Destination Guide | The Big Island
SIZE MATTERS
By Carolyn Koenig
Business can be done in paradise.
That’s the opinion of Dawn Slykhouse, president of Face to Face Events in Santa Clara, Calif., who is bringing a client’s annual meeting to Hawaii this year for an unprecedented third time.
More specifically, that paradise is the Big Island of Hawaii, the largest of the chain and the most geographically diverse.
In fact, at 4,038 square miles, it’s larger than all the other islands combined. Its vast land mass encompasses such natural wonders as snow-capped mountains, tropical rainforests, an active volcano and sunny beaches—all within an hour or two’s drive of one another.
In spite of its size, however, you won’t need to use Google Earth to get your bearings. A mountainous spine runs north to south, creating a sun-drenched west side and a more humid, moist east side. North is the open range of paniolo (or cowboy) country; the south is agricultural, boasting also the southernmost tip of the United States.
Not surprisingly, most of the island’s resorts and hotels are clustered on the west side, where a mere 6 inches of rain per year assures the success of outdoor events.
“You can go to Vegas and have neon lights, or you can come to Hawaii and have an outdoor event under a billion stars,” says George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau.
The west side is fringed by the fabled Kona-Kohala Coast, a Riviera-like necklace sheltering oceanfront resorts and lengthy stretches of beach. The two coasts are linked by the historic town of Kailua-Kona, a bustling village that’s grown up but still walkable, with shops, restaurants and cafes to linger in.
The island’s east side has its own particular attractions and beauty, led by Hilo, the county seat and port town, plus lush waterfalls, wild orchids and gorgeous gardens. This is where you’ll find Kilauea volcano, whose pyrotechnics awe and whose lava flow—nearly continuous for the past 25 years—spills into the sea, adding steadily to the island’s land mass.
All compass points are united by a culture deeply rooted in its history, beginning with ancient Polynesian explorers, and by a people deeply connected to their land.
“This is the real Hawaii,” Applegate says. “The Aloha spirit is very much alive here.”
WHERE TO MEET
The Big Island’s resorts and hotels are your meeting destinations, the majority located on the Kohala portion of the western coast, tucked among palm trees and lush green foliage like oases among the lava fields. Arriving at Kona International Airport sets the tone for your experience. You can still disembark onto the tarmac at the airport, which creates an old-time, exotic feel, says Wendy Ottinger, vice president of sales and marketing for Trade-Winds Management Group (TMG), a full-service DMC in Hawaii.
“Groups today are looking for the exotic,” Applegate says, “and the Big Island is both exotic and part of the United States. You don’t need a passport.”
As a further lure, the island’s resorts are renovating and enhancing their properties with an eye toward meetings, adding and expanding ballrooms and function space and amping up their amenities.
For example, the Hilton Waikoloa Village is finishing up a $95-million, multiyear upgrade to the entire resort, including guest rooms, restaurants, the refurbishment of their 12 mahogany canal boats, high-speed Internet access in meeting rooms and more.
“The Hilton Waikoloa provides us with a large room block in one hotel,” says Slykhouse, who brings in 500 attendees from around the world for her client, a nonprofit association. “The Hilton Waikoloa offers a variety of room categories and menu selections, giving us the ability to meet our budget. This property is a reasonable alternative to some international destinations based on the current status of the U.S. dollar—and nobody complains about doing business in paradise!”
Plus, she says, “There’s great flexible meeting space with superior outdoor venue options, first-class networking services (absolutely critical for us), exceptional food and beverage options for banquets and/or personal dining.”
Other examples abound. The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa recently completed a $50-million upgrade of the 17-acre property, from top to bottom, with redesigned guest rooms, a new bi-level spa, an infinity-edged saltwater pool and, of special note, a 12,000-square-foot ballroom.
