"Leeward Paradise" Kailua-Kona by DSwede

Located on the leeward side of the volcanic range, Kona is a topical paradise. A windy day is one where the flags just flutter a little bit, and the temperatures are hot in the sun and comfortable in the shade.

I first came here decades ago, on a round-the-island trip with the family. I remember it was a quiet town and while it is still an early-to-bed community, it is larger than it was before.

Kailua-Kona in my opinion is one of the most laid back and relaxed of the holiday destinations in Hawaii. Compared to someplace like Waikiki, it is a relative ghost town.

There has been some development over the years and strip malls and retail stores have been built, but they are up the hill and out of the way of where 99% of the tourists will go.

The thing about Kailua-Kona is that it is a residential area not a resort area, split demographically mainly between retirees and younger sun/surf worshippers. It does have a central tourist and shopping zone, but you can walk that in a short time. But mainly you're just coming to briefly get a dose of what people perceive as island life.

Natural Corkscrew

But now thankfully I have family living there, so I have opportunity to drop in a bit more frequently.

To the north of Kona, there are some large stretches of rugged lava beds. Some are ancient, but some are only a few decades old. But they will take centuries more before becoming the fertile land like those to the other corners.

Feel free to visit some of my other pages on Hawaii, spreading over a couple year's worth of trips over many of the islands.

(for more pictures, feel free to visit my USA Gallery. If you enjoy the pictures, please leave a comment.)

• Pros:Wonderful calm weather all year round
• Cons:A bit on the expensive side
• In a nutshell:A healthy mix of active retirees and young surfers