2 days in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)

Day by day

1. Day 1: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Kīlauea Iki Trail

   Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Kīlauea Iki Trail, then Maunakea in the evening.

   1. Breakfast

      Breakfast: Sweet bread

   2. Morning

      Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

      Crater Rim Drive and its overlooks look into the summit caldera and Halemaʻumaʻu crater, where eruptions in recent years have sometimes produced visible lava; steam vents, sulphur banks and short walks are nearby. Conditions change constantly, so the visitor centre and the park website give the latest on eruption activity and closures.

   3. Late morning

      Kīlauea Iki Trail

      You walk across a cracked, steaming crust of solidified lava before climbing back up the rim.

   4. Lunch

      Lunch: Poke

      Fish markets and supermarket poke counters in Kona and Hilo, and casual poke shops across the island.

   5. Evening

      Maunakea

      Stop at the visitor station for at least 30 minutes to acclimatise before going higher, and do not go to the summit with children under 13, if pregnant, or with heart or lung conditions.

2. Day 2: Hāpuna Beach and Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site

   Hāpuna Beach, Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Chain of Craters Road and Hilo Farmers Market, then Manta ray night snorkel in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hāpuna Beach

      A long crescent of white sand on the Kohala Coast, often ranked among Hawaiʻi's finest beaches, with lifeguards, picnic shelters and good swimming and bodyboarding in calm conditions.

   2. Late morning

      Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site

      A short trail from the visitor centre passes the heiau, and blacktip reef sharks are sometimes seen in the bay below.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Loco moco

      Diners and drive-ins in Hilo, plus local cafés across the island.

   4. Afternoon

      Chain of Craters Road

      There are no services along the way.

   5. Café break

      Café break: Kaʻū coffee

   6. Late afternoon

      Hilo Farmers Market

      Wednesdays and Saturdays are the main market days, with far more stalls.

   7. Evening

      Manta ray night snorkel

      Choose a small-group operator that follows the manta-viewing guidelines, and take seasickness tablets if you are prone to it.

Before you go

• Manta ray night snorkel: Tours fill up in peak seasons; book a few days ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in ʻImiloa Astronomy Center (Hilo): Check the planetarium schedule when you arrive and plan your visit around a show.
• Swap in Pacific Tsunami Museum (Hilo): Pair it with a walk along the bayfront, where open parkland now stands on land cleared after the tsunamis.
• Swap in Huliheʻe Palace (Kailua-Kona): Look across the road at Mokuʻaikaua Church, Hawaiʻi's oldest Christian church, built of lava stone and coral mortar.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 20–27 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11 hours in December to 13.3 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Car. Hire a car from Kona or Hilo airport; driving from Kona to Hilo over the Saddle Road takes about 1.5 hours, and Kona to the national park about 2.5 hours via the south.

More or fewer days

• One day in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
• 3 days in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
• 5 days in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)

Questions travellers ask