Hawaii
Kona
"Bound for Hawaii (a hundred and fifty miles distant), to visit the great volcano and
behold the other notable things which distinguish that island above the remainder of the group,
we sailed from Honolulu on a certain Saturday afternoon, in the good schooner Boomerang...
It was compensation for my sufferings to come unexpectedly upon so beautiful a scene as met my eye -
to step suddenly out of the sepulchral gloom of the cabin and stand under the strong light of the moon -
in the center, as it were, of a glittering sea of liquid silver; to see the broad sails straining in the gale,
the ship keeled over on her side, the angry foam hissing past her lee bulwarks, and sparkling sheets of spray
dashing high over her bows and raining upon her decks; to brace myself and hang fast to the first object that presented itself,
with hat jammed down and coattails whipping in the breeze, and feel that exhilaration that thrills in one's hair and quivers
down his backbone when he knows that every inch of canvas is drawing and the vessel cleaving through the waves at her utmost speed."
- Mark Twain, 1866
Three volcanoes divide the Big Island of Hawaii—Hualalai, Mauna Kea, and Mauna Loa. The town of Hilo sits on the eastern, windward side of the island, while Kona lies on the western, leeward side. In the Hawaiian language, "kona" means "leeward" or "dry side," and true to its name, the region enjoys sunnier skies. Nowhere else on Earth can you witness the raw forces of land formation quite like you can in Hawaii. Beneath the island lies a volcanic hotspot, steadily pushing molten rock upward. This magma erupts from the three volcanoes, flowing outward as lava—a process that created the entire Hawaiian archipelago.
Kona is famous worldwide as the home of the annual Ironman World Championship Triathlon, held in October. History also marks its soil—the Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park commemorates the site where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779.
For travelers, Kona is a dream destination—offering endless sun, adventure, and some of the planet's most breathtaking geography. With its diverse microclimates, stunning coastlines, and deep-rooted Hawaiian culture, it’s nearly impossible not to fall in love with the Big Island. If you haven’t yet added it to your list, now's the time.
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