Things to do in Kona

Most tourists come to Kona to enjoy its spectacular views, fantastic weather and outdoor activities. However, there are also many interesting places to visit including several educational attractions.

Mauna Kea Visitor Center

With its interactive displays, interesting informative panels, videos and shops, the Visitor Center is an interesting place to stop at to gain some knowledge about Hawaiian culture. There is also a food store here. This site is quite different from many tourist sites and can even be described as quaint.

Ocean Rider Aquafarm

This interesting aquafarm breeds seahorses. There are guided tours for visitors, which take about an hour, and opportunities for visitors to touch and feed the beautiful seahorses. The tour is educational, interactive and lots of fun.

Hulihee Palace

The two-storey palace was built in 1838 using lava rocks, Koa and Ohia timbers and coral lime mortar. During its glory days, the palace served as a summer retreat for the royalty and all of Hawaiis monarchs have stayed here. The palace also doubles as a museum and it has many interesting local artefacts as well as historical items.

Kona Coast State Park (Kekahakai State Park)

This is the site to head to if you are looking for a sandy beach and dunes in which to relax. There is also a trail that offers plenty of wonderful vistas for those who love hiking. The wilderness park offers lots of opportunities for enjoying the outdoor beauty and life at Kona.

Mokuaikaua Church

Established in 1820, this was the first Christian church to be built in Hawaii. The components used to build this interesting church include lava rock, mortar which was made from coral and local Hawaiian wood. Inside the church, there is a model of the ship Thaddeus, which carried the first missionaries to Hawaii.

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau Place of Refuge

This is the site where the locals would run to when they broke an ancient law. Here priests would absolve them and they would thus avoid death by the gods. The site was used in this way until the early 19th century, when it became known as a place of refuge or puuhonua. Many powerful chiefs once lived just outside the Great Wall that surrounds Puuhonua. The park is also home to many interesting historical attractions including temple platforms, royal fishponds, sledding tracks and a few coastal village sites. The Hale O Keawe temple has also been reconstructed here.

The Painted Church

The Gothic-styled church, once known as Saint Benedict's Church, is famed for its paintings depicting stories from the bible, which can be found on its inner walls. Father John Berchamans Veighe, the pastor of the church, painted the scenes during the 1900s to help explain the bible to his congregation, who could not read or write at that time.