The Big Island of Hawai'i, the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands, is a photographer’s dream location. It has it all: sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains, active volcanoes, lush tropical rainforests, even lava deserts. The island is bigger than most realize, and is best explored in parts. Hilo, being on the windward side of the island, receives the majority of rainfall and boasts a large number of waterfalls and beautiful botanical gardens. Conversely, Kona, being on the leeward side of the island, is much drier with a greater amount of yearly sunshine and stunning beaches.

Valerie and I recently spent one week on the island with our parents. We explored four distinct areas: Waipi'o Valley, Kailua-Kona, Volcano National Park, and Hilo. Our companion on the trip was the extremely thorough and informative book, Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed, The Ultimate Guidebook (www.wizardpub.com). This gold mine of knowledge divulges many lesser-known attractions that we would have otherwise missed. We could not compliment the authors enough! Many of the facts contained in this gallery were obtained from the guidebook.

Click on the map below to view details and a collection of photographs from each area. Mahalo for visiting!