A little farther north on the coast, The Fairmont Orchid, in the renowned Mauna Lani Resort, has invested $15 million in a continuing renovation that has rejuvenated its 540 guest rooms and public areas, enhancing its sense of place. The Mauna Lani Resort recently opened its Hale Hoaloha Pavilion, a 10,800-square-foot pavilion that can be left open to enjoy the ocean breeze, or enclosed if you prefer.
Just south of the town of Kailua-Kona, the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa is fresh off a total refurbishment that included the addition of a freestanding, 20,290-square-foot conference center.
On the eastern side of the island, on the shores of Hilo Bay, Naniloa Volcanoes Resort is the primary draw for meeting groups, with a golf course on site and conference space. Gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, it’s the only luxe property in the area. Volcano House, its sister property,
is located inside the park, with views of Kilauea Caldera and the park’s other fascinating geology.
UNIQUE VENUES AND ATTRACTIONS
You’d expect that a destination with so many unique features would also have a wealth of unique spaces and attractions—and you’d be right.
A new event venue—which will hold about 5,000—is the Queens’ MarketPlace and Cultural Gardens, a 28-acre, $150-million project set to open this summer. The retail, dining and entertainment complex will have a 4,000-seat amphitheater and performance garden that will host events like the international hula competition or your own opening reception or final night gala.
Body Glove Cruises has introduced a new vessel, Kanoa II, a luxurious 65-foot catamaran certified for 149 passengers that’s available for private paties. Its sister boat, the Kanoa I, will get your group on—or in—the water on daily snorkel/dolphin sails and sunset cruises, plus whale watching in season.
At Kona Village Resort, a new, custom-made Ribcraft (Rigid Inflatable Boat) has seating for more than 20 and offers quick access from the shoreline to nearly two dozen nearby dive sites—a fun timesaver for meetings with a packed agenda.
For a beachside brainstorming session, Kona Village also offers a “Barefoot Meeting” set-up where your group sips coffee at a table, draws diagrams in the sand and takes a snorkel break in the afternoon. Imagine the creativity that scenario could inspire!
The Big Island is famous for its paniolos—in fact, 2008 is the official Year of the Paniolo in recognition of a slice of Hawaiian culture that dates back to 1792, when Capt. George Vancouver brought cattle to Hawaii as gifts for King Kamehameha I. Mexican cowboys taught the Hawaiians how to ride horses and raise cattle, skills that are still used today at the Parker Ranch in Waimea, one of the oldest and largest private ranches in the U.S.
Your group, too, can become paniolos on the Big Island, donning chaps, boots and hats, then saddling up for trail rides on hundreds of acres of unspoiled land, many with views of the ocean. Among the options are the Parker Ranch, which also has meeting and event space for large groups, and Kahua Ranch, where you can also hop on ATVs for another sort of round-up.
Golf isn’t an afterthought here. Dubbed “the golf capital of Hawaii,” the Big Island is home to 20 golf courses, including some of the most famous in the world. Your group can tee off at the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed Mauna Kea Golf Course and compare their scorecards with the best.
Encounters with dolphins—either swimming or paddling with them—are take-home experiences that resonate long after the return flight. You’ll find these at resorts like the Sheraton Keauhou, which has a morning package, and the Hilton Waikoloa, which is constructing a Dolphin Quest village for their school of dolphins, complete with educational seminars and a sandy beach.
On the windward side of the island, the University of Hawaii at Hilo has a conference center that can accommodate groups of 600 to 1,000. Here you can also participate in experiential learning programs with EDventures, interactive programs that break out of the four walls into “living classrooms,” where you can learn about Hawaii’s culinary arts, music and dance, or engage your brain with science programs tied to the state’s unique geology, astronomy and biology.
The Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii’s Planetarium, near the university, is a new, out-of-this-world experience for meeting-goers, whether post-meeting in the special events hall, which can accommodate up to 240 people, or another venue. Debuting this month is a new type of 3D projector that makes audiences feel like they are floating among the stars.
