Tuesday, March 29
We arrived at Kona International Airport at 9:30 a.m. Picked up the rental car and rolled around looking for breakfast. Found it at an Italian restaurant in some fancy-pants resort area; not the most authentic of island eateries, but it did the trick. Then, it was time to hit the beach!
On the recommendation of our trusty Lonely Planet guidebook, we headed over to Kekaha Kai State Park. There were a fair amount of people around, but it wasn't crowded, and the water was nice. While we were there, a group of dolphins swam by:
After a little swimming, we headed south to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. They have a small visitors center where you park and then hike down to the ocean. On the way, you can walk a small loop that displays a few ancient petroglyphs. Down at the beach, there are the remains of the 1.7 acre 'Ai'opio Fishtrap and, as below, what look to be some historic reconstructions (a tower in the foreground and a large shelter in the background).
A fellow park visitor told us that a sea turtle was hanging out on the sand, but we couldn't find it. After wandering around a little, we headed back to the car and drove to Kailua-Kona, where we were to stay the night. After grabbing a plate of kalua pig at Big Island Grill, we checked in at our hostel:
The Koa Wood Hale Inn was the cheapest place listed in Lonely Planet, and it was excellent. We did spring for our own room, but the price was still quite low. The staff was friendly and the building was very quiet.And that, folks, was the first day of our honeymoon. Stay tuned for more!
