Two questions please,while on the Big Island

[Texas_firefighter]

Ok,I have two questions please,while in two Big Island ports...First ,while in Kona ,how long will it take to drive down to Punalu'u Beach Park?... and secondly, from Hilo,how long does it take to see the Pepe'ekeo scenic drive,and after already going to VNP by rental car will we have time to do this and see the botanical gardens with a port time of 8am-6pm ? Will we more than likely just be able to make the drive and pass on the gardens stop ?Thanks in advance!

[Kane]

In Kona, Kahaluu Beach Park is about 1/2 hour south of Kailua. Easy drive.

 

Pepe`ekeo is quite close to Hilo, maybe 15-20 minutes north. Your problem is going to be how much time you spend at VNP. If you stay at the "top", you can probably do both ... but if you decide to drive down the Chain of Craters road and hike onto the lava fields, it may not be possible.

[sceptic]

Note that the initial question was for Punalu'u, the Black Sand Beach. it takes quite a while from Kona, well over an hour an hour and a half. It's about 70 miles, and the road is good but curvy in many spots. It's actually faster from Hilo, but trying to see it, the VNP and the scenic drive in one day is well nigh impossible.

[Texas_firefighter]

Note that the initial question was for Punalu'u, the Black Sand Beach. it takes quite a while from Kona, well over an hour an hour and a half. It's about 70 miles, and the road is good but curvy in many spots. It's actually faster from Hilo, but trying to see it, the VNP and the scenic drive in one day is well nigh impossible.

 

Ok,Thanks.I didn't know that Punalu'u was that distance from Kona.

[Nancyquilts]

At Kona the easiest place to rent a car is for Dollar or Thrifty at the King Kam hotel, right next to the tender pier.

[tg_lindo]

Our time anchored off Kona was the usual (appx 9-5 or thereabouts). We were able to drive to Punalu'u, even after taking the shuttle to KOA airport to fetch the car. I recall the drive being more like an hour (?). Of course, we pushed the limits of the speed limit once we got into the deserted areas in the lava fields south of coffee country. Down there, the highway has some long straight-aways between curvy bits.

 

We went because we really like that part of the island, as discovered on a previous land vacation.

 

There was time to walk the trails adjacent to the black sand beach, and wander the small town of Na'alehu including the wonderful bakery.

 

It was not, all in all, what I would call a leisurely day because so much of it was spent driving fast on the highway, but we did have a perverse sense of accomplishment!