How Many Days Do You Need on the Big Island? (with Calculator!)

So you’re wondering how many days you need on the Big Island to see everything? 

It’s a legit question because as the name implies, the Big Island is BIG (it takes 6hrs to drive around the whole island)! Driving will take up more time in your day than you realize, which means you’ll need extra time to fit activities into your days.

Ideally, I think you should take 7-10 days to visit the Big Island. That gives you time to explore all around the island with some time for relaxation. 

But even that won’t be enough time honestly. I lived on the Big Island for a year, visit back often, and still haven’t seen everything.

If you don’t have that kind of time, you’ll need to prioritize activities based on your interests and probably just have to schedule a return trip😜.

In this post you’ll find:

• Calculator to figure out how many days is best for you
• Quick breakdown on what you can fit into various days
• List of popular activities to consider adding to your itinerary

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How Many Days Do You Need on the Big Island?

There are so many ways to mix and match your itinerary on the Big Island.

To give you a running start, here are some ways of looking at spending your time on the Big Island based on the number of days you have. Each will make sure you hit the highlights so you don’t have (too much) FOMO, Fear Of Missing Out. 

Remember, the longer you stay, the slower you can travel.

3 Day Itinerary:

1. Kona/Captain Cook
2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park/Ka’u District
3. Hilo

🌺 See my 3 Day Itinerary in detail here!

4 Day Itinerary:

1. Kona/Captain Cook
2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park/Ka’u District
3. Waikoloa/Kohala Peninsula
4. Hilo

🌺 See my 4 Day Itinerary in detail here!

5 Day Itinerary:

1. Kona
2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park/Ka’u District
3. Waikoloa/Kohala Peninsula
4. Hilo
5. Captain Cook

6 Day Itinerary:

1. Kona
2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
3. Waikoloa/Kohala Peninsula
4. Hilo
5. Captain Cook
6. Ka’u District

7 Day Itinerary:

1. Kona
2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
3. Waikoloa
4. Hilo
5. Captain Cook
6. Ka’u District
7. Kohala Peninsula

Where to Stay Based on Number of Days

A common question is where should you stay on the Big Island. Because driving takes up so much of your time getting from site to site, sometimes it’s easier to split your stay between Kona and Hilo.

Most people will fly into the Kona International Airport as that’s where most flights from the mainland tend to arrive. The Kona side of the island is also the driest side with the most resort options.

Hilo International Airport is a good alternative if coming from a different Hawaiian island or if it’s an option from the mainland. Hilo tends to be wetter and more humid than Kona, but it’s also more tropical.

Here is how I would suggest where you should stay based on the number of days you are on the Big Island:

• 3-4 Days – Kona
• 5+ Days – Kona/Hilo

>> 🛏️ Find Accommodations on the Big Island Here! <<

Of course, this all depends on which sites and activities you will be doing. So let’s take a look at your options of what to fill your days with…

Whatever You Do, Don’t Miss These Big Island Activities

There are a few things that make the Big Island unique and definitely worth adding to your itinerary, not to mention they’re probably why you want to visit in the first place!

Things you will find here and nowhere else in the U.S. or almost the world:

Manta Ray Night Snorkel – only place in the U.S. you can snorkel or dive with manta rays and an adventure I’ll never forget. Don’t worry, they eat plankton, not people! Book a manta ray tour here! ➡️

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – only place in the U.S. you have the chance to visit a volcano with active lava (lava sighting not guaranteed) Book a volcano tour here! ➡️

South Point – the southernmost point in the U.S.; yes, even further south than Key West! 

Papakōlea Green Sand Beach – only 1 of 4 green sand beaches in the WORLD!

Mauna Kea – technically the tallest mountain on earth from base to tip at 30,610ft tall (Mt Everest is “only” 29,032ft tall). But at 13,803ft above sea level, Mauna Kea is also one of the best places in the world for stargazing due to the lack of atmospheric and light pollution. Book a stargazing tour here! ➡️

Pretty cool how many one-of-a-kind things are on the island, huh?!

Things to Do and See That Will Fill Your Days on the Big Island

To help you decide how many days you need on the Big Island, you first need to know what there is to do there.

Here is a quick run-down of the most popular activities and sights to help you decide which ones pique your interest and are worth adding to your itinerary.

Farm Tours

The tropical climate and rich, lava soil create a prime environment for lush vegetation on the Big Island. 

One of the island’s world famous products is Kona coffee.

Visit a Kona coffee farm (or its counterpart, a Ka’u coffee farm) to learn about the intense process from bean to cup.   

