After soaking up six weeks of pure paradise on Mo’orea—one of our absolute favorite tropical islands on earth—and a quick stopover in Tahiti, we boarded a Hawaiian Airlines flight. Our 11-year round-the-world (RTW) journey was rolling right along, and our endless craving for South Pacific adventure was as strong as ever.
The big question facing Barbie and me: Which Hawaiian island should we call home for the next six weeks?
We had Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island on the table, and the elimination process began immediately.
- Maui: Quickly ruled out. We’ve visited a dozen times and actually spent two years there happily waiting out the Covid pandemic while the world reopened. We were ready for something new.
- Oahu: On a previous leg of our global tour, we explored the laid-back beach towns of Kailua and Lanikai. While the beaches are stunning, the vibe felt a bit too crowded with California transplants for our taste. And Honolulu and Waikiki? Way too bustling and not quite the Hawaiian experience we were looking for.
- Kauai: This was a strong contender. We’ve stayed on the serene north shore many times before and loved the idea of renting a sleepy Airbnb in Hanalei or Haena to completely get away from it all.
But ultimately, the rugged allure of the Big Island (Hawaii) won us over.
We were itching to explore its vast, trippy and otherworldly landscapes. We wanted the waterfalls, the glow of the active Kīlauea volcano, brilliant starlit nights, and those refreshing trade winds that make air conditioning completely unnecessary. And of course, the quirky local charm, too—like the families of goats wandering across the black lava rock and the nonstop soundtrack of tropical birds.
Plus, practically speaking, we knew we could hit up the Kona Costco to stock up on $4.99 rotisserie chickens and grilling meats for nightly barbecues.
☕ Hot Tip:
If you’re looking for world-class coffee, bypass the stores. Tuesday through Saturday until 3:30 PM, look for a lady named Marina parked right outside the Kona Costco. She sells the freshest, Grade-A Kona Coffee grown locally on Ahi Wai Farms.
Scouting the Best Big Island Beaches
Most importantly, we needed to revisit some of our favorite stretches of sand in the world, home to the most vibrant blue water outside of Australia and French Polynesia. Here is how our top four shaped up:
- Kua Bay (Manini’owali Beach): A spectacular spot to relax, swim, and catch some incredible, waves.
- Hapuna Beach: A massive, postcard-perfect crescent of flawless white sand.
- Makalawena Beach: A hidden gem that requires a bit of a trek to reach. Because of the hike, the crowds stay away, leaving you to share a secluded paradise with sea turtles, wild goats, and roaming roosters.
- Beach 69 (Waialea Bay): This spot feels wonderfully wild. It also happens to overlook a unique house on a peninsula and once owned by rock legend Neil Young, who sold his bluff estate back in 2015. He famously called this place his “magical healing retreat,” and it’s easy to see why.
Waimea to the Kohala Coast:
Whenever we finally wrap up our RTW journey, if we aren’t relaxing in southern Thailand, we’ll likely settle down permanently on one of these Hawaiian islands. With that future in mind, we spent our first week on a farm in Waimea to see what long-term, non-touristy life would feel like. We absolutely fell in love with the local rhythm—the weekend farmer’s markets and munching out at all the great restaurants in town.
For the remaining five weeks, we migrated to the sun-drenched Kohala Coast. While we couldn’t score an Airbnb in the Mauna Lani development we loved back in 2010, we found a beautiful alternative just a mile south at The Shores at Waikoloa. It gave us the perfect, peaceful base.
Our five weeks flew by, but the Big Island solidified itself as a top contender for our eventual retirement from full-time travel.
Next Stop: Low Season Luxury in Thailand
But for now, the road calls and it time to move on. We will be spending the next three months on the islands of southern Thailand. Big Doug’s old bones and muscles need some attention. I just cannot wait to get those $15 per hour Thai massages to stretch Big Doug’s aging old muscles. Thai food everyday and massages every other day. Barbie and I are simple people with simple needs.
Big Doug & Barbie Drop Out of Society 