Discover Kailua-Kona
The Polynesians long ago found this to be an island of such staggering majesty and such incredible power and beauty that they bestowed upon it the name of their heaven, Hawai´i.

With the arrival of western man all of the Hawaiian islands came to be known as Hawai´i – and this island, which had alone carried the honor, came to be known as the Big Island.

The Big Island
Although this name is certainly far less poetic, it’s a name that accurately describes this beautiful island. With a land mass twice as large as all the other islands combined, the Big Island’s skies are dominated by two snow-capped lofty giants, Mauna Kea rising almost 13,800 feet and Mauna Loa just a few feet shorter. If measured from the ocean floor these island-based mountains are actually 32,000 feet high making them the largest to be found anywhere on earth.

The big island is also home to 10 of the 12 climate zones of the world from the frigid top of Mauna Kea mountain to the arid Ka`u dessert and nine other climactic zones in between. Lush tropical rain forests give way to sweeping vistas of ranchland and stretches of shoreline highlighted by white sand beaches.

The Big Island also boasts one of the world’s largest orchid industries. Some 22,000 varieties grow in Hilo’s nurseries. But the superlatives of this island do not end here. The Big Island’s Parker Ranch could quite possibly be the worlds largest privately owned cattle ranch, stretching across 225,000 acres of the rolling meadows of Waimea. The Big Island’s dry wilderness district of Ka´u is also the southern most point in the United States. The Big Island is the states largest agricultural producer. You will find plantations of our superb Kona coffee and macadamia nut trees, and stands of fruit trees of every imaginable variety, vegetables, and papayas all growing in abundance. We even host the most brutal athletic event, the Big Island’s Ironman Triathlon.

Aloha Spoken Here
But the most important aspect of the Big Island is that it is an island to enjoy. Our legendary deep-sea big-game fishing, world-class scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking, our collection of 17 championship golf courses with breathtaking ocean views, plus the laid-back charms of classic island beach towns complete with smiling, friendly locals, great shops and galleries and gourmet restaurants, every air, land, and ocean activity imaginable, plus truly authentic Hawaiian entertainment makes this island the ultimate expression of what Hawai´i is really all about.

Interested in a more sophisticated approach? Then spend your evenings sampling the finest culinary cuisine imaginable including Italian, Japanese, Pacific Rim, Hawaiian, Mediterranean, Steak and Seafood, and our world famous Luaus.Today, approximately 137,000 people from different races and cultural backgrounds call the Big Island home. They have come from around the world and have blended to create a fascinating, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic mosaic of arts and culture— as diverse as the Big Island’s terrain, climate, scenery and natural wonders. We invite you to let us make your dream of living in paradise come true by making the island where Aloha is spoken your home.