Probably the most popular sightseeing on the island is helicopter tours of Kilauea volcano—after all, very few places on earth offer an opportunity to look at its creation! Blue Hawaiian’s tours provide not only an aerial close-up of the volcano, but also of the sugar, coffee and macadamia nut fields and cattle ranches that make up the island’s agricultural bounty.
For a more down-to-earth adventure, check out Hawaii Forest and Trail. The company offers numerous guided tours, for novices as well as more hardy trekkers. Or try Hummer Safari Tours, which has tours in comfortable H-1 Hummers, traversing over scenic but often rugged terrain.
Team-building is all the buzz today, and Hawaii’s size and unique attributes play a role in them. For example, Hawaii Meeting Builders, a DMC that operates on all six major islands, offers outrigger canoe regattas, beach Olympics, treasure hunts and triathlons, inspired no doubt by the international Ironman Triathon held on the Big Island each fall. They’re sure to develop or sharpen the skills, leadership and creativity of any group!
Working with the local DMCs has another advantage—they’re able to arrange events like picnics, hikes, receptions and other activities on privately owned property for one-of-kind experiences. Imagine helicoptering in to a lush valley, hiking on untrampled trails to a waterfall and lunching on linen in a place that time seems to have forgotten. That can happen here.
Other enticing options for groups on the island are road rallies, building a boat or car, and junkyard wars, says TMG’s Ottinger.
But there’s one other team-building activity that’s becoming more prevalent in Hawaii—as in other parts of the country. “These days, customers are trying to find philanthropic options for team-building, whether it’s donating time at the local Humane Society or building an extension piece to a school playground,” she says. “Giving back through teamwork is the most popular request we get.”
The Big Island is where you’ll find an authentic Hawaii—and an island where diversity is the rule rather than the exception. “From eco-tourism to extreme sports, the Big Island has something for everyone,” Ottinger
says, “including Mai Tais in the sand at sunset.” Back to Top
More specifically, that paradise is the Big Island of Hawaii, the largest of the chain and the most geographically diverse.
In fact, at 4,038 square miles, it’s larger than all the other islands combined. Its vast land mass encompasses such natural wonders as snow-capped mountains, tropical rainforests, an active volcano and sunny beaches—all within an hour or two’s drive of one another.
In spite of its size, however, you won’t need to use Google Earth to get your bearings. A mountainous spine runs north to south, creating a sun-drenched west side and a more humid, moist east side. North is the open range of paniolo (or cowboy) country; the south is agricultural, boasting also the southernmost tip of the United States.
Not surprisingly, most of the island’s resorts and hotels are clustered on the west side, where a mere 6 inches of rain per year assures the success of outdoor events.
“You can go to Vegas and have neon lights, or you can come to Hawaii and have an outdoor event under a billion stars,” says George Applegate, executive director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau.
The west side is fringed by the fabled Kona-Kohala Coast, a Riviera-like necklace sheltering oceanfront resorts and lengthy stretches of beach. The two coasts are linked by the historic town of Kailua-Kona, a bustling village that’s grown up but still walkable, with shops, restaurants and cafes to linger in.
The island’s east side has its own particular attractions and beauty, led by Hilo, the county seat and port town, plus lush waterfalls, wild orchids and gorgeous gardens. This is where you’ll find Kilauea volcano, whose pyrotechnics awe and whose lava flow—nearly continuous for the past 25 years—spills into the sea, adding steadily to the island’s land mass.
All compass points are united by a culture deeply rooted in its history, beginning with ancient Polynesian explorers, and by a people deeply connected to their land.
“This is the real Hawaii,” Applegate says. “The Aloha spirit is very much alive here.”
WHERE TO MEET
The Big Island’s resorts and hotels are your meeting destinations, the majority located on the Kohala portion of the western coast, tucked among palm trees and lush green foliage like oases among the lava fields. Arriving at Kona International Airport sets the tone for your experience. You can still disembark onto the tarmac at the airport, which creates an old-time, exotic feel, says Wendy Ottinger, vice president of sales and marketing for Trade-Winds Management Group (TMG), a full-service DMC in Hawaii.