>> Book my favorite Kona coffee farm tour with Heavenly Hawaiian here! <<

Beyond coffee farms, the Big Island is home to an array of other farms that also offer fun tours. You can explore:

• Chocolate Farms: Discover how cacao is grown and transformed into delectable chocolate. Book a tour here! ➡️
• Fruit Farms: Sample exotic tropical fruits fresh from the tree like lychee, jackfruit, or citruses. Book a tour here! ➡️
• Vanilla Farms: Learn about the cultivation of this aromatic and labor-intensive spice. Book a tour here! ➡️
• Macadamia Nut Factories: See the processing of these delicious nuts through kitchen windows.

To help with your planning, these farm tours will last about 1-2 hours each.

Sea Life Tours

Obviously, the Big Island is an island, meaning it’s surrounded by an ocean teeming with sea life to observe. The Big Island is home to humpback whales (during the winter months), spinner dolphins, green sea turtles, manta rays, and lots and lots of tropical fish. 

Whale Watching – from around Dec-Mar, the humpback whales grace their presence in warm Hawaiian waters. Hunt for sightings on a boat tour off of the Kona coast. Book it here! ➡️

Manta Ray Snorkeling – hold on to a boogie board that shines blue light into the water, attracting plankton that the manta rays like to eat. These giant animals will come within inches of your face as they somersault below you. Book it here! ➡️

Kealakekua Bay Snorkeling – one of the most popular snorkel locations is Kealakekua Bay, which can only be accessed by boat or a steep 4-mile hike. Boat tours depart out of Kona. Book it here! ➡️

Glassbottom Boat – for those who don’t want to enter the ocean, this boat tour lets you stay dry while observing sea life below your feet through a window in the floor of your boat. Book it here! ➡️

To help with your planning, these boat tours typically last about 2-4 hours.

Land Nature

Back on land, there are a ton of natural sites to behold on the Big Island.

Volcanoes – there are five volcanoes on the Big Island, but these two are what most people seek out:

• Kilauea  – located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea is the only place in the U.S. to potentially see active lava (check lava conditions here). But even if it’s not, you can still explore steam vents, sulphur banks, a lava tube, craters, and petroglyphs. Book a volcano tour here! ➡️
• Mauna Kea – popular place to watch sunset and stargaze. Due to the lack of atmospheric and light pollution, you can often clearly see the Milky Way and star constellations. Beware of altitude sickness! Book a stargazing tour here! ➡️

Waterfalls – if you like watching water cascade over a cliff, you’ll find plenty of waterfalls on the Hilo side, some of them even swimmable. The most popular waterfalls to visit are:

• Rainbow Falls – a quick stop to view a waterfall with a cave behind it
• Akaka Falls – a short half-mile hike to see one of the tallest waterfalls on the island
• Umauma Falls – a three-tiered waterfall inside an adventure park (you can even zipline over it!)

Beaches – what’s an island without beaches? While the Big Island doesn’t necessarily get the best rap for perfect beaches, it definitely has some with character! It has beaches with white sand, black sand, salt and pepper sand, and green sand! The most popular beaches are:

• Punalu’u Black Sand Beach – black sand, cold water, frequent sea turtle sightings
• Hapuna Beach – white sand, nearly half-mile long
• Papalokea Green Sand Beach – green sand, 5-mile hike to access (or $25 truck ride)
• Kua Bay Beach – white sand, aqua blue water, good whale watching from shore
• Magic Sands Beach – white sand, small beach, sand can “disappear” seasonally

Valleys – you know those quintessential Hawaiian views of craggly, green cliffs that surround a lush tropical valley? The Big Island has two of those:

• Pololu Valley – hike down to the valley floor to explore a black sand beach, ironwood tree forest, and a freshwater stream
• Waipio Valley – valley floor is only accessible by tour! You can view it from above at the lookout parking lot to see a partial view of the black sand beach and potentially waterfalls

South Point – cliffs that border the ocean mark the southernmost point in the U.S. Watch brave souls (or crazy, in my case) jump from these 40ft cliffs. Jump at your own risk!

To help with your planning, these natural sites can take as short as 5 minutes to all-day to explore.

Historical Sites

The Big Island plays a significant role in Hawaiian history. It is the homeland of King Kamehameha I, the Hawaiian ruler who conquered and united the Hawaiian Islands. Also, the famous explorer Captain James Cook died here in an altercation with the Hawaiian natives. 

Popular historical sites to visit on the Big Island are:

Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park – the site of a place of refuge for ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers. Explore royal grounds, ki’i (tiki statues), temples, and a massive stone wall.

Petroglyphs – while the true meaning of petroglyphs remains a mystery, these ancient Hawaiian rock carvings and etchings depict various figures and symbols thought to be used as a form of communication and/or storytelling. The most popular places to find petroglyphs are:

• Pu’u Loa Petroglyphs – located within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
• Waikoloa Petroglyph Field – located behind Kings Shops in Waikoloa
• Puako Petroglyph Park – also located in Waikoloa near the Fairmont Orchid 
• Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park – located in Kona as part of the trail to the beach

To help with your planning, most of these historical sites will usually take 1-2hrs to visit