25. Big Island Hapuna Beach

After the noisy night with our little Coqui frog and plenty of rain, we packed our things this morning, left Hilo, and headed north. We chose the route along the old highway and soon found ourselves again deep in lush jungles. The road winds through giant green plant walls and ancient forests. Our first major stop is the famous Waipiʻo Valley. Unfortunately, the valley is no longer accessible to visitors and is completely closed off, so we can only enjoy the view from the official overlook. The lookout is still absolutely spectacular: we gaze in awe at the deep, lush green gorge and the wild, black sand beach far below us, while the steep cliffs majestically drop into the Pacific Ocean.
After that, we continue towards the west coast, and the drive turns into a real geographical rollercoaster. When we reach the plateau around Waimea, the landscape changes dramatically. Instead of jungle, we suddenly see lush green meadows, gentle hills, and vast lands for agriculture and livestock farming. But this picture doesn't last long. Just a few kilometers later, nature makes its next radical turnaround: the green pastures give way to a barren steppe and an extremely dry landscape shaped by ancient lava rock. It’s now noon, the heat of the west coast is clearly palpable, and we head straight to the famous Hapuna Beach to spend the rest of the day in the fine sand and the wonderfully blue water.
The Hawaiian sun is mercilessly blazing down from the sky today. We actually want to stay here much longer, but the extreme heat and strong radiation quickly spoil our plans. Today, of all days, we are not wearing protective swim shirts, which is immediately noticeable on our skin. Still, we enjoy paradise: we splash around for two hours in the wonderfully refreshing water and relax on the soft sand of Hapuna Beach. When the sun becomes too strong, we pack up and head to Kona. There, we spontaneously stop by the local fire station and boldly ask for a few of the iconic fire department T-shirts as souvenirs. We are incredibly lucky: the firefighter is remarkably friendly, and the kids actually receive two of the coveted shirts as gifts! An absolutely brilliant moment and a great souvenir that perfectly rounds off this sunny day.
After our success at the fire station, we head to the local public swimming pool to wash off the annoying saltwater and take a thorough shower. The pool is completely free and is an absolutely brilliant opportunity for us to freshen up properly before the long flight home. Clean and changed, we go for a final delicious meal and enjoy a beautiful, kitschy sunset that bathes the sky over Kona in warm colors.
The subsequent drive to the airport is pleasantly short, and returning the rental car is quick and uncomplicated within just a few minutes.
Upon arriving at the airport, we luckily first use the available scales in the hall to check the weight instead of going directly to the counter. The shock hits us shortly after: our luggage is indeed too heavy! Now we have to open both suitcases, and some heavy items are quickly thrown into the carry-on until everything fits perfectly. Unfortunately for us, because we will be taking carry-on luggage to San Francisco tomorrow. Our flight is at 10:50 PM.