| The town of Kailua Kona is the crown jewel on the | | | | many years, the Palace was used by Hawai'ian |
| island of Hawaii and the beating heart of the Kona | | | | royalty as an official residence and summer get-away |
| Coast. A sleepy fishing village not so long ago, Kailua | | | | palace, a place of great galas and parties, but |
| Kona is now the metropolitan center of West | | | | abandoned to ruin in 1914. Since 1928 the Palace has |
| Hawaii's burgeoning economy and exploding | | | | been operated as a museum by the Daughters of |
| population. Founded by King Umi in the 1500's, Kailua | | | | Hawai'i. The Palace Gift Store has many fine art items |
| Kona served as the social, religious and political capital | | | | and hard-to-find books on Hawai'iana. |
| of Hawaii for several hundred years. Deeming it the | | | | The museum is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| loveliest spot in all the Hawaiian Islands, King | | | | and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There |
| Kamehameha the Great ruled his island empire during | | | | are friendly and knowledgeable docents who give |
| the final years of his reign from here. | | | | free tours, which last about 45 minutes. Admission is |
| Exploring the downtown area from the King | | | | $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $1 for students; |
| Kamehameha Beach Resort to the Honl's Beach on | | | | photographing inside the museum is forbidden. The |
| the south provides a couple hours pure enjoyment: | | | | palace sustained considerable damage during the |
| easy walking along the incomparable turquoise Kona | | | | earthquake of 2007 and is currently undergoing |
| Coast under the warm, sapphire Hawaii sky, past | | | | renovation. |
| ancient temples, missionary churches, intriguing and | | | | The Kona Inn is of particular historic significance, as it |
| unique shops and wonderful restaurants. It is easy, | | | | was the first destination resort to open in West |
| walking here, to understand how one can be | | | | Hawai'i and it ushered in the era of tourism along the |
| completely seduced by the magic of the Big Island. | | | | Kona Coast. Built on the site of Papa 'Ula (red flats) |
| Kailua Kona is a town made for walking, so start by | | | | where a temple of human sacrifice was built by High |
| parking your car. On the north side of town, | | | | Chief Umi, today the Kona Inn features many unique |
| abundant for-pay parking is available at the King | | | | and interesting shops and fine restaurants. |
| Kamehameha Beach Hotel. Free parking on this end | | | | The Inn fronts on a large, palm-shaded lawn that |
| of town is available at Triangle Parking, between | | | | leads to a seawall and the ocean. This area is open |
| Kuakini Highway and Ali'i Drive. About half-way | | | | to the public and is a really grand place for picnicking, |
| through town, by the Farmer's Market and Hale | | | | watching whales and dolphin and the fabulous Kona |
| Halawai Park, is a large area of free parking. On the | | | | sunsets. |
| south side of town there is abundant free parking at | | | | The Kailua Farmer's Market, open Wednesday |
| the Coconut Grove shopping area, and at Honl's | | | | through Sunday, lies in the parking lot at the corner |
| Beach. | | | | of Ali'i Drive and Hualalai Road between the Public |
| Let's start exploring Kailua Kona on the north and | | | | Library and Hale Halawai Park. The market offers a |
| work our way south. The thatched structure | | | | wide and intriguing variety of fresh produce, |
| surrounded by carved wooden idols across from the | | | | hand-made local arts and crafts, Hawai'iana and other |
| pier is 'Ahu'ena Heiau, an ancient and sacred temple | | | | types of souvenirs. |
| site. A temple (or Heiau) has existed on this spot | | | | The grounds and oceanfront of Hale Halawai Park |
| since at least the first millennium, and as recently as | | | | offer a peaceful, shady place for taking a rest from |
| the 15th century was occupied by a temple of | | | | a busy tour of bustling downtown Kailua, or watching |
| human sacrifice (or luakini Heiau) dedicated to the | | | | whales and dolphin and the unmatched Kona sunsets. |
| war god Kuka'ilimoku. In 1812, King Kamehameha I | | | | Frequently honu (sea turtles) and boogey boarders |
| ordered the heiau enlarged, rebuilt, rededicated as | | | | can be watched from the seawall. Featuring coconut |
| 'Ahu'ena Heiau ("hill of fire"), a temple of peace and | | | | palms, a neatly manicured lawn, picnic tables and a |
| prosperity dedicated to the fertility god Lono. | | | | seawall, the large, Polynesian-style pavilion is used for |
| The current structures seen at 'Ahu'ena Heiau were | | | | everything from community gatherings to orchid |
| re-built in 1975 under the auspices of the Bishop | | | | shows to wedding receptions. |
| Museum with financial help from the Hotel King | | | | Historic St. Michael's Church was the first Catholic |
| Kamehameha and are constructed to 1/3 the original | | | | Church in West Hawai'i. The church offers services in |
