Today, I had planned to hike to Kealakekua Bay, but ultimately, I didn’t complete the hike. My alarm sounded at 5:30 am, prompting me to rise and pack the last of my belongings quietly, so as not to disturb the others in the room. I waited for what felt like a long time at the bus stop for the airport bus. Finally, around 6:30 am, it arrived. Despite my skepticism, I checked Google Maps to confirm our route and direction after my experiences with unreliable buses.
A Flight with Hawaiian Airlines
Fortunately, everything went smoothly. By around 7:15 am, I had reached the airport and checked in my bag, using a self-check-in kiosk. I begrudgingly paid $25 for my bag, realizing it wasn’t covered in the ticket price. After completing the payment, I had to lug the bag across the hall to the baggage belt, which was also quite annoying.
Afterward, I proceeded through customs. I couldn’t help but fear encountering some strange situation where my daypack might have been filled with weed from the party (you never know what a crazy person might put in your bag at the hostel, haha). Of course, these were just paranoid thoughts, and everything turned out fine. It would have made for an interesting story for the blog though, but oh well.
I strolled around the airport, noticing that there weren’t many shops open. I decided to have breakfast at Burger King, although I wasn’t entirely sure what I was eating. Afterwards, I purchased a travel guide called ‘The Big Island Revealed‘. It had some nice pictures, and I hoped it would provide useful guidance for my trip.
At around 8:50 am, it was time to board. Boarding proceeded swiftly, with the airplane being 80% full with passengers.
It was a brief flight, lasting approximately 45 minutes, likely the shortest leg of my itinerary. The journey was smooth and swift, almost feeling like we were taking off and landing right away.
Dealing with Car Rental Hurdles
After retrieving my bag, I headed to the small shuttle buses for the car rental. I had booked with Dollar Rent, and I was glad I did! Finally I could drive myself. The driver of the shuttle was in high spirits, cracking jokes as we made our way. He humorously instructed everyone to set down their bags, as he would handle the heavy lifting. “Not you, boy, you can carry it yourself,” he teased me. I smiled, understanding his jest, and he chuckled in response, appreciating my good humor.
I was the first person to disembark from the shuttle bus and entered the building. Making my way to the desk, I presented the lady with my printed voucher, which I had arranged the day before at the hostel (though I had forgotten to jot it down). After some initial paperwork, she brought up the dreaded underage fee. I immediately challenged her, stating that the fee was supposed to be included in the online price. Frustration mounted as she insisted I needed to pay an additional $125 on top of the $350 already paid for the car. Snatching the paper from her hand, I pointed out the clause that confirmed otherwise. Satisfied that I was in the right, I stood firm, ready to reject the car if they were attempting to deceive me. She conferred with her colleague before returning to continue our discussion.
The lady returned and reassured me that the fee was already covered in the price. “That’s one of the reasons why I chose to book with you guys,” I replied. Facing a screen displaying various policy questions, I consented six times and signed electronically using the stylus. After handing over my credit card and driver’s license, she promptly returned them along with the key. “Your car is in bay G6; it’s an economy car,” she informed me.
The Road Trip Begins
I stepped outside, grabbed my backpack, and began walking towards the car parked right next to the building. I was pleased to see it was a Nissan. It resembled the one I drove in New Zealand, but this one looked brand new. After stowing my bag in the trunk, I set off. Driving on the right side with the steering wheel on the left felt incredibly unnatural to me. I knew I’d need some time to readjust.
I attempted to open Google Maps, and to my relief, it worked. Two days ago, Neema updated the app, but since then, it wouldn’t open. Now, however, it found my location perfectly! I wasn’t worried about getting lost here in Hawaii; there was only one major highway, but having GPS would certainly make my journey much smoother. While GPS could sometimes be frustrating with incorrect locations, most of the time, it worked flawlessly.
I began my day by driving towards Kalua-Kona, cruising along the bustling boulevard and soaking in the picturesque views of the ocean and charming storefronts. Upon reaching the end of the boulevard, I parked in front of a hotel and checked my phone.
