elcome to the Big Island of Hawaii. The newest of the Hawaiian Islands, it is only a few hundred thousands years old. It is so young, relatively speaking, that it is still growing at a rate of several acres every year, thanks to Madam Pele’s constanly erupting Kilauea Volcano.

The State of Hawaii is made up of eight principal islands of which The Big Island is the largest. In fact, the Big Island is nearly twice the size of all the other islands combined. Yet with a population of less than 150,000, there is more unspoiled wilderness and untouched paradise here than anywhere else in the State.

From Arctic tundra to tropical rain forest, The Big Island has 11 of the earth’s 13 climatic zones. It boasts the most accessible active volcano in the world and waterfalls over 2000 feet high. Beaches come in all colors including white, brown, cinnamon, grey, black and even green. Humpback whales visit and calve here in winter, world class golf courses abound, snorkeling is unequaled in waters with visibilities exceeding 100 feet, and Kona, on the West Coast, is the “Billfishing Capitol of the World.”

Plan on lots of time to sitesee when on the Big Island. It takes a bit of time to get around our island and there is so much to see. We have dozens of gardens, parks and museums, many of which are absolutely free and several paid tours are available to such interesting and exotic places as the Mauna Kea Observatories, the Hawaii Botanical Gardens and, of course, Volcanoes National Park.