Elite Traveler May-June 2018

elite traveler MAY/JUNE 2018 117

Marvel at the Halemaumau Crater

Explore the waterfalls along the Hilo and Hamakua coasts

TOP SUITES

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES PRIVATE HELICOPTER TOUR The island of Hawaii has one of the world’s most uniquely beautiful environments, and the best way to see the landscape is by helicopter. Mauna Loa Helicopter Tours offers private excursions and will take you to Kīlauea’s burning center, flying close over Halema’uma’u (the origin of the lava flow), through Hilo (the fourth-wettest town in the US), into the lush rain forest of Hamakua, and through the taro-covered Waipio Valley before eventually making your way to the extinct Kohala, the oldest of the island’s five volcanoes. Bring your camera — the views are unbelievable. +1 808 329 4422, maunaloahelicoptertours.com A DAY ON THE WATER The western coastline has the best snorkeling on the Island of Hawaii, and Hawaii Nautical will take you straight to the heart of the action, where butterfly fish, humuhumunukunukuāpua’a (reef triggerfish), turtles, dolphins, and if the season is right, humpback whales, are easy to spot in the crystal-clear blue waters.

Hawaii Loa Presidential Villa FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI

KĪLAUEA AFTER DARK If you’re feeling truly adventurous, sign up for a

Nestled between Hapuna Beach and the beautiful Waipio Valley on the Kona Coast, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is a true extension of its natural environment. Built on black lava rock, its thatched- roof bungalows are decorated with island touches including 19th-century kou-wood carvings and pink lava rock outdoor showers overlooking the ocean. The Hawaii Loa Presidential Villa features featherwork by indigenous artist Natalie Mahina Jensen-Oomittuk and a design reflecting the history and culture of the island. Outdoors, it has a private tropical garden, hot tub and direct ocean access. Four Seasons Hualalai has some of the best golfing on the island, and the spa is particularly special, with treatments incorporating local ingredients such as hibiscus nectar, crushed macadamia nuts and passion fruit to stimulate your senses. From $18,195 per night, five-night minimum. Contact Erin Santana, reservation manager, erin.santana@fourseasons.com, +1 808 325 8112, fourseasons.com/hualalai Oceanfront Bungalow MAUNA LANI Mauna Lani, perched on lava rock in Hawaii’s Kohala area, isn’t just eco-friendly, it’s a preservation site. The resort is famous for protecting sea turtles, and guests can visit them in the property’s many natural saltwater ponds, where they are raised and released into the ocean. This sanctuary is just one element of the iconic island spot. Beachfront bungalows come equipped with private pools, hibiscus-filled gardens, outdoor rain showers and luxurious tubs. The spa is part open air —book a traditional lomilomi massage in a lush garden under a thatched roof, accompanied by the sounds of the ocean breeze —with privacy provided by lava-rock boulder walls. The sunset view from chef Allan Nagun’s CanoeHouse restaurant is incredible. Try the tasting menu for authentic Hawaiian cuisine. From $3,500 per night. Contact Rodney Ito, managing director, reservations@maunalani.com, +1 800 367 2323, maulani.com FAIRMONT ORCHID On a white-sand beach off Puako Bay, Fairmont Orchid, with its classic white-stucco architecture set against Kohala’s palm-lined coast, has a magical quality. The resort boasts an award-winning spa, excellent golfing and six restaurants, among them a 14-seat sushi bar, Norio’s, where the itamae will guide you through their selection of ultra-fresh sashimi or nigiri. The South Tower Presidential Suite, with its two separate lanais overlooking the property’s swimming lagoon, coconut grove and the Pacific Ocean, includes a butler’s pantry and living and dining rooms. Take out an outrigger canoe with a Hui Holokai Beach Club ambassador at sunrise to experience Hawaii’s most traditional form of transportation between islands, or try your hand at floating yoga —flow yoga practiced in the ocean’s clear waters on a stand-up paddleboard. From $3,900 per night. Contact Kelley Cosgrove, general manager, orchid@fairmont.com, +1 808 885 2000, fairmont.com/orchid-hawaii

nighttime hike through Kīlauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Explore Kīlauea’s jaw-dropping crater center, hike through the pitch-dark lava tube and take in the valleys and ossified desert of the volcano’s otherworldly terrain. Nui Pohaku Tours will create a custom outing to your liking. +1 808 937 0644, nuipohaku.com geological makeup and infant status, Hawaii has some of the most diverse beach types around — you can find stunning white-sand, black-sand, ‘sea-glass’ and even green-sand beaches in remarkably close proximity to one another. Kaimū, a baby beach born when Kīlauea engulfed the town of Kalapana in 1990, is arguably the most beautiful of the island’s black-sand beaches. You can see the lava flow and breathtaking activity of the volcano directly from the water — the still-smoldering crater rests against the mountainside bordering the beach. HAWAII’S BEACHES Because of the island’s

+1 808 234 7245, hawaiinautical.com

Enjoy ocean views from the thatched- roof villas at the Four Seasons

The luxurious bathroom and outdoor shower at Mauna Lani

Classic white-stucco architecture at the Fairmont

Dip your toes in at Punaluu Black Sand Beach