The Virtual Driving & Discovering Hawaii Gay Big Island Guidebook, your guide to Hilo and Kona gay-friendly restaurants hotels, resorts and B&Bs, travel bargains, nude beaches, the very best that Hawaii’s Big Island has to offer the LGBT traveler
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Your Gay Hawaii Big Island guidebook, the insider LGBT virtual travel guide to erupting volcanoes, nude, black and green sand beaches, gay-friendly hotels, B&Bs, and even an eco-resort; tasty gourmet bargain restaurants, and eye candy.
Big Island Distances and Drive Times
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BIG ISLAND:
GAY HAWAII DEALS
TRAVELOCITY supports the LGBT Community in a big way, and has some special deals for LGBT Travelers. rik
Gay and Gay-Friendly BUSINESSES WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT:
Kopiko Plaza, 75-5660 Kopiko St., Kailua-Kona
Tel. (808) 329-8558
Kona's friendly neighborhood gay bar. The hottest DJ music, videos, dancing and drinks till 2 a.m. nightly.
75-5828 Kahakai Rd., Kailua-Kona
Tel. (808) 329-1493
The Islands' friendliest seafood restaurant features surf-side dining and dancing. Please call for reservations. At the water's edge, right next door, is the beach-ey and very informal Huggo's On The Rocks — the place to be for lunch, pupus and exotic beverages. We miss their not opening for breakfast anymore, but hopefully they’ll try that again when things pick up.
Gorgeous unobstructed ocean views are just one of the highlights of this beautiful PFLAG-owned vacation home located just 20 minutes from Hilo’s shopping centers. You will not find a more completely equipped or better-stocked vacation rental anywhere. Click here to see what awaits you for just $150 a night.
301 Ponahawai St., Hilo, HI 96720
Call Toll Free (800) 745-5049
Located in the heart of Hilo within walking distance of all the cafes, galleries and museums that make Hilo so wonderful. The famous Hilo Farmer’s Market is just a few blocks away.
Money talks, so throw yours at those that support the gay community.
Following are some of the LGBT Hawaii Traveler’s most loyal supporters.
Gay.com rated the top ten airlines as:
1. American Airlines
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2. JetBlue
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3. Air Canada
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4. United
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5. Continental
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6. Delta
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7. Northwest
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8. Southwest
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9. Alaska
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10. Spirit
Gay-friendly Hotels:
Outrigger Hotels
Aston Hotels
Hyatt Hotels
Westin Hotels
big island guidebook
Hale Ohia Cottages in Volcano Village
big island guidebook
The Big Island’s Gay Beaches
PHOTO: This photo is courtesy of the Kalani Oceanside Eco-Resort.
Kehena Beach / Hilo Side
Kehena Beach is located in the Puna Area of the Big Island off Highway 137, about a 30 minute drive south of Hilo. This is a "new" black sand beach that didn't exist before 1955. During that year, lava flows poured into the ocean at this place and formed a new point of land that provided a barrier allowing sand accumulation.
Due to its isolation, Kehena is one of the Big Island's favorite nude beaches. But because it faces the open sea, it is subject to heavy, punishing surf, so swimming should not be attempted unless conditions are very calm. Heavy surf generates serious undertows and rip currents, so please beware. In general, Kehena Beach is normally not a very desirable bodysurfing beach either, but it does have its good days. Sundays it is at its most crowded.
Black sand gets very hot, so bring foot covering. Ironwoods and coconut trees at the backshore provide some shady relief. There are no restrooms or other facilities, but there is a small parking area at the lookout from where this shot was taken.
Honokohau Beach / Kona Side
NOTE: There are sporadic crackdowns on nudity here. Check with locals
or google for recent occurrences.
The north end of Honokohau is also a nude beach. From Kona, head up Highway 19 towards the Kona Airport. Just outside of town look for the Honokohau Boat Harbor sign. Turn left/makai and head to Maliu Point and the entrance to the small boat harbor. Walk along the shoreline NORTH until you see some friendly people. The far end is the gay area.
67s Beach / Kona Side
67 Mile Beach, officially named Wailea beach is another clothing optional beach popular with the gays. Beach 67, on the north side of the bay, is smaller than popular neighboring 69s and is usually visited by the gay community. From Hwy. 19 turn into Puako Village at Mile Marker 71, then right onto old Puako Road. Access Beach 67 via the gravel road at telephone pole # 67, stay on this road until you get to the bluff, then hike down to the beach.
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big island guidebook
THE BIG ISLAND IS HUGE
The best way to see the Big Island is to book accommodations on both sides, which will save a lot of driving time.
The Kona side is the resort side, with sunny drier weather and white sand beaches. The Hilo side is wetter, much greener, with small dark sand beaches and lots of waterfalls, as well as the volcano flow, and Volcanoes National Park.
Volcano, a 40 minute uphill drive from Hilo, is another story entirely. Located at an elevation of 4000 feet, it is cool and fresh, with frigid winter mornings where temps sometimes dip into the 30s. During the summer, the temperatures remain in the cool, lovely 70s during the day, and nights are wonderfully cool. The top attraction is the volcanic landscape and Volcanoes National Park, and the lovely Hale Ohia Cottages, seen in the photos above. Gay owned and operated, everyone of course is welcome to this National Geographic Traveler Top Choice. Visit the Hale Ohia website here.
big island guidebook
People-Watching
On the Big island, the best places to see and meet new people are at the beach and shopping. Reading the Missed Encounters ads on Craigslist will reveal how many people there are out there who can’t even summon the courage to say hello to another, even in the most innocent of circumstances. So, sharpen up your social skills, be friendly and unthreatening, and you’ll soon be meeting other visitors and locals and maybe even end up with a date.
Any beach frequented by surfers is great for people watching, but most surfers are serious about the waves so don’t expect any lengthy conversations.
Guests at the Kalani Eco Resort frolic beneath Pee Pee Falls in Hilo. It’s not pronounced like it’s spelled :-)