For couples · Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · United States
Romantic things to do in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Pacific Tsunami Museum, Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
The Big Island suits couples who want more than a beach: stargazing on a volcano, glowing craters, manta rays by night and quiet coffee-country B&Bs. Couples tend to stay in Kohala Coast.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 4
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Kohala Coast
- Best months
- May and September–October
Plan a trip to Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Romantic ideas
1.Stargazing on Maunakea
Watch the sunset from the mountain, then stay for the stars at the visitor station.
2.Night snorkel with mantas
Float above manta rays feeding under lights off the Kona coast.
3.Volcano Village cabin
Stay in a rainforest cottage and visit the caldera before dawn.
4.Sunset on the Kohala Coast
Watch the sun set from a beach at ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay or Hāpuna, sometimes with whales offshore in winter.
Sights couples love
Experience · Kailua-Kona
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.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- After dark
- Nature
- Couples
- Active
Garden · Hilo
Liliʻuokalani Gardens
Visit early on a clear morning, when Maunakea is often visible across the bay before clouds build.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Experience · South Kona and Hōlualoa
Kona coffee farm visit
Look for '100% Kona' on labels; 'Kona blend' may contain only a small share of Kona beans.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Couples
- Outdoors
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families, beach and couples
Kohala Coast
North of the airport, the Kohala Coast is a string of resort areas, including Waikoloa, Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea, built on old lava flows around sheltered beaches such as Hāpuna and Kaunaʻoa. It is the sunniest, driest part of the island, with golf courses, ancient fishponds and petroglyph fields.
- Good
- Best beaches on the island; Reliable sunshine; Full-service resorts
- Watch out
- Expensive; Little local life outside the resorts; Long drive to Hilo and the volcano
- Nearby
- Hāpuna Beach, Puʻukoholā Heiau, Waikoloa petroglyphs, ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay
Romantic day trips
- North Kohala and Pololū Valley (About 1.25 hours each way by car) — Drive up the Kohala Coast, then through Hāwī and Kapaʻau to the end of the road at the Pololū Valley lookout.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Poke, Loco moco and Plate lunch. Lilikoʻi (passion fruit) and haupia (coconut) flavour many local desserts.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Big Island (Hawaiʻi) romantic?
The Big Island suits couples who want more than a beach: stargazing on a volcano, glowing craters, manta rays by night and quiet coffee-country B&Bs.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)?
Stargazing on Maunakea: Watch the sunset from the mountain, then stay for the stars at the visitor station.
+Where should couples stay in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)?
Kohala Coast: Resort enclaves on black lava fields with white-sand bays.