Aloha!

Last week Tim and I finally went on our first Hawaiian vacation.  This has been on our bucket list for many years and it was wonderful to finally check this one off the list.  We decided on the Big Island because we like to explore and seeing the volcanoes were high on our priority list.  We are not much for laying on a beach but really enjoy walking them and swimming in the ocean. So we found a great resort in Waikoloa Beach which is about half hour north of Kona that was right on the beach. Here are a few pictures from our first walk.

  

Because of the 4 hour time difference we were up pretty early each morning so the beach was empty.

We rented a 2 person kayak to explore the bay and the reefs.  Saw some fish and a few sea turtles in the distance poking it head above water briefly.

I was intrigued by the workers trimming the coconut trees with a machete.  They have a lot of skill using the metal ring 'climbing contraptions' on their feet!  Not easy work at all in the hot sun.

Tim noticed this Praying Mantis on one of the fallen leaves, guess he got chopped out of his home!

We went to a Luau which was very entertaining and the food was fabulous.  The sunset that night was spectacular too.

Half hour after sunset the blue hour was pretty good too!

Checked out Hapuna beach, one of the best/beautiful white sand beaching on the island in my opinion.

Then off to Pololu Valley Lookout,  it was too hot to walk down to this beach, for me anyway!

Next stop Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park.  Love the colour of the water here as it breaks on the rocks!

Lovely walk to Akaka Falls, now we are on the tropical eastern side of the island.  I'll stop here and continue with our trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in the next post.