Mike Yardley: Kona Coast delights in Hawai'i

"After taking my fill of nature’s feisty features at Volcanoes National Park, the sun, the sand and the coastal draws of the Big Island were calling. The Kona Coast is a 100km long sweep along Hawai’i’s western coast, brimming with attractions and experiences that smashed my expectations. Lined with lava fields, coffee farms, and some of Hawaii’s most beautiful coastline, I wish I’d set aside more time on the Big Island to delve into its numerous delights. There are charms at every turn. The beating heart of the tourist scene is Kailua-Kona, the colourful and bustling town a short distance from Kona Airport. It incorporates Kailua Village which once a sleepy fishing village and retreat for Hawaiian royalty."

Read Mike's full article here.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks A B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
And Mike Yardley is our travel correspondent to Mike.

Speaker 3 (00:17):
Kilder, Jack, I have a question, what are you most
excited about, Jack Tane. Would it be tomorrow morning's test
or Wednesday's presidential debate?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Oh? I reckon, I reckon. This is my my the
three things I'm most excited about presidential debate clearly ahead,
followed followed by the All Blacks Test, but followed very
closely by a game that isn't getting much attention, the
All Whites first Mexico tomorrow afternoon. And I'm also very
excited about where are they playing that?

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Sorry, where are they playing?

Speaker 2 (00:47):
They're playing in California, so yeah, it could be interesting.
I think they're going to probably be a few more
Mexican fans than Keiwis. And it's a tough that's a tough.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yeah, it's messed us last time, didn't.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah, I think we've yeah, yeah, they hadn't been easy.
But and then we're playing Team USA after that, so
tracky time. But it's good to be experience against top
level opposition. But the Wednesdays, I mean Wednesday's debate is
going to be it's going to be amazing. Yeah, it's
I just think there's a you know, like there are
there are a few moments and presidential campaigns that often

(01:22):
define heaps of the momentum that lasts thereafter, and usually
you'd be like a debate has the potential to affect
the contest. But I just reckon, Yeah, I reckon. There
is just so much weighing on this one. It's going
to be it's going to be amazing to watch.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
I actually reckon there is more pressure on Camela Trump. No, definitely,
there's a danger she could flame out.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
I reckon, Yeah, yeah, yeah, I definitely agree there's a
danger she could she could claim out. And it's interesting
that they've decided for the rules and the debate, they're
going to keep them as the same rules they had
for Joe Biden's one where he just completely lost the
hope of ever being president again, in that they're going
to mute the microphones. And it's because the two sides

(02:07):
have reversed their position. So Trump's team now want the
microphones to be used, whereas Carmela's team want them to
be open, whereas previously it was the other way around,
way around.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, it's going to be.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
It's going to be amazing, to be fascinating. Now, usually
I would be saying, we're turning our attention to warmer climbs,
given we are focusing on the ConA Coast in Hawaii.
But how hot is it? Trust you? Right now?

Speaker 3 (02:31):
Twenty four degrees?

Speaker 2 (02:33):
That's amazing? Hello, yeaho spring is sprung. My gosh. Okay,
it is still slightly warmer in Hawaii. But twenty four degrees.
I mean that's positively t shirt territory, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
That's certainly is That's amazing.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
I've always said it, so yeah, Okay. Anyway, so the
ConA Coast Hawaii is the ConA Coast, all about the beaches.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Well, it's interesting, jet because last week, of course, we
talked about the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island,
and when you've had your full of that, you probably
are looking for a bit of coastal time, a bit
of a sea breeze. But the thing which amazed megas
the ConA Coast is so much more than just sun
and sand. It's basically a one hundred kilometer long sweep

(03:14):
along Hawaii's western coast, and there were just so many
experiences to check out, so much potent history and amazing attractions.
The thing which I've noticed about New Zealander's love affair
with Hawaii a lot of kiwis really like Maui because
the pace is so much more laid back than say

(03:35):
the bustle of Owahu. I reckon. The ConA coast is
right up there with Maui because it's got that same
sort of easy but interesting, carefree island tempo.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah nice, So tell us about kylu A Village.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
I'm in love with this place, Jack, kaylu A Village
I reckon. It's the Hawaiian version of Russell or Akrolla.
It's just this snug, gorgeous little place wrapped around the
harbor front, bucket loads of character, lots of historical sites,
charming old coral churches, a sparkling hospow strip, and the

(04:09):
most ballist out beach scene. That really is vacation central.
So if you were looking to base yourself on the
big island, definitely Kailua or Kailua Kona as it's referred to.
I recomm it's the place to stay if you're looking
for somewhere to eat. Definitely make time to go to
this gorgeous old opening a restaurant called COONa in it's
been going for decades, and go for the seafood at

(04:31):
Jumbo from Cocktail and that maceadamia crusted Mahi marhi will
do very nicely.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
I think macadamia crusted anything does very nice.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
It's true.

