Why Hilo, Hawaii Should Be Your Next Island Escape
When most people imagine Hawaii, they picture the resorts of Waikiki or the manicured beaches of Maui. Hilo, the largest city on the Big Island’s rainy, lush, eastern coast, is something entirely different.
It’s the Hawaii that existed before the resort era: a working small city with an extraordinary natural landscape, a deeply genuine local culture, a thriving farmers market, and an access point to some of the most dramatic volcanic scenery on earth. Here’s why Hilo deserves your full attention.
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Hilo is the closest town to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on the planet.
Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, offers the rare and humbling experience of watching the earth literally create itself in real time. The Chain of Craters Road, lava tube walks, and steam vents all provide direct encounters with geological forces of staggering power and scale.
Akaka Falls & Rainbow Falls
Within minutes of downtown Hilo, two of Hawaii’s most spectacular waterfalls await. Akaka Falls drops 442 feet through a cathedral of tropical jungle, one of the most beautiful waterfall scenes in the Pacific.
Rainbow Falls, even closer to town, earns its name from the permanent rainbows formed in its mist on sunny mornings. Both are easily accessible and, outside of peak tourist hours, remarkably peaceful.
The Hilo Farmers Market
Operating every Wednesday and Saturday, the Hilo Farmers Market is one of the most vibrant, authentic, and delicious markets in all of Hawaii.
Local farmers sell papayas, rambutans, dragon fruit, and macadamia nuts alongside orchid leis, local honey, fresh poke, and Filipino, Japanese, and Hawaiian prepared foods.
It’s a window into the genuine daily life of Hilo’s remarkably multicultural community, and the best way to spend a morning on the Big Island.
Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
About an hour south of Hilo, Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is one of the most visually striking beaches in the Hawaiian islands.
The jet-black volcanic sand, formed when lava meets the ocean and shatters, creates a dramatic contrast with turquoise water and green sea turtles that haul out on the beach to bask.
Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu) are a protected species, and seeing them resting on this otherworldly beach is a genuinely moving experience.