Hawaii
Budget Tour

Same Routes, Simpler Venues

This trip circles the Big Island of Hawaii, just like our regular Hawaii trip.  The leadership and van support stays the same.  However, the lodging is in simple, comfortable inns and small hotels, and the meals are in more informal family-style restaurants.

Coffee Plantatations and Ghosts of the Past

We meet in Kona on a Sunday morning (public shuttle is available from the Kona airport) and cycle half of the Ironman bicycle leg to Hawi on the north end of the island.  There we hike into a remote and roadless valley choked with lush vegetation, exotic flowers, swaying palm trees, and high waterfalls.  We have lunch near the birthplace of King Kamehameha, the head of a dynasty that ruled the Hawaiian Islands for more than a century.  After lunch we cycle back to Hawi and the Kohala Village Inn, where we spend the night.  The inn has an authentic Hawaiian feel to it; you’ll enjoy its casual ambiance.  The art galleries of Hawi are nearby and well worth visiting.

Towering Cliffs and Ancient Ways

Monday we cycle the old highway, a road with hardly any traffic as it winds through rolling pastureland to a dramatic viewpoint overlooking Waipio Valley.  One thousand-foot cliffs covered with green vegetation rise from a sky-blue sea.  Ancient Hawaiians settled in Waipio Valley and grew taro to make poi.  Small communities still inhabit this area, practicing the ancient ways. 

We then head to a tropical park and walk to a spectacular waterfall.  We cycle farm roads through banana and papaya plantations, and along the rocky coast.  We watch surfers catching big waves, and enter Hilo and the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, our home for the night.  Hilo was the center of commercial activity on the Big Island for decades and boasts fine Victorian homes, world-class botanical gardens, and the busiest fish market in all the islands.

From Banyan Lined Roads to Lava Trees

Tuesday we ride through the remote Puna District and follow the rocky coast and raging surf under canopies of banyan trees.  We’ll see black sand beaches, surfers, and pods of spinner dolphins.  We have lunch at Lava Tree Park, where lava flows engulfed trees, leaving tall volcanic shells in their place.  This is a portion of the island the locals love, but tourists seldom visit.  You’ll love our guides’ in-depth knowledge of the area.  We spend the night near the rim of the Kilauea Volcano in Volcanoes National Park.

Explore Kilauea Volcano

Wednesday we cycle 11 miles around the rim of the Kilauea, the world’s longest continually erupting volcano.  Kilauea began its most recent eruption in 1983 and hasn’t stopped flowing since.  Its lava flows have added 500 acres of new land to the Big Island.

We enjoy a delightful 25-mile descent down the gentle slope of the volcano to lunch at a beautiful black sand beach frequented by giant sea turtles.  We’ll spend the next two nights in Kona, close to a great snorkeling beach and the shops and restaurants along the waterfront on Alii Drive.

Kona Coffee and the City of Refuge

On Thursday we cycle south through the famous Kona coffee plantations, stopping for some free tastings.  We continue past mango, banana, and avocado trees, then down to the ocean and the City of Refuge, a national historic park.  Long ago, Hawaiians who had displeased their king fled here for their lives.  We have lunch on its white sand beach and stroll through the ancient ruins.  In the afternoon we cycle past a famous painted church and head back to our hotel.

A Coastal Finale

On Friday we head to the Kona coffee plantations and enjoy their panoramic views of the Kona coastline.  We stop at a coffee farm for a tasting and tour.  We finish the trip with lunch and snorkeling on the best snorkel beach on the island.  Bicycle Adventures provides all the snorkel gear.  Basking in the warm sun and water, and paddling among the colorful fish and sea turtles, you’ll feel it’s a great ending to a memorable week.  We conclude with a shuttle back to our Kona hotel and the Kona airport.

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