The Big Island is formally known as simply Hawai'i. It is not only the largest island in Hawaii, but also the largest in the United States. The Big Island is a remarkably diverse island, in terms of climate and biology. The beaches are often overlooked compared to the other Hawaiian islands, but they are also incredibly diverse. From soft white sand beaches, to strikingly beautiful black sand beaches, the island offers some once-in-a-lifetime destinations. The majority of the residents live in one of the two population centers. Hilo is the island capital and it sits on the east coast. Kona is on the west side of the island.
The Big Island claims eight of the 13 climate zones in the world. There are very few spots on earth where one can experience so much diversity in such a small area of land.
The Big Island was created from the eruption of five volcanoes. The island is still growing, as three of the volcanoes are still active. The Kilauea volcano is the biggest tourist attraction as it offers the unique experience of seeing eruptions and lava.
Speaking of volcanoes, Mauna Kea is one of the dormant ones on the island. Little known fact - when measuring mountains from the sea floor base to its highest peak, Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world.
White, black, and even green... the Big Island has some wild sand. Hapuna White Sand Beach offers some of the best snorkeling. Papakolea Green Sand Beach is one of the most photographed beaches on the island. It is made of green crystal sand. Punalu'u Beach is Hawaii's most well-known black sand beach. It is a fantastic spot for seeing turtles.
Hawaii has very steady temperatures throughout the year. The highs in January are 79 degrees while in July they average 83 degrees. Trip planning mostly comes down to avoiding the crowds. The winter holidays are very crowded. Hawaii is regularly rainy, but especially in November and December.
The best months for avoiding crowds are April and May. Hotel prices drop with the demand of the seasonal travelers.
Summer weather looks like the the rest of the year. The island can get crowded with families on summer vacation.
Like the spring months, fall can be a good time to target smaller crowds and lower rates.