Grocery Shopping
Deciding it was time for groceries, I searched for a large store in Kalua-Kona. Arriving there after about 10 minutes, I purchased a variety of items including a tray of diet Pepsi, bread, peanut butter, bananas, and sliced pineapple. After a quick restroom break at the mall, I observed the locals in the store, noticing their friendlier demeanor compared to Honolulu. This was in line with what I had read in my travel book, ‘The Big Island Revealed,’ which mentioned that people on the Big Island are generally more amiable. While in the store, I used my phone to search for hostels, finding two options on hostelworld.com. However, within 5 minutes, only one remained available, albeit with a lower rating. With no other choice, I booked a night there.
Afterward, I drove up to Pineapple Park Hostel, situated south of Kalua-Kona in the Cook district, approximately 15 minutes from the store in Kona Center. The roads around Kona were impeccably maintained, and the weather was delightful.
A Short Nap
Upon arrival at the hostel, I paid $30 for a dorm bed. The common area looked inviting, although there weren’t many travelers present—just an American sporting a Hawaiian t-shirt, two French girls, and another American girl. I inquired with the staff about the area and available activities. They mentioned the manta ray dive, which I had already experienced, and also suggested some excellent snorkeling near the Cook monument not far from the hostel. They cautioned that it was a fairly strenuous hike. I decided to rest for an hour before exploring further. It was around 1 pm by this point.
At 2:30 pm, I woke up feeling much better than before. I returned to the lady at the front desk for additional information. She instructed me to walk down the road and turn right after one block. At telephone pole number 5, I needed to make another right, and the trail would be there. She then asked if I still wanted the snorkel set, to which I replied affirmatively and paid $15 for it.
Finding the Pathway to Kealakekua Bay
I departed around 3 pm, realizing it was already a bit late. The hike was expected to take 45 minutes, and the weather didn’t appear promising. Despite this, I maintained a brisk pace, determined to make it to the bay with some time to spare.
I strolled down the main road and took a right turn after one block. Continuing until the road’s end, I found only three telephone poles. A local resident nearby asked if I was headed to the bay, to which I replied affirmatively. He directed me to backtrack all the way to the main road and turn right at the sign for Kealakekua Bay.
Trudging uphill, I already felt exhausted, mainly due to the scorching heat and humidity on the Big Island. Following the man’s instructions, I walked downhill at the sign and found myself on the correct path. However, I passed by the trail without noticing any signage. Eventually, I approached some locals sitting outside their home and inquired about the trail’s location. They advised me to return and look for the trail where all the cars were parked.
They were correct. Eventually, I stumbled upon the trail. Later, I learned from the book that Kealakekua Bay is a secluded paradise on the island. The water is crystal clear, offering superb snorkeling opportunities. It’s renowned as the best snorkeling spot in the entire Hawaii island chain.
The Hike to Kealakekua Bay
I wasted 30 minutes by going in the wrong direction, which was frustrating. Once I started on the trail, it was an interesting experience. The trail was not well maintained, so the vegetation was overgrown in some parts. Overall, it was about 2 miles long, roughly 3.2 kilometers. Descending was relatively smooth, and after 40 minutes, I finally caught sight of the bay ahead of me.
I became frustrated with the seemingly endless distance. I had expected to reach the bay sooner, but the road kept winding downward without any sign of the bay coming into view. As dark clouds gathered behind me, I made the decision to turn back, anticipating that rain would soon follow.
While snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay would have been incredible, as would have been seeing the Cook Monument, I recalled the intriguing story behind it. Captain Cook had arrived on the island and was initially revered by the Hawaiians as a deity. However, when one of his crew members died and their boat encountered difficulties, Cook’s divine status was challenged. Tensions escalated after the Hawaiians took a small boat from the crew, leading to a confrontation that culminated in a fatal gunshot. The altercation resulted in the deaths of four people, including Captain Cook, before the remaining crew members fled the island.
This was the spot where he met his end, near enough for me to see, but I chose to retreat. Sometimes luck just doesn’t go your way, and today was one of those days.
The Return to the Hostel
The uphill hike from Kealakekua Bay was strenuous and incredibly annoying. After 50 minutes, I returned to the hostel just as the rain started. What timing, right? It wasn’t a downpour or anything, but trudging through muddy roads in sandals would have been quite the hassle, haha!
In the evening, I attempted to work on some reports but didn’t make much progress. The American girl asked if I wanted to join them in watching a Quentin Tarantino movie. I couldn’t recall the name, but I hadn’t seen it before. Instead of a proper meal, I indulged in candy throughout the evening. I ended up staying up late, until around midnight. I planned to wake up early the next day and head towards the southern part of the island.
