passport
HOTELS: Kïpuka
hapuna beach prince hotel
hidey-holes. A word of caution here—Sunscreen! Water intensifies the sun’s rays, resulting in the worst burned back of my life…Ouch. Another bucket list adventure awaited me the
next day, this time viaParadise Helicopters and theirKona: Circle Island Experience. A friend told me, if I had the chutzpah to fly in a glass bubble with tiny little rotar blades the only thing keeping you airborne, it was the best way to see the island. He was absolutely spot on, though the initial lift off gave me a tiny pause, once we were airborne I knew it was the right decision. There is no better way to see the breadth that is the Island of Hawaii. From the slopes of Mauna Loa and the volcanic wastelands steaming with hidden dangers, to matchless sand beaches in green, black or white and the lushness of the Hamakua Coast with its myriad of cliff-diving waterfalls fed by the 80-plus inches of rainfall per year, it was dazzling. Pilot, Chris Rehwaldt, a former U.S. Marine, kept the information flowing, covering the many highlights along the way. We even had a marriage proposal take place along the way! My next and final hotel stay was the fabulous Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, situated on Kohala’s pristine coast. Two nights of complete luxury, with everything you could ever need for a perfect vaca- tion—including a private beach—secluded and exclusive to the hotel. The resort is huge, though not imposing and every room has unparalleled views
36 RAGE monthly | NOVEMBER 2016
of the ocean. Vicky Kometani, the resort’s public relations director, personally made sure every part of the experience was perfection. Amenities include a world-renown golf course, four, wonderful dining options, a pool (madly redundant with the Pacific at your doorstep), on-site shopping and adventure tours to satisfy your explorer. Dinner at The Coast Grille and Oyster Bar was spectacular: My favorite bubbly, aRoederer Estate Brutand Roasted Heirloom Beet Salad, aPan Roasted Duroc “Tomahawk” Pork Chopwith butter- whipped potato, green beans, local corn, braising greens and a dried fruit chutney, paired beautifully with aLa Follette, Pinot Noir from their wine list, it was heaven…As was the endless buffet brunch the next day. It’s a good thing there was so much hiking and physical activity on this trip, I needed every step to keep up with the calories ingested! Needless to say, the Island of Hawaii experi-
ence was a wonderful one. I can’t even begin to express to you how stunning it all was. The lack of over-development makes it all feel like a throwback to simpler times in such a wonderful way and the aloha spirit of the people there made me never want to leave.
For more information about the vast number of things the Island of Hawaii has to offer, check out the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau
atgohawaii.com/hawaii-island.
14-4838 Kapoho Beach Road Pähoa, HI 96778 808.339.3027
kipuka.co
Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel 75-5660 Palani Road Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 808.329.2911
konabeachhotel.com
Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel 62-100 Kauna‘oa Drive Kohala Coast, HI 96743 888.977.4623
hapunabeachprincehotel.com
TOURS: KapohoKine Adventures
Kea‘au, HI 96749 808.964.1000
kapohokine.com
Sea Quest 78-7138 Kaleiopapa St. Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 808.329.7238
seaquesthawaii.com
Paradise Helicopters 73-341 Uu Street Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 808.969.7392
paradisecopters.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64