| scale. | | | | English and Spanish throughout the week, but is |
| Three delightful, but tiny, beaches grace the | | | | primarily of historic interest; the burial plots in the |
| immediate downtown area. The snorkeling from | | | | cemetery date from 1855. In 1940, during less |
| these small beaches is spectacular and strangely | | | | "ecologically aware" times, resident priest Father |
| uncommon. A beautiful coral garden and vibrant reef | | | | Benno Evers had his parishioners gather 2500 coral |
| fish can be seen snorkeling along the shoreline off | | | | heads to build the grotto in front of the church, |
| 'Ahu'ena Heiau where fish, turtles and eels are | | | | which covers the church's original well. The seafloor in |
| abundant in Kailua Bay. | | | | Kailua Bay has yet to recover from this pillaging of |
| During the winter of 1819 to 1820, Congregationalist | | | | coral heads. This historic church sustained considerable |
| missionaries from Boston crossed the Atlantic Ocean | | | | damage during the earthquake of 2007. |
| enduring 5 months of intense stormy weather while | | | | Coconut Grove and Waterfront Row cap the |
| headed for a new life in Hawai'i. In March of 1820, the | | | | southern end of the Kailua Village shopping district |
| missionaries sailed into the balmy waters of Kailua | | | | along Ali'i Drive, starting next to the Hale Halawai |
| Bay and landed at Kamakahonu Rock (eye of the | | | | County Park and ending at the Royal Kona Resort. |
| turtle), the "Plymouth Rock" of Hawai'i, which now | | | | Newer and more metropolitan that its sister shopping |
| supports the Kailua Pier. | | | | district to the north, Coconut Grove and Waterfront |
| Mokuaikaua Church, built under the leadership of | | | | Row have almost everything, from tattoos to |
| missionary Asa Thurston between 1835 and 1837, | | | | souvenirs to Hawai'iana, fine art, musical instruments, |
| was specifically aligned so that the prevailing breezes | | | | sundries, groceries and clothing. The range of cuisines |
| would pass through it, but also so that it presented a | | | | available from restaurants here sweeps from local |
| strong, stone façade to the south and west, | | | | flavor to Thai, the Hard Rock Cafe to poi crepes to |
| the direction from which strong Kona Winds, large | | | | pizza and burgers. |
| storms and hurricanes come. The 112-foot steeple | | | | Between the Royal Kona Resort and Hale Kona Kai |
| was for many decades the highest structure in Kailua | | | | Resort is a fabulous tide pool that is completely |
| and served as a navigation landmark both for ships at | | | | protected from all but the most vicious winter surf. It |
| sea and people on land. | | | | boasts a moderate population of reef fish and even |
| The church is constructed of rough-hewn basalt | | | | the occasional turtle! The water sometimes can be a |
| blocks mortared with lime made from burnt coral and | | | | bit murky, but it makes a nice place to take small |
| bound with kukui nut oil. The corner stones were | | | | children or beginning snorkelers. Drive into the |
| taken from a heiau built on the same spot by King | | | | entrance for the Royal Kona Resort and continue |
| Umi in the fifteenth century. The interior beams and | | | | south past it until you see the blue and white |
| woodwork are of koa wood. The joints were | | | | Shoreline Access sign; find a place to park, go down |
| painstakingly joined with ohi'a wood pins; this is a | | | | the stairs to the tiny beach and enjoy! |
| magnificent example of the architectural style | | | | Lovely but compact, Honl's County Beach Park is a |
| brought to Hawai'i by the missionaries in the 19th | | | | small beach on the southern outskirts of Old Kailua |
| century. | | | | Town. A favorite spot for surfers and boogie |
| The inside of the church is beautiful, cool and inviting, | | | | boarders it also has very nice snorkeling and is an |
| and visitors are welcome between services and on | | | | excellent place to view the sunset and picnic. |
| weekdays between sunrise and sunset; admission is | | | | Remember when going into the water here, there is |
| free. There is a fascinating mini-museum, small but | | | | a fairly strong current to the north, so stay in the |
| informative, which is open daily from sunrise to | | | | shallow reef area close to the beach. Parking is |
| sunset and free tours are conducted from 10 a.m. to | | | | located on both sides of Ali'i Dr., but can be tight here |
| noon and 1 to 3:30 p.m. The Museum features | | | | in times of good surf, and crossing Ali'i Dr. drive can |
| exhibits about Hawai'i, the life of the missionaries and | | | | be a bit dangerous at certain times of the day. A |
| contains a scale model of the Brig Thaddeus. | | | | new bathroom with showers and running water has |
| Hulihe'e Palace was built by High Chief (later | | | | recently been constructed on the mauka-uphill--side |
| Governor) James Kuakini in 1838 as a home. For | | | | of the road. |