If you are visiting the Kona side of the Big Island, a frequent jumping off point for exploring the western part of the Big Island is the town of Kailua-Kona. If you are looking for high quality snorkeling and a little taste of history, head south down Highway 190 to the town of Captain Cook. Take Napo’opo’o Road down to the beach where you will find a beautiful and sheltered bay known as . It was here at Kealakekua Bay, that Captain Cook was killed by the natives in 1779 in a dispute over the theft of a rowboat the natives had stolen from Cook’s ship, the HMS Resolution. A white obelisk monument stands in his honor on the north side of the bay. The snorkeling in these waters are some of the best in the islands. You can also rent canoes from the shore and easily explore this beautiful bay or take a swim in the peaceful and usually calm ocean waters.
- Captain
Cook Monument
If you visit Volcanoes National Park, be sure to take the drive down Chain of Craters Road for some interesting sights. Just before the 15 mile marker, check out the great view of the mountain lava flow and a lava tube on the left. A mile up the road, near mile marker 16 you can walk over to the Pu’u Loa Petroglyph Trail to see some interesting rock carvings carved into the hardened lava surface. This is the largest petroglyph area in the state. A boardwalk takes you around the area so you can get a good look some of the nice carvings. A mile up the road at mile marker 19 is the Holei Sea Arch. The ocean might has carved a huge arch in the rock here. It is an interesting sight and only a few minutes walk from the parking area. You will most likely be able to see the steam plume from here rising into the air from the current lava flow into the ocean.
The Holei Sea Arch
If you like history, just south of Kailua Kona near Kealakekua Bay, you can take a drive up Ke Ala o Keawe Road to Painted Church Road to visit St. Benedict’s Catholic Church or more simply known by the islanders as Painted Church. This little church, dating back to the late 1800’s is rich with hand-painted religious fresco paintings and deep koa wood lining the church interior. The church was moved from it’s original location in Honaunau to this location by Father John Velghe in 1899. Using only housepaint, Father Velghe painted the church walls so that the Hawaiians, most of whom could not read, could enjoy the teachings of the Catholic church. The church was restored in 1985 and is well worth a short visit to enjoy the beautiful interior artwork.
The town of Kailua, now known as Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii traces it’s roots back over 1,000 years. Originally, a small fishing village nestled around Oneo Bay and Kailua Bay beneath the shadow of Mount Hualalai Volcano, the town is now a popular resort destination on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Originally know simply as Kailua, the town received a name change in the 1950’s by the U.S. post office to help distinguish it from other towns know by the same name in the islands. Once a favorite area for Hawaiian royalty, today, it is an interesting beach town with good restaurants, shops, hotels, with a good sprinkling of historic places to share with interested visitors.The waterfront area is bright and vibrant and well worth spending some time walking up and down Alii Drive, the town’s “main drag.”
At the north end of Alii Drive next to the King Kamehameha Hotel, is one of Kailua-Kona’s most famous historic spots. This is the Kamakahonu compound where King Kamehameha spent his last years and died on May 8, 1819. Here, you can see the restored ‘Ahu’ena Heiau on a lava rock platform at the edge of the lagoon. From this spot, the great Hawaiian king had a panoramic view of the farming communities living on the side of the mountain in the area. Soon after the death of the great king, it was here that Queen Ka’ahumanu, his favorite wife, as a result of foreign influence, helped lead the overthrow of the “kapu” system of law that had been in place in the islands. She did this by eating with male members of the family and by eating a banana which had been forbidden to women. When nothing bad happened to her as a result of her actions, the old ways begin to crumble in favor of more western cultural practices. While Kamehameha lived here, he dedicated the heiau to the god Lono and filled it with European and Chinese furniture. Inside the nearby King Kamehameha Hotel, you can see portraits of the various Hawaiian royalty along the hotel lobby walls. Across the harbor is another royal retreat build by John Adams Kuakini, King Kamehameha’s brother in law called Huilihu’e Palace in 1838. The Palace received some earthquake damage in the recent earthquake but has now been repaired by the Daughters of Hawaii who oversee the museum. Across from the Palace is Moku’aikaua Church which was built in 1836 to replace Hawaii’s first Christian church which had been built in 1826 on this same spot. The new church was built with stones from a heiau. The original thatch building burned down but was rebuilt as it is today. The sanctuary has rich koa and ‘ohi’a wood furnishings and is worth a visit.
