioned to po, would we want to share our family in this manner? I don’t think so,” Wong-Kalu added.
HGTV said in a statement, “We take the concerns raised by the community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate. We apologize to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, that was not HGTV’s intention.”
They also confirmed the original episode was removed, and re-edited without the bones included.
Through our communication with the HGTV spokesperson, Hawaii News Now offered the Kalamas a chance to respond directly, but they did not. They did however take to Instagram to address the episode, saying they followed the protocols they knew, and never intended to build there. They stressed their respect for Hawaiian culture and practices.
The investigation remains active.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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