Weight=183.2 pounds, Steps=3,868
We made the 1.5-hour trek to Kona for snorkeling in the morning and Costco afterwards.
Kahalu'u Beach Park
Kahalu'u Beach Park is located south of the main Kona town, near Keauhou, and it is a popular spot for visitors (more than 400,000 per year). There is a rock reef on the outside of the cove that usually protects it from rough ocean conditions, and the shallow waters are filled with lots of fish for snorkelers to view. Sea turtles (Honu in Hawaiian) swim through the cove eating seaweed and he mosses off the rocks. There are over a hundred species of tropical fish which inhabit the nutrient rich bay. One of the more prevalent, Parrot fish can get a little snippy if one hands out around their spots to long.
One of the reasons for Kahalu'u's abundant fish population is that most of cove is less than neck deep. The deepest spot barely exceeds 10 feet even at high tide. The shallow water allows sunlight to penetrate all the way to the bottom growing lots of healthy coral. The coral, in turn, houses and feeds all the cove’s marine life. The bottom of the cove is made up of a base layer of lava rock and coral with scattered patches of sand.
Organized volunteers in and out of the water help in protecting the coral and the marine life. These volunteers from ReefTeach remind visitors that coral is a living animal and will die if you step on it (which many people do!). These volunteers help preserve and improve the quality of the marine life in the bay. They have a large display board by the pavilion with volunteers educating about the coral and how to protect marine life. Volunteers also stand by the easy entry point into the water and tell newbies that "the hardest part is getting wet." Two rules: don't stand on the reef and no touching turtles ($25,000 fine if caught). Keep an eye out for sea urchins which can hide between rocks.
The bay is shallow within the reef, mostly chest high, but deeper in some areas. The visibility is very good but there could be a strong current running at various times in the year. Overall, a very safe, accessible snorkeling beach which will appeal to adults, as well as novices and kids.
A covered shelter has several large tables for picnicking, and a food/beverage truck, plus a snorkel gear rental business, are usually there during the day as well. This beach also has lifeguards on duty. The actual beach is not very large, so arriving early might be a good idea in order to find a place to park (free) and to secure a place in the sand for your gear and sunbathing.
Since Kahalu'u can be crowded in the middle of the day, the best time to arrive is earlier in the morning. In the morning, the water is calmer and the clearest. The beach is ranked in the top three for snorkeling in the Kona area -- others are Honaunau and the Captain Cook Monument. It is only five miles south of Kona but takes about 20 minutes to drive on Ali'i Drive due to the congested traffic.
We made the 1.5-hour trek to Kona for snorkeling in the morning and Costco afterwards.
Kahalu'u Beach Park
Kahalu'u Beach Park is located south of the main Kona town, near Keauhou, and it is a popular spot for visitors (more than 400,000 per year). There is a rock reef on the outside of the cove that usually protects it from rough ocean conditions, and the shallow waters are filled with lots of fish for snorkelers to view. Sea turtles (Honu in Hawaiian) swim through the cove eating seaweed and he mosses off the rocks. There are over a hundred species of tropical fish which inhabit the nutrient rich bay. One of the more prevalent, Parrot fish can get a little snippy if one hands out around their spots to long.
One of the reasons for Kahalu'u's abundant fish population is that most of cove is less than neck deep. The deepest spot barely exceeds 10 feet even at high tide. The shallow water allows sunlight to penetrate all the way to the bottom growing lots of healthy coral. The coral, in turn, houses and feeds all the cove’s marine life. The bottom of the cove is made up of a base layer of lava rock and coral with scattered patches of sand.
Organized volunteers in and out of the water help in protecting the coral and the marine life. These volunteers from ReefTeach remind visitors that coral is a living animal and will die if you step on it (which many people do!). These volunteers help preserve and improve the quality of the marine life in the bay. They have a large display board by the pavilion with volunteers educating about the coral and how to protect marine life. Volunteers also stand by the easy entry point into the water and tell newbies that "the hardest part is getting wet." Two rules: don't stand on the reef and no touching turtles ($25,000 fine if caught). Keep an eye out for sea urchins which can hide between rocks.
The bay is shallow within the reef, mostly chest high, but deeper in some areas. The visibility is very good but there could be a strong current running at various times in the year. Overall, a very safe, accessible snorkeling beach which will appeal to adults, as well as novices and kids.
