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Floating in the Pacific Ocean below a sky of glittering stars, I watch in amazement as several majestic creatures move below me, navigating the turquoise waters off the Kona coast on the Big Island in Hawaiʻi.
Illuminated by a light attached to a double hull canoe known as a wa’a kaulua, I’m on a nighttime manta snorkel. Considered sacred in Hawaiʻian culture, the vessel has certainly brought me good luck this evening. In total, I see 11 manta rays along with a pod of whistling dolphins.
Sitting at the northern apex of the Polynesian Triangle, approximately 2,500 miles south-west of the of the US mainland, Hawai’i is made up of eight major islands (along with 100 smaller spots). The climate ranges from tropical rainforests to high volcanic peaks covered with snow.
Located close to the equator, temperatures are warm throughout the year and even during the rainy season (November to March) it’s still a good option for a winter sun break.
Exploring Big Island
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One of the starting points on Big Island (also known as the island of Hawaiʻi) is the town of Hilo, which is home to the international airport. It’s filled with art galleries, unique shops and restaurants. While not native to Hawaiʻi, rows of Banyan trees have become a prominent feature of the landscape.
Everywhere we go, we are given the warmest “Aloha”. The popular greeting has many meanings attached to it, including love, affection and peace.
Big Island is made up of five different volcanoes, three of which are dormant. The volcanic activity on the island has produced blank sand beaches, the most famous being Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach on the south-eastern Kaʻū coast, often visited by green sea turtles.
During a swim in the rocky, shallow waters, I find several of the protected creatures living amongst a diverse marine world.
Seeing stars
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A few days later, I find myself almost 14,000 feet above sea level on the summit of Mauna Kea, the state’s highest peak.
Fighting off altitude sickness as I travel up the mountain as part of the Maunakea Summit Adventures Sunset and Stargazing tour, I’m told that some parts of the Mauna Kea were used for simulated Mars landing missions by Apollo astronauts.
We drive past cinder cones, lava plateaus and moonscapes to the summit, and find a collection of telescopes, which makes up the world’s largest astronomical observatory.
I watch the sun slide behind a blanket of clouds, and soon after we stare up into the Milky Way and view Saturn and the Hercules star cluster through a telescope.
For Hawaiʻians, the site is a sacred place, which is marked with a stone and wooden altar close to the summit.
Hiking and biking in O’ahu
More than 70 per cent of the state’s 1.5 million population live on the island of Oʻahu, home to the famous Honolulu and Waikiki Beach as well as the laidback surfing capital North Shore.
Leaving the ocean behind, I head inland to the Koʻolau mountains with an expert guide, Keola, from the North Shore EcoTours. He points out the vast Koa trees, which are the largest native tree species in the islands. Highly valued by wood workers, these trees were used to make the grand staircase in Iolani Palace, which was once the official Royal residence of Hawaiʻi’s last reigning monarchs.
As we track through the sacred mountains, we are surrounded by the sounds of Kōlea birds. It’s a hot day and we cool off by relaxing in the river that runs through the valley.
Keola tells us about mana, a spiritual energy and healing power which life flows through and can exist in people and objects.
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In nearby Kualoa Ranch, I explore the family-owned 4,000-acre nature reserve, which looks oddly familiar. It turns out this is where 90-seconds of 1990s Spielberg classic Jurassic Park was filmed.
As I cycle through Jurassic Valley on an e-mountain bike, our tour guide, Sabrina, tells us that the lands have been used as a location for dozens of films, television shows as well as ads and music videos.
The e-bike tour takes us past the Battery Cooper Bunker, which was built in 1944 following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. However, the World War II-era bunker was never needed and is now packed with posters and props from movies and TV shows filmed on the ranch.
Learning to hula
Made famous by various Hollywood films and exotic travel posters, the hula dance is known around the world. More than a series of beautiful movements, it helps preserve stories of people, places, events, genealogies and culture.
Hula is always accompanied by a oli (story), and has more than 15,000 dance moves. I learn two of these during my stay at Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa, a newly renovated hotel which has an separate adult and children’s pool as well as a 200-foot water slide, not to mention the sweeping views of the Pacific from my hotel room balcony.
The hotel also offers ukulele lessons and cultural tours of the historic Kona village.
But a trip to Hawaiʻi wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the vibrant and busy Waikīkī in Honolulu, where the coast is fringed by golden sands and the skyline is dominated by high-rises.
It’s here that I end my adventure, relaxing at Romer House, a trendy new adult-only hotel which supports cultural traditions through its native landscaping.
Surrounded by sacred taro plants, I reflect on a destination that’s much more than an exotic sunshine break. Dramatic landscapes and a deep sense of spirituality make Hawai’i as refreshing as the warm Pacific breeze.
How to do it
Kenwood Travel offers a seven night trip from £2,449 pp (two sharing), including flights, car hire and B&B accommodation
For more information on the destination, visit gohawaii.com
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