Aloha guys! My 2014 Hawaiian getaway was a week in island paradise! Rainforests, volcano's, dolphins, OH MY! The Big Island is a fascinating site to see! The rich dark blue water surrounded by palm trees & smooth sand was radiant! The island is covered in black & red volcanic rock, which was definitely a special experience! It made me question if I was on Mars, or just across the sea on a beautiful warm island. Give me some Kona coffee ice cream and a hammock and I'm pretty much set for the entire vacation! I call it an ocean delight! Snorkeling with Dory fish & learning to paddle board were just the beginning! I stayed at a large, grand resort called Mauna Kea! We had a private beach where I enjoyed a nice guava orange smoothie every day as I layed in the sun & let the island breeze take my worries elsewhere! Tip: Wear lots of sunscreen! (sunscreen chapstick included). The sun is 10 times stronger than it is in California! I learned the hard way... after the first day on the beach I was burnt quite badly. Shade was the solution! However, nothing would stop me from exploring the island! On the way to visit the active volcano, we stopped by a few rainforest waterfalls, which was very interesting! We saw banana trees and bamboo, as well as many colorful flowers with rather odd textures.
One item on my bucket list was swimming with dolphins! Before the end of our island getaway, we visited the Hilton Big Island Resort, Waikoloa Village to meet Keo & Kona! I had the opportunity of feeding Keo, a young dolphin who loves to play with toys! Petting Keo was wonderful! The dolphin skin feels like a wet suit! Watching the dolphins dive deep and jump up out of the water was miraculous! We purchased the $210 "Encounter" 30 minute experience, which was definitely enough time to enjoy swimming with Keo! Pineapple Everywhere! I think I may have over did it on the fresh, juicy, pineapple. Every bite was a sweet delight! Speaking of Hawaiian delights, one thing that I had always dreamed of doing was going to a luau! My second day on the island, my dream came true! A full out buffet was offered and I had the opportunity of tasting Poi, a taro root dish, for the first time. It may have been my favorite color purple, but it definitely wasn't my favorite flavor, or texture. I stuck with the baked sweet potatoes & MahiMahi! Volunteers were brought on stage after the luau performance to learn how to hula! The Mauna Kea Ocean Front Luau is available Tuesdays & Fridays ( I chose to attend Tuesday). A fun & cultural experience it was! Mahalo, KONA! Thank you, Kona for a delightful experience & relaxing Island getaway! I will never forget this Hawaiian paradise! Till next time, Love always! Mia.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorHi guys! My passion is anything and everything SWEET! I am a graduate from Los Angeles, California with a hospitality degree. I have experienced many inspiring delights of the world as I have traveled here & there. Whatever the future may bring, I will always observe with my eyes & enjoy with my heart. Love Always, MARIA CEKO (Mia) Always #HEARTInspired Archives
January 2017
Categories |