A covered shelter has several large tables for picnicking, and a food/beverage truck, plus a snorkel gear rental business, are usually there during the day as well. This beach also has lifeguards on duty. The actual beach is not very large, so arriving early might be a good idea in order to find a place to park (free) and to secure a place in the sand for your gear and sunbathing.
Since Kahalu'u can be crowded in the middle of the day, the best time to arrive is earlier in the morning. In the morning, the water is calmer and the clearest. The beach is ranked in the top three for snorkeling in the Kona area -- others are Honaunau and the Captain Cook Monument. It is only five miles south of Kona but takes about 20 minutes to drive on Ali'i Drive due to the congested traffic.
Costco Kona
Every Costco store is somewhat localized to cater to local tastes and products. The Costco in Kona is no exception. Some of the notable local products are shown in the pictures: Spam, Kona coffee, macadamia nut products, poke salad, sashimi plates, aloha shirts, and surfboards, among others.
One of the items that Hawaiians cannot do without is Spam and Costco has the standard cans, as well as, snack variations. They eat Spam with fried eggs and rice — breakfast, lunch, dinner -- basically any hour of the day on any day of the week. Spam Musubi, a sushi-style slice of Spam served with rice and seaweed, is a local favorite. Hawaii consumes more Spam than any state in the U.S. — in total about seven million cans a year.
The island’s unique love affair with Spam began in World War II, when GIs were served the salty luncheon meat because it didn’t require refrigeration and had a long shelf life. The Hormel Corporation, which manufactures Spam, provided 15 million cans to solders every week. Between 1941 and 1945, Hormel had shipped over 100 million cans overseas. Spam has spread to other Asia-Pacific nations such as Guam and Korea. As a result of the Korean War, Koreans enjoy Spam kimbap, a rice and vegetable filled seaweed roll.
Nicknamed the “Hawaiian steak,” Spam is short for "spiced ham." According to Spam's website, the canned meat contains only six ingredients: already-cooked pork (two different cuts: pork shoulder and ham), salt, water, potato starch (to keep the meat moist), sugar and sodium nitrite (a common preservative). For nutritionists, it is sometimes called "mystery meat." Why it's not good for you: A single serving of spam has about 53% of the recommended amount of sodium. It's high in cholesterol and fat, and it has limited nutrients or vitamins. Aren't new studies showing that cholesterol and fat are not as bas for you as originally thought? In any case, it is a Spam world in Hawaii--almost the national food.
Every Costco store is somewhat localized to cater to local tastes and products. The Costco in Kona is no exception. Some of the notable local products are shown in the pictures: Spam, Kona coffee, macadamia nut products, poke salad, sashimi plates, aloha shirts, and surfboards, among others.
One of the items that Hawaiians cannot do without is Spam and Costco has the standard cans, as well as, snack variations. They eat Spam with fried eggs and rice — breakfast, lunch, dinner -- basically any hour of the day on any day of the week. Spam Musubi, a sushi-style slice of Spam served with rice and seaweed, is a local favorite. Hawaii consumes more Spam than any state in the U.S. — in total about seven million cans a year.
The island’s unique love affair with Spam began in World War II, when GIs were served the salty luncheon meat because it didn’t require refrigeration and had a long shelf life. The Hormel Corporation, which manufactures Spam, provided 15 million cans to solders every week. Between 1941 and 1945, Hormel had shipped over 100 million cans overseas. Spam has spread to other Asia-Pacific nations such as Guam and Korea. As a result of the Korean War, Koreans enjoy Spam kimbap, a rice and vegetable filled seaweed roll.
Nicknamed the “Hawaiian steak,” Spam is short for "spiced ham." According to Spam's website, the canned meat contains only six ingredients: already-cooked pork (two different cuts: pork shoulder and ham), salt, water, potato starch (to keep the meat moist), sugar and sodium nitrite (a common preservative). For nutritionists, it is sometimes called "mystery meat." Why it's not good for you: A single serving of spam has about 53% of the recommended amount of sodium. It's high in cholesterol and fat, and it has limited nutrients or vitamins. Aren't new studies showing that cholesterol and fat are not as bas for you as originally thought? In any case, it is a Spam world in Hawaii--almost the national food.
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