JC98

Hi,

I'll be going to the Big Island around Thanksgiving time for 6 days. Do I really need a 4WD? Or a midsize car is good enough to get around?

How are the roads out there? I'm afraid the heavy rain in Nov. might wash out some roads?

I'm goint to try hitting all the must-sees on the island:
1) Volcano NP
2) Waimea Valley
3) Kona beaches
4) Mauna Kea -- I might consider taking a tour instead of driving there myself. BTW, could you please recommend a tour company?
5) Beaches in the south. Is the green sand beach really worth going? I read that you need 4WD to get there. From photos on the web, it doesn't look too impressive though?
6) Anything else?

Please advise.

Thanks!

Ida101

Some years ago we did all that by normal midsize car. No problem as long as you stay on the road.
Only inside Waipio valley is impossble, take an organised 4wd tour there.
Enjoy.

fdecarlo

As Ida101 mentioned, a 4WD is required to get to the floor of Waipio Valley. It would also save you ~5 miles of hiking if you visit the green sand beach. It's also highly recommended if you decide to drive to Mauna Kea summit. Other than that, a 2WD is fine.

As to whether the green sand beach is worth it, that's entirely a judgment call. The area is extremely sparse and it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Personally I love the austere atmosphere and raw, almost prehistoric feel of South Point. If you do go, be sure to hike down the cliff face to the beach -- it's far more impressive once you're there as opposed to just looking at it from above. It's also more impressive on sunny days when the light reflects off the peridot gemstone in the sand. On overcast days it just looks dull and kind of cruddy.

JC98

Thanks for your replies.

Do I really need to drive down to Waipio Valley, or I could hike down? How long and how difficult is the hike? We can manage day hikes pretty well.

I'd like to do the summit of Mauna Kea. Is it better to go to Mauna Kea from Hilo or Kona? Is it hard to drive on that road? Is there a tour that leaves from Hilo? Anything reasonable? They seem rather expensive -- $180 per person?

Also, has anyone tried doing the summit tour with the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy? They give free tours. How is that compared to the commercial tours?

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

Jolie

The rules might have changed, but the last time I went to the Big Island, some roads were still off-limits under the car rental agreement, including Saddle Road (leading to Mauna Kea), the road down to Waipio, and South Point (green sand beach).

Other than Mauna Kea (which you really have to drive to), I would suggest walking down to Waipio and the green sand beach, just to be safe.

monicapileggi

We just returned from Hawaii and rented a 2WD from Hertz (it was a Malibu, which it seemed everyone had one - I would have prefered a compact car to help save on gas costs - get your gas at Costco). For Mauna Kea, we thought we could use our car but at the information center, we were told NO. It was raining that day. We were able to get a lift with another couple to tour the observatories, which the information center does for free on the weekends. We drove everywhere and the only place we could have used the 4WD was at Mauna Kea. The drive on Saddle road was easy.

This is the link to my journal, which may help you: http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com/HIjrnl2005.html

Monica

highflyer

We've hiked down into the Waipio valley. We had a 4WD but my husband wasn't comfortable with driving down the hill!

It's not too bad going down but it is steep and took much longer to ascend (40min?). My kids (14yr&7yr) didn't find it difficult.
Make sure you have water and snacks. The beach is pretty and there's a waterfall you can only see from the bottom.

We're going to be on Big Island for Thanksgiving too and we're hoping to get up Mauna Kea this time...

JC98

Thanks to all who replied. The trip report was very useful. Great tip on getting gas from Costco. Didn't know Big Island is so developed! I gotta bring my Costco card now. Was the line very long like on the mainland?

Is it true that car rental companies don't allow you to drive on Saddle Road?

It looks like we can get by w/ a 2WD, as we may want to take the Mauna Kea tour. Any tours departing from Hilo? Is it less expensive to go from the Hilo side? We want something professional, safe with a knowledgeable, scientific guide.

Thanks all for your help!

Jolie

I'll try to post what I know, but I'm not an expert.

Hawaii has a "gas cap" law that mean the price of gas fluctuates week-to-week depending on the rates set by the public utilities commission. I hear the line at Costco gas (on Oahu) is really long, especially toward the end of the week, when prices are expected to rise on Monday. But with prices expected to fall, the lines aren't so bad.

I think it is a little faster to get to Mauna Kea observatory from Hilo than from Kona (it's about 35 miles from Hilo and takes about an hour to drive; it could be longer from Kona, depending on where you are staying - Kailua Kona v. Waikoloa, Hapuna Price, etc.).

The last time I went, none of the major rental car companies allowed us to drive on the Saddle Road, the road to South Point, the raod down to Waipio, or the road to Kamehameha's birth place. I walked the Waipio and south point areas, but I took my chances with the other two because (1) I really wanted to see the heiau and Kamehameha's birth place on the north tip, and (2) Saddle Road isn't really "off-road" like the other areas. It is pretty much paved and the chances that anything will happen to the car on this road are slim.

But, technically, I know I was not supposed to drive on those roads. My conscience lost out to my will to see the observatory.

I didn't take a tour from Hilo myself, but I would expect they have some.

crazy4Hawaii

Arnott's Lodge offers tours to Mauna Kea from the Hilo side. Less travel time and considerably less expensive than Mauna Kea Summit Adventures tours which depart from the Kona side. I hear good things about both but most of the guide books give MKSA a very high mark. Both companies have websites.

JC98

Thanks all for your replies. You really got me scared, so I booked my car. Now, it's accomodation...

Is Kohala a happening place? It looks like all the big resorts are there? Kona sounds like a bigger place.

Has anyone stayed at the Sheraton in Kona? I think it's new and it's not in the 2005 Fodor's book I have. Any opinions?

Also, how's the Royal Kona Resort? The writeup in Fodor's makes it sounds very good, but I've seen lesser opinions from travelers on tripadvisor.

Again, thanks for your enthusiasm and help!

JC98

Sorry for the last reply. It was for a different thread I had.

Regardless, thanks all for your helpful advice regarding car rental. I just rented a standard car. Hope that's sufficient. And I'll look into a summit tour, perhaps Arnott. Thanks!