Speaker 2 (04:42):
Are there reminders of the Hawaiian royalty?

Speaker 3 (04:45):
Yes, this is such a huge draw. So around the
Big Island you will see a lot of these old
stone temples. Some of them were for human sacrificial purposes
and are called hayu in the Hawaiian dottled around the
Big Islands, one of the best is just next to
kai Lua Pear, which is where the Iron Man World
Champs start in finish every October. But this temple was

(05:09):
home to the King Kamehamaha, who was the king who
unified the Hawaiian Islands into one royal kingdom two hundred
years ago. So he spent his last years living at
this temple site next to kailu Apia. It's been restored.
It is just the most stunning landmark. And then from

(05:29):
there you can take a very short daddle along the
harbor front to Hui Hihi Palace and this is a
gorgeous old plantation style home, a couple of hundred years old,
and that was the summer palace for Hawaiian royalty in
the late nineteenth century. So it's now a museum and
it gives you a really good flavor of Hawaii's royal path. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Nice. And this is the place where Captain Cook was killed.

Speaker 3 (05:55):
Right, yes, indeed, so yeah, just north of Kailuakona, about
half an hour up the road, go to Keela Kekua Bay,
which is such a dazzling spot. The snork my god,
the bay's waters they are just brilliant, absolutely ablaze with
coral tropical fish. Chances are you'll see spinner dolphins in

(06:16):
that bay too, because they've got a berg population of
the mayor. But yes, across on one side of the
bay there's this huge white stone obelisk. And that was
the spot where Captain Cook was killed. Most unfortunate misunderstanding
is was always the way in those days. In that
skirmish with the native Hawaiians. They actually thought when he

(06:37):
first arrived, they thought he was the god Lonu, the
god of peace and prosperity. But yeah, just a huge misunderstanding. Anyway,
alongside the Cook Memorial on the other side of the
bay another one of those stone temples, and this is
probably one of the best. It's called Heiku Haiyu and
you can walk all around it, all through it. It's

(06:59):
absolutely enthralling.

Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah nice, Okay. Is Kona coffee a big earner?

Speaker 3 (07:05):
Oh my goodness, Jack. They have got six hundred and
fifty ConA coffee farms all along the ConA coast, so
it is a very lucrative industry, very much an organic
sort of even artists in the industry because it's so
labor intensive. All of the beans are still picked by hand,

(07:27):
so that's why it's so expensive in terms of brank
Kna coffee. But the thing which I've found really interesting
is the marketing cons particularly in the US. You may
have noticed in some cafes they'll say ConA Roast or
ConA Style and it's not ConA coffee at all. So

(07:48):
you've got to look for one hundred percent ConA coffee
on the packet all the signed to know you're getting
the real deal.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (07:54):
Right.

Speaker 2 (07:55):
Where are some of the best coffee experiences, Well, I.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
Would go to a little upcountry village called Hallua Loa
Halllua Lower and the air in this village smells like
an espresso bar. It is just incredible. They've got this
huge cluster of coffee farms around Hawlua Loa, and many
of them offer tours and tastings. I would go to
Hula Daddy, ConA Joe and Greenwell Farms. Now Greenwell, those guys,

(08:23):
oh my goodness, they have been producing ConA coffee since
the eighteen fifties, so they know a thing or two
about caffeine and beyond coffee jack. Halllua Loa is also
very antsy, So all along the main street you've got
these very cutey little white galleries, and the farmer's market
is a revelation. The avocados and Halllua Loa are as

(08:43):
big as football's I could do. So there's a lot
of good stuff growing on those slopes.

Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah nice. And is there going to be a price
war for Ethie as to Hawaii.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yes. Very quickly I thought I would mention this Hawaiian
Airlines has set to resume its direct services from Auckland
and November, So if you are planning some Alouha time
over summer, definitely keep an eye on the prices, because
in New Zealand and Hawaiian they will just go hammer
and tongs to win you over.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
Ah so good, Hey, thank you very much, Mike. All
of Mike's tips for touring the Kona Coast will be
up on the Newstalks EDB website.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to Newstalks EDB from nine am Saturday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.