“Groups today are looking for the exotic,” Applegate says, “and the Big Island is both exotic and part of the United States. You don’t need a passport.”
As a further lure, the island’s resorts are renovating and enhancing their properties with an eye toward meetings, adding and expanding ballrooms and function space and amping up their amenities.
For example, the Hilton Waikoloa Village is finishing up a $95-million, multiyear upgrade to the entire resort, including guest rooms, restaurants, the refurbishment of their 12 mahogany canal boats, high-speed Internet access in meeting rooms and more.
“The Hilton Waikoloa provides us with a large room block in one hotel,” says Slykhouse, who brings in 500 attendees from around the world for her client, a nonprofit association. “The Hilton Waikoloa offers a variety of room categories and menu selections, giving us the ability to meet our budget. This property is a reasonable alternative to some international destinations based on the current status of the U.S. dollar—and nobody complains about doing business in paradise!”
Plus, she says, “There’s great flexible meeting space with superior outdoor venue options, first-class networking services (absolutely critical for us), exceptional food and beverage options for banquets and/or personal dining.”
Other examples abound. The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa recently completed a $50-million upgrade of the 17-acre property, from top to bottom, with redesigned guest rooms, a new bi-level spa, an infinity-edged saltwater pool and, of special note, a 12,000-square-foot ballroom.
A little farther north on the coast, The Fairmont Orchid, in the renowned Mauna Lani Resort, has invested $15 million in a continuing renovation that has rejuvenated its 540 guest rooms and public areas, enhancing its sense of place. The Mauna Lani Resort recently opened its Hale Hoaloha Pavilion, a 10,800-square-foot pavilion that can be left open to enjoy the ocean breeze, or enclosed if you prefer.
Just south of the town of Kailua-Kona, the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa is fresh off a total refurbishment that included the addition of a freestanding, 20,290-square-foot conference center.
On the eastern side of the island, on the shores of Hilo Bay, Naniloa Volcanoes Resort is the primary draw for meeting groups, with a golf course on site and conference space. Gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, it’s the only luxe property in the area. Volcano House, its sister property,
is located inside the park, with views of Kilauea Caldera and the park’s other fascinating geology.
UNIQUE VENUES AND ATTRACTIONS
You’d expect that a destination with so many unique features would also have a wealth of unique spaces and attractions—and you’d be right.
A new event venue—which will hold about 5,000—is the Queens’ MarketPlace and Cultural Gardens, a 28-acre, $150-million project set to open this summer. The retail, dining and entertainment complex will have a 4,000-seat amphitheater and performance garden that will host events like the international hula competition or your own opening reception or final night gala.
Body Glove Cruises has introduced a new vessel, Kanoa II, a luxurious 65-foot catamaran certified for 149 passengers that’s available for private paties. Its sister boat, the Kanoa I, will get your group on—or in—the water on daily snorkel/dolphin sails and sunset cruises, plus whale watching in season.
At Kona Village Resort, a new, custom-made Ribcraft (Rigid Inflatable Boat) has seating for more than 20 and offers quick access from the shoreline to nearly two dozen nearby dive sites—a fun timesaver for meetings with a packed agenda.
For a beachside brainstorming session, Kona Village also offers a “Barefoot Meeting” set-up where your group sips coffee at a table, draws diagrams in the sand and takes a snorkel break in the afternoon. Imagine the creativity that scenario could inspire!
The Big Island is famous for its paniolos—in fact, 2008 is the official Year of the Paniolo in recognition of a slice of Hawaiian culture that dates back to 1792, when Capt. George Vancouver brought cattle to Hawaii as gifts for King Kamehameha I. Mexican cowboys taught the Hawaiians how to ride horses and raise cattle, skills that are still used today at the Parker Ranch in Waimea, one of the oldest and largest private ranches in the U.S.
Your group, too, can become paniolos on the Big Island, donning chaps, boots and hats, then saddling up for trail rides on hundreds of acres of unspoiled land, many with views of the ocean. Among the options are the Parker Ranch, which also has meeting and event space for large groups, and Kahua Ranch, where you can also hop on ATVs for another sort of round-up.
