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Though everyone knows the island of Oahu, some are not very familiar with the Big Island, and some know next to nothing about it. The island is arguably the most historic island, and lends its name to the entire island chain. It is most commonly referred to as the Big Island, but it is the island of Hawaii. Many locals and residents call it Hawaii Island, and there are many incredible destinations all along its shores. This is the birthplace of King Kamehameha the Great, the site of continuous volcanic eruptions, and the place where Captain Cook made the western world’s discovery of the islands, hundreds of years after the voyagers from Polynesia landed here.
Before you start planning your vacation to Hawaii, or even before you’ve chosen the island that you are going to visit, take some time to get to know the Big Island and many interesting facts about the island.
Facts about the island of Hawaii (Big Island):
- Hilo and Kona are where many visitors travel to, but definitely give consideration to Waikoloa and the Kohala Coast.
- The island is made up of 5 volcanoes:
- Kohala - extinct
- Mauna Kea - dormant
- Hualalai - active
- Mauna Loa - active
- Kilauea - active
- Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea are the two most prominent volcanoes on the island, seen from most locations.
- Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world when measured from its base beneath the ocean’s surface. Taller even than Mt. Everest.
- Mauna Kea routinely receives snowfall and it is a short drive from the beach to the snow.
- Mt. Kilauea is the only active volcano in Hawaii, adding to the size of the island each and every day. In total, Kilauea has added more than 500 acres to the island.
- The island features many sites that date back to the earliest settlement of the islands, and is the place where King Kamehameha the Great was born.
- There are many ancient heiaus (temples) that are still standing, and even petroglyphs carved into lava rock at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
- The Big Island takes its nickname from the fact that it is big. More than twice the size of all the other islands combined.
- If you want to really explore the island, set off to discover the different colors of sand around the island. White sand beaches are everywhere, black sand beaches can be found near the volcano, and 1 of only 4 green sand beaches is found on the Big Island.
- Finding Papakolea Green Sand Beach takes quite the hike, but reaching this location requires a 5-mile round trip hike, which is positively stunning.
- The southernmost point in the United States is on the island at Ka Lae (South Point), and most interesting of all, the next closest piece of land is Antarctica.
Are you ready to visit the Big Island? There is so much to do and so many great things to see that this might instantly become your favorite Hawaiian Island.
Due to the high volume of visitors traveling to Hawaii year round, our Kona tours and Big Island activities sell out quickly. In many cases, tours sell out weeks or months in advance. To ensure your spots on tour, we recommend reserving your tours today. Call our office or book online to take advantage of our low price guarantee today.