Golf isn’t an afterthought here. Dubbed “the golf capital of Hawaii,” the Big Island is home to 20 golf courses, including some of the most famous in the world. Your group can tee off at the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed Mauna Kea Golf Course and compare their scorecards with the best.
Encounters with dolphins—either swimming or paddling with them—are take-home experiences that resonate long after the return flight. You’ll find these at resorts like the Sheraton Keauhou, which has a morning package, and the Hilton Waikoloa, which is constructing a Dolphin Quest village for their school of dolphins, complete with educational seminars and a sandy beach.
On the windward side of the island, the University of Hawaii at Hilo has a conference center that can accommodate groups of 600 to 1,000. Here you can also participate in experiential learning programs with EDventures, interactive programs that break out of the four walls into “living classrooms,” where you can learn about Hawaii’s culinary arts, music and dance, or engage your brain with science programs tied to the state’s unique geology, astronomy and biology.
The Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii’s Planetarium, near the university, is a new, out-of-this-world experience for meeting-goers, whether post-meeting in the special events hall, which can accommodate up to 240 people, or another venue. Debuting this month is a new type of 3D projector that makes audiences feel like they are floating among the stars.
Probably the most popular sightseeing on the island is helicopter tours of Kilauea volcano—after all, very few places on earth offer an opportunity to look at its creation! Blue Hawaiian’s tours provide not only an aerial close-up of the volcano, but also of the sugar, coffee and macadamia nut fields and cattle ranches that make up the island’s agricultural bounty.
For a more down-to-earth adventure, check out Hawaii Forest and Trail. The company offers numerous guided tours, for novices as well as more hardy trekkers. Or try Hummer Safari Tours, which has tours in comfortable H-1 Hummers, traversing over scenic but often rugged terrain.
Team-building is all the buzz today, and Hawaii’s size and unique attributes play a role in them. For example, Hawaii Meeting Builders, a DMC that operates on all six major islands, offers outrigger canoe regattas, beach Olympics, treasure hunts and triathlons, inspired no doubt by the international Ironman Triathon held on the Big Island each fall. They’re sure to develop or sharpen the skills, leadership and creativity of any group!
Working with the local DMCs has another advantage—they’re able to arrange events like picnics, hikes, receptions and other activities on privately owned property for one-of-kind experiences. Imagine helicoptering in to a lush valley, hiking on untrampled trails to a waterfall and lunching on linen in a place that time seems to have forgotten. That can happen here.
Other enticing options for groups on the island are road rallies, building a boat or car, and junkyard wars, says TMG’s Ottinger.
But there’s one other team-building activity that’s becoming more prevalent in Hawaii—as in other parts of the country. “These days, customers are trying to find philanthropic options for team-building, whether it’s donating time at the local Humane Society or building an extension piece to a school playground,” she says. “Giving back through teamwork is the most popular request we get.”
The Big Island is where you’ll find an authentic Hawaii—and an island where diversity is the rule rather than the exception. “From eco-tourism to extreme sports, the Big Island has something for everyone,” Ottinger
says, “including Mai Tais in the sand at sunset.” Back to Top
Getting There
It’s easier than ever to meet on the Big Island, with daily direct flights into Kona International Airport on major carriers from L.A., San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Chicago. Aloha Airlines begins new direct service from San Diego to Kona this month (they already fly out of Oakland and Orange County); plus, Delta will launch a new daily direct flight between L.A. and Kona in June.
All major carriers fly into Honolulu International Airport, where it’s a short hop to Kona (35 minutes) or Hilo (40 minutes). Aloha, Hawaiian, Island Air, Mokulele and go! Airlines service both airports.
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Back to TopFast Facts
| Population | 1,211,537 |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 10 ft |
| Temperature | 60°f - 87°f |
| Nearest Airport | Hilo International Airport |
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